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Original poster

Gavin Williamson is a complete twat!!

53 replies

Dickorydockwhatthe · 07/01/2021 21:42

I'm so fuming with the way he has fucked up our children's education, ignored nurseries in any discussions about why he hasn't closed them and now withdrawing funding for children whose parents decide not to send them. And then to have the cheek to tell parents to complain to ofsted if they are not happy with their child's home learning after schools were given 12 hours notice to prepare. He's a absolute disgrace.

OP posts:
HecouldLickEm · 07/01/2021 22:55

I felt enormous anger towards him but in see him now as a strangely tortured creature. I feel sorry for him, he's way over his head, he looks so awful and tortured I actually think he should stand down and have let someone else else take over

lavenderlou · 07/01/2021 22:56

@RufustheSniggeringReindeer

Ive said it before and I’ll say it again

I didn’t think i could loathe anybody more than gove

But williamson has managed it

Yes, it is probably his greatest achievement! I can't think of any others....
fireplaceburning · 07/01/2021 23:01

@Crunchymum schools have been trying to prepare and we had some systems in place but we've all been quite busy trying to catch up after the first lockdown when we had little time to prepare. Planning extra booster slots and with all takes time.

OwlWearingGlasses · 07/01/2021 23:08

@Crunchymum

I can't stand the man but schools have known that online learning was a possibility for months now and were advised to prepare for it.
But did you expect teachers to plan 2 sets of lessons every day just on the off chance that government close schools at 8pm at night (after insisting the previous day they were safe and everyone should go in) - one set of lesson plans for in person teaching and one online? They are both very very different types of teaching and it would simply be too much work to prepare daily plans for both eventualities just incase of a late night announcement. Switching to online has meant juggling the curriculum around to do the easier stuff now online and save the trickier stuff for in in person teaching later in the year. It takes a lot of time to plan a days lesson and to overnight have to switch is masses of work. Teachers have had to find lots of suitable online resources to replace things they may have printed out in classrooms and change plans for art, science etc.
itispersonal · 07/01/2021 23:17

Single entry schools especially are going to struggle if teaching staff are expecting to teach children at home, plan and work lessons and look after the ever increasing children who are key worker or vulnerable! Not all schools have TAs per class to help either.

Gavin Williamson is a muppet, but who are the advisors to him!

I think he has a cheek after giving staff 12 hours notice and still on first week, if unhappy contact ofsted. He had months to sort out GCSEs and A levels and failed!

ReceptionTA · 07/01/2021 23:39

Oh yes, parents complaining that there is only one live lesson a day....and during that lesson (which requires two adults present for safeguarding) the children who are in school also need two adults with them.

We are timing live lessons so two classes are nit happening at the same time so siblings lessons don't clash if a family doesn't have a device per child. Meanwhile 2 adults are needed to be with the children in school. But adults shouldn't cross bubbles or wear a mask. But they should just be omnipresent, especially if they have their own child at home.

itispersonal · 07/01/2021 23:43

@ReceptionTA

Oh yes, parents complaining that there is only one live lesson a day....and during that lesson (which requires two adults present for safeguarding) the children who are in school also need two adults with them.

We are timing live lessons so two classes are nit happening at the same time so siblings lessons don't clash if a family doesn't have a device per child. Meanwhile 2 adults are needed to be with the children in school. But adults shouldn't cross bubbles or wear a mask. But they should just be omnipresent, especially if they have their own child at home.

This 100%, it's farcical!
fireplaceburning · 08/01/2021 07:30

@ReceptionTA this is why my head is saying no live lessons. We have video content but this also means parents aren't stuck to specific times of the day. Teachers are available on google classroom to answer questions.

Original poster
Dickorydockwhatthe · 08/01/2021 07:37

I'm so fucking angry. Yes it a tough job and this virus is new and unpredictable but the lack of communication, planning, organisation and clarification. Backtracking and u-turns during this pandemic is a shambles. They are all a disgrace and as someone mentioned he's a Twat amongst twats. But I really do hate him right now and what he is doing to our childrens education and teaching staff. I was getting school emails throughout the holidays needs teachers have not had a flipping break!!

OP posts:
ReceptionTA · 08/01/2021 07:48

the lack of communication, planning, organisation and clarification. Backtracking and u-turns during this pandemic is a shambles.

It absolutely is a shambles! It's not as though the government didn't know about the pandemic last summer. They've had time to plan, but it's just being made up as they go along. Last spring that was to be expected, but not now. Gavin Williamson has a lot to answer for regarding this country's mental health, because he's truly messing with a lot of peoples heads.

OverTheRainbow88 · 08/01/2021 07:49

He’s a repulsive leech. Hate the man more than I thought was possible to hate someone I’ve never met.

SnugglySnerd · 08/01/2021 07:52

I think a lot of parents think teachers should be providing work from 9-3.30 as that is the time they are in school forgetting that a decent chunk of that time is spent on break, lunch, getting changed for PE, lining up to go into assembly, taking registers and so on. In an infant setting all of that probably accounts for and hour ans a half of the day!
I agree about the live lessons, if siblings in different years are sharing a laptop they can't all be in live lessons at the same time. The video lessons we did last time around were more accessible to more children imo.
I hope the actual plan for how to award exam grades will be released soon. Year 11 and their parents are understandably very concerned. Last year's year 11 were in a much better position having done mocks in year 10 and in Dec. This cohort missed their year 10 mock. The government really should have introduced some sort of coursework/teacher assessment in the autumn that was consistent across schools instead of leaving it until we are closed and the students are all working at home. Total incompetence!

ReceptionTA · 08/01/2021 08:05

I'd totally forgotten Y11 missed their end of year tests/mocks in Y10! Gavin had better come up with a really good idea about how to award GCSEs.

MsJaneAusten · 08/01/2021 08:06

He’s making me wistful for Gove.

At least Gove made decisions (terrible ones, but at least he made them!)

OverTheRainbowLiesOz · 08/01/2021 08:09

I can't understand why he is still in the cabinet. Even Tory supporters think he is useless.

He must have lots of dirt on people via his old job of whip.

GrumblyMumblyisnotJumbly · 08/01/2021 08:13

@eddiemairswife He's my daughter's MP. When he was canvassing before the election she suggested he visit her hospital to see the NHS at work. His reply, "OOh no. I don't like blood."

Johnson will probably make him health secretary next then 🤦‍♀️

It appears everything is a surprise to him & there is never ever a contingency plan ready. The DfE learnt nothing from last year.

Blacktothepink · 08/01/2021 08:19

He’s a disaster 😡

Dilbertian · 08/01/2021 09:09

@Crunchymum

I can't stand the man but schools have known that online learning was a possibility for months now and were advised to prepare for it.
When? You expect teachers to relax every lesson on a rolling basis to account for Changes to curriculum Constant differentiation for each cohort Constant differentiation for the changing needs within each class Teaching live while also supporting children the self-isolating and ill children who are missing class

That's already a full-time job.

Sure we've all known toots was coming (expect the government, apparently). But to go into lockdown learning at the drop of a hat means to have every single lesson ready. Just not possible.

FWIW in first lockdown my dcs' secondary school provided 2/3 A-level lessons live, and assigned work for every lesson in other years ( I don't know about GCSE). This time, and in November, nearly every lesson has been live on Teams in all year groups. I think the school has done very well by the pupils.

Dilbertian · 08/01/2021 09:10

Replan, not relax.

Hearwego · 16/01/2022 19:19

Well just when you think things are bad.
The news is Gavin Williamson could be knighted according to reports.
Apparently it’s a sweetener from Boris to remain silent.
This government is shit.

Fifiesta · 16/01/2022 19:34

It is if a whole year has passed since the last post…

Hearwego · 16/01/2022 19:58

Yes that’s true !

jgw1 · 16/01/2022 20:05

@Fifiesta

It is if a whole year has passed since the last post…
And Williamson has not done anything in that time to suggest he doesn't deserve the name in the title.
Hearwego · 16/01/2022 20:57

Which begs the question why should he be honoured?

jgw1 · 17/01/2022 06:26

@Hearwego

Which begs the question why should he be honoured?
Is it perhaps to make Tony Blair's honour seem reasonable?