Calling all teacher...a question for you.

[Liveandletlive3]

Just want to know how you feel about going back in feb/after Easter holidays.
What will you need to see done before you agree to go back to school to a tool full of children that will make you comfortable to be there.

"Before you agree to go back to school"

Teachers haven't not agreed to go into school.

Which rag do you work for?

I am a TA. I am still in school every day, just as I was during the last lockdown.
It's pretty scary as I am supervising 20 in the class and have 4 more in next week.

www.tes.com/news/exclusive-coronavirus-schools-teacher-covid-rates-333-above-average

Rate of infections would need to come down. That's it.

It’s not about teachers’ feelings!

It’s about:

• Are schools dangerous workplaces?
• Do they drive community spread?

Just wanting to know as some of my children's teacher have heath issues or family members who are vulnerable that could possibly play out quite badly for them if they were to catch covid.

I am in school every day, with about 50% of our usual numbers (likely to rise). I am not comfortable now. The only thing that would make me comfortable to have a full school again, would be a very sharp drop in infection rate. Of course.

Given that it is now admitted that schools are vectors of transmission and schools needed to close on this basis, we’d need to see a significant reduction in infection levels in school-aged children (back to September levels?) and put in place strict mitigation measures to stop rates shooting back up immediately. It may not be possible for full reopening and rotas might be needed for social distancing to be implemented. We need more info on the new strain.

Proper testing of bubbles and isolation reinstated, lateral flow tests binned is a must.

Teachers at my children’s schools are still in school every day and also having to sort the online learning.

I don't get to "agree to go back into school."

I get told the day before Christmas break that there is going to be mass testing. Then I get told the weekend before term starts there is going to be a fortnight closure.

Then I get one day at school as an inset before that's it - school closed for a term and I am now teaching my timetable online (which luckily is ok as we already had good online systems.)

I don't agree. I get told what to do and find a way to do it. I wish people on here realised this about the teaching profession.

I’m in school full time with 30 percent of our year group. Very uncomfortable about it but not much I can do. They need me to be there. I’d like everyone to do whatever they can to bring the rates down.

Teachers are still working full time in schools that are almost full. Do people not realise this? We're not at home.

For the rest of the children to come back there needs to be a significant reduction in cases across the country. Otherwise it'll all kick off again.

I'm still in school every day

I don't have a choice about what I do.
But I would like to see the R rate significantly lower.
I would like regular mass PCR testing but close contacts of positive cases to isolate - not this frankly stupid and dangerous "keep coming to school and we'll test you daily with wholly unreliable tests"
I would like mass testing not to be the responsibility of schools - because that's not our job and we have other priorities
I would like rotas so we can keep numbers of students in school down.

Apologies, I should have worded it better.
My aim was to ask what would make you as teachers feel comfortable once children are back in class full time.

I’ll go back when I’m told. I don’t decide.

Like others I dont have a choice...

But what I would like to see is infection rates going down, and students who are worried or who live with shielding people allowed to stay home until they choose to return.

I have no worries about catching the virus personally. I do worry about passing it on to children who live with vulnerable family members.

Rotas are also a great idea.

I could teach my class face to face 50% of the week, the other they could work from home. As long as work is submitted and decent feedback given, this would work.

Being vaccinated

Hi OP

I’m a TA, still in school with over fifty percent of pupils in!

Hopefully we will get offered the vaccine soon.

I’m still in full time now, except for my one day off, (so normal working pattern) and we have a lot of children in. We have risk assessments in place but realistically, a school is never going to be Covid secure. I am getting on with my job because it’s what I’m paid to do. Am I anxious? Yes.

Meanwhile my secondary school age child is missing out on so much. She hasn’t seen a school friend since mid December. She is having to totally get on with all the work at home without me there, (she’s year 7). Luckily she is at a very good school so is having pretty high quality remote learning.

As a family we are following the rules very closely, and it therefore makes me sad, when I’m going into school every day supporting kids who have no concept of social distancing, to hear comments such as ‘oh I’m just popping to M&S for a browse, I don’t really need anything but it’s something to do,’ or ‘I’m meeting friend x this morning for a walk, then friend y at lunchtime for a walk round the market and then seeing my boyfriend in the evening.’

I'm in school everyday. My situation is dire as my dh is ecv so is currently living elsewhere so he's safe.
I'm left juggling two teens, shopping, work etc
School is stressful and while I love my job, it's a hard role to be in right now.
I miss dh so very much and unfortunately don't see an end in sight.

@Liveandletlive3

Just want to know how you feel about going back in feb/after Easter holidays. What will you need to see done before you agree to go back to school to a tool full of children that will make you comfortable to be there.

Erm I'd need to have left in order to go back??? Not to be pedantic but I'm pretty much still working as normal because all my children have EHCPs and are entitled to a full time place.

If you're asking what would make me feel safe:
Lower figures
Daily tests for staff
A vaccine.

That's it really 🤷‍♂️

Vaccine for staff daily testing being mandatory