Longer school days to make up for lost learning

[StitchInLime]

Source: Various newspapers, give it a Google (admittedly with a right wing lean)

Apparently one of the options being considered, nothing set in stone of course but for the purposes of discussion...

AIBU to feel both joy and sadness at the prospect of this (joy for me so I can claw back work hours, joy for children so they can claw back some school time but sadness for my teacher friends and all teachers who will need to add more hours to already heavy workload).

Sorry @cabbagepots I miss read that and was just trying to helpful.

Should I do these paid sessions after the unpaid ones I already do? Or do I keep going as I usually do, but get paid an extra hundred or so pounds a week? Just curious how it's going to work.

@year5teacher

*This is incredibly wrong.
The risk NHS staff are under is absolutely indefensible and I know what you say is completely true because a very close family member is a doctor and says the same. It makes me so angry.

This doesn’t, however, justify the unsafe conditions of other workers, whether they’re teachers, supermarket staff, factory workers or anyone else. By saying that “it’s fine for teachers to do X because NHS staff have to do Y” is like saying both things are ok when neither are. It’s unacceptable for NHS staff to be working with the PPE they have. Unfortunately without hospitals we literally would not be functioning, but that doesn’t make it ok. I wish there was a union for NHS staff who were able to make some changes.

I know people will come back with “teachers unions are saying teachers shouldn’t work” - we aren’t responsible as individuals for the decisions of the union or the government. I didn’t follow the union’s advice to hand in the section 44 notice, but I don’t judge those who did.

We can’t keep using our own unsafe conditions as a stick to beat others with.*

NHS Staff have their own Unions and at no time has there been any campaigns to close down the NHS 😁

Meanwhile school staff are saying it’s not their fault schools are closed to most dc, they can’t help it that the teaching unions are advising section 44?

What sort of masks do school staff in the classroom wear?

@Oldat40 IME whatever they provide themselves, if they are allowed to wear them.

@Oldat40

We don’t in Primary schools.

Actually, there was a massive campaign by nurses' unions back when they were not getting supplied with sufficient PPE, and the unions said they would back nurses not working if they were not provided with the right equipment.

@Flipflops85 Thought as much. That is utter madness! Imagine if other Key workers didn't wear them! Am I also correct in thinking that in some instances they are even actively discouraged?

@Oldat40

What sort of masks do school staff in the classroom wear?

We are not allowed to wear any form of mask or other PPE in the classroom.

[quote Oldat40]@Flipflops85 Thought as much. That is utter madness! Imagine if other Key workers didn't wear them! Am I also correct in thinking that in some instances they are even actively discouraged?[/quote]
Sorry, cross posted.

In my school (primary), no staff may wear masks or other PPE in the classroom, though we are now - grudgingly - allowed to wear them when moving around other areas of the school.

Depends on the school, everyone was in masks at ours, would be whatever teachers/ parents supplied

@Nellodee

Actually, there was a massive campaign by nurses' unions back when they were not getting supplied with sufficient PPE, and the unions said they would back nurses not working if they were not provided with the right equipment.

That was a supply issue briefly at the start of the pandemic due to obviously increased demand.

@Oldat40

What sort of masks do school staff in the classroom wear?

None. The DfE guidance says that masks are not recommended in the classroom as they impact on teaching and learning.

Given the number of desks that have to be fitted into my classroom, I am under a metre from the closest children when teaching. I am lucky in that I do have windows and an outside door and - uniquely within the school - a sink with running hot water.

@Oldat40

We’re provided with them for contact with adults, eg parents, HCPs eg speech therapists etc and for first aid etc

We don’t wear them in classrooms - and to be honest when working with children with Speech and language needs, they need to see your mouth. I don’t think we’d be in trouble for wearing them in communal spaces though, but not many people do.

We’re just told that ‘schools are safe’, and we’re not at risk.

NHS Staff have their own Unions and at no time has there been any campaigns to close down the NHS

I’m sorry but this is not true.
I’m very supportive of the many NHS staff voting to strike and in some cases actually striking, since last March.

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/09/14/medics-threaten-strike-action-pay-ahead-covid-winter-discontent/

www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/18858690.cumberland-infirmary-support-staff-may-strike-pay-row/

www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-news/nhs-scotland-staff-balloted-strike-19224215

There are many many more if you look up Unite and Unison. Well done to those staff who stood up for the right to work in safer conditions and to be paid accordingly.

@valentinescmalentine

I don't understand your point. Of course the nhs need PPE and obviously can't close.

Why does that mean it's ok for schools to have no social distancing, barely any ventilation and no masks?

The comparison continues to be unhelpful.

Other people's working conditions are clearly wrong but doesn't mean it's ok for school staff to work in poor conditions

It wasn’t a particularly brief supply problem, it lasted months!

However, I only know about my school. I think in many schools, you have to provide your own.

HCPs eg speech therapists etc

They have been coming into school? Ours won't consider coming into school to work with children face to face - apparently this is 'too dangerous', despite being what we do all day every day with large numbers - so have been working solely via zoom. Ditto Ed Psychs, Social Services, etc etc etc

[quote sherrystrull]@valentinescmalentine

I don't understand your point. Of course the nhs need PPE and obviously can't close.

Why does that mean it's ok for schools to have no social distancing, barely any ventilation and no masks?

The comparison continues to be unhelpful.

Other people's working conditions are clearly wrong but doesn't mean it's ok for school staff to work in poor conditions [/quote]
Do you really think that if the risk you believe in actually exists that masks etc would still be banned in school?

Do you really think that if the risk you believe in actually exists that masks etc would still be banned in school?

Yes.

@cantkeepawayforever

Not many, and only for the most high needs, but yeah - I think I’ve had 3 in , Sept-Nov. Only one SALT though, and they were a very specialist service. I think the regular ones have been redeployed as they’re not providing any clinics at all, not even remotely.

I don’t think any NHS services have seen strike action. Tbh I think patience is wearing thin in a lot of the public sector. There probably should be strikes, working conditions in the past year have been dire

At my school, we are banned from wearing masks in classrooms. We have to wear them in all communal areas. We are allowed to wear completely useless visors if we want.