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).

@Oldat40

I find it astounding that school staff working in busy classrooms are doing so without a mask!

"It's what the guidance says", so "We're not allowed to" because "It would be bad for the children and their needs come first".

I quote.

@valentinescmalentine

All I am saying is that the risks are not any higher in schools than for the rest of the working population.

Not sure how you can be banned from wearing a mask if you want to though?

sorry for the capitals but IT’S IN THE DFE GUIDANCE.

Plenty of schools misinterpreting dfe guidance when it suits though!

Imagine the employment tribunal / inquest.

@Watchingbehindmyhands

Those staff are working from home and prioritised for vaccination

CV school staff are in school and have been since September.

The only reason that I, as a person classed as CV, have been able to stay home during lockdowns is due to my specific role which is easy and more effective done from home and that I have an excellent headteacher and support staff team.

When school was fully open September to December I was expected in school full time with no protection bar the open window. I teach in an infant school and my role means I teach every child weekly, so I was mixing with no mask and no SD with 2670 children every week.

I caught covid in October. The most likely place I caught it was school. When hospitalised I was questioned regarding everything I'd done and where I'd been for the week prior. Everything pointed to school as I'd had no other close contact at that point. I was hospitalised and had 7 weeks off work, and over 3 months later I'm not fully better. I now have to take medication for a covid complication and will have to for life,

At the time we had children's parents testing positive. Within the month 75% of our staff caught covid, as did several parents and some of our children. Most of the staff hadn't been anywhere bar school. The staff didn't have close contact within school either.

Do you really believe that those cases were all isolated cases and not linked to being in school in close contact with at least 30 people daily, with no masks and in crowded classrooms? Seriously not linked?

@valentinescmalentine

Plenty of schools misinterpreting dfe guidance when it suits though!

Imagine the employment tribunal / inquest.

Not sure what point you’re making. All I know is that I am allowed to wear a face covering in a communal area (dfe consider these as corridors and canteens but not classrooms 🤔) but not in the classroom as it would impede learning.

Plenty do. Plenty have. Plenty haven't.

And despite what is written about us on here, most teachers do their jobs as they are instructed by their management teams, despite knowing the risk they are placed at is at least partially avoidable with next to no effort.

I actually can’t believe I am writing the same words that teacher have been making for the last year!

Very sorry to hear that, Abraxan.

We are allowed to wear masks in class now, following the nightmare of last term.

It's against the guidelines and not all staff choose to wear them, but I do every day.

@motherrunner

I actually can’t believe I am writing the same words that teacher have been making for the last year!

To the exact same people who weren’t listening last time it was written either.

They name change and start again. Very strange hobby.

@Nellodee

Plenty do. Plenty have. Plenty haven't.

And despite what is written about us on here, most teachers do their jobs as they are instructed by their management teams, despite knowing the risk they are placed at is at least partially avoidable with next to no effort.

Exactly this. I am a good employee. I adhere to the regulations placed by my SLT. They are following the guidance, therefore I must or I would face disciplinary action.

@motherrunner Why? That's crazy!

[quote Oldat40]@motherrunner Why? That's crazy![/quote]
Because it would be actively going against DFE guidance.

@motherrunner I mean what's the rationale of the DfE?

[quote Oldat40]@motherrunner I mean what's the rationale of the DfE?[/quote]
Because it would be ‘a barrier to communication’ and ‘impede learning’.

Oh and re the CV bit.
My new health condition also makes me CV, so I now have two separate conditions that put me in group 6.
My consultant cannot say I can't or won't catch covid again. They tell me to be very careful and work from home if at all possible. I can do that right now fortunately.

However, come March 8th it's highly likely that I will be expected to be working in over crowded classrooms, with full classes, once more. I will wear a mask - I remove it if stood at the front teaching phonics - the majority of the time and where available I'll open a window. Infants are likely to be back first with no rota, back to full classes, etc.

Hopefully the weather will improve - being cold makes my arthritis flare. But I will wear fingerless gloves and thermals again.

Fingers crossed I have some immunity for now. I'm not likely to be vaccinated til Easter time at best I suspect. Til then, I'll go back to hoping for the best.

@Oldat40

Copied from dfe guidance:

On the basis of current evidence, in light of the mitigating measures education settings are taking, and the negative impact on communication, face coverings will not generally be necessary in the classroom even where social distancing is not possible. There is greater use of the system of controls for minimising risk, including through keeping in small and consistent groups or bubbles, and greater scope for physical distancing by staff within classrooms. Face coverings can have a negative impact on learning and teaching and so their use in the classroom should be avoided.

I think it would be better if the government funded schools more so each class will have 1 extra teacher assistant. That will make the difference, not having longer days.

@Abraxan

Do you really believe that those cases were all isolated cases and not linked to being in school in close contact with at least 30 people daily, with no masks and in crowded classrooms? Seriously not linked?

Why did you direct this at me? I am a teacher. I understand what is happening in schools. I was just making the point that CV staff have been in school as someone said we were working from home. I am CV.

"It's what the guidance says", so "We're not allowed to" because "It would be bad for the children and their needs come first".

I quote.

Well, that is entirely the choice of the individual to work under those conditions.

@Thatwentbadly

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

Thank you.

@Oldat40

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

None, we are not allowed to.

@Oldat40

I find it astounding that school staff working in busy classrooms are doing so without a mask!

I'm in a room with no opening windows, 20 children and no mask.

@cantkeepawayforever

Bungle, not an issue with SALT in particular. It has been very difficult to be absolutely unable to get SS to see a child and family in extreme need, a child with acute mental health issues any support, and a child in desperate need of an EHCP for intensive 1:1 support to see an Ed Psych.

It's a huge contributory factor in workload - filling in paperwork, pleading on the telephone, researching and providing what I can (as 1 adult with a class much larger than 30), counselling...and just the mental load of knowing this is 'all on me' - there isn't anyone out there to help, so it's up to me to do it all. Bubbles within the school make it even more isolating.

I think if you don’t personally work in an area you don’t always realise what extra stresses and work load there are. It seems to be that those left working are picking up an enormous amount of extra work. On top of home schooling and worries about catching covid. The current situation isn’t sustainable, the truth is that some people are much better off than others