Safest place to work school or office?

[Claire926]

I am finishing off my level 3 Teaching Assistant course at home. I did all my placement hours before Christmas. I am currently temping for a housing association and work from home most days. I went back to office work as the school agencies had no vacancies as schools were limiting supply staff and I needed money.

The schools are reopening now and agencies are starting to recruit. I have been asked by someone else if I want to do some more work at the housing association till the summer time. I would be on £2-3 an hour more than being a teaching assistant. Is it worth doing this then work in schools in September?

If it is safe to go back to school then why all the swabbing and cramming 30 children into a classroom? I didn't like before when I did my placement as there was no distancing in the classroom.

If you're paid significantly more for the office work why do you want to be a teaching assistant? Is it very fulfilling for you? Of course you're safer at home, teaching assistants work closely with pupils. Do you have a school job to go to anyway?

Offices have higher rates of infections and also higher rates of deaths. I guess because unlike schools people aren't moving around. So if you're working with someone who has it you're spending eight hours with them as opposed to one.

But lots of people will be vaccinated soon.

I genuinely think you've answered your own question, unless the office will also be cramming 30 people in?

Depends on the office.

Some offices, most notably some of the government departments, have proven to be breeding grounds.

Others are VERY low risk.

Whatever the media says, nobody really knows what the risk is with schools yet because all of the studies have been flawed.

If the office work involves home working then that clearly lowers the risk.

Office or at home.

God no, just stick with your HA role. I’ve just left a TA job. Working in education absolutely sucks right now. If you have an alternative just stick with it for now.

Office.

Don’t bother going into education, it’s fucking awful. I am desperately trying to get out of it. Stick with the office.

Office.

I think with the new variant schools might get quite 'interesting' quite quickly. Even if the studies into schools weren't flawed, I don't think they apply any longer.

I would do the housing association work until September. It will be in one place whereas agency TAs could be in several places before the end of the summer term, unless you are providing for someone long-term sick.