DD teacher isolating

[OhFFSnotyouagain]

There has been a positive case in DD's primary school class but the children (bar affected child obviously), are attending class as usual. However the class teachers (two as both part time), are isolating at home and teaching the children on their allocated days on an app that was used during lockdown. It's a shit app with short pre recorded videos etc and DD was bored stiff, needing a lot of guidance from me when using it. Anyway the class TA is single handedly looking after the class. She is clearly stressed and been very shouty according to DD and I can't really blame her.

Parents were informed via a newsletter about the positive case in the class on Friday, but nothing was said about the teachers isolating and we found out from our children. When queried today by a parent at pick up, the TA told us both teachers are isolating as they haven't been vaccinated and therefore teaching from home. I understand it's an individual's choice whether they receive the vaccine or not, but the parents are unhappy as the children didn't learn much this way during lockdown so I doubt they are benefitting now. We have had A LOT of online learning, with bubbles repeatedly bursting most of last year and the local area remained in constant lockdown due to alot of cases. DD is very behind already due to this.

Is it right for the teachers to isolate but the (similarly unvaccinated) children are sent in? Why is it that they have to remain in isolation, can't they return after a negative test? Is it not the HT's job to ensure the children have a proper teacher as their education has suffered enough, and not leave the poor TA to handle a full class?

It’s ten fucking days.

Nobody is blaming the school, but I am questioning why a TA is left to manage a full class single handedly and no supply has been brought in

There isn’t much supply available. The school may have tried to get a supply teacher with no luck. The school may not be able to afford it. Or can’t afford it unless insurance kicks in.

I couldn't give a shiny about their personal business but if my child is receiving a half arsed education then it is my business

Remember this the next time you are able to vote. The current state of schools is the result of 10 years of under investment,

Yes and 30 kids in the class. What's to say there won't be another case next week. And another the week after. FFS. You wouldn't accept this for your child so stop expecting it of others.

@Getawaywithit yes i will try and get some clarification from the HT.

My 10 year old niece has had the same. Her unvaccinated teacher is teaching the class online from his home while 2 x TAs supervise in the classroom. Doesn't sound right to me.

@Sarah2384

My 10 year old niece has had the same. Her unvaccinated teacher is teaching the class online from his home while 2 x TAs supervise in the classroom. Doesn't sound right to me.

What is the alternative? Supply teachers are far and few between at the moment and not many want to go into into a class where there have been cases of Covid

@gogohm

As far as I would be concerned then the teachers should get themselves jabbed pronto. If I didn't turn up for work I would be sacked!

What happens if they Can’t. I know two teachers who can’t have it. One has serious allergies to vaccines - the other is allergic to one of the components - so they have it - they could die. It’s the schools job to appoint a supply teacher - why aren’t they? Not the TAs fault.

@NailsNeedDoing

It seems weird that there are two teachers in the same class that are both unvaccinated, and both either classed as ECV under the old rules which would be reasonable or crazy enough to think they get to isolate in this circumstance for no reason. That’s a lot of teacher issues for one class!

By law they have to isolate if they are identified as a close contact of a case.

It’s not ‘the school’s job to appoint a supply teacher’ at all! The teachers are teaching the class online. There is a TA to support the children in class. It’s really okay.

@parrotonmyshoulder

I think the TA should be investigated for gross misconduct! Also, the witch hunting parents need to consider that the teachers may have health conditions that mean they cannot be vaccinated.

This

@BungleandGeorge

I thought you only need to isolate if contacted by test and trace? Unless it’s a medical contraindication (or high is extremely rare) I think the best solution would be to pay them ssp and use the money to employ a supply teacher

But there are very few supply teachers to be had at present, my school are struggling to get any! We work with several agencies who have never seen such high demand, and so few people wanting to do the job

@Sarah2384

My 10 year old niece has had the same. Her unvaccinated teacher is teaching the class online from his home while 2 x TAs supervise in the classroom. Doesn't sound right to me.

doesn't matter how it sounds to you, does it.

The school does have a plan.

This is the plan

I dont know what else you expect schools to do. There are no supply teachers, and no funds for supply teachers even if they can be found

@parrotonmyshoulder

It’s not ‘the school’s job to appoint a supply teacher’ at all! The teachers are teaching the class online. There is a TA to support the children in class. It’s really okay.

exactly

@OhFFSnotyouagain

DD also told me one teacher explained in a (recorded) video the reason why she isn't coming in. And it's in line with what the TA said. I'm pretty sure the TA isn't daft enough to be giving out this information unless the teeachers involved are okay with it.

Nobody is blaming the school, but I am questioning why a TA is left to manage a full class single handedly and no supply has been brought in. I'm also wondering if this online teaching will be the norm everytime there is a positive case in the class. If it is, then no that isn't acceptable and I'm sure nobody on here would be happy with it for their child.

meanwhile, in the real world, this is teaching, and your child is receiving it.

The TA should NOT have shared that information.
It is personal and private medical information.
Playground gossip can have no way of knowing why these staff members are unvaccinated.
By all means raise concerns about the way the class is being covered but it is in no way your business why those teachers are not in school.

@OhFFSnotyouagain

Yes and 30 kids in the class. What's to say there won't be another case next week. And another the week after. FFS. You wouldn't accept this for your child so stop expecting it of others.

Instead of blaming individual teachers who are exercising their freedom of choice, which could be for a plethora of reasons that isn't your business and are following the rules; why not be annoyed at the government for failing to do anything about schools? They are the ones failing your child.

This TA could have HLTA status and they are absolutely capable of being in charge of a class. Tbf most normal TA's are as well. They actually know what they are doing, they may well have been stressed and felt thrown in the deep end if the first day, but they will do the best for the children in their care.
It is what it is and tbh there is not a lot you can do about it, staff are deployed as the HT feels best.

The TA could be a trained teacher - many TAs are

As there are actually very very few contraindications to being vaccinated I doubt very much two teachers in the same class both cannot be vaccinated.
I'd be furious too, a short recorded video, then one TA left to manage 30 children all no doubt asking for help, more explanation, needing guidance on what they are supposed to do next, not to mention keeping discipline, trying to get them to focus on the video etc etc
That is not an adequate plan

TAs aren’t paid enough to supervise a class! They are within their rights to refuse as it’s not part of their job description.

I hope they do refuse! Then they’ll close the class and you can supervise from home.

On a side note, who is drafted in to do your job when you can’t make it to work?

@BluebellsGreenbells

TAs aren’t paid enough to supervise a class! They are within their rights to refuse as it’s not part of their job description.

I hope they do refuse! Then they’ll close the class and you can supervise from home.

On a side note, who is drafted in to do your job when you can’t make it to work?

Supervising a class is quite often part of the TA job description (e.g. break/lunch times). Teaching a whole class isn't. A TA can quite rightly refuse to teach a class if the teacher is off, but it would be unlikely that refusal to supervise would be accepted. In this case, as the teachers are still teaching online, I very much doubt the TA would be able to refuse. However, everywhere I've worked, the school would try to put another TA with them so they're not on their own if at all possible.

I don't think you have the right to know whether or not they're vaccinated and neither does the employer. The TA shouldn't have disclosed this information and the headteacher certainly shouldn't be discussing it with anyone.

@Orangejuicemarathoner no sorry I disagree. It's not teaching. During lockdown we had the same short pre recorded videos on the piss poor app and it's the same again. Atleast DD had me to help her, now it's one person trying to help 30. I can see why the TA is stressed. As I said, if there were live lessons and the children could communicate with the teachers and ask questions etc it's a different story. The children are already far behind as a result of this standard of online teaching from last year.

The TA is a LSA/EAL. Those with HLTA status it is stated on the school website. I believe she is very good TA and brilliant at her job but she isn't the teacher.

If she's an LSA, that's very different. LSAs should be supporting the child(ren) with SEN and should not be looking after a whole class for any period of time.

Surely the point is the teachers are well so perfectly able to teach so should be teaching full time albeit via zoom or whatever. A few recorded videos and a TA for two weeks on repeat isn't ok