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Original poster

There is no army of volunteers waiting to be called to keep schools open

145 replies

noblegiraffe · 13/12/2021 00:21

FYI.

So if you see anyone putting this forward as a serious suggestion, they're an idiot and anything they say about schools should be disregarded.

We can't even pay people to do it right now.

OP posts:
Original poster
noblegiraffe · 13/12/2021 09:02

Urgh, seen again on twitter being trumpeted by some Telegraph journalist.

If they’re talking about an army of volunteers to save schools (and this came originally from the Chair of the Education Select Committee) that means they are expecting a catastrophic crisis in school staffing (even more than currently) and the only suggestion about how to fix it is totally unworkable.

OP posts:
Weekbeforechristmas · 13/12/2021 09:03

Do you have a link?

Original poster
noblegiraffe · 13/12/2021 11:12

twitter.com/paulnuki/status/1470146814011654149?s=21 twitter link for Telegraph journalist trying to get Labour to demand it(!)

The original call from Halfon was in the Telegraph (see photo)

There is no army of volunteers waiting to be called to keep schools open
OP posts:
girlmom21 · 13/12/2021 11:15

Surely, even if those people did exist, they wouldn't have current DBS's etc?

I don't think it's worth keeping schools open if kids would be being taught by retired ofsted inspectors anyway.

Nevertime · 13/12/2021 11:16

Ha ha. I work in school. I could reasonably expect to be competent at giving a vaccination, with a bit of training. Deliver a maths lesson.....not so much.

Comefromaway · 13/12/2021 11:17

Retired teachers..... volunteering, presumably for free.

In other news Santa has been replaced by a flying pig.

Fairylights25 · 13/12/2021 11:34

The word you have missed here, and it is a key word - the government are being 'urged' to.....

No one is saying that it is going to happen are they. Schools will have to work with what they have, in the same way every other industry will need to, it is going to affect everyone.

VikingOnTheFridge · 13/12/2021 11:38

It's not comparing like with like either. Many of the people volunteering in the vaccine programmes are doing (vital) non specialist jobs like marshalling and data inputting. There are no doubt people who'd be willing to volunteer for similarly non specialist stuff in school, but that isn't what they're asking for. I've volunteered before at my DC school. Could do it again if I knew my DC weren't going to get sent home at short notice. But I'd have to be supervised by someone who does know what they're doing and only the very basic stuff, which is the problem.

Itsalmostanaccessory · 13/12/2021 11:38

You're misrepresenting this quite badly.

No one has said there is one right now.

What they're saying is that it should be set up. They should start recruiting volunteers now.

No one thinks there is a group ready to go. That isnt what has been said.

Whether or not the idea is idiotic is a different discussion. But what you're saying here is just wrong.

GreenWhiteViolet · 13/12/2021 12:01

I've both volunteered and worked in schools. I'd need to update my knowledge as I'm sure there have been a few curriculum changes since I last taught, but I have the skills. I have the spare time for part-time volunteering.

No way would I want to go into a school with zero social distancing that is likely rife with covid. And I imagine that would be even more true for retired people. Anecdotally, the retired people I know who did volunteer in schools have stopped because it seemed like too much of an unnecessary risk.

It's not a bad idea in principle, but I doubt they'd get the uptake that would be needed.

shreddednips · 13/12/2021 12:08

I'm an ex teacher and would actually consider doing day-to-day supply to support schools, but not on a voluntary basis. I just couldn't afford to put my freelancing work on hold to do it. I did consider starting up again on supply with my old agency but the pay for day to day supply is so awful that I couldn't make it work. I can't commit to a long-term contract but if there was a way to do day to day paid somewhere near to scale then I would do it gladly, but unfortunately there doesn't seem to be.

Thewiseoneincognito · 13/12/2021 12:18

If they’re mooting that as an option they must be concerned.

Retired teachers going in though? Unless they’re planning a trip to Dignitas anytime soon I can’t see why any sane older retiree would ever do this. Schools are absolutely rife with Covid, it’s probably no different a risk to working on a Covid ward than in an unventilated classroom with 30 unmasked kids for hours on end.

ChloeCrocodile · 13/12/2021 12:21

The only reason this would be needed is if school staff are (en masse) stuck down with covid, presumably because schools are not (and never have been) "covid secure". What retired person in their right mind would willingly walk in to that situation?! Especially as the only circumstances it would be necessary is in the middle of a serious wave where hospitals are also likely to be struggling so you'd be gambling on decent treatment.

As you say, getting a paid supply teacher is a nightmare in many areas right now so what makes this person thing there is an army of people willing to volunteer to do supply?!

Itisasecret · 13/12/2021 12:24

There should be. I can think of plenty of MN posters on here 24/7 moaning about schools. Maybe they could get off their computers and volunteer? Everyone is a winner.

Of course problems are on the cards, like everyone is saying. It’s why this is being sounded out across all the Tory rags. Anyone who thought otherwise isn’t capable of critical thinking.

Cryingbutstilltrying · 13/12/2021 12:28

Well it would seem my ds is in school watching films while supervised by a TA, and has been for a few weeks already. He’s there so DH and I can work. Is he learning, not a thing. So if they can rustle up some babysitters for free, let them crack on.
I don’t think there will be many takers.

Weekbeforechristmas · 13/12/2021 12:33

I have actually wondered if rates for supply might start going up as a result.

Like a PP I’ve considered it but the pay is too shit.

Original poster
noblegiraffe · 13/12/2021 12:51

@Itsalmostanaccessory

You're misrepresenting this quite badly.

No one has said there is one right now.

What they're saying is that it should be set up. They should start recruiting volunteers now.

No one thinks there is a group ready to go. That isnt what has been said.

Whether or not the idea is idiotic is a different discussion. But what you're saying here is just wrong.

Misrepresenting how? I said it is being suggested and that it’s an idiotic suggestion because even if they started recruiting right now, they’re not going to get one.

There isn’t an army of people out there who are willing to go into covidy schools for free. We can’t even get paid supply.

OP posts:
bizboz · 13/12/2021 12:57

I don't think it's worth keeping schools open if kids would be being taught by retired ofsted inspectors anyway.

Perhaps current Ofsted inspectors could come in and teach instead of subjecting schools to inspections at an incredibly difficult a d stressful time. I think a lot of people don't understand how much absence there is with school staff die to Covid. At my primary school we have already had to close 2 out of 7 classes because all available staff members were sick with Covid or couldn't come in because their kids were sick with Covid. A further 2 classes have been covered for at least ten days by a mix and match of LSAs because there the teachers are off with Covid.

My secondary age DC has at least 2-3 cover lessons per week where 3 or more classes are put in the hall with one staff member and a worksheet because of staff absence.

bizboz · 13/12/2021 12:58

due to Covid that should say.

NuttyinNotts · 13/12/2021 13:04

My Mum was supply teaching when covid hit, she retired and started drawing her pension when it became clear the pandemic wasn't going away any time soon. She has supply agencies begging her to come back and she doesn't want to take the paid opportunities for the good of her health, no way she'd do it for free. She might yet return to do a bit of supply, but walking into a school with an active covid outbreak, which is what these volunteers will be tasked with, isn't going to be many people's idea of a wise decision.

KleineDracheKokosnuss · 13/12/2021 13:05

I’d volunteer for primary. Mostly because I at least have experience running kids groups. But I have this pesky thing called a full time job, which I have to keep doing because otherwise I starve.

Do they think - after they carefully engineered society so thriving on one income is mostly impossible - that we are still stay at home mothers?

And for those who are stay at home, doors the government believe it’s not because they’ve their own kids to look after? Or other important obligations to fulfil?

‚Society‘ in the sense where mums could and would just jump in and help out when everything went tits up died a Long Time ago.

shreddednips · 13/12/2021 13:07

@Weekbeforechristmas

I have actually wondered if rates for supply might start going up as a result.

Like a PP I’ve considered it but the pay is too shit.

The thing is, if it weren't for the big cuts taken by the supply agencies, I could probably get by on the daily supply rate. If local authorities were able to recruit ex teachers directly and pay them a decent rate, they might be able to pick up some extra qualified teachers to plug the gaps. The issue seems that retired teachers (quite rightly) wouldn't want to take the risk, and the daily rate isn't sufficient for people who are still working to feasibly help out.
KleineDracheKokosnuss · 13/12/2021 13:08

And also - this should be paid for. The government can apparently find money for plenty of other things.

ImmutableSexQueen · 13/12/2021 13:14

Former teacher here. Triple vaxxed as of this morning.
In the words of Thom Yorke, 'I am not going back, I am not going back...'.
I love to be useful.
I love to do the right thing.
But there's no way this can be anything but chaos, with a death-wish added in for good measure.
No. Just no.

NeverDropYourMoonCup · 13/12/2021 13:14

Can we not have current ofsted inspectors doing it?

It might give them a lovely dose of reality.