Safe space for school staff to talk about how they are feeling for next term…

[OnceuponaRainbow18]

I’m quite anxious about going back, although luckily managed to get the booster jab before Christmas. Lots of our families live hand to mouth so won’t regular test and can’t miss a week of work, which I do understand.

I’m also worried about exam classes having to sit exams as if nothing has happened.

I’m worried about lack of staff, week before Christmas hols our whole learning support team were off, with no cover.

I’m worried about getting ill and the hospitals are full.

I worry about having to send my kids into nursery where there’s a huge outbreak, but don’t have the option to keep them home.

I worry about bad behaviour as the SLT aren’t ‘policing’ the corridors at lesson change around sl behaviour is going to pot.

I also worry about school closures and kids mental health.

I feel exactly as I do at the fag end of every holiday - my anxiety is slowly beginning to gather like a grey cloud over my head.
However, I'm determined not to waste my final few days being worried about it. It is what it is and everyone is having a shitty time right now. I was part of a mass covid outbreak at the end of term so at least none of our team will be off with covid when we get back as we have already had it over the holidays.

I'm young(ish!) I've had delta, I've had my booster - I'm not concerned about omicron at all. I desperately hope we can avoid shutting schools. There will inevitably be some closures due to staff shortage though, which will quickly become very unfair on exam groups in particular schools.

The salary that supply staff are being offered is in no way attractive (£95/day). If they doubled that, I think they'd be able to keep most schools open.

@AngelicaElizaAndPeggy

I feel exactly as I do at the fag end of every holiday - my anxiety is slowly beginning to gather like a grey cloud over my head. However, I'm determined not to waste my final few days being worried about it. It is what it is and everyone is having a shitty time right now. I was part of a mass covid outbreak at the end of term so at least none of our team will be off with covid when we get back as we have already had it over the holidays.

I hate to say it, but I know plenty of people who have had omicron within 2 months of having had delta 😞

I’m support staff, so slightly different, but I’m fully expecting to test positive as soon as we go back. I’ve avoided it this far, but there are just so, so many cases here now, and once they’ve all been to parties tonight they will be riddled.

The worst thing for me is that I don’t feel rested. My children tested positive on the first Monday of the holiday and we’ve only just come out of isolation. Hasn’t been much of a holiday looking after poorly children.

I think working in a school has made me a bit blasé about it. I have suggested to a few friends we meet up this holiday and many of them have said they want to avoid covid. I think for me, sitting in a coffee shop with three other people is just nothing since every day I’ve been in a classroom with thirty!

Before we broke up we went to online learning for two year groups. I missed saying goodbye to them properly for the year but my timetable is packed so having a bit of breathing space was helpful.

We don’t go back until the 10th and it is a staggered start so I don’t see my year 10s until Friday 14th - not sure how I’ll get through a Shakespeare text in five weeks!

I don't really worry about catching covid anymore, I've had my jabs had it a year ago and have got used to the idea that it was only a matter of time before I got infected again.

I do think based on what we know of
Omicron it's going to be a shitshow with in all likelihood lots of kids and staff catching it again, probably by the end of the month if not sooner.

Can I just creep in here and say thank you. The work teachers and ancillary school staff are putting in to minimize the disruption to my kids education, despite personal risk and additional time it takes, has been amazing.

I have written to my MP to ask that he campaign for additional ventilation in classrooms - let me know if I need to ask about anything else. He is very marginal and very responsive.

My biggest fear is not knowing I have it and passing it to my vulnerable mum, who’s now 14 weeks post booster so it’s barely effective, so I miss seeing her as ill avoid her again now

That’s sad @OnceuponaRainbow18.

It’s not a ‘given’ you’ll catch it. I still haven’t caught it despite all the positives I have taught! I really thought I would catch it when my own children tested positive. We didn’t isolate them and I shared a bed with DS for a week.

I think working in a school has made me a bit blasé about it. I have suggested to a few friends we meet up this holiday and many of them have said they want to avoid covid. I think for me, sitting in a coffee shop with three other people is just nothing since every day I’ve been in a classroom with thirty!

I definitely feel the same. Have been to the theatre/cinema/on public transport etc as it suits me. I really don’t want to catch it, but I can’t avoid school, so I’m not about to avoid doing the things I enjoy.

The salary that supply staff are being offered is in no way attractive (£95/day). If they doubled that, I think they'd be able to keep most schools open.
That’s up to the agencies what they pay supply. I’m in charge of supply at my school and I know we are paying agencies between 180 and 230 a day. There were 8 days last term when we didn’t have at least one supply teacher in. The budget isn’t infinite.
For me, it’s that daily worry about who is going to be off, will there be any supply teachers available (I’m ringing about 7.15. I’m not a teacher, my working day is supposed to start at 8). If I get it, who will do my job (the only other teacher who can access the program is currently off with long Covid) Cover is like playing human Tetris.
I’m long resigned to getting it at some point, we, as support staff,were expected to keep working in close proximity to kids. It’s a secondary, and while most kids follow the rules, years 10 and 11 seem to think it’s a laugh, refuse masks and all the other precautions.

I've become numb to the covid worry too. The only thing worrying me right now is telling them I have an op booked in Feb that I desperately need. There's no staff to cover me, but I can't not get it. I'll have to come back before I'm recovered and risk making it worse, but there's no choice. There's no the supply staff and we haven't been hit big by Omicron yet, it's coming though.

I think maybe if you want this to be 'safe' should move this to staffroom. No such thing as 'safe' on the coronavirus board really!

DH and I are both teachers and DS2 is in year 13. DH is more anxious than me about stuff but we don't do much anyway in normal times. He thinks quite a lot about what he does (eg was fretting about swimming) but neither of us are partying/meeting people and cancelled a meet up with ILs (mainly because one of them has cancer).

I am frustrated and angry about government inaction/head in sand stuff and the disruption to education which is emphatically not solved by just looking the other way, especially for exam years kids. Am also fed up of the ongoing gaslighting of the teaching profession. This causes me more stress than Covid itself really. The idea of disruption to exam years, with delayed decision making and the possible workload ahead of TAGS does not thrill (although I am not an exams fan and the stress of this in other countries is so much more minimal - the UK is obsessed with terminal exams as somehow 'reliable' and we can't seem to step away from this narrative and have a sensible long term debate - our system actively made the pandemic situation more of an issue in this country)

I have had Covid, DH hasn't. This makes him very nervous and anxious as he is clinically vulnerable. The idea of getting it again does not appeal to me! I was v ill.

We don't have a staggered start, all in on the 4th and if I think about my classroom, and the rate at which omicron spreads, I expect it will be rather unsettled this half term!

while most kids follow the rules, years 10 and 11 seem to think it’s a laugh, refuse masks and all the other precautions

This also causes me stress. I feel sorry for the more cautious children tbh. It must be stressful.

Masks were easier when they wore them in lessons too. There wasn't the whole merry go round of on/off/on/off.

@OnceuponaRainbow18

My biggest fear is not knowing I have it and passing it to my vulnerable mum, who’s now 14 weeks post booster so it’s barely effective, so I miss seeing her as ill avoid her again now

Whilst the effectiveness of prevention is reduced over time, it's very likely that she will remain protected from severe illness. It's difficult to manage anxiety and remain pragmatic, but please don't let the anxiety take control.

I am wondering what will trigger TAGs. I once read that if one group of schools shut, then all schools will get TAGs but I'd be willing to bet that will be conveniently forgotten.

There will be massive inequity.

I’m scared about infecting my CEV husband.
I’m scared about needing time off when he has chemo and the impact this will have on my already stretched team.
I need root canal work on a tooth… put it off last term because of all the absence but I can’t miss this time as the pain’s getting worse.
Im considering buying my own air filter… I know I shouldn’t/have to but I just want to get through.
Never mind the impact on my own DC or the possibility of them bringing it home… my vulnerable pupils will suffer all over again.

@Unescorted

Can I just creep in here and say thank you. The work teachers and ancillary school staff are putting in to minimize the disruption to my kids education, despite personal risk and additional time it takes, has been amazing.

I have written to my MP to ask that he campaign for additional ventilation in classrooms - let me know if I need to ask about anything else. He is very marginal and very responsive.

That's nice. Thank you.

@Piggywaspushed

I think maybe if you want this to be 'safe' should move this to staffroom. No such thing as 'safe' on the coronavirus board really!

DH and I are both teachers and DS2 is in year 13. DH is more anxious than me about stuff but we don't do much anyway in normal times. He thinks quite a lot about what he does (eg was fretting about swimming) but neither of us are partying/meeting people and cancelled a meet up with ILs (mainly because one of them has cancer).

I am frustrated and angry about government inaction/head in sand stuff and the disruption to education which is emphatically not solved by just looking the other way, especially for exam years kids. Am also fed up of the ongoing gaslighting of the teaching profession. This causes me more stress than Covid itself really. The idea of disruption to exam years, with delayed decision making and the possible workload ahead of TAGS does not thrill (although I am not an exams fan and the stress of this in other countries is so much more minimal - the UK is obsessed with terminal exams as somehow 'reliable' and we can't seem to step away from this narrative and have a sensible long term debate - our system actively made the pandemic situation more of an issue in this country)

I have had Covid, DH hasn't. This makes him very nervous and anxious as he is clinically vulnerable. The idea of getting it again does not appeal to me! I was v ill.

I agree with so much of this. It's not just government gaslighting, the spite seen on MN by some posters towards teachers is vile.

I am not personally worried about catching it; I'm triple jabbed and have had COVID twice already. I'm seriously concerned about disruption to my exam groups. I have GCSE, A Level and BTEC. Year 12 and 13 BTEC have exams in Janaury which are going to be disrupted and they (frustratingly) have not been treated like GCSE and A Level has by giving them specific topics , so they are already disadvantaged.

Like a PP has stated, I also work in an area of deprivation, so many will not isolate and lose pay, where we have lost count of the number of knowingly positive students and parents being in school. The conversations with had with PHE last year where interesting, and they could no believe some of the situations we faced. We've also had a chunk of students test positive foe the second time now, so any hope that having racked up over 500 cases we would do better in this wave has been wiped out.

As SLT, I am so worried about staffing. We have staff on long term sick as a direct result of COVID. Our head of PE, a marathon running ball of enthusiasm, still has days where he teaches from a chair, or sat on the ground outside. We have less than 50% of our TA requirement as we can't recruit; multiple have left us and we do not have the budget to offer anything more than the standard salary to attract people.

This term I've been a total jack of all trades, as have nearly all staff. In addition to my normal job (where I have 4 less frees a week than I did 3 years ago due to budget issues) I've hoovered and mopped at 7am due to lack of site staff, I've cleaned toilets more than I have in my own home and then, most importantly, I've fed students; we've lost 6 catering staff at short notice plus multiple waves of isolation meaning SLT are now pros at making hundreds of sandwiches and dishing out curry.

I am not rested in the slightest. DP, also a teacher, was seriously ill with COVID 10 months ago. Since then he has struggled with fitness and other infections. We were convinced he had COVID again but it turned out to be tonsillitis, and he has spent 6 days in bed. No Christmas dinner, barely awake with me and the kids, no down time for anyone. I'm not sure he will be back in on Tuesday.

That was more moaning that I expected! I'm very much looking forward to seeing the kids again, getting them ready for exams etc but my early exit from my career is now planned. This last 2 years has shattered us.

I’m worried about Ofsted coming in and not seeing the huge progress my school has made since our last inspection. They’ll only see our shocking data which has been so badly impacted by covid. Even the thought of Ofsted calling nearly sets me off with a panic attack.

I think working in a school has made me a bit blasé about it. I have suggested to a few friends we meet up this holiday and many of them have said they want to avoid covid. I think for me, sitting in a coffee shop with three other people is just nothing since every day I’ve been in a classroom with thirty!

I’m like this. I’ve been in pubs, shops, theatres this holiday and I don’t even feel a flicker of concern about it like I might have last year. The place I’m most likely to pick covid up is the place I can’t do anything about it so what’s the point in constricting my life?

I teach a lot of vocational courses at college so we’re in a weird situation where TAGs make our lives a lot easier so I’m happy for them to carry on for another year. However I don’t have the Y13 A level class this year - last year was a nightmare for me so I completely get why most people don’t want them again!

@BeingATwatItsABingThing

I’m worried about Ofsted coming in and not seeing the huge progress my school has made since our last inspection. They’ll only see our shocking data which has been so badly impacted by covid. Even the thought of Ofsted calling nearly sets me off with a panic attack.

I think the fact that Ofsted inspections have continued is outrageous. I'm a head and am expecting 'the call' next term. Schools in my area who've be 'done' report that Ofsted have no care for recognising the disruption. One school had a head off with COVID and Ofsted still came. We are being hit by staff absence (like every school) and when children go from cover lesson to cover lesson it really affects whole school behaviour.