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'm worried about the standard of supply we are having in school I work in a large SEN school with ASC students and the agencies are sending us 19year old uni students. I don't think this is safe for my students or my staff.

Also parents are sending children in with all manner of illnesses and not administering LFT as this would be a near impossibility with most of our students.

I am happy to be in school I've worked through all of the pandemic but the key worker places are now getting larger and larger to take into account LAC, parents who need respite. Parents struggling with behaviour etc.

However I don't have any solutions on what should be done I just hope we aren't closing classes every day like December.

In my school, teachers worked from home whilst the support staff were on site. Whilst that doesn't seem fair, it's simply a question of logistics.
We were teaching a full online timetable.
We (mostly) teach a full timetable with only PPA, which can't be directed. We would not be able to supervise those students who were in because of that.
HOYs and SLT were on site full time.

@MrsHamlet

In my school, teachers worked from home whilst the support staff were on site. Whilst that doesn't seem fair, it's simply a question of logistics. We were teaching a full online timetable. We (mostly) teach a full timetable with only PPA, which can't be directed. We would not be able to supervise those students who were in because of that. HOYs and SLT were on site full time.

Opposite way around in our school each bubble had a teacher and TAs were on a rota making phone calls to parents and pastoral care. However it always seemed to be the same TAs who came in.

No bubbles for us.
Our 1:1 TAs either supported in school if their charge was on site, or dialled into lessons.
All calls were done by the HOY/form tutor.

Fair enough doortodoor - I didn't read that as being nasty or divisive, just factual. We do get paid more and many of us were physically safe (albeit going mentally insane!) at home.

All our TAs and some other staff were furloughed. For some that was the worst possible outcome and for others the best. Same with being in school vs being at home, I guess.

We’ve not been hit so bad. Not had many staff off really.
We’ve struggled with supply but then we always have done (deprived school) and we always have empty posts for the same reason.
I’m more concerned about DDs school which is very risk aware and will close for any reason, which means I can’t go to work.

I'm worried. I'm not over the covid I had in the second two weeks of December. Still utterly exhausted. No idea what my classes learned/ did in the final two weeks of term. My Y11 class have terrifying gaps from the Y9 content they missed in lockdown 1. I've never had an exam class before (am NQT+1) and I want to do my best for them but I cannot revise for them and many of them are poor at self-motivatation.

@HedyPrism which subject do you teach? I remember my first exam class and the weight of responsibility. How’s your head if department ? Any support there? Are there other teachers teaching the same course that can help you? I taught an exam class in my NQT year and got a lot of support from colleagues. Don’t be scared to ask.

I’m SLT in a specialist provision and dreading it. School closures don’t affect us as we’re open whatever. Our head doesn’t care about the staff at all. Safety measures are difficult with our students but the head seems to think that means we just don’t bother at all. We had an outbreak just before Christmas which was ignored and I think things were done to ensure it spread amongst staff to make sure we got It for the holidays and not term time (aware I sound paranoid).

I was so looking forward to the holidays and doing things with my toddler DD but I tested positive right at the start of the holidays. I’m now really bitter as I’ve not been able to see any family or friends and I think it could have been avoided. We’d also got a couple of things booked like the panto and seeing Father Christmas which we couldn’t go to and I lost the money on. I know I won’t be the only member of staff feeling like this.

@voxnihili

I’m sorry, it’s so shit. Hopefully means you won’t get it again for the next holidays 🤞🏽I wonder if the governors could step in if the head doesn’t give a shit? What kind of specialist school?

[quote OnceuponaRainbow18]@MrsHamlet

And in mocks when they put their hands up and innocently ask what does this word mean, or can we read them the extract![/quote]
I am teaching Y3 this year and we had assessment week just before the end of term. I try to get them into the habit of me not being allowed to help them in anyway from the very beginning. It’s painful sitting for 75 minutes (yes, one of the papers was 75 minutes!!!!) watching them do a reading paper and not being able to help them at all. They were so confused when they asked me something and I had to say that I couldn’t help them.

Thanks. I'm science. Thankfully, my department are excellent and supportive, but my lab is freezing so young people keep closing the windows!

@HedyPrism

Thanks. I'm science. Thankfully, my department are excellent and supportive, but my lab is freezing so young people keep closing the windows!

Glad to hear you have a good department. I hope that you start to feel better soon. I am lucky with fairly able exam classes this year and we’ve not been hit with Covid yet. I only have 7 in one of my classes too which helps. Motivating pupils is such an interesting part of the job - generating self belief/carrot/stick it’s fascinating! I’m started doing low tariff weekly testing with mine and it does help to embed knowledge. It’s finding the time….

Looks like masks are back for secondary schools for the time being. That’s something I guess!

OnceuponaRainbow18 and don't forget the one-hundredth of an air filter each!

(disclaimer - there was no attempt to work out the correct fraction)

@Saucery

Completely resigned to getting it. Rates in the school’s area are incredibly high and our parents give zero fucks about sending in ill children. I’ll be staying off until 100% well when I do get it. Planning exit from working in a school this year. I never thought I would be working in an environment where my health and well-being were held in so little regard.

This. I've managed to avoid it so far. Think there's no chance now. We didn't have omicron when schools broke up really. It's hoping to be awful when we return. Also dreading teaching when children are in, then off. It's a nightmare to keep track and absent children will have fragmented learning. I think its going to be a complete disaster. Fortunately in Scotland, inspections are taking a back seat. I feel its a disgrace that inspections ate still going ahead in England!

I'm dreading catching it. Triple jabbed though.
Worried about my very elderly mum too.

@OnceuponaRainbow18 unfortunately the governors are blind to any of the head’s weaknesses (of which there are many). I’d love to put up more of a fight but I’ve witnessed what happens to those who do and I need a bit more time to work on my back-up plan. Also dreading having to present the Y11 mock results. I think the teachers and students have done a great job given the circumstances but I know they won’t be seen to be good enough.

I'm dreading my children being back at school. My dd has had so many viruses. Non covid but she was so unwell with the last one....

@chocolateisavegetable

OnceuponaRainbow18 and don't forget the one-hundredth of an air filter each!

(disclaimer - there was no attempt to work out the correct fraction)

Shared on Facebook…

I love that!

I'm not a teacher/school staff but I too just want to say I think you're all doing a brilliant job. I have a friend that works in a school and the last 2 weeks before Christmas was just awful, lots of staff off with covid etc.

Thanks Holden - it's been so lovely receiving positive messages like yours

@HoldenCaulfieldismyhomeboy

😊🤗

What masks do people wear? I have major glasses steaming up issues… and when I tried to wear the masks with more protection all the kids asked if I had become a painter/decorator

And so it begins - I have a department member who has tested positive so won’t be back at the start of term.