If workplaces are planning on a 25% absence rate then how on earth are we all expecting schools to carry on as normal ?

[Timetobuckup]

I have just been reading in the BBC website that the gov are telling businesses to plan for a quarter of their workforce to be absent .
There is no way schools / colleges will manage with that amount of staff out.

I work in a secondary school and had a pcr this morning , my teen ds is positive and I am keeping fingers and toes crossed I am negative but not holding out much hope.
We are doing mass testing on Tues and I am really interested to see how many have to go home.

We had no cleaning staff prior to the holiday and we’re cleaning as well as we could after school. We couldn’t get relief staff and it was a case of make do and limp towards the holiday.
Als I reduced numbers of lunchtime staff so had to limit options at lunchtime.
Only a few teacher/ta absence so that was something to be thankful for.

Work from home doing what exactly? I expect some will do some marking/prep if they feel well enough but it is still going to mean many children going untaught for 2 weeks at a time.

@BluebellsGreenbells

I can see those left standing being pulled in all directions and fire fighting, juggling classes, being moved into larger classes, kids mixing more to ‘keep them in school’

I doubt much ‘educating’ will take place.

This is why I'm worried about this coming term. I had delta in November, a booster in December... it's going to be me left standing, which will be more stressful and exhausting than having covid again (which was shit, and not 'mild')

Doing online lessons from home…..this would only be temporary to keep things going, and preferable to shutting schools.

We're not! It's simple. The nhs isn't.

@TerraNovaTwo

at some point soon omicron will run out of people to infect right?

^^

According to the Gov't dashboard, around 13.5 million people have had Covid so far. That's not counting the fact that you can still get Omicron if you've had an earlier variant. That means 54 million people have yet to catch it for the first time, plus re-infections for the 13.5millions. It's not going to run out of hosts anytime soon.

If I get Covid from work, I will NOT be working at home unless and until I am 100% well.
It is disgusting that it is being insinuated that we should

@twinkletoesimnot Almost everyone I know who can work from home has worked whilst having Covid, unless they’ve been really unwell, including myself. I really don’t see the issue with it as long as it’s not detrimental to your health. No one is suggesting anyone should work when unwell but people actually went to work feeling far less than “100%” in the past (not always a good thing!) so I think personally there is room for bring pragmatic. I certainly tried to be when I had it.

Once again primary schools get forgotten.

You can’t have 3 classes of under 8s in the hall with one adult! That’s nothing like education.

KS1 children are pretty much unable to work independently. Certainly year 1. And as always EFYS is forgotten, but hey, that’s only playing anyway….. isn’t it.

Actually the Education Sec just makes me laugh with his meaningless words - just like the promised 'air purifiers' that haven't arrived, or the requirements of ventilation that can't be met.

So.
Not going to work in a two class school if both teachers are ill
Or a school with no hall (we have many)
Or a school with no other adults ( admin often part time, headteacher shared across schools or a teaching head) - just how does the one adult go to the toilet, eat lunch?
Really difficult to educate children from 3-11 using just one adult ( two class school)
There are no cleaners - our job adverts are endless
There are few TA's (so many TA vacancies)

Not going to meet the safeguarding requirements

What about transport - no school buses due to illness.

We have vocational exams scheduled for the W/C 120 students scheduled to sit BTEC exams one I feel for them having to do that in a mask but also not sure how we plan to manage both staff and students absence for this.

these are due to start on the 10th on Jan

That's not to mention the potential behavioural issues. And any children with 1:1s (or rather, those without 1:1s) who cannot cope with the disruption. And those with medical issues who need careful staff support.
Plus the fact that the hall may be needed for lunches. Not to mention PE (which would be binned, I presume)
People who make these suggestions often have no bloody IDEA of all the complexities of running a school.

I’m senior management in a hospital. I’ll probably end up doing my normal job and helping as an hca in some way… although I might be more of a hindrance.

Behaviour management will be fun!

And what about the 1:1s for vulnerable/SEN children, if they are asked to run a class. Many schools don’t have general TAs anymore. If they do they will be normally doing interventions/catch up work. That is all going to go to pot again

My sons school put lots of classes in the hall together (different year groups and subjects) they have a cover supervisor watch them do work books or work set by the missing teachers, but its not taught and there is noone to ask questions. Its like a children warehouse. its better socially that being sent home and they access other classes in the day. Its not like all classes are like this. But i find the idea that open school is the same as education happening false. I wish the government would fund air filters

TAs aren’t meant to take whole classes, they certainly aren’t paid to do so. They should and could refuse to babysit these classes

I don’t think this is a very constructive or helpful comment. Why “should” they refuse and what do you want to happen instead? Many are very experienced and excellent staff, when DD teacher was off last term, the TA covered with support from the other class teacher and did excellent job. Again no one is suggesting this is perfect or forever but it is an option.

Also - as mentioned if you are off sick you can’t teach remotely as suggested also, as you are off sick so not working

But many are not especially sick and are actually just off isolating? Surely that’s time that can be used productively?

Not to mention the staff who will end up being off with stress, or other issues exacerbated by the pressure they've worked under for the past 18 months.

@SonicBroom many TAs are paid pretty much minimum wage. Do you think it is fair that they ‘teach’ a class?

@PriamFarrl I agree

@TerraNovaTwo

Rejig classes? I wish people would stop fucking panicking over every goddamn thing... let's start focusing on solutions.

Yeh, that’s such a simple solution in a secondary school. I’ll take the A level maths class when nobody else is available. It’ll be fine...

May I also just chuck in the fact that Ofsted inspections are continuing as normal. 😭
Plus. If a teacher is isolating but teaching from home someone still needs to be there to manage the class’ behaviour.

Secondary is going to be interesting. Especially GCSE year

@SonicBroom
And I have myself in the past- agreed not a good thing!
Teaching may be one of the few jobs where it's easier just to go in than have a day off, which is crazy.
Maybe society needs to change? I've certainly had enough of visibly under the weather kids who've had calpol or who merrily tell you they were sick last night coming in. It's this irresponsibility and lack of concern for others that means illnesses including Covid spread - but yes like I say I have gone in myself full of cold etc.

My goodwill has run out.
The lack of concern and contempt we as a profession have been shown throughout the pandemic when an awful lot of us have worked longer and harder than ever and even volunteered in our holidays has made me feel bitter and very sad.
I've had enough and I know I'm not alone.
Things could have been handled so much better and then we wouldn't have been facing the mess to come- again!

Its like a children warehouse

Definitely no teaching goes on when 3 classes are combined in the hall. I agree.

My Christmas present was an air purifier for my classroom.
Because I don’t think I’ll be seeing one of the 7000.