Schools still a covid shitshow

[noblegiraffe]

"Schools have been forced to send year groups home this week because of "rapidly rising" Covid rates among staff and an inability to find supply teachers, it has emerged.

The removal of the need for Covid testing among staff and pupils was making the situation worse, with some schools now experiencing their worst absence levels of the pandemic, a headteachers' leader told Tes.

Heads warn that some schools are having to send year groups home on a rota or combine class groups in an attempt to protect exam year groups from more disruption."

www.tes.com/magazine/news/general/covid-schools-absence-send-year-groups-home-cases-spike

Some will claim that getting rid of testing would improve the situation, but clearly a situation where lots of teachers are getting ill and requiring a few days off school to recover, regardless of isolation rules, is not 'getting back to normal'.

The teachers that I know who have had covid recently would have required a few days off school despite it being 'mild' even without isolation guidance, even though teachers are well-known for dosing on Lemsip and turning up to school regardless of illness because setting cover work is worse.

Still, the covid catch-up effort has basically fizzled out, and it's looking like zero effort will be made by the government to support children in recovering their education from the impact of absences and lack of teachers.

Exams start in a couple of months for kids who are having an extremely disruptive time. The government has fixed the exam grades so that they will come out with better results than the 2019 cohort, this will basically cover up the impact on educational standards. How this will play out down the line at uni/college/sixth form is anyone's guess.

@Tynetime

Yeah those that ai know who had COVID recently likened it to bad Flu. These are 40 something vaccinated individuals. Even floored two kids I know. Fatigued for days.

I'm still ill 8 weeks later. As a Headteacher, I picked COVID up from school. I know that because neither myself I hadn't been anywhere else but school ( and he works at home virtually).

At the minute I am trying to work a full week, but I am so tired.

I used to be able to run 10k in the gym, I tried this week managed to walk 1k with 0.2 of that at a slow run.

I struggle to concentrate, I can't sleep, I can smell smoke and feel I'm choking.
Some awful, awful side effects, including my face being covered in open sores, I have the same on my body. GP said COVID can destroy the skin's barrier.

Due to COVID I need to reduce my hours at work, just to give myself chance to be well again.

I have so many staff off ill. One of my outstanding teachers has had to give up teaching completely, another two have had to reduce their hours. Impact on their family life is terrible.

No supply to cover classes.
The quality of education children are receiving is inconsistent and sometimes poor, interrupted by their own illness and absence as well as that of staff.

Such a sad state for everyone.

@HavenHa, I'm really sorry to hear that. I hope things pick up for you soon.

To the people saying teachers just like having time off. I'm a TA and have just covered a class this week as the teacher has Covid. She is very poorly but she still has to send me in the lesson plans and content. I felt so sorry for her this week as I could tell she found this very hard. We also have a lot of children off. Most feel unwell with Covid maybe not for 10 days but most need to be home for some days.

@HavenHa sorry to hear that. All this minimising must be so hard to read
DD year 13 has lost her cover teacher for an exam subject. Got COVID and never returned. Her other Teacher is trying to make up deficit but the students are still 2 lessons short per week and the other Teacher is clearly run ragged but nothing to see here!!

Our Year 6's were supposed to be going on a residential trip this week. Big deal for them - hasn't happened the last 2 years.

My colleague now has Covid, so looks like they won't be going. It was on the edge anyway as there were 4 cases in their class last week. I expect there have been more over the weekend.

The rest of us (small staff) can't commit to the over nights - small children or other caring responsibilities, and both of our TAs were already going. Unless the head steps in (but they are not just the head of our school) it won't be able to happen.

It’s interesting (and depressing) to know how much other schools are struggling. I teach secondary and we’ve so many staff off (and cannot get supply as the demand is so high locally) that we’ve had at least one year group doing remote learning each day over the last week, some days we’ve had two, then we do cover when our class who is remote learning would usually be taught. It’s a crap situation for the kids and behaviour has been atrocious over the last week with all the disruption and uncertainty. And also crap for all the teachers who are poorly, some have been mild and bounced back but quite a few have had nasty bouts.

Hopefully the Easter break will help!

Isn’t it weird how there’s now just this acceptance that closing schools slows the spread among kids when we were told for so long that it didn’t spread in schools?

@Lilaclavenders still 2 weeks to go for lots of us. Limping along today with 20% staff off. One year group not in - can manage just one as so many kids off with covid too.
But at least we can do our 32.5 hours. I worked over 80 last week so hoping this new 32.5 hours applies to staff too - I'd love the rest 😂

@mumsneedwine

Over 80 hours!! There needs to be more support to enable schools to function with this pandemic. This isn’t sustainable is it?

@mistyoak nope. Not sustainable at all. Last week was chaos as so many staff too ill to set cover so rest of us mucked in. 14 hour days are not fun (6.30am -8.30pm ish before anyone asks). Had a parents evening one night and marking year 11 & 13 mocks. This week will be better ! I'm refusing to mark anything 😂

@noblegiraffe

Isn’t it weird how there’s now just this acceptance that closing schools slows the spread among kids when we were told for so long that it didn’t spread in schools?

Very strange indeed. Schools are safe (therefore no mitigations are needed), children don’t spread Covid and teachers don’t need priority vaccines (as we need those for NHS office staff WFH). We have always been at war with Eastasia.

@HavenHa - sorry to hear you have been so ill. I hope you feel better soon. @mumsneedwine - that is not sustainable.

Gosh you’re all stuck in a time warp. Of course closing schools slows the spread of covid. It doesn’t mean that schools should indeed close though .

It sounds like you’re all hugely resenting the teaching profession (for which I don’t blame you there’s a lot to resent) and covid just being the outlet for you all.

Maybe if you ALL stopped working 80 hours a week they would have to change the conditions for you all.

Gosh you’re all stuck in a time warp. Of course closing schools slows the spread of covid.

“Of course”

Yes, turns out it was obvious all along, despite all the abuse hurled at those who said covid was spreading in schools.

So this is what this thread is about then?

Just a, I told you so covid spreads in schools (que shocked face 😯)

Majority of people knew it spread in schools they still wanted schools to remain open (me included).

And you are dreaming if you think we can live forever with “mitigations” I.e lip service.

Oh yes sorry we all lack ambition and haven’t wrote enough to our MPs.

Yes, yes that’s the one. (Waiting for you to insert a predictable “Well I’m glad you agree” response).

So do you think the current situation in schools is sustainable re: covid?

@Eyedropeyeflop

So this is what this thread is about then?

Just a, I told you so covid spreads in schools (que shocked face 😯)

Majority of people knew it spread in schools they still wanted schools to remain open (me included).

No, this thread is to point out that schools are still a covid shitshow and the govt is doing nothing about it.

Apparently when Zahawi was asked this morning about how to catch up school missed due to covid, he made no mention of the school that children are missing due to catching covid, some of them multiple times. Head in sand.

Everyone wants schools open. For some people, the thought ends there.

Not really noble. We’re not stupid we know schools are a shit show and have been for a long time but it always comes down to the following:

We are powerless to do anything about it.

We do not lack ambition.

Many letters to MPs have been sent (and nothing has ever materialised).

Other than sending letters what are parents supposed to do?

I tell you what…

Accept the breadcrumbs of education our kids are offered (unless you can afford private school).

We’re not stupid we know schools are a shit show and have been for a long time

You’d be surprised.

Nar I’m not. My SIL being a prime example of what you’re referring to having told me at the weekend her sons school is now going to be exemplary because it’s now turning into an academy.

Riiiigghht.

Just not sure what you want us to do?

Where is this acceptance that schools closing helped? I certainly don't see or hear it. Schools should never have shut in the first place it was hugely damaging for so many children and the "provision" of home learning was a lottery at best. Genuinely don't understand the purpose of this thread.

@Wizzbangfizz

I agree what is the purpose?

Closing schools slowed covid yes, but at the same time it also wasn’t a good thing.

Think you're missing the point. Schools are closing to year groups today, again, because we have run out of staff. If you want schools fully open and actually teaching your kids then you need to ensure staff can do so. Boosters now. Ventilation sorted out (like private schools have done). V v easy to do but for some reason the government want to concentrate on schools hours, most of which are already 32.5 hours.
We can't help students catch up until we have the staff to do so. There is no supply anymore . It's all a bit silly. In 10 minutes I'm taking over the 92 kids in the hall lesson. 3 different year groups covering 3 different subjects. It's not teaching.

I agree that there needs to be more investment in education and more teachers (and not allowing teachers to pocket the bursary and never teach in a state school)
The whole system is a joke.

I spent six years (PT) studying for a degree in computer science and then completed ITT in Computer Science in July 2019.

Whilst training I was teaching kids using PCs older than they were.

I desperately wanted to work as a teacher (spent 8 years getting qualified if you count degree study) and yet not a single school is employing computing teachers.

It is a joke that there is an attitude in the Uk that teenagers are "digital natives".

Whilst they may be great at some things, they are not great at even basic office skills let alone coding (in general).

I took the bursary fully intending to work as a teacher for years and I have been denied that opportunity, it does not make sense to me.

Personally I think academisation has screwed schools over as they are now seen as businesses where all that matters is profit and high salaries for the top people.