Staffroom. It's not fay-err. Secondary have got one. Can we??

[clam]

Come on, ladies. And gents. We need a place to rant and let off steam. What do you reckon?

I was talking to a friend yesterday who worked at a school which had a railway at the bottom of the field over a low fence. If they had any runners, a teacher had to try and get to the rail tracks before the child did! In the end, all the staff just used to wear tracksuits and trainers to school . Again, not a scenario I think would happen now!

Hello folks. Can I run my dilemma by you and get some advice? I've been doing supply since I've had my kids. Now dd is in Y1 and ds will start nursery next week. I've got an interview next week for mat cover full time from Nov to Easter. I don't know what to do. I don't need full time but it would be nice to have a class of my own again (I think!)Supply is working OK, especially as I only do odd days when my Mum helps out with kids. I'd need to arrange other childcare which they've never had. I'm being really selfish aren't I? I should leave it for a couple more years. But it is tempting, oh heck any thoughts anyone?

I think the first thing you need to do is find out whether the appropriate childcare is available. Will your ds be doing full days in nursery? Presumably you'll be looking for a childminder for before and after school for both of them. You might find that all the child minders have already filled their places, which would answer your question for you!

Personally, if you are able to manage financially on supply, and your childcare arrangements work already, then if it was me, I wouldn't be considering full-time yet. I would be revelling in having some time to myself when the dcs were at school/nursery! In fact, I'm hoping never to be full time again .

I also think you need to stop and think about the amount of extra evening and weekend work which the maternity cover will generate. It's not just the full time days, as you know

Hello! I've posted this in a sep thread but just incase you don't see it...can someone PLEASE recommend a KS1 suitable book of Hindu stories

THanks.

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Oh B*llocks Yorkiegirl. How completely crap is that. Anything we can help you with?

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We have TV cameras coming in tomorrow - one of our teachers has been nominated for ITV's Teacher of the Year award & is one of 4 shortlisted for our region.

Oh that's crap yorkie girl- they really shouldn't do inspections this early in the term (or late in the school year for that matter- we had one 8 days before the end of the summer term last year. The teachers had started to send the books home and taken down all their displays!)

Interested to see you are a music teacher. Snap! I am the music co-ordinator in my school too.

The very best of luck. Hope there are lots of chocolate biscuits available!

I've just been made the music co-ordinator too!

You've probably heard it before Yorkiegirl, but here it is anyway. The ofsted joke!

What's the difference between ofsted inspectors and plastic surgeons?

One tucks up your features......

At least it gets it all over and done with for the next few years. I often find that September is the only time of the year when I am completely up-to-date with paperwork and record-keeping - on the grounds that there's nothing to record yet!

PPA question. We've just been told that if anyone on the staff is ill, anyone on PPA time that day will have to cover. They are supposed to get that time back at a later date. Is this sllowed?
We are a large staff, with lots of illness during the winter months particularly, and PPA is mainly covered by ex-staff/maternity-returners who only work one or two days a week. So they're unlikely to be able to cover a "pay-back" session.
What do other schools do?

I didn't think it was allowed under the workforce reform guidelines, but I might be wrong.

This is allowed, although not best practice, I would record sessions missed and then ask for them back. They may need to employ a supply though. Don't let it go on for too long though.

Hey yorkie girl! How did the inspection go?

Can I sit here please? Oh, sorry Mrs Wilcox not in your chair.
I'm year 5 and 6 full time, class of 34, loads of special needs this year, ready for half term already. Why is it every year I forget how hard the first term is...
Off for a bath and some English marking now. Whooppee

WHoo hooo half term at last!

Anyone think like me that this has been a really LOOOOOOONG half term?

Good Lord that dropped off the active convos quickly!
Bumping

Hello can I join? Although I am NQT so rarely get onto Mumsnet and when I do, generally just lurk.

God I am so glad it is half term; am completely knackered. Teaching reception, and I am loving it but feel so tired and don't have any time/energy for my family which is not good. I am waiting to see whether the regular holidays will in any way make up for the full-on-ness of the job...

I worked part time for the past 16+ years since ds1 was born, so PGCE and now FT work was/is HARD.

Hmmm reception are sooo hard.

WHen I first started teaching (in an infant school) I remember someone saying "Oh well dear, I suppose they start you off with the little ones and as you get more experienced they'll let you do some proper teaching with the bigger children."

Hope you have a restful week soya!

Thanks Smartie. Yes I am aware of that attitude although thankfully no-one has said it to my face! Am enjoying holiday so far but the trouble is I feel like I need time for myself, but of course I also need to make the time for my family...