The Third Republic - solidarity comrades!

[StaffAssociationRepresentative]

You are most welcome to this school staff support thread to get us through stressful times. Baiters and bashers can jog on somewhere else.

If you are not staff and just have a general education query please start your own thread.

You can play here only if you are a member of one the following groups-

-ABBA - anti bashers and baiting association
-SWAB - school workers against bashers
-SWOT - school workers opposing teacherbashers
-STARS - schoolworkers together against ranting + slurs

Other requirements for staff room entry include the ability to find the staff room, the ability to find a clean mug in the staff room, knowledge of the photocopier codes and the ability to sniff out where the toffee vodka is hidden.

and for all!

I know several teachers who are friends, not colleagues, who are feeling very anxious. I've had waves of sickness not helped by certain threads here.

I'm trying to listen the women's hour piece again; the bits I caught were reassuring actually.

The irony of receiving some policies from HR today about anxiety and staff well-being too. At least they acknowledge it and also acknowledged the difficulties for people wfh with young children.

It's all on BBC now. Step away if stressed!

How will I have time to clean the classroom I'm in.before racing to the next one before the kids arrive and start touching each other?

There is absolutely no Dettol/ anti bac/ wipes to be found in any shops here.

I hope you teach food pinkrocker and aren't just unlucky enough to have children who leave eggy floury lumps in a history room or similar.

I might be willing to give my desks a quick wipe between lessons if I am supplied with cleaning supplies. But I have colleagues who are allergic to most cleaning stuff who won't be able to (the stuff our cleaners are allowed to use is very weak and not much use, but at least it doesn't set off the allergies). Maybe each child should be given some cleaning cloths and they can clean the desks as they sit down, before they get their books out. That probably won't help with the allergies though, will it, there will just be more allergic people using cleaning products.

I'd love screens between pupils like noble has seen on photos from China (?). Just in general, to stop them looking each other and stealing stationery etc, as well as any infection control benefit.

On the day the Health Secretary said he wouldn’t want to go into a room of people, despite probably having antibodies.....

One rule for one.

I've often thought teaching would be easier if kids has blinkers. I'll take screens though

@MsAwesomeDragon yes I do! and textiles! (love my job!)
I have Dettol wipes and antibac spray here at home, I've been using them when I'm on the rota in school. piggy I got them from tesco, non branded but they do the same job I think.
I'm just imagining teaching food using screens. Not gonna happen, it's absolutely impossible and that's not me being defeatist, there is no physical way it can be done!!

Nope you cannot get branded, unbranded or even blackmarket wipes around here...

While we are on the subject, let us not forget that if there are adults, like me, who are allergic to wipes and cleaning products, there will also be children!

Hi all. Took me a while to find the staffroom! Secondary English teacher here.

We've been told to come in and clear all surfaces in classrooms this week prior to a deep clean. Apparently most likely scenario is Year 10 back first, spaced out, and we'll be moving round the school, not them. Don't know how I feel about that but I have set 5 and there is almost nothing being done at home so they will need urgent input!

Hope you're all OK and glad this is here - I had to stop reading MN for a while as the negativity was affecting me a bit tbh.

What does deep clean even mean??

Not much iirc.

Surely, your unions ought to object to you having to move things before they are cleaned ??

You all seem to be talking about June as if it’s a given. Have I missed an announcement?

We have no transition time between lessons but are already somehow meant to have books out and a starter task on the board for the next group whilst being in the corridor supervising and greeting because we no longer have any patrol. Difficult enough if you are staying in the same classroom and ridiculous if you’re moving classrooms. Not sure how we’d fit cleaning in and that would mean at least 2 groups crowded together waiting in each little corridor of our block.

It’s the logistics of limited space and time and volume of bodies that people don’t get. I think the average person asked to walk from one end of the science block to another during lesson changeover would declare it impossible or panic inducing. Think getting through the mosh pit without spilling your pint levels of crowding. 50% of students would still be really crowded.

The when where how questions are just displaying a lack of can do attitude though no doubt.

You all seem to be talking about June as if it’s a given. Have I missed an announcement?

No announcement, just every newspaper yesterday reporting ‘leaks from Whitehall’ citing June 1st.

I fully expect them to try to have y6 back from June 1st. What the teachers/parents and unions have to say about it is another matter.

Reading the thread about France-returning doesn’t appear to be very popular over there.

From what Nicola Sturgeon is saying, I can't see Scotland going back before the new term in August.

Have just this from the Guardian about Scotland

We do not consider it likely that schools will reopen fully in the foreseeable future. Indeed, we are not yet certain that they can re-open at all in the near future

I hope Boris doesn’t do the opposite.

@IHeartKingThistle - glad you found us and hopefully you have remembered your mug.

I used my own cleaning wipes in my office and classroom before coronavirus as cleaning was a little suspect before eg using the same bucket for the entire floor

They being trying to model split classes at my school and it is proving to be a nightmare. So we may all be straight back in instead. Otherwise we have some in class teaching, some online teaching, some kids in, some kids not it etc.

Secondary school timetabling is a black art which is only achieved by a few. When I was SLT ‘helpful’ parents used to come in to reorganise the need to get their child its preferred options. On one occasion I gave an overbearing father the timetable, list of what teachers did what days, said games could not be changed as coaches booked, computer/music/DT rooms blocked etc. He had a clip board and an excel spreadsheet on a computer. Fair play - he lasted two hours before he gave up. Effing business consultant with an MBA - twat

Fuck knows what I'll do if I'm in and my own, primary kids aren't. 2 key worker parent rule here. Dh can't wfh unless he brings to production line with him.

If eg Scotland stands their ground and says no to going back before summer Boris will hopefully find it impossible to say, and be made to justify saying, English schools should go back sooner.

There are plenty of workers who do not need schools or childcare to go back to work

I get the distinct feeling that the ‘leaks’ were done to gauge public opinion and then they can safely back track if needed.

If we only open to some pupils I honestly don’t see the point.
The children won’t be getting a decent education.
They won’t be in frequently enough to given them structure and routine.
Only being in some of the time won’t allow parents back to work.

Fuck knows what I'll do if I'm in and my own, primary kids aren't. 2 key worker parent rule here. Dh can't wfh unless he brings to production line with him.

I think staffing is going to be a huge issue. It worries me that the government/heads will just say-‘ok then, it’s too hard-we’ll go back 100% full time, as normal’.

Yet you’ll still have to queue 2m apart in queues at the supermarket...

The guardian live coverage of Nichola Sturgeon is good actually.

She's pointed out that in Denmark R has started to go up after schools returned.

That was pretty much what happened with closing them I think, @TheHoneyBadger. Wales, Scotland and NI said they were closing, what else could he do.
The only difference is that the Scottish terms are different to the English.

I'll be ok if I'm back at work but primary aged dd2 isn't. Dh can wfh 4 days a week, and dd1 is at home from uni as well. I would probably still be expected to do any actual education with dd2, as dh is "busy" (and I'm not?) So dd2 will be safe and happy, but not educated unless I do it after school.