The Tenth Republic - what is the new normal?

[StaffAssociationRepresentative]

You are most welcome to this school staff support thread to get us through stressful times. It is meant for school staff. 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.

If you are fed up with cakes and biscuits there is now a cheeseboard on offer

If you come with a stick to beat us with then please do so elsewhere and not in the staffroom.

Frank Spencer, Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em, Honey?

Not one journalist savvy enough to ask about what exactly they need to catch up on or for. Disappointed in the TES journalist. Schools Week should have had a slot.

Gav thinks that briefing went well, everyone on board with the Plan.

Saucery yes that’s him exactly

Brittas Empire, Honey? Talks a load of old bollocks and doesn't listen.

So, Vicky Young mentions secondaries now! Tsk.

Found this : EEF are Gods, so Gav could have referred to this :

educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/public/files/Publications/Covid-19_Resources/Remote_learning_evidence_review/Rapid_Evidence_Assessment_summary.pdf

So the "long term reform" I picked up on earlier today seems to mean keeping this "public sector tutors" to help the most disadvantaged?

I don't get how, if it's online as reported, it's going to help the most disadvantaged, even if technology is eventually provided. How are they going to learn if they're still stuck in a one bed flat with 4 other family members / have special needs/ are being abused/are young carers etc etc?

@starrynight19

Saucery yes that’s him exactly

Yes - what's he called? It's been bugging the hell out of me who he's like.

Sorry saw one post and not the other - Frank Spencer. Thank you!

What do you think this bit means?

Q. Do you want teachers to work this summer to help pupils catch up?
Williamson says one of the schemes in the catch-up plan is to have children coming into schools over the summer.

So are we all moving to Denmark then? High taxes but small class sizes and fab facilities it seems. Not up for Sweden given they're threatening to take kids into care if their parents don't send them into schools with compromised immune systems or heart conditions etc. Bit too far to the fascist end of left for my liking.

Bea I think it would be a waste of time and energy to extrapolate specifics from that waffle. That's how schools have ended up wasting hours based on what the government said only to tear it up and start again when the next bit of guidance comes out.

IMO it is way too late to be able to try to pull off completely changing the burgandy book (is that still the thing? seems like no one cares these days so I keep thinking they might have thrown it out when I was on a career break). It's all waffle for the voters with no substance yet.

@Beawillalwaysbetopdog he waffled something about schools could use this additional how they thought fit which could include something over the summer. Bet when are schools actually getting this funding?

So wraparound care still now allowed by September then, as it involves crossing bubbles?

What bubbles? How can 30 kids in a room access their full time proper secondary education? It's just not possible given the number of subjects and options etc.

Honestly I think this is to quiet the moaning parents without actually committing to anything but leaving teachers and schools stressing the hell out trying to plan the impossible.

Maybe I'm really cynical now but I won't believe anything till it's put in writing and released on the end of August Bank Holiday.

Have I turned into a cynical old bag? Does anyone really believe what they say now?

@StrawberryJam200

So wraparound care still now allowed by September then, as it involves crossing bubbles?

Please for all that is holy, nooooooooo! I pray this isn’t true!!!

No one asked about vulnerable and shielding teachers and children there either...

I'm just imagining September, secondary students back all on public transport - complaints on here about lack of social distancing on bus, in local shops, etc...

You're right ofc, pointless speculating.

Guess I'm so anxious about all the uncertainty that I'm overthinking every statement

@TheHoneyBadger

So are we all moving to Denmark then? High taxes but small class sizes and fab facilities it seems. Not up for Sweden given they're threatening to take kids into care if their parents don't send them into schools with compromised immune systems or heart conditions etc. Bit too far to the fascist end of left for my liking.

I’d definitely move to Cyprus! My niece and nephew there are already on school holidays!

We have year 12 back in next week with no bubbling. Are others really bubbling year 12?

It's just a game to them. Keep the proles placated for now, we've gotten away with contradicting ourselves repeatedly and this won't be any different, pretend we can give state schools most disadvantaged kids as much chance as we got at Eton, make sure we find an opportunity to give a backhander (that we'll be owed big time for) to our mates in online tutoring scams, we've nearly made it to summer holidays with all blame displaced onto teachers, we'll deal with September when it gets here and blame it on teachers/people sunbathing in parks/blm marches etc.

Beginning to fantasise about deregistering ds, home edding him and doing igcse's on the beach somewhere. It's hard to imagine our school being anymore of a shitshow but it will be.

I need to pour a drink and stop being such a cynical hag. Except I don't because I have probably earned my cynical hag position after nearly 20 years in education and ten years of tory rule.

@Beawillalwaysbetopdog

You're right ofc, pointless speculating.

Guess I'm so anxious about all the uncertainty that I'm overthinking every statement

Try and let it go! We know realistically that this dickheads wafflings have about as much effect on what goes on in our schools as mystic pegs predictions. It's nonsense! Don't let yourself stress about the ramblings of a tory dickhead who has no clue about schools. Remember the DfE didn't even realise that when teachers and parents say 'next year' we mean September.

Think how many times they've contradicted, backtracked etc. It used to be today's newspaper but now it could as easily be government announcements/dfe guidelines are tomorrows chip paper

Do not let these bastards get you down.

Honey, could you approach them first with ideas for your skills?

I read Comparative Epistemologies as Comparative Episiotomies at first glance ...

I've completely missed the briefing; sounds ominous....!