The Eleventh Republic - countdown to summer holidays

[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

I have realised that if I'm put in a year group bubble at secondary at least it would reduce planning. 6 year 7 classes 3 time a week, just plan 3 lessons and repeat. It would also be very boring, and I don't like the ofqual hints about students not needing to do practicals - that sounds like we might not be allowed to do practicals :(

I haven't seen the Ofqual stuff yet, piggy (I'm in the mire of report writing). Where is it? Does it say anything about Film?

www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools

Not sure how to make that clicky on my phone

Never mind, I found it - literally no difference for Film A-level, then...

To cut time from Science we demo the required practicals. How does that save time?

I'm really struggling today.

I don't have Media exam groups any more, but I'd just try to get the full NEA stuff done and sod all the supporting evidence garbage. Imagine having to wade through all those folders full of bloody moodboards and scrappy sketches. I'd rather work lunchtimes to get them to finish it and submit completed work.

The government will ensure that it is as easy as possible to get a test through a wide range of routes that are locally accessible, fast and convenient. We will release more details on new testing avenues as and when they become available and will work with schools so they understand what the quickest and easiest way is to get a test. By the autumn term, all schools will be provided with a small number of home testing kits that they can give directly to parents/carers collecting a child who has developed symptoms at school, or staff who have developed symptoms at school, where they think providing one will significantly increase the likelihood of them getting tested. Advice will be provided alongside these kits.

In the guidance.

You are a fast reader! I haven't got to that bit. Reading about year group bubbles.

Ex teacher here but been following your threads as it's interesting to see what you're saying v what the media says!
Dd is in year 12. Just reading the guidance for 2021 exams...I think it's an awful idea to start gcse after half term. From experience of dd doing 12 GCSEs last year (too many but not our choice!) half term was such a welcome and vital break from exams, even though she had in school revision sessions every day. I think she would have completely fallen apart without half term! The poor kids...and I can't see how a couple of weeks delay helps with 'catch up'. It smacks of wanting to do something, anything to look like you're in control! 😡
Goodness knows what her year 13 wiĺl look like. To be honest, college have been amazing and she has enjoyed the lack of social pressure so I'd be quite happy to continue as we're doing, but I know that's not likely to happen.
Well done all of you, I've never been so glad to be out of teaching as during this! I don't know how you've all kept going with all the negativity and vitriol. I think recruitment and retention is going to be interesting over the next couple of years!

Thanks glee.

I’m thinking of a poor kid whose been crap at all core subjects and has finally gotten to choose more practical subjects eg D&T Resistant Materials only to find they’ll never get their hands on the machinery, or food and tech watching the teacher cook

Good job I’m out of science and don’t have to demo ks4 compulsory practicals! I always got lime water that’s doesn’t go cloudy and acids so diluted you can’t see reactions.

Feel bad for the kids. Ds hasn’t chose any art or design subjects but will revolt if he doesn’t get to do gcse PE properly

I'm skimming. I believe there's different guidance for send schools? So it doesn't personally tell me much.

The advice for cv and ecv is similar to before and a bit washy. Though it seems to be hinting we can go back but consider roles.

Neurotrash if you're having a difficult day it's probably advisable not to read the guidance too much (it'll only change anyway) and to not read the news (well not the comments bit! It's like vultures descending on a corpse sometimes)

Ok, so...

Go back as normal.
There’s no extra money.
If you can’t do stuff to make things safe, do it anyway but remember we told you to try so it’s your own fault if you get ill.
Don’t wear masks.
Don’t use other community spaces or anything that costs money.
It’s fine to have wraparound care, external visitors, supply teachers, volunteers, expert (bollocks) tutors from our agencies.

AND

Statutory tests will resume as normal next year, Ofsted will be back in January and all gaps should be closed by then.

Christ.

Sorry personal post. I know everyone is focussed on the guidance right now, but I could really do with a bit of advice.
Does anyone know if we have to tell our school if someone is taking civil proceedings against you?

@Appuskidu

Ok, so...

Go back as normal.
There’s no extra money.
If you can’t do stuff to make things safe, do it anyway but remember we told you to try so it’s your own fault if you get ill.
Don’t wear masks.
Don’t use other community spaces or anything that costs money.
It’s fine to have wraparound care, external visitors, supply teachers, volunteers, expert (bollocks) tutors from our agencies.

AND

Statutory tests will resume as normal next year, Ofsted will be back in January and all gaps should be closed by then.

Christ.

FML

Yes, it does gravity. Just digesting the guidance now. This is so typical of the gov to release two big things at once.

Here is a bit form the guidance that must have stuck in their craw:

There is no evidence that children transmit the disease any more than adults.

Why are forward facing desks better than my U shape with a huge gap in the middle. Children and me are safer that way!!

Basically as far as I can see it puts all the effort on to the teacher. In college, we can't have year group bubbles, staggered lunch times, staggered start and finish times etc, so that's all out of the window. Kids don't social distance outside class anyway. I'm nowhere near a sink so how I'm supposed to wash my hands a million times a day without walking past dozens of people in corridors and touching half a dozen doors I don't know. We need equipment and computers so it's up to us to clean it (aka hope the technician does it/give kids wipes for the computers). Can't stay 2m away from the students so..don't then. No difference in exam content at all, oh except the exams might be a couple of weeks later so bang goes my gained time.

Nothing has changed except everything's a bit shitter.

Well now. FML does just about cover it.

All teachers and other staff can operate across different classes and year groups in order to facilitate the delivery of the school timetable. This will be particularly important for secondary schools. Where staff need to move between classes and year groups, they should try and keep their distance from pupils and other staff as much as they can, ideally 2 metres from other adults. Again, we recognise this is not likely to be possible with younger children and teachers in primary schools can still work across groups if that is needed to enable a full educational offer.

So, in secondary, it will be our fault if we get ill. We have no protective bubble.

Fuck-this is much worse than I’d thought.

There is no safety bubble at all in primary with this plan.

If visitors, wraparound care, volunteers, interventions, supply teachers etc etc can still take place-there is no bubble. It’s a school.

They all should wash their hands as they get to school. Maybe we could get those troughs that petting zoos get.

Demo-ing practicals just means the kids are closer than 1m to each other, and closer than 2m to the teacher so that they can see what’s going on. They might as well do the practical because there won’t be time saved and there’s no less risk