The Twelfth Republic - push and glide to the summer break

[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

Great story in the TES about how shit the DfE have been and frustration at the vilification of teachers. Good to know it’s not just ‘MN teachers having a moan’.

www.tes.com/news/coronavirus-they-wont-listen-teachers-covid-problems-ignored

My school finishes today with a series of transition events. I'm at home feeling miserable. My 1:1 will be in with the new class teacher (one she's had before, so shouldn't be a problem) and new TA who has been in her bubble or very nearby so she knows her too. That part is fine, I've done her a transition book (this is actually mostly for parents' benefit as 1:1 isn't bothered) and sent her lots of stuff in the post, etc.

I feel rubbish though. Seen various colleagues on social media in school who are definitely not distancing from one another or the children. Feel like I am going to be Billy No Mates in Sept if I try keeping away from people, and of course everyone is going to hate me as I've been at home while they've been in school, etc.

Don't know what planning to do for my other role PPA cover as we've not been told what the arrangements are yet. Normally I would see all the children over a fortnight for PPA cover. This is allowed, in the guidance, yet children are meant to be in bubbles?

Missing the end of term vibe, clearing up, saying goodbye to colleagues who are leaving school, even the obscene amount of cakes that are about. Have contacted my class teacher about going in to collect stuff from her classroom as I'm obviously moving on and she's staying put, very blunt reply.

Meh.

of course everyone is going to hate me as I've been at home while they've been in school

Plastic - I can understand why you feel this way but I'm sure it's not true.

As much as I've hated the dystopian nightmare version of school that I've endured this last term, I've got no feeling of animosity to those who have been off (there's quite a few as our head has been very generous (quite rightly) with who's allowed to stay off) and I've not heard anyone say so either (we're pretty straight talking so if someone had a problem they'd have said).

There's no ill feeling towards staff who are still at home at my school. We are pretty understanding in general, and there's a big proportion of our staff who are at risk in some way. Or live with someone at risk.

I've booked a test at the bigger test centre this afternoon and fingers crossed I get a definite result this time. Too late for school, but it might let dh go to work next week.

I would have liked to have done that survey!!

Who was the twat who clearly doesn't understand furlough and public sector workers?? Did some of our 'friends' make it on there somehow??

Of course we didn't 'need to be furloughed'. They needed us to work!

I hope you get a trouble-free and clear test, MsAwesomeDragon !

plasticboxesrock it’s been a weird and tense few months, even with all the nice things that have happened and when stuff has gone ok. I have refused social invites out of work because not only are they against guidance but they are against guidance because they could provide the perfect transmission vector for Coronavirus and quite frankly, I think my colleagues are absolute dicks for taking part. I’ve kept that well hidden, though . If it doesn’t put me in danger then let them get on with it.
Keep yourself safe is the No 1 priority from Sept.

No bad feeling towards people at home - it must be very weird for them in fact. They keep sending suggestions for things that are just not relevant/appropriate anymore, but they've not been in school since March, so of course things will be a bit different now.

One colleague has annoyed me by coming in when he's bored at home, but not coming in when he's asked because 'I'm not supposed to be in school'. He's Indian, so that's the reason for not coming in... except when he's bored and wants a jolly. He just wanders around chatting to folks, then goes home. Maybe come and sort out your classroom? Back your boards? Clear out from this year? Oh no, just a chat... eyeroll.

We've just had to read a risk assessment for having cake and fizz together on Tuesday.

So true!

I should be feeling relief at the end of term. But I've just found out my primary aged daughter finishes at 2.45 in September ( much earlier than I expected) and I finish between 3.35 and 4pm. Thankfully she is year 6 and so although not ideal she can walk ( school bus not running due to staggered starts) . We will spend Summer practising the route and unlocking a stiff door plus buying her a phone . All a mess.

Oh I replied to that TES questionnaire thingy.

As an NQT I will be doing lots of planning over the summer to try to ease my worries. I have quite a nice timetable. Most worried about the possibility of not being based in one room and having to move around the school. Not confirmed yet but hinted at by the head of the year I'm tutor for.

Don't plan too much, things may have changed by Sept. Brush up your subject knowledge by a means but don't plan loads of lessons. Not worth it ime.

Thanks Herc. My lesson plans have never been overly detailed (a point made in my PGCE!) So it's more about looking at the learning objectives for each lesson rather than planning resources. I think there's quite a sharing culture in the department so that will help.
Good point on subject knowledge though - there is a LOT of content in triple science.

Can someone please tell me the real deal on teacher contact and non contact time? If you work in an academy trust. I've just found out I will be supervising my class 3 days on 1 day off for break and having a lunch of 40 minutes to shorten the day. Of which I will be required to eat with the kids every other day. So about 15 minutes left if i'm lucky.

My head just said that actually we are only entitled to 20 mins but this is bollocks! Apparently my trust follow the burgundy book. Ha !

We are looking into this too at my place with the Orwellian banning of the word lunch.

I think all the burgundy book allows is a break at lunchtime of a ‘reasonable‘ length.

They’ll probably decide that’s 20 minutes!

www.gov.uk/rest-breaks-work

The government says 20 minutes is fine

Lots of schools already break the 11 hours rest thing with parents evenings.

I think the burgundy book is clearer about lunch time than that.

This is what it says in the school teachers pay and conditions document

The key point in the government advice is uninterrupted 20 min break.

I need a closed sign for my classroom door (since we're not allowed in the staff room as adults are a bigger risk than students, thanks Patrick )

I normally don't mind helping them at lunch, but not now it's ridiculously short.

That's shit Appu! I'm going to root about in non contact time a bit more.
There is no bloody way i'll be doing boosters after school with the terrible lunch and no break i'll be getting!

@Beawillalwaysbetopdog I too only get a 20 min break from 8-4 thanks to the added duties. I’m not sure where I can take it as we’ve also been told the Staffroom is out of bounds - can have 5 people in at one time so in and out to - and we no longer have classrooms as the pupils have their bases. I’ll be eating in my car.

It really is shit. I can’t see any mention of breaks in the Burgundy book either.

Where does the lunches not being paid thing come from?