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

Thanks folks. Yes, I will ask for some specific guidelines and hope they listen. School have been good so far, they know the circumstances. I just don't think the government really knows what goes on with some 1:1 children. PPE for nose wiping might mean I don't have a permanent cold myself from October to March!

We were told it's not even as simple as that, local rates are also taken into account. But I'm not sure of more details. It might be a decision in conjunction with other agencies.

It would be so useful to have clear understanding of children and infection levels/ rates etc. I'm puzzled as to why we don't know this?

@Saucery

All that experience and aptitude gone, Letseatgrandma. Further evidence that specialised TA support just isn’t valued.

Exactly. We have had no applicants for their replacements either!

Not surprising really, when you know you’d get more concern for your safety in a supermarket job.

I reckon if you read the guidelines, the bubble might not even close for two.

I am concerned though about the track and trace with one case. How will staff be included in this?

But what if parents just keep their kids home for 2 weeks and don't get them tested? There might be loads ill at home by the time someone gets around to getting their child tested and gets the results back. And will PHE even inform the school of a positive test if the family don't? Will PHE inform a school if another member of the household tests positive?

I think, from very vague outlines from slt, that's roughly what will happen. I think...

@Piggywaspushed

I reckon if you read the guidelines, the bubble might not even close for two.

I am concerned though about the track and trace with one case. How will staff be included in this?

But that’s ridiculous. We surely can’t be going for a policy where there’s no social distancing, no masks and no isolation for contacts if there’s a case.

Re the testing, I’d think it’s possible that having to self-isolate for 14 days if you are working would encourage people to get tested and rule covid out. I can’t imagine many employers would be particularly open to allowing people to isolate at home for just assuming its covid.

55 outbreaks in schools (27 confirmed covid).

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/899301/Weekly_COVID19_Surveillance_Report_week_28.pdf

More than any other setting. Can't see how business as usual in Sep will work at all.

And that’s with most schools, especially secondary, not really back, in bubbles of 15 with a lot of schools practicing social distancing within bubbles.

Eitka no nothing. Maybe they’re just thoroughly fed up of the job or don’t believe teachers are really working at home.

And yet bea one outbreak of two staff in a Tescos somewhere and it makes BBC breaking news. It's a conspiracy, I tell you!!

We are also not included on the list of high contact occupations for regular routine testing.

We had a meeting about September today.
Intersting/terrifying to hear that some heads have said no masks! We have been told they are compulsory, along with gloves, if we are within 2 metres of the children.
We have 60 in a bubble, staggered start and finish times and after school clubs have to stick to the bubbles.
No assemblies-hooray! Every cloud and all that jazz.

On another note, how on earth can anyone make out those different coloured line son those ONS graphs? I am really trying to make out my home town on there but they all look the same to me!!

it's the only time it'll get in a top ten of anything

55 outbreaks in schools (27 confirmed covid).

Schools will soon become the most risky sector of all.

OK, so which would you rather?

Bigger bubble where you can stream certain lessons like phonics, and maths in order to suit ability, but also suit two year groups being in each class.

Or, smaller bubble for safety?

About to have the fight conversation about that now....

Bigger bubbles for YR and Y1. I think smaller might work better further up school?

Smaller but then I’ve always taught mixed ability in form groups at so I guess mixed ability seems normal to me.

Safety First!

Masks aren’t there to protect yourself though - if the kids aren’t wearing them I’m still at increased risk. Everyone should be wearing masks and it should be compulsory now so that the novelty has worn off by September.

I’d say smaller bubble, but like HoneyBadger even in mixed year groups I’ve usually taught mixed ability.

I can see how it might be difficult in phonics if you are using RWI though.

Well, we thought we had a choice, but apparently not. PHE have told our LA that we need to be in bubbles as small as possible. So, mixed year group class all on my own-some it is!! Literally children who can't read SATPIN through to children reading Philip Pullman. Have had lots of mixed year group classes before, but not quite the ability spread in such a way.

We are allowed to do intervention groups though, because adults can understand SD and stay apart from the children.

It’s going to be a bugger if you’ve got no TA either.

Intervention will cover it. I was just very concerned about certain children not having the regular phonics in a proper lesson.

It's OK. I feel a lot more comfortable than I did before the meeting.

My LA has high incidences apparently, and community transmission has been a thing, and high BAME % in the demographic.

I've got to be OK with the 'science' as that is really.