Thirteenth Republic - School’s out for summer, no more pencils no more books!

[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

God, another Us for Them poster has appeared on a chat thread.

Those new guidelines seem to have distinctly dialled down what they said about PPE. I think they might be prepping for a change there.

Chat seems to be their new place.

@Piggywaspushed

Those new guidelines seem to have distinctly dialled down what they said about PPE. I think they might be prepping for a change there.

Let’s see what the 11th brings!

I just hope my children’s school announces they can offer wraparound. They said they would make a decision after the new guidance is released.

Thanks for spotting those things piggy, I didn't read the last one enough to note what might be different.

Good the older children bit is in, although not that great really :/

Hello Katherine! I'm part time sen too :)

I wish they’d highlight the changes so we knew what was different. That would be far too helpful though.

It's ridiculous that they don't. And deliberate.

“ It is strong public health advice that staff in secondary schools maintain distance from their pupils, staying at the front of the class, and away from their colleagues where possible. Ideally, adults should maintain 2 metre distance from each other, and from children. We know that this is not always possible, particularly when working with younger children, but if adults can do this when circumstances allow that will help. In particular, they should avoid close face to face contact and minimise time spent within 1 metre of anyone. Similarly, it will not be possible when working with many pupils who have complex needs or who need close contact care. These pupils’ educational and care support should be provided as normal.

For children old enough, they should also be supported to maintain distance and not touch staff and their peers where possible. This will not be possible for the youngest children and some children with complex needs and it is not feasible in some schools where space does not allow. Schools doing this where they can, and even doing this some of the time, will help.”

This bit feels different? I’m sure it said previously that teachers should stand at the front of the class 2m away from the kids.

The bit about ‘doing this some of the time will help’ also feels new.

“Supply teachers, peripatetic teachers and/or other temporary staff can move between schools. They should ensure they minimise contact and maintain as much distance as possible from other staff. Specialists, therapists, clinicians and other support staff for pupils with SEND should provide interventions as usual.”

That answers the supply teacher question.

@noblegiraffe

“Supply teachers, peripatetic teachers and/or other temporary staff can move between schools. They should ensure they minimise contact and maintain as much distance as possible from other staff. Specialists, therapists, clinicians and other support staff for pupils with SEND should provide interventions as usual.”

That answers the supply teacher question.

Would supply teachers really fancy teaching the class of a teacher who’s off with suspected covid though-I certainly wouldn’t.

Re visitors...If that is the guidance, then why have LEA EPs told us they won’t be visiting schools until spring 2021? Surely, things will be perfectly safe!?

They’ve removed the line about heads not being able to take any safety measures that would require any extra space or prevent the full return to school of all pupils.

Clearly they realised that was a bad look.

Yes, that's the bit I meant before noble.

they also specify who should be 'tracked'.

The guidelines basically acknowledge that we may fleetingly be within 1 m of students and do acknowledge that this is a 'contact' for isolation.

So, not sure how corridors now work there. Perfectly easy to have face to face contact within 1m in a corridor.

Looking forward to preventing teenagers form touching each other.

I think this bit is new

As a result, on current evidence, PHE and DHSC advise that schools are not currently considered high risk settings when compared to other workplace environments.

What are they counting as high risk settings then? Those charts from the weekly coronavirus surveillance report have been showing educational all settings as higher than care homes over June/July?

Wonder if they will backtrack on fines.

Imo the pub one infecting 16 people shows you dont need to be within 2m.
I doubt that many people stay 2m from the staff for 15min. Obviously they are handing over drinks and food.

I think that is a reference to those death figures they like to trot out perhaps?

they are also very clear that abattoirs and factories are high risk.

There was a caravan park closed down yesterday too because loads of people tested positive!

@Piggywaspushed

You are very welcome Katherine!

Thank you @piggywaspushed

Is your username from Lord of the Flies?

I've read the guidance and a lot of it seems fairly wishy-washy, right? Except they've given schools more in-depth direction about remote learning, so I guess local lockdowns may be on the plan to try and flatten any new spike.

@NeurotrashWarrior

Thanks for spotting those things piggy, I didn't read the last one enough to note what might be different.

Good the older children bit is in, although not that great really :/

Hello Katherine! I'm part time sen too :)

Hello @NeurotrashWarrior! What area of SEN are you in, if you want to say? I work for the council but in one particular school supporting children with sensory impairments. So I'll be in a year group bubble (or maybe a phase?) bubble come September.

It is indeed Katherine !

It reflects my love of the underdog and my desire to speak out for the victim.

Trust the English teacher. My username is because I like giraffes and ‘giraffe’ was taken.

Apparently there is guidance on results day in there so I need to go back and have another read....

From Twitter:
So, having compared the documents, significant changes in today's DfE guidance for re-opening are in the sections headed:
*School Workforce
*Results day
*Approach to risk estimation and management

The rest of it is just tidying up, or making clear schools are responsible.

Just curious - has the guidance always had the 14 day isolation even with a negative result? I thought that one of the questions has been about a student able to return within a couple of days without evidence if a negative result...

Yes it has : no parents know this though and MN will blame us.

Meanwhile In Ireland:

Ireland’s blueprint for reopening schools for the first time since mid-March includes €370m euros (£338m) in spending to ensure safety.
The package will allow schools to hire 1,000 more post-primary teachers to reduce class sizes and enable social distancing, the government said.
“There is no zero-risk scenario, but we can dramatically limit the risk of the spread of the virus through our schools,” Martin said.
The new money will also cover the costs of protective equipment and cleaning supplies, and make special provisions for those deemed vulnerable to Covid-19.

14 day isolation with symptoms and a negative test

Does that apply to staff? I'll be off with a temperature for 14 days every month.