The Eighteenth Republic - More U Turns On The Horizon? - INSET Days and travel problems

[StaffAssociationRepresentative]

You are most welcome to this school staff support thread to get us through stressful times. It is meant for school staff only – a sort of room of requirement. Baiters, haters, goaders 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 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

Do not give ‘The Every twat for Themselves mob’ the staffroom password as a number of them are operating in an alternative reality.

No DfE muppets allowed

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 goad us then that is not allowed in the staffroom. Close the door quietly on your way out

I haven't read that thread but "combative" "bunfight" both suggest that the sides are as bad as each other, rather than tb which without even looking at the thread I am sure is the case!

I remember smoking staff rooms etc. But the staff who were there when I started remembered there being a ladies' staffroom! That would be quite nice at times actually

The ‘angry’ thread - wow! The whole thing should be deleted.

Agreed. The vast majority of the comments have completely ignored the OPs actual point, and have instead chosen to use the thread as yet another chance to bitch about schools and teachers.

It's definitely not in the spirit of MN. So many school staff have been worn down by the constant vitriol, and allowing threads like that to remain could do some real damage.

Absolutely. The thread was started criticising the late publication of the guidance yet 2 posts in we have a TB comment. It’s getting to the point any thread about schools is an opportunity for a pile on.

I do actually feel sorry for my head. MAT exec head is such a bellend and implements MAT wide policies he has to pass on to us that he clearly disagrees with.

I keep coming on mumsnet but it's more like picking at a scab these days rather than the fun and pleasure it used to be.

@Piggywaspushed

The guidance does suggest older children can socially distance.

Out of interest, does anyone in a secondary setting have anything about students social distancing in their school risk assessment?

We do. It’s a joke. We have in the classrooms section ‘pupils will be reminded to distance at least 1.5m where possible’. I think it’s disgusting that they’ve put it in the risk assessment they’ve published to parents. It’s not possible in any class bigger than the handful of very small option groups (16 or under) as our desks are 1.2m long and need to seat 2 pupils.

To any other primary teachers on here...

Can we really imagine that if in the winter, there is a local lockdown bad enough that secondary schools are on a rota with half size classes, most primary parents will want to send their children to school?

Would we even have the staff to stay open? It sounds fine on paper, but I do wonder about the reality.

I like the idea of an hour for a pub lunch. We call call out order in at 12.30, arrive at 12.40, drink, eat and then leave at 1.20 to be back for 1.30 registration

On the reminisce I miss teaching in the 90s... watching 'Teachers' and thinking, yup that sums it up😊

@StaffAssociationRepresentative

I like the idea of an hour for a pub lunch. We call call out order in at 12.30, arrive at 12.40, drink, eat and then leave at 1.20 to be back for 1.30 registration

Yup remember putting the phone calls in. Happy days.

Government video on Facebook - can’t bloody escape! ‘Smaller class sizes’ my arse!

That MNHQ comment is nonsense. they won't stand up for us.

A delicate flower will have complained about being picked on.

smaller classes? the DfE know that will not happen

Smaller class sizes, how? Or is that when we go into 2 tier?

It’ll be when we start dropping like flies 🙄

@StaffAssociationRepresentative

smaller classes? the DfE know that will not happen

Smaller class sizes will happen, but only because students with symptoms will be off for days whilst they wait for test results to come back I expect we'll have the same delays as Scotland

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/the_staffroom/4009134-The-Nineteenth-Republic-DfE-guidance-issued-August-Bank-Holiday-Weekend?watched=1

I can not believe that we need another thread for the Bank Holiday weekend

#solidarity #staysafe #staysane

@monkeytennis97

On the reminisce I miss teaching in the 90s... watching 'Teachers' and thinking, yup that sums it up😊

Teachers was like a documentary back then....happy days!

My head who was not very popular before lockdown seems to have completely redeemed themselves in lockdown. It has been very odd.

Mine too, noble. I see ours in a completely different light.

Ah, Teachers. I might have a rewatch.
Our humanities department was huge. There was a goodly amount of young staff and I think everyone was boffing everyone.

Now i've changed to primary (a decade ago!) There's only been one boffable male teacher in all that time. And of course he was up the greasy pole in no time.

I rather think that my parents will be chucking kids in to my primary even if siblings in secondaries have got covid (we usually have a great attendance because the intake is ......er. .. difficult) How will we know anyway?

@WhyNotMe40, I just wanted to say take care of yourself when term starts.

I remember being an NQT and being completely overwhelmed by the sudden increase in lessons (8 period day and KS5 straight away). I was having panic attacks before the end of the first week and I think the only thing that "saved" me was to go on the Y7 outward bound for a few days - which surprised me, because I don't like climbing mountains as a general rule!

Things I remember, thinking back now...

• Don't plan as if you're still training. I tried using the PGCE lesson planning template and became unstuck very quickly.
• Use other people's resources rather than create your own.
• Find some numbering/filling system for your files and save everything.

It's really hard and this year will be very challenging, but you will come out of it. Talk to your mentor if you're having a wobble - I spoke to my HoD more than my NQT mentor, but they were both considerate and kind.

Keep talking to us here, I really needed people who understood what it was like when I was doing my NQT .

@WhyNotMe40, I've a horrible feeling you're not about to start your NQT and I've got you mixed up with someone else , if so ignore all of my NQT advice, but do look after yourself and please talk to someone GP(?) If you feel like self harming. I went to my GP when I was having panic attacks in my RQT year and he was very sympathetic - said he wasn't surprised at all to hear I was a teacher.

Brie, thanks for the recommendation for the tablet thingy, it arrived today and I've had a good practice - looks fantastic thanks

It's so much quicker than faffing with a mouse in paint, can't believe I didn't buy one earlier!