The Twentieth Republic - all back and its time to bubble bubble ...

[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, especially if you have not used the hand gel. Close the door quietly on your way out and put your mask on.

@tadjennyp

I went to see my Mum today before all the kids go back to school tomorrow in case of local lockdowns etc. They aren't going to treat her cancer.😥 So I haven't done any work yet and I am not ready for tomorrow. It will all come out in the was I suppose. I hope everyone has had as relaxing a weekend as possible. 💐

I'm so sorry to hear that, Jenny. Sending hope and love to you and your Mum x

Just checking in before bed.
So sorry to hear your news @tadjennyp sending hugs.

And so it begins. I've woken up with a new cough and feel hot to touch. It's the first day of teaching, and I've spent all weekend mentally preparing for it. No drive through or home texts available in my area

It's going to be a very difficult term

I got my negative result! Very relieved.

@marplemead - keep trying. I have heard a rumour that slots are released at 8am and 8pm each day. I hope you feel better soon.

Glad you got your negative result @KatherineOfGaunt

Good luck getting one sorted @marplemead. Maybe get a code from your school and there will be some then for you?

That's great katherine I'm glad you got it so quickly, hopefully this speedy turnaround for tests will continue.

Marple hope you feel better soon and can find a test to book

Hopefully everyone's employer has signed up for priority, but if they haven't here is the employer instructions - www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-getting-tested

That's great katherine , keeping fingers crossed for you marple . Good luck everyone for the full week (apologies to Scotland, Leicester and NI who have already done that!

Glad to hear it Katherine! Hope you feel better soon.

Hope you get a test soon and feel better marple.

It is hard why, and why there may be a lot more test requests at the mo. Hope there was no more coughing?

It seems to be local press reporting these things.

This as a boycott school group. They're collating school reports via local press.

They're very anti any opening. It's a useful resource however.

www.boycottunsafeschools.co.uk/reported-covid-19-cases/school-cases-after-12-8-20/

We all knew this would be the case. I suppose numbers in many areas 6 weeks ago were much better however.

Lol, although, I'm clicking on red dots in Manchester that link to a school in Durham, so maybe not...

This is one example. I'm fairly certain a lot of the sharp rise in cases are from holidays abroad and then contacts.

www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/news/18691457.marlow-school-students-test-positive-covid-19/

Thanks all and that's good news @KatherineOfGaunt

Still no luck booking a test. I'll see if my school can give me a code.

In my opinion we should have gone back in the summer term more fully while rates were low (fed up of hearing gov ministers saying the limited return of years 10 and 12 was actual exam focused teaching - they never told us this!), cancelled all foreign visits to keep infections down and then this term got primaries back with some half days and rotas, kept people WFH as far as possible, and got secondaries back on rotas. (since SFCs can do this it seems ridiculous that other schools can't : over 1/4 of the students in my school are sixth form!)

It already looks chaotic.

It's an explosion of U4T!

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/coronavirus/a4016436-Surely-they-can-t-keep-schools-open-as-normal-if-cases-keep-going-up-like-today?msgid=99793275#99793275

I agree @Piggywaspushed. That would have been far more sensible and eased the pressure on students returning fully during flu season.

I've finally managed to order a home test kit, which should be here in 48 hours, so looks like l be off for the rest of the week. When I told the HR person at school about registering for a code, she was clueless

I've been banished to the spare room and feel quite miserable. My classes are going to be all over the shop by the time I get back next week.

Just thinking, although the July DfE Guidance (including updates?) states clearly that bubbles would only - possibly - close for two cases, this does not seem to be what's happening. It seems to be one, or at least from what I've heard and read on here.

I'm glad PHE (or whatever they are now) is being cautious.

I agree piggy. I think the country was still reeling and worrying at how safe it actually was.

With hind sight, much safer than now.

They should have stopped foreign travel mid August.

Yes August, that's been a quiet change.

Though may depend on local numbers. Although; there probably wouldn't be cases if local numbers are low.

Christ that thread.

It's not death so many are worried about, myself included.

If you're vulnerable you already know how hard acute or chronic illness is.

That's the worry.

www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/entire-year-group-salford-school-18889070.amp?__twitter_impression=true

Gosh.

Makes them seem concerned about SD.

@NeurotrashWarrior

This as a boycott school group. They're collating school reports via local press.

They're very anti any opening. It's a useful resource however.

www.boycottunsafeschools.co.uk/reported-covid-19-cases/school-cases-after-12-8-20/

We all knew this would be the case. I suppose numbers in many areas 6 weeks ago were much better however.

This is interesting. Also they don't have all the cases because I know of two London secondary schools (my daughter's being one!) with cases already.