The Twenty-first Republic - All back but for how long? Why is Big Gav still in post?

[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.

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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.

@Kashtan

Quite a few Xs and others missing today. Hand sanitizer is undoubtedly flammable but since atm we aren’t even allowed to do demos it’s irrelevant. Other science teachers on here, what are your schools permitting please? It all seems so inconsistent, food tech are cooking, pe are dipping balls in milton between lessons and we can’t even demo because anything has to be quarantined for 72 between different staff usage. 🤔

Demos only at KS3 and 4, but even those are limited as we are not in labs due to bubbles. KS5 we can do practicals if necessary, as still essential part of course. Other subjects also no practicals/equipment due to rooms, only subject with allowed practical work is PE and that is no contact.

@Kashtan

Quite a few Xs and others missing today. Hand sanitizer is undoubtedly flammable but since atm we aren’t even allowed to do demos it’s irrelevant. Other science teachers on here, what are your schools permitting please? It all seems so inconsistent, food tech are cooking, pe are dipping balls in milton between lessons and we can’t even demo because anything has to be quarantined for 72 between different staff usage. 🤔

We have one year based in labs so can do pracs with them. Yr12 and 13 not in labs but in rooms where some pracs will be ok. For the other years it's videos. If this goes on we may swap years around to give other years lab time. It would have to be after a half term though - if we make it that far!

Our science dept filmed them all in two days last week. No actual practicals allowed just yet....

We are allowed to do demos with year 11 as we have them in labs and practicals if its a small class which not many are.

I've got to set up a new google classroom for UKS2 and post work to it for those that are not in. Frankly, it's a giant pain in the arse. I've got enough to do! If the bubble shuts fair enough but if a kid is just off it's a fuck of a lot of work to do. Along with forcing accelerated progress on.those that are in. And still marking everything as normal.

We've not provided home learning to kids if they are off for a day or two if getting or waiting for a test result. But we have been told that we will (primary) be setting work if they are SI but the rest of the class are in. So I got my new class onto google classroom asap as that's how we'd be setting work.

We're creating fortnightly packs of printed worksheet type things that will be similar to what we're covering in class. Apparently the DfE have said that work should be provided.

My line manager was aghast today that we haven't completed the medium term plan for all subjects for the whole term yet, I said we've had too much else to do!

I think we are only providing work if requested. At the moment. No doubt once we have all adjusted to the "new normal" we will have to provide work.

@TheHoneyBadger

Does anyone who uses Go know what the register code PD means? None of my colleagues seem to know and it’s not in the drop down code box.

I have students with that across the day as you would. I know the codes for isolating and covid related illness (whatever that means). Now worried it means positive diagnosis.

Not sure about PD but P is sporting activity and D is dual registered?? Someone who goes to football academy or such?

Apparently the DfE have said that work should be provided.

That's what I thought. But the DH said that the guidance says if a class teacher is teaching their normal bubble, they can't be expected to provide remote learning too. Which means that children who are SI because of siblings etc, will miss 2 weeks of learning.

I can't really do my own thing, because it has to be consistent.

Maths is OK - we'll just direct them to White Rose. Maybe we should do some basic stuff linked to our foundation subjects.

Y11 are zoned in labs. They can do practicals, but cleapss have extra rules. None for everyone else. Very sad.

Positive case at SD's sixth form. But he cans still go as they have obviously sorted out contacts...

Bollocks and buggery...

@Augustbreeze

Oh my goodness have you seen all the decision trees/tables/diagrams put out by various schools and authorities to help parents understand the testing/isolating/quarantining rules?

Of the ones I've seen, it's impossible to make it simple enough for most to understand, but to also include all the (correct) info you need! Not anyone's fault, but they're going to need to launch a VERY well staffed 24/7 helpline for parents or something..... maybe it should be "world-beating"?

(Sorry probably bad from to quote oneself, but needs must)

Also on all the more detailed tables of advice (eg Greater Manchester's) it talks about "What to do if you're told to resume shielding your child" and "What to do if the whole school closes" (can't remember exact wording). Interesting.

DS.. got SD on my mind.

Other science teachers on here, what are your schools permitting please?

Our labs are separate to the bubbles so all students use them. They have to wipe the desks every lesson (we are using millions of wipes for this). We can do any practicals we want, but lack of kit is an issue as it can’t be reused by a different bubble for 72 hours. I’m being very cautious because I’m not circulating, so I have to be confident the kids can set it up themselves. Obvs I’d intervene if necessary from a safety POV though.

@Piggywaspushed

Positive case at SD's sixth form. But he cans still go as they have obviously sorted out contacts...

Bollocks and buggery...

Oh crap. What are you going to do?

He is able to go so we carry on as normal but it's a concern.

His school was also the first in the area to have a case pre lockdown!

Hi, I feel I should know the drill but wwyd?

Ds 7, snotty yesterday, today has a sore throat and headache. Wants to stay off. which he would at drop of hat, No temp. Has asthma but no coughing.

My feeling is calpol and no test but wonder what other teachers would feel? I'm at home though so not an issue.

@Piggywaspushed - will keep everything crossed for you that concerns remain concerns rather than reality.

U4T are really doing a number on their kids. Several are saying how anxious their children are, how they hate wearing face coverings etc.

I do think it's the parents that are driving this anxiety and fear though. Our kids react to the responses of the adults in their lives. If a child knows their parent doesn't approve of the risk assessments or mitigation's, they're going to feel that all day, every day when in a place where, let's face it, they just want to be one of the crowd and to fit in.

If an U4T child is being told not to wear a mask, accept sanitiser etc but their peers are (and the child doesn't have their own conviction/sense of entitlement) then of course they are going to be anxious and struggle. They won't know whose approval they need to seek.

My own children, even knowing we've lost relatives, are being fairly resilient even when they don't like aspects of their new day. But they are coping ok. They tell us if they have any worries and we deal with them as best we can.

And some good news, a student I had to write up twice yesterday for behaviour, has been shown locally to be very community spirited last night, even when with their peers who walked away laughing. I've asked for the details to be sent into school as this child really, really needs a boost.

I am pissed off. I had a cover lesson yesterday and one of the boys in there coughed continuously for about 20 minutes, going to the bin 5 times with tissues. I sent him off to medical and asked him if he had enough tissues. He showed me the multiple packs he had been sent to school with, so obviously parents had been very aware of his cold (and I assume cough).

Next lesson, he was back in class.

@Nellodee - I know our nurse has been having this issue. When the student gets to the medical room, there's not a cough to be heard for the time they are there. I guess all you can do is keep sending them back to medical and hope that sooner or later they see what you see. I know ours has raised it higher as a 'what do we do' because she understands the teacher's concerns.

Are your rooms stuffy as I've felt that makes a difference to my need to cough.

@NeurotrashWarrior I'd keep him off and, in a sense, hope for a main symptom to develop just so you can (try and) get a test. If that proves difficult remember the keyworker employer test access code thingy, it's for household members too.

Has his school sent clear advice about who it will and won't accept in school?

The first thing I do now is open windows whenever I enter a class or our staff room.

I hope he's OK, obviously!

@minisoksmakehardwork

The first thing I do now is open windows whenever I enter a class or our staff room.

Snap. And tell the kids they need to PPE them in the morning when it's tutor time.