Freezing

[RaraRachael]

Is anybody else's school unbearably cold? We were reduced to sitting in the hall (currently doubling as the staff room) which is enormous with a high ceiling and every bloody window open, wearing our coats at lunchtime today.
I know they told us to have as many windows and doors open to aid ventilation but this is ridiculous. At this rate, we'll all be off with colds and worse.

Ours is getting chilly in places. Head is very clear that windows and doors will remain open into winter and staff and pupils will just have to put their coats on!

You don't get colds from being cold. The ventilation will probably reduce the risk of colds actually for the same reason it reduces (slightly) the COVID risk. Unfortunately, this is the new normal and I think I will buying some jumpers. You're lucky to have a space you can still gather, we don't, staff room too small and larger rooms in use.

I was so cold yesterday that when my temp was taken it was 35! I was wearing trousers, vest, T-shirt, jumper, woolly cardigan and my coat and gloves!!! I'm going to buy some thermals today. It affects your ability to focus properly and at one point I was visibly shaking. It's not even autumn yet so god knows how it will be in winter

I'm looking for some fingerless gloves as I can't use the laptop or write on the board when my hands get too cold! I also have m and s thermal long sleeved tops to wear under clothes for later in the autumn. Extra warm socks/thermal tights are good too.

Would this help?

We've shut the windows and put the air conditioning unit on. There's already virtually no social distancing, bubbles mixing on buses and no ppe for anyone so we might as well. Head is very much leaving us to it.

So don't minimum classroom temperatures don't count any more. It's beyond ridiculous. I have a medical condition that flares up when I'm too cold. So much for staff health and wellbeing

My son's teacher refuses to have any windows open so the opposite problem.

It’s so ridiculous. Already feel ill from all the insanity including this. Do people honestly believe having a small but arctic breeze running through the school will prevent everyone getting ill? I feel like we’ve gone back to medieval times and science has been flung out the window, next well be treated with leeches and blood letting.

*we’ll

I closed my windows today...kids were in school in their PE kits (shorts and T-shirts) and were shivering by 9.30! They are Year 2, so only little...and (as usual!) most had come in a car, so no coats, even though it was wet and cold this morning 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

It was bad enough that they had to suffer the cold at break and lunch outside in their shorts with no coat...although a few did miraculously produce jumpers out of their book bags by that point 😂 I think they learnt today though...bring your coat and jumper, even on PE day 😂

If the hall is too cold why not stay in your room? Maybe they want it to be cold to avoid staff coming together! I don't go near the staffroom now, it's not worth the risk. Windows open is in our risk assessment so it has to happen - it doesn't specify how many windows though.

I'd go mad if I had to stay in my room all the time. I wouldn't be able to have a hot drink which was the only way I could get any warmth today. Staff wearing coats all day is ridiculous. We've all been given thermometers for our rooms so we'll see if anything happens to keep us remotely warm.

My room was only 12 degrees today! We were all wearing jumpers and coats and still too cold. If you are busy and moving it is ok but sat still it is very unpleasant. Going to buy lots of thermals!

UPDATE: so on Thursday I closed my windows because the children were shivering in their PE kits. Yesterday morning, when it was BITTER cold here, with howling wind and rain, we got an email saying that all windows had to stay open! I'm not joking when I say that I could barely function...I was so cold! I have arthritis which gets much worse in cold weather and by the end of the day my hands (my fingers curl with arthritis anyway) were in agony. The children were freezing...three cried! I still had some with no coats!!! (What on earth are parents thinking...honestly, not bashing here, but send your 6 year old child in a coat!!)

It's going to get so much worse...how are we expected to teach/learn in freezing temperatures with biting wind and rain pouring into the classroom? I had to move everything off my windowsills as they were getting drenched, and because of the size of my room, some desks are pressed right up to the wall next to the windows, so those poor children were also getting blasted!!!! It's not on! 🤬

I totally agree, I just don’t think it’s sustainable. There’ll be so many staff off ill. I feel so demoralised working in a school at the moment, I mean I never felt like we were exactly treasured by the country but this is ridiculous. And surely we all know that if cv hits the school we’ll all get it immediately nevermind how many windows are open? I’m testament to that at the moment with my streaming cold I’ve caught from the kids in my bubble I’ve stayed two metres away from and had windows open.

I wonder how many slt or government are willing to work all day in freezing temperatures...all the offices I’ve been in recently are nice and toasty, so happy for them...

Also ps you know we’re just babysitters at this point, I honestly don’t think anyone cares what happens in the classroom anymore as long as the parents can go to work. We’re just collateral. Bitter, moi?

I wish room could be assessed individually, all windows open might be needed when you have 2 small windows but I have 2 whole walls of windows so having them all open is too cold.
I have brought thermals but I'm not moving enough to keep warm.

Exactly this @TheLetterZ I have a whole wall the entire length of the room with windows...plus two big roof windows! I queried this...and was told they all had to be opened as it was on the RA. Other classrooms in school have one or two windows that open...and no roof windows! We may as well have been sitting on the playground yesterday 🤷‍♀️ 😢 I told my children that when it snowed, we would be able to build snowmen and make snow angels inside...that cheered them up a bit 😂

I can't have my door totally open as the noise from the boys toilets is ridiculous. I have had it half open (with HT's permission) but every time the jobsworth janitor goes past, he pushes it fully open

Don't know if this thread will help anyone

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/4033497-Truly-warm-fingerless-glove-recommendation

My compromise so far (when the temperature plummeted in the SE at the end of this last week) is to open up everything during breaks and blast the room with cold, fresh air. Then close up for a while, and do a quick burst of 5 mins open halfway through the lesson.
Can't have main door open from mid-morning as we're right by the kitchen/dining hall and it's way too noisy.
I have bought three pairs of fingerless gloves from Amazon, and have my portable stand-alone radiator handy to take in, as I'm not having the blow-heaters on later in the season, wafting germs around the room.
I reckon one of our main infection risks is the staffroom kitchen, so I have a plug-in cool box and travel kettle in my room and my TA and a couple of mates come round for socially-distanced breaks/lunches. (I make sure the kettle is never on when kids are in the room, and it is completely emptied after each use).

But.. but... Sweden and Denmark and other Skadiwegian covid-school poster countries are doing all their learning outside. We should just have a can do attitude.

The Health and Safety Executive website has the following:

Temperatures in the indoor workplace are covered by the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, which place a legal obligation on employers to provide a ‘reasonable’ temperature in the workplace.

Minimum workplace temperature

The Approved Code of Practice suggests the minimum temperature in a workplace should normally be at least 16 degrees Celsius. If the work involves rigorous physical effort, the temperature should be at least 13 degrees Celsius. These temperatures are not absolute legal requirements; the employer has a duty to determine what reasonable comfort will be in the particular circumstances.

Surely this can’t just be disregarded?

I think the line These temperatures are not absolute legal requirements is the important bit. Gives employers a lot of wriggle room. Pandemic, unprecedented etc... will all get used.