The Twenty-second Republic - the DfE have no idea, Gav MIA, bubbles in and out

[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

@WhyNotMe40 think we have same SMH:satchel set up as you. I’ll have a little play with my small sixth form class and report back!

@StaffAssociationRepresentative

I am ready to bet an extra couple of bottles of toffee vodka for the virtual Christmas party that we get a ‘special’ lockdown attached to the half term break.

I've been making plum gin and fully intend to source some sloes soon. I may or may not keep tasting it already

We need a proper massive party to look forward to to get us through this shite.

How are you this morning salty?

We have a positive staff case too and I'm antsy.

@monkeytennis97

I hope you have a lovely time with him today. And fingers crossed there's more to come

Danglingmod our EVC is but not a teacher and can do half her role remotely.

The only thing I do know about pregnancy and anxiety is that the stress can be harmful to mum and baby. I'm still carrying guilt as he had IUGR. There can be other poor outcomes too such as premature labour and increased likelihood of CS. We may not know if that was it but I do suspect so. He's utterly marvellous now but the first year was v stressful.

Enjoy your day with ds, monkey, and hope that you are feeling better soon honey and salty.

Sorry to those of you feeling so rough - rest plenty and look after yourselves 💐

@monkeytennis97 Have am absolutely fabulous day!

@MsAwesomeDragon - we've used zoom for our cubs and scouts meetings as well as music lessons over lockdown. Provided families have access, it seems to work reasonably well. We have one young cub member who, apart from zoom meetings, didn't see one other person outside their immediate family for the whole lockdown period. I assume their parents were shielding.

Our schools seem to be preparing for imminent lockdown behind the wings. Dc's school have them marked as critical on the register, as children of critical workers (both Dh and I come under that category). DD's school have sent students a survey about access to technology. Mine are furiously adding videos to their YouTube channel and keeping tabs on all our vulnerable students. We've one already who didn't return due to parental anxiety allegedly. However, their circumstances are ripe for them being taken advantage of, which is such a shame as they are a lovely student.

We've also recently discovered a wholesaler who will give independent membership as well as corporate. I've always tried to bulk buy anyway, being a family of 6. But this has definitely made it easier. We now have turned our boot/utility room over to food storage with our old fridge/freezer and shelving. Next step is to buy a chest freezer for our meat supply. And we won't be running out of loo rolls this time after buying them in the wholesalers the same weekend dh forgot to cancel our amazon subscribe and save. Oops!

I'd love a chest freezer. We only have an under fridge one so not really space for lots of bread / vegetables. I use it for freezing leftovers and meat but it is always rammed.

Cases in my area appeared to have dropped very suddenly to 20% of what they had consistently been for ages. Then I see that chart that would suggest its because only 20% of people round here can get a test. Then I wonder whether the other 80% will quarantine for two weeks or just get back to work/school once their symptoms decrease

That's a dam good point hedge.

I'm so cross.

They fucking lied to us. None of any of this works without the testing. Fuckers.

Hedy, I bought a cheap chest freezer from Curry's a few years ago when my freezer went kaput. It was about £70 and I drove it home. Not frost free and I'm always trying to empty it so I can defrost it! Small footprint (same as an under counter fridge I would say) but it's been brilliant. Need to stop Dd during on it though! My mum totally covets it .

Sitting, not during. Dd sits on it! It's a convenient place to put my fruit basket!

They lied to us, there are cases in schools and the unions are doing the square root of fuck all to support us.

My throat is raging but as it's not a symptom I'd better just rest today and crack on tomorrow, because I'm too run down to avoid being absent with Covid as soon as it takes off. It's scary.

I'm staying away from any hostile threads from now on.

Looks like the things that can’t happen in schools (distancing and ventilation) are the most important in stopping the spread but strangely given least emphasis by the government.

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/19/scientists-criticise-uks-hands-face-space-campaign-to-control-covid-19-coronavirus

Ah but it's ok in schools, Carrie because schools have kids and kids don't breathe. Or something.

Freezers are sold out on AO.com again...

Stock up on loo rill!

roll, even..

I'm off to Sainsbury's later, I'm wondering what the shelves will be like.

I'm wondering where we stand on having to lockdown during half term. Are teachers to be unable to use their holiday for, well holidays until this is over?

Anyone else is free to book a term time break but if lockdowns are times to coincide with the holidays we stand to be stuck at home for the duration.

@noblegiraffe

I'm off to Sainsbury's later, I'm wondering what the shelves will be like.

In the NE, reports are flour is flying off the shelves again

But @SaltyAndFresh we had a 4 month holiday during lockdown, we don’t need anymore! 🙄

Also got a sore throat. As has dp.
When i though we had covid i had a sore throat for a day then dry cough. So rather hoping this goes maybe to runny nose rather than dry cough.
You can see how with the newspapers it doesn't take a lot to mislead/lie. The odd word.
So 300 schools have confirmed or suspected. No they arent closing for suspected.
Focus on kids being tested for just a cold when it even says that rhinoviruses and others cause coughs and temperature.
Not one word saying how have kids managed to catch not covid with all these measures.
Anyway as we've all caught this cold? Ive had windows open dc1 was in her room mainly after the temperature and they didnt play together after that. I conclude there is no way to avoid in the same house. Some people just dont get ill.

@noblegiraffe

Ah but it's ok in schools, Carrie because schools have kids and kids don't breathe. Or something.

It’s that magic force field surrounding schools I think, and the Tardis like abilities of classrooms that are bigger on the inside...