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

How on earth do these types on other threads who think parents should have a choice about return to school think teachers could possibly manage this ??

Has anybody here ever been signed off with stress?

I just don't think they care. We're not people; we're childcare providing education machines.

@colourofblue

Has anybody here ever been signed off with stress?

Yes. Twice. If you're thinking about it, you probably need to be. Look after yourself.

It’s horrendous. I have been trying so hard but nothing I do is good enough and now I’m actually scared to go back.

@Danglingmod & @monkeytennis97 - our nurse is tearing their hair out and has been reduced to tears by staff who have sent pupils to them, because they have been coughing in class. Yet for the entire time (just under an hour) they were with nurse, they barely cleared their throat. This has got to the point where slt sat in the medical office too as a teacher stormed in as student was sent back to class and straight away started coughing again.

There are students who will do ANYTHING to get out of a lesson but who are also well aware that if their parents were called, the student would be given short shrift if they had pulled this stunt just to get out of class/school.

Love Dillie Keane!

Lots of v worried colleagues today, not sure what the NE lockdown means. A few have relatives doing child care.

A whole taxi of children off with a sneezy cold but now coughing, thank goodness they shrank the group sizes.,

Still, I got one of the most complex classes to do their lesson, PDA, v emotional and unpredictable group with autism. They were fab.

I am so angry. Just found out a close friend has sent her child back to school today despite them being off for the past few days with a cough and fever. Her child is in a school where the year above is isolating due to a positive case. She just said ‘we all have to do what’s right by our own families’ 😡

I am teaching individualistic and collectivist cultures atm so it is very much at the forefront of my mind that we are fucked.

Can I ask some questions in here? It feels safer than starting my own thread.

So the midwives and GP have both recommended I am signed off for the foreseeable but obviously I need to self certify for five days. I am DREADING a daily conversation.

Once I am signed off do I need to set work?

I’m not going back after my maternity leave ends. I feel really awful about all this. Part of me thinks I should start maternity leave now, seems the more honest thing to do somehow. But my baby isn’t due until December. I don’t know what to do.

Can you start maternity at 28 weeks now? How far off is that?

@colourofblue I’m not sure in regards to stress but I was signed off from 32 weeks pregnant as I went into early labour. I was then paid sick pay to when DD was born at 36 weeks. I didn’t set work, I just told my HoD where I was at in my schemes and they took over.

Heath is more important 💐

@Piggywaspushed

Can you start maternity at 28 weeks now? How far off is that?

I think you can start 11 weeks before your due date so I technically could but I’d be putting myself at such a huge financial disadvantage. I am not going back so I will only get SMP as it is.

[quote motherrunner]@colourofblue I’m not sure in regards to stress but I was signed off from 32 weeks pregnant as I went into early labour. I was then paid sick pay to when DD was born at 36 weeks. I didn’t set work, I just told my HoD where I was at in my schemes and they took over.

Heath is more important 💐[/quote]
Thank you, I hope your DD is okay, that must have been really scary. Thank you as well piggy. I honestly feel terrible about this.

You don't need to self cert if they sign you off, and you don't need to set work. You're sick and you can't.

@MrsHamlet

You don't need to self cert if they sign you off, and you don't need to set work. You're sick and you can't.

The GP always says to self certify for five days before they give you a sick note.

Yes when I've been signed off it started straight away.

It's time for the unions to get ready for 'children only off with positive test'. It's too disruptive doing anything else. Strike action?

Mine doesn't!!! If they're prepared to give you a sick note, what are they playing at?
Can you call early morning before anyone is there to answer the phone? Leave a message and don't answer your phone or check emails. Last time, I called in at about 5am, said "I can't come in", emailed my hod to say what I was up to and went to the gp the same day. I was off for 2 months.

Thank you. I will ask the GP tomorrow but I know when this happened years ago (I was in hospital then so really ill!) it was all - ooh just self certify for five days which I HATE as you have to ring the HT.

With all respect, Minisok, this is nothing like the situations I've had. The kids are genuinely ill, parents sending them in anyway and school triage (not nurses, we don't tend to have them in any state school I've heard of) are sending them instantly back into lessons.

@colourofblue Was at the time. She was in neo-natal for a few weeks. She’s now a Harry Potter loving, back flipping, 9 year old 😃 On a serious note if your GP is willing to sign you off until closer to your due date then I would do that. Don’t let guilt stand in the way of your heath.

@colourofblue

Thank you. I will ask the GP tomorrow but I know when this happened years ago (I was in hospital then so really ill!) it was all - ooh just self certify for five days which I HATE as you have to ring the HT.

Get someone to call for you @colourofblue.

I would but I think this is a phone call I do need to grit my teeth and make myself. I need to remind myself I’m genuinely not well. I’ve been collapsing with exhaustion after school every day and thinking it’s normal.

@colourofblue Be kind to yourself 💐