It’s freezing!!!! All windows and doors open for ventilation

[Didicat]

Right dear educators, I assume like me you are in an unheated building with the windows and door open and it’s blowing a gale.

Top tips on how to stay warm, links to things that work much appreciated.

Thanks in advance from a very chilly technician.

I’ve just had the hottest bath ever. I finally feel warm. No other advice!

I'm going to investigate some of those microwavable pocket hottie things.

Thermals! I spent more than I would like but worth it to get through the next wee while. I got mine from Uniqlo, the thermal tights have made a massive difference.

Looking at these and wondering whether to go for them as well www.turtle-doves.co.uk/collections/fingerless-gloves.

Glad it’s not just me! Fingers crossed for a mild winter

I fancy getting a wearable hot water bottle eu.huggaroo.com/products/huggaroo-microwavable-heating-pad-for-neck-pain-relief-hnwv2grey?utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIw-7VpIaw7AIVhOvtCh3VTQbyEAQYAiABEgKp1PD_BwE

Layers, preferably long sleeved.
Basically cheap sports skins under work clothes.
Or tights under trousers works ( memories from a long time ago)

I've bought thermal vests, thermal tights, leg warmers and fingerless gloves.

I bought a fan heater to stick under my desk. Do you have a pat tester on site? Best money I ever spent

Thermal tights, thermal leggings, insulated boots - dressed like it's the Arctic 😁

Our head sent us this from the local authority

We have received many questions about how best to continue ventilating classrooms now that the weather has turned and school heating systems are turned on. As such we have sought advice from Public health who recommend that schools carry out a minimum of 50 minutes of cross ventilation (window and classroom door open) at the end of the school day after pupils have left.
We are asked to have windows/doors open unless the children/staff are cold but to open everything up at the end of the day.
And we try and get break and lunchtimes outside as much as possible.

[quote TheLetterZ]Thermals! I spent more than I would like but worth it to get through the next wee while. I got mine from Uniqlo, the thermal tights have made a massive difference.

Looking at these and wondering whether to go for them as well www.turtle-doves.co.uk/collections/fingerless-gloves.[/quote]
I bought some turtle doves fingerless gloves and I really like them. My fingers aren't toasty, but they are less cold than normal and I'm still able to write (the rest of my hands are very toasty though and the gloves themselves are lovely and soft). If you sign up to the e-mailing list they give you £10 off your first pair but you have to use it the same day and can't pick the exact colour.

Otherwise I recommend layers.

@Minesateaorthree

Our head sent us this from the local authority

We have received many questions about how best to continue ventilating classrooms now that the weather has turned and school heating systems are turned on. As such we have sought advice from Public health who recommend that schools carry out a minimum of 50 minutes of cross ventilation (window and classroom door open) at the end of the school day after pupils have left.
We are asked to have windows/doors open unless the children/staff are cold but to open everything up at the end of the day.
And we try and get break and lunchtimes outside as much as possible.

After pupils have left? Where is your protection? Really teachers are treated like shite! All the evidence suggests ventilation is key.

Exactly. And the second the cleaners have wiped the tables over at 3.30 the windows get shut.
Having to try and keep the children warm when the doors and all windows open directly to the outdoor is difficult. I was perished today, although plenty of layers on, and up and down like a yo yo around the room. Still they laugh when I'm dancing and shaking my thing in topic 🤣

Yesterday wasn’t too bad, they have turned the heating on early.

Have ordered a big bundle of thermals.

Fingers crossed for a mild winter.

It is getting cold in my primary classroom. Had a bit of a heated discussion with my TA who thinks we should now shut the windows so the children don’t get ill. Apparently none of the other teachers are bothering to open theirs. I had to be quite firm which was awkward for both of us 😔

We had a reminder from the head that ventilation is part of the school risk assessment so we have to have them open @SleepymummyZzz do you have a school policy to back you up?

Letters have also gone home to parents to remind them to get the kids to layer up.

My school is spread over lots of different buildings. Some very warm, some very cold. I'm having to go for a million layers as sometimes I'm hot in just a top, other times chilly in my coat! Problem is I keep having to retrace my steps to find some of the layers I accidentally leave behind! I bought a few thermal long sleeve tops in preparation, but I would overheat in the warmer rooms.

I'm the only one in our shared office who opens the windows. I only do the ones by my desk. Sometimes I go into a classroom and all the windows are closed. When I play video clip in a classroom I try and keep it quiet but often the teacher in the classroom opposite closes her door. I've also seen some teachers walking round the class, ignoring the stay in your 2m box at the front rule. I don't blame them!

@Minesateaorthree think we come under the same LA!

I couldn't fathom that advice at all, and am tempted to ask what their evidence is for this approach, but don't know how to contact them directly.

I read that in Germany, where good ventilation had been highlighted as a Covid strategy, they don’t have windows open all day every day but just for limited periods. So you could open doors and windows wide for 20 minutes first thing in the morning. Then for the whole lunch period (assuming the classroom is empty for a while) then at the end of the day for another 30 minutes maybe. The idea is to reduce the viral load but this doesn’t need to be done constantly.

I teach in Germany and we have a message appear on the computer every 20 minutes, reminding us to open all of the windows for 5 minutes. Then they get closed again and the message pops up again 20 minutes later. Our heating is turned up to the hilt and I'm quite lucky that my classroom gets full sun in the mornings and is protected from wind. It's actually been fine. It might get cold for 5 minutes but then heats up again really quickly. It's generally quite hot in the room after a short while, so I'm glad to be able to open the windows again.
The kids haven't complained, yet, and several sit around in t-shirts. I teach 6-year-olds. The parents have been reminded to send them in appropriate clothing and they are also allowed to bring a blanket. We haven't needed those, yet.

Our school is using the intermittent door/window opening approach so no one is cold and no one is sat in a draught. It’a working well for us.

I swim in cold water a couple of times a week. Acclimatisation to cold! You won't notice the cold any more.

Doors and windows open the entire time here. Today I did not take my coat off for the whole day. At lunch time I went and sat in my car and ate my lunch in there because my classroom was so cold and all the doors and windows were open in the staff room so there was nowhere warm to go. It was fucking miserable.

Tonight I'm digging out my skiing thermals and Ugg boots. To hell with dress codes.

Sitting in my car at lunch would be a good call as it would definitely be warmer than my classroom. Unfortunately, I only get max 15 mins and it takes 5 mins to walk to the car park!