The Twenty-fifth Republic - circuit breaker before/during/after half term

[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 and you will receive a detention

Hugs to you colour, sounds like you're best out of it. Much better than spoiling your mat leave worrying about going back. Time to concentrate on your baby. I absolutely loved my mat leave sleep deprivation and all. If you're English you will always be in demand, and you never know what might turn up in a year from now.

MrsHerculePoirot oh absolutely

Dd2's random covid test didn't include school attendance. Now, it could be because they assume she would be at school, but given they asked about restaurants and hairdressers visits, I'm assuming they're just ignoring schools as a transmission hot spot.

Isn't this rather too late?!

www.lshtm.ac.uk/newsevents/news/2020/lshtm-jointly-lead-new-study-covid-19-infections-schools

We've not had any classes out SI, but that's only the luck for the timing of when the positive results were received and the fact that the child (in my class) was already isolating when they were tested. A case of the isolation system actually working!

My DD is y11. She's isolating this week due to 2 cases in her year. And now is home learning in the first week after half term too due to the 'circuit break' but we in primary are ok to keep going as usual.

Lots of fractious tempers at school with people working in irritating and difficult circumstances.

@colourofblue

Do any of you look at the U4T fb page in disbelief? I know MH is no laughing matter but they honestly think teenagers will be scarred by a teacher in a mask.

Funny that it doesn’t seem to affect any of the kids in our school (we’ve been wearing masks on corridors since the start of the year)

www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-is-creeping-into-europes-schools-11602581400?reflink=share_mobilewebshare

So Ireland going into full lockdown... Except schools. What the hell is the point?!

@NeurotrashWarrior

Anyone going to make it to half term with no cases in their school?

Has anyone??

We've had cases in pupils and staff.

Whole schools have closed locally.

None for us so far apparently 🤨🤨🤨

Nor us that we know of.

No known cases in my school, touch wood!
A couple in neighbouring schools as term started, and lots of chn SI for colds / fever, but no positive tests. Long may it last!
Slt was talking about inevitable lockdown today but seems a bit early for us (London primary).

Lots of fractious tempers at school with people working in irritating and difficult circumstances.

Lots of this going on. Me in school, me at home, the children in my class. Very much need half term.

Oh yes, roll on half term.

We've had a few self-isolating whilst waiting for tests, but all come back negative. So neither of the primary schools in our federation have had any cases...yet.

2 bubbles gone here and one member of staff. Five of my year 8 off with positive family members so I'm guessing school asymptomatic spread.

Very fractious. SLT nowhere to be seen. Kids bonkers, me knackered, my own kids exhausted.

1 staff case in my school (primary) so their bubble burst, whole class off, but no further positives and the 14 days has just finished. Several cases in my youngest sons middle school, lots of kids and even more staff SI - had to close to a year group each day on a rolling basis due to low staffing levels last week. Eldest is currently SI as several pupil cases in his sixth form and he is classed as a close contact of one. Cases in 3 other schools in the town with the accompanying isolations. In my small town in a low tier and low community incidence we have had positives in 6 out of the 8 schools. Luckily we are now on a two week half term (pre-covid plan that has worked out well as we are all exhausted and thankful for the longer break and possibility of slowing things down a bit temporarily).)

We've had 7 confirmed cases across 5 year group 'bubbles', and one staff case this term. Staff who teach the students concerned not considered to be close contacts, but most of SLT isolating

4 confirmed cases in students and 1 confirmed case with support staff (unrelated to student cases.) 1 Yr 13 bubble out.
Plenty of students self isolating due to being Newark positive cases in their families and even more off ill (for suspiciously 10-14 days...) 3 students across three different year groups off yesterday due to tummy upsets and considering this is a big symptom in children, it’s rather worrying that it’s not a symptom that can be tested for....
This is in London.

*near not Newark

That's v suspicious Chloe.

How easy is getting a test at the mo?

The tummy bug stuff is concerning.

@Cantaloupeisland

So Ireland going into full lockdown... Except schools. What the hell is the point?!

Weddings and GAA matches also ok to keep going. It's a divisive move to say the least.

@NeurotrashWarrior

That's v suspicious Chloe.

How easy is getting a test at the mo?

The tummy bug stuff is concerning.

It’s getting easier if you have one of the three main symptoms or can pay privately but very difficult to get a test without the three big symptoms. Kids are definitely going under the radar as is their data conveniently

Fellow maths teachers - do any of you offer core maths? Thinking about offering it next year but don’t know enough about it so just looking for experiences....

MrsHP we offer core maths at my school. I don't teach it, but it's proving quite popular with the sort of kids who quite like maths but aren't up to A Level. It tends to be kids with grades 4-6 at GCSE who take it, in addition to their normal 3 A Levels, but we do have a few with 7/8 at GCSE who just couldn't fit A Level maths into their choices. They really like the finance side and the Fermi estimations.

Thanks @MsAwesomeDragon!