Temporary broom closet in lieu of staff creating a staffroom

[TheHoneyBadger]

Just in case she got lucky and is in the one school that still goes to the pub.

I don't know if the government are pressuring employers not to furlough. But I do know that companies that aren't closed, are not using furlough as before. Anecdata completely but 7 friends were furloughed in March. This time only 3 who are in closed businesses. The others are in businesses that closed in march but not now.

I think allowing non essential places to do click and collect that had to choose last time has upped the number of people being told that they have to keep going to work.

And firms that tolerated a drip in performance if patients had kids at home are not allowing for that this time round if some threads are an indication.

Employers are also far less forgiving with WFH and having kids around. What was acceptable in March is not anymore.

I think they’ll have to tighten the lockdown

On a completely different note, inspired by complaints on threads I am now downloading my one free twinkl resource a day. Didn't know it was a thing before. Not utterly fabulous but a lot better than some homemade stuff I've seen.

Cambridge Igcse have opened up their resource support area if anyone fancies it. My subject has a rather nice set of interactive PDFs with example answer and the mark scheme which I think would work well. Plus, more exam questions are always nice.

Where did you find that about the BBC noble? I can't see anything on BBC2 from Monday that seems targeted for schools.

Not that we will be able to tell ours to go away and watch telly.

We had the length of our lessons reduced on Friday because people were complaining of exhaustion and various physical ailments. Within an hour they had been restored to full hour long lessons because DfE.

@KathyHop

I think they’ll have to tighten the lockdown

Yes, given the Telephone were reporting that too.

@noblegiraffe

The government are putting pressure on employers not to furlough

Are they? This is something I have zero experience of so all I’ve seen is headlines like ‘furlough extended to April’ and that you can be furloughed for childcare reasons. Have the schemes changed?

Sorry, I phrased this badly.

By defining a lot more people as critical/key workers, and encouraging businesses to stay open, the government reduces the numbers of employers who use the furlough scheme.

Anecdotally, I know quite a few people who were on furlough last time around who are now working- in some cases in the office, in some cases from home.

A lot of things that were shut last time aren't shut this time, and the assumption is this is because the government doesn't want lots of people claiming furlough again.

And a side effect of this is there are a lot more people needing some form of childcare and wanting their children in schools.

What I'm saying is it's not just about punishing teachers or keeping schools open by stealth (although there is an element of that)- theres lots of factors involved, all of them combining to make this lockdown likely to be less effective than March.

Although, I think, also, the "childcare furlough" is a development since the start of the last lockdown?

That igcse area sounds good. There's some probability stuff in gcse stats that is in igcse but not maths so will see if there's anything I can use. Thanks for the heads up.

The DfE wording is being misconstrued everywhere I think. You have to provide access to that much work. Not be live for 5 hours.

I think this is showing how much "lesson time" isn't modelling and working. It's changeover, have a chat about xyz, hand out a sheet, get interrupted....

The secondary programming on BBC2 is at 1pm and 2pm piggy

Telegraph lol not 📞

The notion that my Y3 should be provided with 4 hours of work a day is absolutely mental.

And Gav saying that means that parents will think that's what should be aimed for and end up in tears, tearing their hair out, giving up etc.

Totally unsustainable and far beyond what they'd be doing in school.

Totally. My y3 is only really happy to work through all work 3 days/ 5 due to how much there is.

Only if it's motivating.

Had the dreaded fronted adverbials; he remembered them but would only write 3 sentences. First time I've ever been able to work out what they are.

Goodness knows if Geri Halliwell knows a thing about English ("Wot I really really want"???) but I have a friend who used to know her through work and apparently she's a very down to earth mum.

@noblegiraffe

The notion that my Y3 should be provided with 4 hours of work a day is absolutely mental.

And Gav saying that means that parents will think that's what should be aimed for and end up in tears, tearing their hair out, giving up etc.

Totally unsustainable and far beyond what they'd be doing in school.

I completely agree. 4 hours of solid work from any primary age child is a totally unrealistic expectation. My dd is year 6, and is "working" for roughly 4 hours a day, but I'm pretty relaxed about whether she is also on facetime with her friends (they worked together on their maths and English this week, a little group of 4 on facetime), listening to music, etc which all makes her slower. But those are roughly equivalent to the distractions she would have in school. Kids talk to each other during lessons, other kids distract the whole class, they have to move around the room to collect things, etc. We, as teachers, know this and plan around it. Parents who don't see the inside of a classroom often don't realise that all this goes on in schools, so expect their kids to be able to sit still and concentrate for a whole hour at a time. I would have thought for most primary children they should be aiming for a few 20 minute bursts of concentration.

It doesn't equate to 3-4 hours though.

Generally about 2 if he gets on with it and can actually do it.

My DH has just pointed out that Geri Halliwell is now a children's author.

I'm not sure why he has been following her career so closely.

I think I knew that noble, it's entirely possible that dd has read one of her books. I think your dh likes her.

I know it's not the answer but Sen schools aren't closing.

Primary Age sen staff aren't getting regular tests. We definitely aren't wearing masks when teaching as kids need to see and hear us clearly. Fewer children, yes, but also many more staff, children coming in on taxis etc. So many "vectors."

If anyone fancies signing and sharing that would be great thanks.

you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/vaccinate-staff-working-in-special-educational-needs-settings-against-covid-19?bucket&fbclid=IwAR1TwlxEte9p-x1HGHd3sxEYg7F4uoXboOQ1-QLqlLraG3WKoewma0FLHhI

(Not that any of the schools are closing!)

(And it sounds like TAs and nursery staff should be added too.)

@TrashedWarrior signed x

And shared x

Thanks Monkey.

I've signed that trashed.

[quote TrashedWarrior]I know it's not the answer but Sen schools aren't closing.

Primary Age sen staff aren't getting regular tests. We definitely aren't wearing masks when teaching as kids need to see and hear us clearly. Fewer children, yes, but also many more staff, children coming in on taxis etc. So many "vectors."

If anyone fancies signing and sharing that would be great thanks.

you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/vaccinate-staff-working-in-special-educational-needs-settings-against-covid-19?bucket&fbclid=IwAR1TwlxEte9p-x1HGHd3sxEYg7F4uoXboOQ1-QLqlLraG3WKoewma0FLHhI[/quote]
Signed and shared.