The Twenty-Seventh Republic - rules or guidelines - Pandemic or Pirates of the Caribbean

[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

Yes the guidance says no non-essential travel, home or abroad, I notice Boris decided not to mention that one .....

@RafaIsTheKingOfClay We're all good - it's my place, so have had some maintenance work to do, which filled up the rainy bits. We've been on the beach, walking on the coastal path and avoiding pubs. Did go to a restaurant on Thursday though. So glad we managed to come down this week, it'll be yonks until we get back. At least no garden will be going mental this time.

I saw that parks are open - not sure how that's supposed to work with kids not mixing, and parents not standing anywhere near each other. Loophole time.

Same as you can go to a second home if it's for work - like you know, MPs need to, Rachel Johnson needs to blah blah.

This lockdown I'm going to virtually renovate this tiny flat in the French Alps. That's my mental diversion plan.

www.french-property.com/sale-property/1252-FP-117181ZSW73

This is all so awful.
At least where I am we will have masks next week - dp's school in a different tier and it won't - but although I want this for safety reasons I do worry about my ability to teach in one, I think I will end up speaking much louder to make my voice carry.
There is a lot of noise on Twitter about closing schools, a lot of opinion seems to be shifting toward this (if twitter can be believed)

That is lovely, ohthegoats. What a view.

Emerging from lockdown, I can now go 25K from home but oddly have not rushed out to get to the now accessible semi-bush parks. It's as if nothing but everything is what is required, though intellectually I recognise it's bollocks. I want a wider sky. I thinks it's been exacerbated by teaching remotely since March and living on my own. Not a pity party.

I am fortunate, living in a lovely suburb, close to the beach, and should actually STFU, but I'm gagging for the road trip.

8th November might bring it on with release into regional Victoria.!!

So, wait... the parks are open? My local council has never reopened the council parks... but the privately maintained one on my estate has been open and loads of kids hang out there.

So... kids are going to continue to gather but DH can't go and play golf by himself on his day off.

Seriously is one of the actual cabinet , or perhaps one of the CMOs a member of them for us??

I note also the government is no longer hiding the fact that schools are open to 'help working parents'.

Which, judging by some other threads causes its onw problems. Lots of them say they ahve exhausted annual leave so still have no plans to isolate their DCs if need be because they would 'have to take leave' : presumably because if they tell their employer they ahve children at home with them, they aren't paid. Some employers are proper bastards. this country really ahs a problem with child friendly working policies.

Just also noticed garden centres are open!!

This is Gavin Williamson's tweet :

PM is absolutely right, we must protect the NHS and very important we keep schools and colleges open, as the Chief Medical Officer has said schools are the safest and best places to be, not just for children’s education, but for their wellbeing

So, as an English teacher , I'd say this person operates at low grade 5 GCSE standard, maybe even 4. He doesn't seem to believe in full stops. I am not convinced that comma before but is a knowingly sued Oxford comma, and his first clause doesn't really relate to the content of the second one. Lots of comma splicing - must do better.

In general, someone who writes like this if often highly anxious...las if they think they will forget what they rehearsed saying/writing, sot hey bung it all down in a blind panic.

On another note, he is still clinging on to that CMO letter sent in another blind panic in August. safest for whom, Gavin? Not for the adults, and ceratinly not for the country!

Some employers are proper bastards. this country really ahs a problem with child friendly working policies.

Absofucking lutely.

I think last night didn't really fully register as I was doing Halloweeny stuff with kids (inside, though I think some were doing trails locally.)

I'd be very interested in any copies of letters I could write about school safety. No idea if my mp will listen or not but she's a good long-standing Labour MP.

Just also noticed garden centres are open!!

Where are the details? Will nat trust stay open? That's been our saviour through the latest restrictions.

Probs non essential.

I'd argue fresh air and mental health are essential.

"Outdoor recreation encouraged"

Might be.

Good morning all. Well what an absolute shit show.
Had Sunday dried x100 yesterday.
My schools been really supportive whilst my lol had vivid last week of term and part of HT. Now another 7 weeks of trying to dodge a virus that was already in my household with just a visor in several lessons..

🌻🌷🥀

Sunday dred** but dried works.😒

@NeurotrashWarrior

Just also noticed garden centres are open!!

Where are the details? Will nat trust stay open? That's been our saviour through the latest restrictions.

It says parks and gardens whether they charge a fee or are free, so the NT should be able to keep those open if they want to. Their booking system seems to have worked quite well over the last few months. It was certainly always busy when I tried to book. Quite a few near us closed over the winter iirc, so not sure if they will still do that. They were the ones with houses attached. Not sure how busy it would be if families can’t mix in groups of 6. We got together with other small families a few times, but that’s not allowed now.

But then again, definition of ‘essential’ is hazy. I’d say it is essential to have a change of scene maybe a few miles from home, some fresh air etc. I think they have kept that vague because the weather isn’t conducive to crowds flocking to beaches and parklands. So if you can get there and back in a day......

I know I sound like I’m looking for loopholes, but I’m honestly not trying to. I won’t be going far for the duration of the lockdown. However, if I can drive 5 miles to work I’m damn sure I’m going to drive 5 miles to a hill or moor to walk on!

I've realised large numbers of children, particularly at secondary school, are going to just break the law every day. So they can legally be in groups in school but the moment they leave (to go home) they mustn't mix outside their household (or can be in a maximum of a 2 if not with siblings). When we, even with a staggered end to the day, send students home they are in much bigger groups than pairs. Although is it actually law or just guidance?

My school is the same Flags. I release my year 6 in 2s or 3s as does the other year 6 class. Then they all wait for each other outside the gate and piss off to the park or chippie. My two kids in secondary are in a yeargroup bubble which they then burst by getting on the schoolbus with every other yeargroup, as do our bus kids. It's utter nonsense.

If parks are open, as in playgrounds, people will gather. I mean, how am I supposed to take my child to the park without her playing with other kids? And if I speak to other parents, even from a distance of 5m, is that breaking the law or not? Are we gathered, or just outside?

Morning all.

Had a restless night but going to try and not get sucked into any school threads so think I’ll just hand out here today and help myself to @pussycatinboots’ gin.

5 lessons to teach live tomorrow - one of those a drama lesson 😆 And DS will still be home isolating so will need to try and fit in downloading his work and making him do it.

It’ll be fine ...