The Twenty-ninth Republic - lockdown light continues & good news for Welsh students

[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 staffroom password just in case it attracts the wrong sort

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 booze is stashed - Thirsty Tuesdays, Fizz Fridays now in operation.

If you come with a stick to goad us then that is not allowed in the staffroom and you will receive a detention

I've just watched Teachers episode 1 as a result of this thread. 2001 was my first year of teaching, so it was a real blast from the past... and quite familiar

@MrsDanvers123

A girl just emailed to say she would be off for a week with flue. I queried is he was getting a test : she then said she was due a test on Thursday coming. WTF is the point of that??

A local exec head that I actually quite like even if he is a bit full of himself has just tweeted that he wants Gove back.

Gone right off him.

Does he not remember The Blob?

And the curriculum interference??

I still remember feeling aggrieved that during my training year, the students who joined the smokers got the best classes and school trips - networking, innit!

twitter.com/markmleach/status/1327521354686586882?s=21

Evening. I've mostly been marking and finishing outlander today. I swear it never even got light today but just went from dark to slightly less dark grey and then back to pitch black again. Cheery bloody times!

Consoling myself with black currant gin and trying to work out what I can watch that won't be a total letdown after outlander.

They always suggest Gove move back to education, Smile, I’m sure it’s a gag.

He wouldn’t want to be back there without Cummings telling him what to do.

I've not been on MN much today, so just catching up with the thread.

I've had a really lovely day. I did a zoom webinar about Christmas geometry this morning where we constructed snowflakes with compasses, rulers and some tracing paper. I'll be doing that with every class at Christmas I think. I've got another one next weekend about mathematical paper folding. So I'll put that into the last week before Christmas as well. I love geometric art.
Then I went for a nice walk and listened to an audio book this afternoon, all on my own. I did invite dh and dd, but I was secretly happy that the both declined the offer and stayed at home playing computer games (I do feel a bit guilty about how much screen time dd is having recently, but not enough to insist she comes out).

I've not even thought about school (other than nice happy Christmas maths art lessons), no marking, no planning, no stressing about kids isolating. I'll have to do something tomorrow, but today has been brilliant for my stress levels.

Queen’s Gambit on Netflix, Honey!

Sounds like a great day MsAwesome, I saw some of the amazing snowflakes on twitter but I have the artistic skills of a snail so would never consider signing up for something like that!

What's the chance of schools being closed on 11th December do you reckon?

Why the 11th @RuleWithAWoodenFoot ??

I can't work out what's going to happen with schools. It depends what happens with lockdown, partly. Voices saying 'schools aren't safe' do seem to be gaining ground. I wonder whether Cummings' departure will make any difference.

Would give 14 days before 25th.

Reduces chances of children or staff having to isolate over Christmas because their bubble closed in the last week of term.
Also gives chance for people to stay home for 2 weeks before seeing grandparents etc

Cummings hasn't departed. No resignation letter, and still has No 10 pass. Apparently. Also, he won't go anywhere, he'll just be less visible. Probably more worrying.

The line about teachers' safety is being trotted out on other threads. I predict the ONS won't publish any official occupation stats. The unions should press for this. All unions should.

SAGE also used the ONS figures about teacher safety.

I wonder if MPs and scientists think school staff think it is fine to have the same risk as careworkers?

Honestly, the scientists should have interrogated the data :it makes no sense whatsoever.

rule that wouldn't work unless the kids then had to stay indoors after the 11th....

I just can't see them shutting schools at all.

I forsee a lot of heads on an individual level closing for "operational" reasons for the last week. Then remote lessons for kids at home. Would mean at least staff could isolate before Xmas day.

I can't either : unless we remain in/extend lockdown.

God, the MN threads about people SI at Christmas are going to be mad..

For the first time, it has occurred to me that if one of us comes down with it at the end of term, no Xmas dinner for us..

Has anyone tried online shopping this week? No slots anywhere.

People getting tested is going to fall off a cliff just before Christmas. It dropped at half term.

I can't see them closing schools either. I also think there will be less testing just before Christmas. I reckon we'll be in school until the end of term.

Watched a film with DH last night which was good and relaxing. Was hoping to run this morning but it's raining hard here so will make an effort to either go later or tomorrow after school.

Wisdom tooth still niggling

Need to iron school clothes, finish tidying and do some planning today. Plus do sunday roast.

@Piggywaspushed I tried last week and this week to get a click and collect slot. None to be had. No trouble normally

Last day of isolation for us today. The thought of having to do this again at Christmas is awful. Am guessing any members of staff in school who don’t have to be near the kids will hunker down in their offices from the 11th and the rest of us will be in class as normal.
Even worse, as you say, less people will be getting tested so even more chance of us catching it

Nicola Sturgeon is making an announcement this week. I think she may close schools early. We’re not due to shut until the 22nd 😭

The other worry is the other end, in January, after all the inevitable house parties.

I wish MNHQ would get rid of the coronavirus board. It is nastier than AIBU.

Uh oh, teacher gifts thread. Open at your own peril.