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

Why am I so tired?! I only had 4 lessons today and it is the beginning of the week .. going to be a long old week!

We had a boy off for 9 days. Back today. Parents said they were awaiting a test result last week. Today they said 'oh no, in the end we didn't bother booking a test'. FFS.

Yep. Last week felt really long. I dragged myself through the Friday.

I'm next in on Wednesday with 3 lessons and some trapped time. The trainee is doing one of those and I'm up to date on marking till Friday when I have year 7 mini essays to mark and record so should be easier going. And I will hopefully get ahead of myself a bit with planning.

On my other Wednesday it's 4 lessons with three different year groups ergo zones in a row. Much prefer this one!

Thanks to you guys I'll remember a scarf and cardi for my observation

www.tes.com/news/exclusive-pay-driving-out-pissed-older-teachers

This is me-old, tired and pissed off.

It’s not about the pay either for me-it’s the workload. And the fact that I’m too expensive and therefore always having to justify my salary when I know they could get a cheap alternative

Sorry that was in response to you saying you were rired why

@Piggywaspushed

We had a boy off for 9 days. Back today. Parents said they were awaiting a test result last week. Today they said 'oh no, in the end we didn't bother booking a test'. FFS.

This really annoys me- we had quite a lot of this before half term. If the parents don't bother to get a test, then we don't know if it is circulating in school or not and it definitely puts the school population at increased risk.

I have been feeling rough all weekend, and pretty sure I have a temperature this evening. I've booked a test for tomorrow and will obviously be off school. Cases are increasing in the local area, even though we don't seem to have many in school yet.

We have had quite a few kids off with stomach upsets and just general "feeling unwell" type symptoms since half term, which I understand can indicate coronavirus in teens.

I'm worried it's circulating in the school and we're not aware of it yet.

Absolutely tonnes of kids complaining of stomach upsets at ours. No one is coughing at all any more.

I feel really unwell today, stomach upset though not coughing type stuff. Since I had a test on Friday I must be pretty sure it's not that! I almost forget you can get normal sickness stuff anymore.

Why can’t work colleagues social distance and open windows? It’s not that hard people!

And we have people in ‘doing volunteering’. Why?!

@WhyNotMe40

Why am I so tired?! I only had 4 lessons today and it is the beginning of the week .. going to be a long old week!

I had waaay less than that and feel done in. DH feels the same. Everyone is knackered. Our DS has tested negative again thankfully- he didn't sound very happy tonight on the phone and kept saying 'home soon' It's shit this.

@Flowerblue

Why can’t work colleagues social distance and open windows? It’s not that hard people!

Totally agree. Not wanting to pick fights but it does seem the younger ones...

It’s everyone in my place today. We’ve had several colleagues freshly returned from Covid in the last week. I opened three lots of windows in three different classrooms, stepped back from Mrs coffee breath and avoided a hug.

Stomach upset and headache for 48 hours or more are both on the list I have to ring up about and get a test...

Sorry your DS isn't happy, monkey, but good that he is negative. Do you know when you will get to see him next?

A starting salary of 30k is over the top high. What they need is higher amounts at the end of mps to incentivise retention and reward experienced teachers who stick around but don't fit the slt mould or wish to for whatever reason.

30k for someone brand new does indeed sound generous but totally farcical if they are only on 36k ten years later. There are only so many tlr points or slt posts but experienced teachers make a school IMO. Those sparkly 30k newbies wouldn't last long without experienced colleagues supporting them and developing them despite it not being paid for.

Maybe they think anyone can teach and it doesn't matter if you have a constant turnover of nqts you invest time and resources into who only stay for a couple of years. Just cannon fodder?

I know it's whiny but I feel really unappreciated. I'm a bloody good teacher really (that's hard to write and not to undermine with a self put down) but deserve what is effectively 15 years of pay cuts and a culture of guarding ups like it was the Crown Jewels rather than less than a grand extra for someone whose likely been teaching for a decade whose experience is relied upon but determinedly unrecognised.

Sorry. Soap box. I need a drink lol

Sorry you DS is unhappy monkey. Is there any chance of having him home for a weekend visit?

@noblegiraffe

Sorry your DS isn't happy, monkey, but good that he is negative. Do you know when you will get to see him next?

No. The home is isolating until next week but not sure what the rules will be after that...

@SmileEachDay

Several more positives at my place - all kids who were already isolating so no action taken.

I’m really suspicious about this whole only looking at the 48 hours before symptoms thing.

Me too. Someone who sat in the seat closest to my desk for two hours tested positive, but only the following two days were taken into account.

@WhyNotMe40

Sorry you DS is unhappy monkey. Is there any chance of having him home for a weekend visit?

All home visits suspended at the moment (isolating and then lockdown...)bloody pants this is.

Oh that sucks monkey.

Yup xx

HoneyBadger preach sister!

Mother fuckers.

Was chatting to a lovely, funny, experienced teacher today whose one of those few who cheers people up and can take even Covid in her stride well enough to be supportive of others and keep everyone's spirits up.

She's going for one of the tlr points I was considering going for but is 99% sure she knows it will be one of two people already decided to get it (very young and cheap and mouldable). She's decided to go for it anyway but says it's the last thing she'll apply for if she doesn't get it.

Think she's in her 50s. She'd be genuinely great at the role but that doesn't seem to be what it takes to make career progress.