The Thirtieth Republic ( 30! who would have thought) - Is it too soon to book a staff Xmas party?

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Not quite. We've got 1 member of staff in charge of directing the buses, 2 in charge of checking the kids are wearing masks and seatbelts before their bus is allowed to leave, and then there's me on the playground with the waiting kids. The problem is that the playground which is the only area big enough for them to wait, is quite a way from the actual bus bay, so I just have a walkie talkie so they can let me know which bus has just arrived and I can send the kids over. We have 20+ buses coming in and out every day, and our bus bay only holds 8 buses, so the logistics need to be precise at the bus end, the waiting kids end seems to be forgotten though.

Bloody hell. Still seems unworkable, not to mention unsafe!

SLT never show their faces for bus duty, other than the one who's on the rota like the rest of us. And apparently the HOYs have more important things to be doing (maybe they do, but I thought the behaviour of their yeargroup was a big part of their responsibility)

It's not covid safe in the slightest, although SLT think it is because the kids are all outside to wait. Apparently it's working well, we've been doing it since September, and we've actually got more staff on (1 extra per day) than we normally do, so that makes it all ok🤷

@MsAwesomeDragon that sounds horrendous we have all of SLT/HoY/HoF out at the end of the day. There's so many staff they are almost falling over each other! And behaviour in our school is generally good.

Just got back from a run. Hard work today because the wind was against me but glad I went. Should have the energy to do some stuff at home now! Bath first though.

Ugh. Had bus duty this week. Hate it.

So that’s my class bubble popped and another two weeks isolation. Only returned on Monday
I just wanted to go for a big walk today. We had another class bubble go earlier in the week to.

Report on BRTUS page (linked to press article) that 7 schools in Manchester are closing a week early for Christmas to allow families to isolate before seeing loved ones.

Won't Gav stop them?

I must say I will really resent that f it happens at my school- if we are suddenly supposed to switch to full remote teaching so other people can enjoy family time.

My views are coloured by having no family admittedly but it feels like there is a wrong message here.

We have two members of staff for the buses. No SLT .

SLT also don't do gate duties : they don't exist.

I meant gate duties, but I do have my doubts about SLT!

www.theguardian.com/education/2020/nov/21/is-gavin-williamson-the-worst-education-secretary-ever

@Piggywaspushed

I must say I will really resent that f it happens at my school- if we are suddenly supposed to switch to full remote teaching so other people can enjoy family time.

My views are coloured by having no family admittedly but it feels like there is a wrong message here.

Even if we close early and go remote, we aren't visiting family as we already ordered our Christmas food (they live far away so the decision was made early). However it would at least mean that we wouldn't have to isolate over the actual holidays due to school cases and so I'd see that as a good thing, I'm looking forward to crisp winter walks and don't want to be stuck in the house for 2 weeks over Christmas.

Yeah I can't them allowing schools to go online for a week just to "save Christmas".... unless used as a face saver because they don't want to admit that schools are driving infection rates?

I don't get why you'd resent it? Even if you literally don't want to see, or haven't got anyone to see, at Christmas you can presumably see how a period of not being in school prior to people inevitably mixing at Christmas could be beneficial for reducing community spread?

I'm a bit resentful of ds not being able to go to school not because of an outbreak but because there's not enough staff and we're not allowed to go onto a rota system. There's no kw provision so I have no choice but to leave him home alone whilst I go and educate the year groups who are still in school.

I'm wondering if they'll force us to be in school when we're meant to be teaching year groups who aren't allowed in or if I can use that time to work in the safety of my own home and lessen the amount of time I have to leave ds unsupervised. It makes sense but I don't know if we will be able to.

I hope so because ds is not motivated and self starting on the learning front and is going to need me nagging him and getting him engaged and making an effort rather than just writing 5 words and calling it done.

We shall see

SLT do every morning gate and playground duty - which due to shielding, currently means just the senco. They would normally do pm duty too, but right now we're all sharing it out.

Our SLT have really stepped up since Covid I have to say. They are all visible, a lot of the time. They have all been much more chatty and I think it has made a difference to morale in general at our school. I hope it continues in the longer run.

I would like them to shut schools a week earlier tbh. My mum got diagnosed with cancer at half term and I also can't risk going to see my 95 year old gran with the kids. I'd happily teach remotely, whilst simultaneously home schooling my kids, however hard it is if that was what would make it Ok for me to then have some proper chance to see my mum over the holidays before it is too unsafe again. I would much rather know that a case in school hasn't affected families of the students/staff in that last week of term also. I know though it would be difficult for some families with work and childcare, particularly in younger/primary age years so I don't know what the answer is.

I think this is part of the problem, people's circumstances and emotional needs (because that's what we're mainly talking about when it comes to celebrating Christmas, isn't it?) differ so much.

Sorry to hear about yr DM, @MrsHerculePoirot

I'd resent it because
a) to me it makes us a service industry to reduce spread whilst not admitting we increase it in the first place
b) we would be expected to provide online learning at a time when most schools wind down somewhat ,and that increases pressure on us. Can't show Home Alone remotely!
c) I think it will artificially reduce cases and therefore they will pick up more
d) I gain nothing from it really
e) humbug.

The thought of having someone to watch mostly teens to get on a bus which is presumably quite close seems crazy really. Just compared to back when i was at school.
Noone on gates either.
Actually noone on the primary gates usually. As they are handed over at the door pre covid.
But with crowds even now if you have a runner they can definitely be up the road.

The obvious answer is they shut schools. We don't provide remote learning individually. Oak produce some light christmas materials and beam them into every household on a TV channel (including showing home alone and other christmas movies at least once a day). They could include blue peter style christmas crafting, films and lessons about the message behind christmas. We get a week to recover from the term from hell. Everyone is a winner.

I'd like that. But that definitely won't happen..

Of course by then all the privately educated Cabinet members' and Conservative supporters' children will be off anyway!

Round of applause for this teacher.

twitter.com/sarahmaryhenry/status/1330032415264415747?s=21

Bet wanker SLT do not model more effectively.

I think the schools in question are shutting properly and adding the 5 teaching days later in the year. So 5 days off in the cold weather, probably with everything shut and lose 5 days holiday at a later point when the weather is nice things are open. I'm with piggy on this one.