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

[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

Two cases in the same year group today. No one sent home. I don't know why... it feels very odd.

Whaaa? Is it because of the weekend?

schoolsweek.co.uk/trust-ordered-to-scrap-extended-christmas-holiday-or-face-action-from-ministers/

Interference for on high. To think only a few days ago, everyone thought this might be coming.

What? Can't be just the weekend as they must have developed symptoms by Sunday at latest, so Fridays contacts should be isolating. Must be that the positive child had not been in school for days before developing symptoms.

Our first few cases were the same. No one needed to go home as positive students had already been SI because parents were positive.

The LA where I work is offering regular testing for education staff now, so I've decided to do it weekly by post.

I have a horrible feeling we could be high and dry for Christmas dinner as I couldn't get a delivery slot.

If they had a test Sunday eve and got results today (possible as I had an equivalent turnaround) then T&T will say no one needs to isolate from Friday. Happened to a colleague and none of us who had been in close contact needed to isolate.

Have not caught up yet as still trying to take in everything from my mentor meeting (where he started talking about interviews and portfolios) but just to say I passed my first PGCE assignment !!! Not entirely sure how, but hoping it will see me through getting the next bit done in 2weeks time.

Still not ready to think about anything beyond, well tomorrow, really!

name well done for passing that first assignment!! I found the first one really hard because I didn't really know what they were looking for. In fact I failed my first PGCE assignment and had to resit They did then decide that they should probably have given those of us in non-essay subjects some information about how academic essays are supposed to be written.

Blimey, schools question at presser!

dodged.

Kids need to be in school says paediatrician at the presser. Party line. No information

Well done name I'd have a little gin but I must keep marking...
I don't know what's going on because I'm sure one of the students concerned was in school all last week.

But also dodged the part of the question that asked about keeping older relatives safe.

It's all such bullshit. Yet again it's being left up to us to truly judge risk.

I'm a a FURIOUS and absolutely foul mood this evening. Not sure it's conducive to planning a weeks worth of maths really, but going for it anyway. RAAAAAAH.

Having to stay away from idiot questions on the health board.

Why didn't a real life person ask the question about schools ? Looks like they just wanted to squash any suggestion schools close early.

@Piggywaspushed

schoolsweek.co.uk/trust-ordered-to-scrap-extended-christmas-holiday-or-face-action-from-ministers/

Interference for on high. To think only a few days ago, everyone thought this might be coming.

Wow-they really are going for this.

SCHOOLS ARE SAFE

I have such a bad feeling about the next few weeks.

I'm livid on the inside.

I'm just too exhausted today. Massive headache

www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/stockport-schools-close-early-christmas-19331640

Stockport schools closing 2 days earlier. Can't see it will make much difference. A positive case the week before will still mean isolating over Christmas.

Principal categorically denied we’d be shutting early because “we’re not allowed” - even if he wanted to, which he doesn’t. But we did get reminded to keep our windows open! Still getting cheerful remarks about how local rates are falling - which isn’t much help if most transmission is currently in schools, though.

I bet LOADS of people will keep their kids out during that last week, so that they're "clear" for Christmas.
It will be interesting to see people cast aside their "kids need to be in school" stance when it comes down to potentially having to isolate over Christmas.

Well, we're not closing - but we're upping the ante on training for Google Classroom as from tomorrow.

@namechangedyetagain

Have not caught up yet as still trying to take in everything from my mentor meeting (where he started talking about interviews and portfolios) but just to say I passed my first PGCE assignment !!! Not entirely sure how, but hoping it will see me through getting the next bit done in 2weeks time.

Still not ready to think about anything beyond, well tomorrow, really!

Fab news namechanged!

My acting head (acting from her sofa) emailed us to tell us dates and times of 'bubble' Christmas parties on the second to last day of term.

Yeah, I'll be feeling really festive to have a party at that point with a bunch of kids who can't wash their hands without having a fight.

I hate my class.

Oh dear, Rule.
And you were going to see how it went and possibly resign in October? And now you've missed the date!