The Thirty-Fourth Republic - Time to recharge our batteries and make the best of our festive break

[SantaAssociationRepresentitve]

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

khub.net/documents/135939561/338928724/SARS-CoV-2+variant+under+investigation%2C+meeting+minutes.pdf/962e866b-161f-2fd5-1030-32b6ab467896?t=1608470511452

Work is ongoing to see if lateral flow tests will detect new strain

I’m afraid I chickened out and stepped down from a previous role as a Head of Learning in a school in Tower Hamlets because I just struggled to much with the harrowing issues involved

I stepped back from a pastoral SLT role too because it was too much. I spent half my time in tears in the toilets. The day I cried in the office (I don't do crying in public), was the day the decision was made. I was lucky, and had supervision externally, but I just couldn't compartmentalise it all.

[quote OpheliasCrayon]@KatherineOfGaunt

You also don't need a GP appt.

You can self refer yourself to mental health services without seeing a GP - google IAPT - it's the NHS mental health service and you can do an online self referal and they will contact you.

I have done it a couple of times for various reasons (I have a very complex mental health situation) - they managed to sort stuff out for me even on new years Eve last year.

I fully recommend it and it avoids needing to also get GP appointments especially over the holidays[/quote]
Thank you to you and @TheHoneyBadger - I think I did know this? But I haven't suffered from real depression for some years so probably forgot. I will look it up and see what can be done. I feel sorry for my little boy; one parent with severe anxiety and the other with probable depression. I just hope he grows up happy.

With future lockdowns, let's face it, primary schools will still be open. Sorry for my secondary colleagues who are going through all this confusion and stress about January. So much for a relaxing Christmas break, eh?

Another case in DS's sixth form. Three in 3 days in this legendary Eastern new variant area.

Well this thread took off fast.
Idly looking back, I posted this on 06/12 on one of Noble’s threads:

I think that the next two weeks are going to be dangerous, tiers or no tiers.
People are out and about. It’s the run up to Christmas so one way or another, people will socialise. It’s cold so people will socialise indoors. Schools are still open. Ventilation in schools and on school transport will be more difficult as it’s getting properly cold. Rates in the community will feed into schools, and that will feed back in a cycle of amplification.
Some people will take extra care, others will not. Some will just say, what will be will be, and let their guard down. I think the end of December and into January will be very difficult, unless the virus magically and unexpectedly disappears for the festive season.

This was before the “news” of a new variant. It was always going to be a shitshow.

I’m in Wales. Christmas plans unchanged as it was only going to be our household anyway. Sifting through the news it looks like a really tough three months before enough people are vaccinated to make it safer for everyone. It was just starting to run rampant through dd’s school before we broke up. Using this fortnight off to have a rest. Kind of wish I could just hibernate.

@namechangedyetagain

Dds are 7 and 10. Ds 13. For the first time since they all arrived, this autumn I've concentrated on myself and I was hoping I could make it up to them at xmas and now covid. Ive worked late, worked weekends and generally not been the mum I should have been and now I feel so guilty. I'm not even sure what they're into. They never ask for anything

It sounds like they are lovely and undemanding however I could see why buying them presents might be tricky. At that age I liked craft kits, Lego, chocolate, reading - in fact I still like all of those things... What do they choose to do in their spare time? What have they busied themselves with whilst you have been working?

Oh god...so I’ve just now got an email from work that got sent out to parents and students on Friday but not staff (duh moment #1) that says we’re going to be open to all students in January because all of our years are exam years (duh moment #2). I mean, yes but...every secondary school in the country will have reduced numbers that week, and most colleges are doing that too using rotas but we for some reason are going to be completely and utterly fine. It’s in Tier 2 but the town itself has quite a high rate rising quite quickly!

@namechangedyetagain

Dds are 7 and 10. Ds 13. For the first time since they all arrived, this autumn I've concentrated on myself and I was hoping I could make it up to them at xmas and now covid. Ive worked late, worked weekends and generally not been the mum I should have been and now I feel so guilty. I'm not even sure what they're into. They never ask for anything

Oh gosh you don't need to feel guilty you're doing the best you can. No guilt at all. 7, 10, 13... Do any of them like crafty things? Nh daughter's go nuts for anything for bath time. They love bath bombs. Honestly most of their presents are bath bombs! Craft stuff and bath things. Nail varnish? Makeup ? Books ? Vouchers for amazon or any other shop they like so they could get what they want?

The area I live in (Tier 3) - 98/10000
Area college is in (T2) - 327/10000

Go figure!

I'm tier 3 with over 500/100,000 and main hospital declared critical incident this weekend.

Should be tier 4.

My 7 year old is mostly getting chocolate and stuffed toys. When she went through the argos catalogue she pretty much circled all of them.

@noelgiraffe

My 7 year old is mostly getting chocolate and stuffed toys. When she went through the argos catalogue she pretty much circled all of them.

My 2 and 5 year old also have matching elsa dress up. Argos did me right !

Yes, Amazon vouchers and smellies! It’s 5 days to Christmas, get them something delivered to unwrap on Christmas Day, they know you love them and it doesn’t need anything else.
I have a Money/Voucher gift recipient. He never needs something at Christmas specifically and would rather have the funds for when inspiration strikes. Far too many lost hours when he was younger trying to winkle out which Big Present he might like!
I put this on another thread, I think, but if giving money it is cute to print out a scroll with a poem on it, or a mock Wanted poster etc. you don’t have to give physical money then, either, it can be transferred directly to an older child’s bank account etc.

My daughter wants a ‘dress that swishes’
It’s been really difficult to buy not being able to physically go shopping so I had to rely on online. Still waiting for it. I hope it arrives-eek!

That’s sort of what I’d wish for, Chloe.

Negative result. So I still feel a bit Pants, but it’s probably Stress Pants or Peri Pants. Phew.

36,000 cases today

@Jinglingmod

36,000 cases today

Have more tested recently?(clutching straws). Shocking. We're slowly coming to terms with the bombshell this morning, still hoping we may be able to see DS outside at some point over Christmas. He doesn't know when Christmas is so we can postpone the day itself- he does understand Sundays though as our day that is why it was so upsetting today.

Not really.

7 day average : Tests up 4%. Positive results up 50%. Deaths up 10%. Hospital admissions up 18%.

I really hope you can get an outside visit, soon, and then a delayed Christmas "day"

knowing big hugs

I'm feeling drained and have a tight/wheezy chest. I don't have asthma - it sort of feels like a chest infection does. I've had to cough several times today just to clear my lungs, but I'm not really "coughing" iyswim?
So anyway, I've said I have a cough on the online form and ordered a postal test. I hope I've done the right thing?
I've also cancelled all the outdoors social events (mainly walks and playgrounds with friends with kids) that I'd been looking forward to so much

I would like Lego and a dress that swishes too please.

Any teacher tappers need to make sure they vote today and rate the government’s response to covid in terms of school policy and support.

Try not to smash your phone screen as you punch ‘very bad’.

We thought with the new arrangements there was a chance we wouldn't have to go in this week but no, no changes to end of term despite the fact Christmas visiting is reduced to one day etc. I wonder how many pupils will be in? It was expected to be low but I'm thinking now parents will want any respite they can get from having their children at home for almost four weeks, so might be packed!

@noelgiraffe done!