The Thirty-Fifth Republic - Covid - the gift that keeps on giving even during the Christmas Break

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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

Can't believe the term 'lockdowners' I wonder what the meeting will bring for us - part of me thinks the govt might say, for example, schools online for Jan and then aim to be back in Feb. Or maybe online for all except 11/13 as they seem desperate to press on with exams.

Then again, with their track record, it wouldn't surprise me if they just pressed on with the current 'plan'.

Wish they'd decide though so that schools can actually plan!

We love lego here too! Spent yesterday making some of DS minecraft sets

Hi everyone,
Hope you're having restful breaks. We've had a lovely and relaxing one, although the toilet is broken (we have another), and won't stop dripping. Not sure when is an acceptable date to call the plumber?

Sorry to hear about your friend piggy. So hard . And I hope that those of you who are isolating or positive, have an uneventful time with it.

I couldn't sleep last night, the rain was too heavy. Spent too much time on MN and have inadvertently discovered the following things I do/like will have me judged!

• holding my fork in my right hand with the prongs facing upwards
• being appreciative if someone gives me a box of Thornton's

... I'm sure there was more last night . From the other threads I read, MN seems to be quite an unpleasant, judgey place at the moment. Maybe it's Christmas that's exacerbated it?

Love the Lego talk. Have you seen this? Fantastic idea for a fundraiser.

www.durhamcathedral.co.uk/visit-us/lego-durham-cathedral

We still have the Lego out (it's made its way from the kitchen back to the dc's playroom over the years). Duplo was given away a few years ago. I boxed up all of the Thomas the Tank Engine stuff because I couldn't bear to give it away and thought that any future grandchildren might like it. My boys were obsessed with trains for several years, but it seems nowadays that I'm the one who wants to go back to the National Railway Museum the most!

We've had the surveys through from school now. In both staff and pupil surveys, there's a question asking if you consent to come into school with 7 days of negative lateral flow tests, if a close contact tests positive. I've not sent it back yet for dc or myself - my instinct is telling me to click "no" but I'm a bit worried about consequences? I think it's a standard-issue survey though, so guessing staff and parents all over England will have the same one.

Then again, with their track record, it wouldn't surprise me if they just pressed on with the current 'plan'.

This is my thought too. Currently 11th Jan in person for all years has been communicated. I'm assuming Williamson will stick with that. I feel as if it's just one huge battle of the ego with him.

But with 11 and 13 coming back on the 4th without being tested and in full size classes? That feels so reckless now but I won't be surprised

@DreamingofBrie I would definitely be saying ‘no’ if given the option.

I would say no too. I don't consent to me or ds being rammed in with close contacts of a positive case. I'm presuming they don't need our consent for that side though.

Presumably all of primary are back completely as normal-no testing, full class sizes, a week tomorrow-Tier 4 included!?

Book scrutinies and lesson obs to start the week after, I expect

I will not be giving consent for my secondary age DC to have the LF tests at school if they are close contacts.

I'm so stressed about all this and the uncertainty. I'm not sleeping and struggling.
I can't decide whether they just don't understand about conditions in schools, and how it contributes to spread, or if they genuinely think benefits of every week of school out weighs the risks to staff an family.
Malice or incompetence?

I had the whole fork conversation with DS2 yesterday! He has such terrible eating habits . He has grown a lot recently and literally puts his head towards his food and shovels it in (very sloooooooowly) rather than move his food towards his mouth. With prongs upturned. I judged. Sorry not sorry!

I knwo posh people don't vene turn their fork for peas.

even

You eat like an American dreaming if you swap hands for your fork. I get why so many American things ahve crossed the Atlantic but that one really flummoxes me.

Just put this on tbe other thread.
www.google.com/amp/s/www.tes.com/news/coronavirus-school-opening-exclusive-schools-decision-expected-after-christmas%3famp
Apparently there are 2 camps; one wants to push ahead, the other more cautious. No prizes for guessing where Gav has pitched his tent then

I get the impression that every decision Gav makes is about how he looks (to the party) and not whether it is right or wrong. Any photo you ever see of him reveals how special and handsome he thinks he is.

You eat like an American dreaming if you swap hands for your fork. I get why so many American things ahve crossed the Atlantic but that one really flummoxes me.

I had to read that twice to understand it . I thought you meant literally putting food into my mouth with my hands, no cutlery! Not sure why either, as I'm right handed, but I also wear my watch on my right wrist. Remember being so nervous when eating with my first bf family that my shaky hands spilled peas all over the table. I'll never understand how people can put peas on their fork with prongs down!

You squash them. I have veeery strange attitudes to food and squashed peas are a red line to me so fork turning is OK there!

Some American never swap hands , They begin with fork in right hand and knife in left but most American cut all their food up first, put the knife down, fork in right hand and shovel away!

They do also eat with hands a lot more though!

ST reporting teachers to be added to priority vaccine list.

What's ST?

That would certainly make sense. I imagine it will still be feb / March though.

Sunday Times.

Please don't judge me .

Having spent too much time thinking about this now, I'm definitely prongs down if anything needs to be speared, but prongs up for anything like peas, curry etc. Still get a bit anxious at the thought of having to eat peas in polite company!

When they talk about schools not opening till 18th etc, they mean secondary don't they?

I'm imagining they're only ever discussing secondary? Though sen schools of all ages should be considered carefully too.

ST also reporting that highest case rate is now in 30-39 year olds. Parents of primary aged who had the massive uptick in last two weeks of term?

Brain is clearly not working piggy, I hadn't twigged it's Sunday!

@Jinglingmod

ST also reporting that highest case rate is now in 30-39 year olds. Parents of primary aged who had the massive uptick in last two weeks of term?

Definitely, but that's going to be down played.

@NeurotreeWenceslas

When they talk about schools not opening till 18th etc, they mean secondary don't they?

I'm imagining they're only ever discussing secondary? Though sen schools of all ages should be considered carefully too.

I think so? Primary aged dc is expected in as usual.

I'm craving peas and gravy now.

That ST calculator didn't have a tick box for "live with or care for someone CEV" and that's supposed to bump you (me) up to group 6 from nowhere (I'm just under 50).