The Thirty-seventh Republic - Mass testing rolls on - school staff remain expendable

[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

Thanks for the support everyone . I was going to write something yesterday but was too upset and cried all evening.

Ophelia, I'm sorry that you have to make such difficult decisions, I hope that things improve for you.

Just put the infogrpahic on the DfE's propaganda page so wider MN can see exactly how incompetent they are.

HOW has Gavin still got a job?

HOW could anyone at the DfE not anticipate this???

It said in yesterday's mailshot that some years got a extended holiday. I must say , I think it is some over eager headteachers who have forced this change . Thus, if they do want us to do any training in school time, it is now not available. Well done.

I'm not fussed about my dcs going to school . I'm sure many of you know despite being CEV I'm probably too chill about covid. Selfishly this is about what I can ,/ can't manage

SEN tas are being absolutely shat on.

At least in sen teachers get an extra point (tiny in real terms) but TAs had it taken away a number of years ago.

Obviously more TAs and also have to deal with more physical attacks (not professional but they do get hurt) and close physical working.

Our area is much lower than the start of last term at the moment so it doesn't feel any different but I think some sens and alternative provisions will struggle with staff morale and staff leaving.

I hope your dc’s school is flexible for you, Ophelia. We were, even when that bumped the numbers up for kw and meant extra bubbles had to be created.

Re literary people we like: David Crystal was my linguistics lecturer at uni. I didn’t carry on with the subject after the first year but I hugely enjoyed his lectures.
The late Hazel Townson and Kaye Umansky were lovely when I met them years ago. KU in particular was a riot of poetry and colourful, swirly clothing! More recently, Damian Harvey and Paul Johnson are excellent holders of dc attention. Cressida Cowell brilliant too. Chris Riddell does a very professional and engaging presentation but I didn’t get closer to him than that.

Andrew Castle started poorly but really pushed on potential prosecution of parents if they take kids out/safety of schools. Gav flummoxed just said 'school is mandatory'. Also had no answers to boroughs which are open next to boroughs that aren't.

Castle owned Gav.

@OpheliasCrayon

I'm not fussed about my dcs going to school . I'm sure many of you know despite being CEV I'm probably too chill about covid. Selfishly this is about what I can ,/ can't manage

I'd be feeling the same. your AS might be why you're more chill. Daily pain and immobility is horrific.

Re remote learning, Gav has apparently just confirmed that there is no remote learning for non exam years for first week.

This uncertainty is incredibly stressful.

Congrats Time!!

And

Orphelia sorry it’s so shit - I’d imagine if your kids have KW places, if you are off work sick, that won’t make a difference. It wouldn’t at our school.

Gav on radio 4 now

Maybe so @NeurotreeWenceslas I've also had a late stillbirth so, comparative to the fear then and the fear I had I would lose both my twins (I didnt I had one surviving one)...Honestly whilst I absolutely respect everyone's opinions on the pandemic... It doesn't worry me. My bar for what worries me these days is.... Probably unnaturally high.
But you're right. When all this started me and my husband were like .. this is just our everyday life for us - managing my now largely untreatable multiple conditions. Every day I go to work I'm at risk of hospitalization as catching a stomach bug (which obviously are very usual in schools ) can and has many times ended up with me in hospital

WTAF re Gav. Does he know what his own dept is sending out???

Some of this has been caused by unions pointing out with glee the hypocrisy whilst not thinking about members' workloads.

Gav has apparently just confirmed that there is no remote learning for non exam years for first week.

Directly against the DfE tweet this morning. You couldn't make this up.

ASK HIM ABOUT THE TESTS BEING SHIT!!!!!

Grilling him about suing schools. He dodged it.

Now proclaiming how the testing is going to help. Why is no one asking about the 50% accuracy?

It's actively incompetent. He is presumably still reading from parliament speech. Someone legal may now have told him they can't change what was said yesterday in parliament because Hansard has recorded it.

@SmileEachDay

ASK HIM ABOUT THE TESTS BEING SHIT!!!!!

They weren't good enough for the UK and French borders.... Good enough for us though

1500 service personnel, ON THE PHONE

They don't ask because they don't know. Journalists are a remarkably uninquisitive bunch.

Resources and extra money He is full of shit.

Im glad he can see schools are worth it because his kids like it.

TWAT

Apparently, the testing in schools has now been made mandatory.

Is it mandatory at unis? In care homes?? Answer: no and no.

"my instinct is never to see any school closed"

Tier 45: cockroaches may not meet outside except in a group of 6 or a social bubble
the remaining human life forms in the biosphere must wear full hazmat suits before getting out of bed
primary schools open as normal, schools are safe

Nevermind the low levels of accuracy. Although that's important, they can bat that away with the 'higher' studies. Make the point that testing instead of isolation will keep more infectious pupils in school and spread the virus further! People need to know and understand this.

He's now saying his child will be isolating..... What about the daily testing?