The Thirty-eight republic - Covid Carnage - Schools still waiting for test kits

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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

I swing wildly Riga. I suppose my own context / setting is very different. And we aren't closing till doomsday!

(You mustn't be hugely far from me)

A short closure and sorting shit out and cautious reopening as the heads say would definitely work.

@NeurotreeWenceslas

I swing wildly Riga. I suppose my own context / setting is very different. And we aren't closing till doomsday!

(You mustn't be hugely far from me)

A short closure and sorting shit out and cautious reopening as the heads say would definitely work.

Yes must be quite near. I think if I worked in a SEN School I may see it differently. I work in a crowded bog standard Academy and live with ECV parents so that probably influences me also.

Sansa it's awful isn't it.
I'm sure heads are worried as well though and they perhaps need staff to kickback so they can then kick back to local authorities?.. I don't know how these chains of command work but if I was a head, right now I would be deeply concerned about the safety of staff and students on site.

How can anyone possibly say in the light of new risks with the new strain, that it's safe? Forget covid... A child has a severe allergic reaction and needs hospital, bad fall, concussions... Will there be an ambulance?. Can they get proper treatment in hospital?.

I don't know how much more Power heads have but its awful that so much surpressed behaviour goes on because people are afraid.

(I did WB Yeats' poetry for A level and have loved it ever since. Ditto Wuthering Heights and Little Dorrit. What the heck is The Withered Arm??)

@Panickingpavlova

Sansa it's awful isn't it. I'm sure heads are worried as well though and they perhaps need staff to kickback so they can then kick back to local authorities?.. I don't know how these chains of command work but if I was a head, right now I would be deeply concerned about the safety of staff and students on site.

How can anyone possibly say in the light of new risks with the new strain, that it's safe? Forget covid... A child has a severe allergic reaction and needs hospital, bad fall, concussions... Will there be an ambulance?. Can they get proper treatment in hospital?.

I don't know how much more Power heads have but its awful that so much surpressed behaviour goes on because people are afraid.

FWIW, I do think our head has tried as much as possible to keep us all safe- he mandated mask wearing in corridors from September, for example.

However, as a school we've had very few cases, and although cases are rising dramatically in the local area, they're still well below the national average.

I do know that SLT were really pissed off with the late announcement about testing, so who knows if they would be sympathetic or not.

I just saw a tweet saying that heads should take legal advice before reopening next week as they may be personally liable due to a foreseeable risk.

They haven’t updated their risk assessments in light of the new strain.

Yes must be quite near. I think if I worked in a SEN School I may see it differently. I work in a crowded bog standard Academy and live with ECV parents so that probably influences me also.

Gah, yes, sorry

Listening to the radio, I'm close to a reverse ferret tbh.

Sounds like the NAHT needs to call this.

Also, I wonder if the government wanted to wait for the unions to demand it, so they can point the finger

@noblegiraffe

I just saw a tweet saying that heads should take legal advice before reopening next week as they may be personally liable due to a foreseeable risk.

They haven’t updated their risk assessments in light of the new strain.

Good point.

Plus Baltic conditions on their way for a good month.

Did you see what the DfE have been up to this year instead of making schools safer?

www.tes.com/news/knowledge-based-itt-1k-teachers-year-dfe

Another fucking route for teacher training. Announced by Gav today.

Nothing else going on is there?

@NeurotreeWenceslas

Yes must be quite near. I think if I worked in a SEN School I may see it differently. I work in a crowded bog standard Academy and live with ECV parents so that probably influences me also.

Gah, yes, sorry

Listening to the radio, I'm close to a reverse ferret tbh.

Sounds like the NAHT needs to call this.

Also, I wonder if the government wanted to wait for the unions to demand it, so they can point the finger

I would not be surprised at all.

That sounds suspiciously like the alternative, non-degree based route to Librarianship that devalued the profession.
I don’t want teachers to have been to an Institute, I want them to have been to a University.

A relatively minor point in current situation, but last night someone on PUAUS pointed out that the forecast Beast from the East's -10 temperatures and snow might just pose a bit of a H&S problem, with the strengthened guidance on ventilation in schools!

You should never be targeted for taking part in legal union action. Though I'm not saying it doesn't happen! I sometimes thing management will push un-unionised staff more, as who are they going to complain to?
If your union decides to walk out or whatever, that doesn't mean they actually will - there is time for a less embarrassing u turn from the government if they see teachers mean business.
(We've been told for months that unions hold all the power here, would be nice to see that being true, for once!)

What the actual chuff do you think Gavlar is doing right now that is more important than sorting out the total shambles that is happening across all schools? That is quite literally his actual job to solve.

Where are you, Gavin?!

Setting up an institute of teaching, Apu! Teacher training for all those people desperate to get into teaching now they've seen how well we're treated!

@Achristmaspudsskidu

What the actual chuff do you think Gavlar is doing right now that is more important than sorting out the total shambles that is happening across all schools? That is quite literally his actual job to solve.

Where are you, Gavin?!

I’ll bet it doesn’t involve talking to headteachers.

Trying to work out how to pin the governments failings on teaching unions is my bet.

The NAHT also plans to issue guidance to headteachers, which will not recommend any kind of action against staff who refuse to return to work because they feel it is unsafe.

• Guardian

Is knowledge based teaching different from teaching?

@ItsIgginningtolookalotlikeXmas

You should never be targeted for taking part in legal union action. Though I'm not saying it doesn't happen! I sometimes thing management will push un-unionised staff more, as who are they going to complain to? If your union decides to walk out or whatever, that doesn't mean they actually will - there is time for a less embarrassing u turn from the government if they see teachers mean business. (We've been told for months that unions hold all the power here, would be nice to see that being true, for once!)

I know I shouldn't be, but I think it would be very easy for my school to not renew my contract next year- It's a one year contract and we are moving to a 2 year KS4, so there will be less science on the timetable.

I do agree that it may not come to anything as the government may be forced to U-turn!

Are they actually calling for a walkout then? Can't see it.

@SansaSnark

Seems like there has been an NEU leak to the observer before the official announcement: www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/02/government-faces-major-revolt-on-schools-reopening-in-england-over-covid-fears?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

The suggestion is that members (all members?) will be advised to refuse to return to work on Monday on safety grounds- there will be a template letter available.

I want to support my union, obviously and I do think they are in the right, but I am really nervous about doing this unless I know others at my school will do the same, and I'm quite worried they won't.

I only have a contract to the end of the year, which I am 100% sure won't be renewed if I do this.

I'm on the NEU Reps call and this has just been confirmed. Members being emailed after the call with a template letter to send to Heads to say it is unsafe for us to come in but we could work remotely.

KW and Vulnerable children to come in but advising staff not to. How does that work?

Yep-no doubt, am steering clear of the DF today as I bets it’s full of people spewing utter bile about lazy Marxist teachers just wanting to drink cocktails all day.

I reckon Gav is pootling around at home, humming to himself and taking the Christmas decorations down.

Did someone say his wife was a teacher/TA? I would really really love to have a chat with her.

For those wanting the military in to help their cause..
😀

KW and Vulnerable children to come in but advising staff not to. How does that work?

Did anyone ask that question!?

NEU focus on Primary and special. Essentially they are saying primary teachers should say they are not willing to teach full classes under section 44, but are available for supervision of KE/vulnerable.

They are saying that SEN schools should take each student individually eg rather than blanket EHCP means you are in school, actually some might be safer at home and it should be taken individually in those circumstances.

They will emailing all members with template letter. NAHT and ASCL are giving headteachers supportive advice of the NEU action in term. They are not taking this lightly, they want schools open, but want them done safely. They are not happy about the government continuing to blatently disregard the scientific advice.

They want short, remote period, so that schools can then open safely going forward, rather than ploughing on now and everything closing in an unplanned way.