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 don't really understand what a section 44 is but I'm also possibly one of the few in the neu or a (Union at all tbh).

@KatherineOfGaunt

I'm afraid I don't know the difference between a Section 44 and a strike. off to Google

In other news, DH and I have decided not to send DS to nursery for the next few weeks. DH is getting more and more worried about me returning to work, but I've said the alternative is me not getting paid. Mine is the only wage.

Just not sure what to do. I'm sat here feeling sick about it, when I should be planning for a return on Monday as usual. (I'm not NEU.)

Section 44 is health and safety legislation- the NEU are proposing school staff refuse to teach full classes due to this (as far as I can tell).

I think regardless of being in the NEU, you can use Section 44 and in theory can't face disciplinary action- but I'm not sure about pay.

That sounds U turnish Piggy.

Toddler's rash looks weird and we are now a bit worried it's fungal (or a million times worse) so he'll have to stay off nursery on Monday so I can get him to a Gp.

Which means I'm working now

@NeurotreeWenceslas

That sounds U turnish Piggy.

Toddler's rash looks weird and we are now a bit worried it's fungal (or a million times worse) so he'll have to stay off nursery on Monday so I can get him to a Gp.

Which means I'm working now

Sorry to read this Neuro. Hope you can get it sorted.

Section 44 is the legislation you'd be using if you refused your Head's request for you to teach in a room which also housed an angry tiger....

Are all the secondary folk on here actually in school Monday-have they told you what the plan is for you for Monday?

We are primary in a closed area-in Monday with KW in year groups bubbles, teaching them the work that those at home will be accessing remotely.

I’m intrigued to know about your plans for setting up the testing-please do fill me in when you know more! Are you expecting 1000 tests to be delivered Monday morning by the Amazon van?

I'm nasuwt so ??

Think I'm a bit relieved about that.

I think this action is really relevant to primary who are being asked to go back as normal on Monday and I'm happy to support them not doing so. For secondary the problem is further down the road and a lot could happen in 2 weeks.

On a personal note the only immediate concern is on being forced to go physically into school when it's totally possible to work from home.

Tomorrow I plan to use my time in school to attempt to call or otherwise contact all my year 7s parents and it makes sense to do that in school from school phone. On Wednesday I want to be marking and monitoring engagement so far. I don't need to be in school for my timetabled 5 hours to do that.

Gosh. It's all heating up a bit

have they told you what the plan is for you for Monday?

I know nothing other than inset Monday. No communication at all from SLT.

@JanuaryChill

Section 44 is the legislation you'd be using if you refused your Head's request for you to teach in a room which also housed an angry tiger....

Could I use it to refuse to teach Y9? 🤔

Actually, I once worked in a school where the union took action to refuse to teach a kid who kept assaulting teachers.

@Achristmaspudsskidu I'm in Monday for an inset day. Where we are supposed to sit in rooms with our depts - over 20 in mine so I've said no, I'll do it via teams thanks very much.
No tests arrived yet and no idea when they are coming. We have nearly 2,000 students so no clue how it's all going to work as we lack space. Think cover team will be running KW pods.

We are in on Monday following our normal timetable around empty rooms and small numbers or key workers children.

Apparently the training videos are very medical and not school focused re testing. They raise more Qs than they answer.

@Piggywaspushed

OMG!

THIS is a Tweet form Alasdair Munro, the paediatrician poster boy of U4T

*It’s [ debates abou tclosing schools] been done in numerous other places

The concern is the new variant has increased risk of school transmission to an extent it is no longer feasible

Difficult to tease out, but I think we can all agree things aren’t going well*

Is this him-I just searched?

Seems to be saying the same old bullshit here sadly

Tomorrow I plan to use my time in school to attempt to call

Please tell me you’re not going into school tomorrow

Health and safety laws are vast and deep.

Everything legal as thus far been kicked down the road, pushed to one side whilst everyone was caught up in pandemic palaver.

I'm glad that this is ramming home that legal message, the right to be work in safety.
Noble said a tweet said Heads should seek legal advice before opening school.
What head would do a risk assessment to say it safe (when we are in the dark with a new strain), then have staff in hospital or suffering from long covid, or children who fall/accident on school property and cannot get an ambulance in time.

That's a huge responsibility.

Section 44 is from health and safety.

Yes, it definitely was himpud. How odd.

He can't spell bears which ahs amused me.

I am currently nasuwt but Inthink they will follow. I don't think anyone will come out with me though. The bright young nqt's are not in a union and everyone is shit scared of the stasi /slt.

@Achristmaspudsskidu

Tomorrow I plan to use my time in school to attempt to call

Please tell me you’re not going into school tomorrow

Monday sorry!

*,re training videos etc and invasive procedures I strongly urge caution on performing these.

I heard someone say its a quick nose swab why wouldn't anyone allow someone to do it.

However a medic has told me numerous issues that can happen if it's pushed too far, scratches x y x.

As well as the legal side, if anyone wanted to do it, please make sure you're legally covered.
Teachers are teachers not professional medics and are not aware of those risks.

Also bare in mind the gdp of everyone knowing who tested positive and opening up that child and their family to abuse and bullying.

@NeurotreeWenceslas

That sounds U turnish Piggy.

Toddler's rash looks weird and we are now a bit worried it's fungal (or a million times worse) so he'll have to stay off nursery on Monday so I can get him to a Gp.

Which means I'm working now

Oh no

Can you phone 111 / out of hours to try and get an appointment today - they are normally pretty good when it comes to seeing toddlers

Ours looks like:

Monday, inset, prep online stuff (hopefully will have the rota for which lessons are live by then?). Staff meeting on teams at noon.

Tuesday: 40-odd KW kids in. No idea what they are going to do all day but they will be in two of the IT rooms. Year group teams meetings to introduce them to the system. Rota to supervise KW kids.

Wednesday: online learning for all years, 50% live on teams, 50% independent, following the timetable (GIVE ME THE TIMETABLE!!!) set out. Rota to supervise KW kids.

All staff expected in school at normal times.

Heads email does say that it could all change again at any time though.

Text from HT stating that we are expected in Monday for business as usual.

Re section 44 walkouts.

I think you don't get paid.

Therefore, no remote lessons for little Johnny and Jemima.

I mean the hope is no one has to go out but that their willingness to forces the government to change things.

The emphasis needs to be on pupil, staff and wider community safety and essentially a loud sort of vote of no confidence in government and dfe.

@Piggywaspushed

Yes, it definitely was himpud. How odd.

He can't spell bears which ahs amused me.