Who looked after vulnerable and key worker students at your school during last lockdown?

[Awning10]

At my secondary school it was the teaching assistants and cover supervisors. Is this the norm?

In my primary, it was every member of staff on a rota system, including teachers, leadership, support staff and admin.

However, if we locked down again, I think it would have to fall more on support staff as the "live" requirements on teachers (either in delivering or marking) will be higher and so the workload greater.

Rota system of teachers and TAs who are not BAME. Before June we didn't understand the increased risk to BAME staff (still don't).

After June when years N, R, 1 and 6 went back, again we kept most BAME staff at home providing remote learning for those year groups, but had support staff looking after the KW and V children in other year groups. I teach year 3 and 4, so was doing remote teaching for them the whole of term 6. I was sometimes in school, sometimes at home. I also did some cover of KW and V children in other year groups as I was in their bubble by that point.

I think this time it'll have to be support staff, although currently it looks as though they are the guys most likely to be invoking section 44. I don't envy heads right now.

In my secondary school it was the teaching staff on a rota. There was always a member of SLT on site too.

In my primary school there were 2 bubbles, one for KS1/EYFS and one for KS2. They were staffed by teachers with a TA in for the morning & lunchtime. There was normally a member of SLT on site too. I think we had around 12 children in each bubble. They divided the day into 2 sessions and unless you wanted to, you only did one session per day. Full-time non-NQTs did 2 sessions per week, everyone else did one. I was on one of my usual days with the brilliant PE teacher so we taught each bubble for half the afternoon. Because the weather was so amazing, we also spent a lot of time outside playing hide & seek etc. The children who were in speak very warmly of how much they enjoyed lockdown school.

Teaching staff supported by TAs on a rota. We were in the school building around half our usual hours (so I did 3 days over 2 weeks on a 0.6 contract).

After May half term we were all back to usual hours in school with R, 1, 6 & key worker / vulnerable bubbles apart from 1 teacher & a few more vulnerable TAs who led up the remote provision at that stage (previously we just each managed our own classes).

Oh that is primary obviously. In DH’s secondary it was teachers; I don’t think TAs were in at all.

In my primary it seemed to be support staff. I was in part-time sharing with SEN teacher colleagues as we needed an SEN person on-site at all times.

In our, primary, school it was the support staff as the teachers were planning and setting the home learning tasks.

Thanks for your replies. I'm dreading going back.

I was secondary last time, all teaching, support and pastoral staff on a rota. SLT were amazing. Wish I was still there!

Special school - rota of those who volunteered. Mixture of teachers and TAs. Anyone who didnt want to for childcare reasons, health reasons or general anxiety was able to opt out because the numbers were small enough.

SLT and teachers, no TA's and no admin staff.

We had a rota of teachers and TAs who wanted to be there and the rest worked from home. This time my Head is claiming that we all have to be in work, and that wfh is only for those shielding. I personally think that’s madness - so many of us travelling in via public transport in a Tier 4 area with a knock-on effect of our own DC being sent in for keyworker provision. This can’t be right, surely?! I thought in Tier 4 you were positively encouraged to wfh if you could. Anyone else’s Head insisting on this?

I'm secondary and it was all staff on a rota last time.

This time, it was planned to be mostly non-teaching staff and TAs because then teachers can focus more on providing remote learning.

Is there a specific reason you are dreading going back? Have you spoken to your union?

Primary school.

Led by teachers, supported by TAs.

All on a 2/3 day rota.

Last lockdown everyone was on a rota at my school, with SLT doing more and sending staff home if numbers were low.

Rota of volunteers, with at least one teacher per day to lead. Anxious staff stayed at home, if they were teachers they were obviously dealing with home learning for their class.

This was primary.

On my school it was SLT snd TAs -teaching staff were teaching normal timetable remotely.

All teachers on long term supply at my school. Which I thought was pretty harsh. Permanent staff didn't have to come in at all but long term supply in every single day.

It was TAs and support staff during term time for us and a few teachers and TAs I. The holidays. Teachers were live online teaching during term time.

Each day there were 2 teachers and 1 TA in school on a rota. It worked out at 1 day a week. When R,Y1 and Y6 came back in June everyone was back in although school was closed on Fridays for deep cleaning and only KW children could attend.

Both TAs and teachers at mine.

However if we lockdown again and the majority of staff haven't done section 44, they can go on the rota before I do! IMO!

@RuleWithAWoodenFoot

Rota system of teachers and TAs who are not BAME. Before June we didn't understand the increased risk to BAME staff (still don't).

After June when years N, R, 1 and 6 went back, again we kept most BAME staff at home providing remote learning for those year groups, but had support staff looking after the KW and V children in other year groups. I teach year 3 and 4, so was doing remote teaching for them the whole of term 6. I was sometimes in school, sometimes at home. I also did some cover of KW and V children in other year groups as I was in their bubble by that point.

I think this time it'll have to be support staff, although currently it looks as though they are the guys most likely to be invoking section 44. I don't envy heads right now.

That is ridiculous! Why are BAME staff protected more 🙄 joke !!!

We had a rota of teachers and TAs. SMSAs still came in to do lunches. It was so lovely having small classes. Ah for the halcyon days of 2020.

In my primary it was teachers. Shielding or vulnerable teachers set the home learning. Each bubble had one member of support staff also to help and ensure someone could escort children to the bathroom etc