The Thirty-ninth Republic - Covid Carnage continues and spring term is just about to start

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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

@Evvyjb

Just found out a colleague has died from Covid over xmas.

Shit.

I'm so sorry to hear this.

I hope you are ok.

@minisoksmakehardwork

U4T are now trying to get together small groups to home educate in private homes. When will they see that this is exactly the sort of thing which puts us in the situation we are now all in.

To some extent, I want to say, let them get on with it, but obviously it affects the wider community.

It's probably still less risky than schools being open, though?

[quote noblegiraffe]Scotland going into strict lockdown from midnight, apparently. Essential shops and travel only. twitter.com/kieranpandrews/status/1346084305450242051?s=21[/quote]
I seriously want to move to Scotland.

Meanwhile, Boris thinks about closing secondary schools later in the month. But primaries are fine.

@Evvyjb I am so sorry to hear this

evvyjb I'm so sorry. That's awful for your colleague, and your school as a whole.

@Evvyjb I am so so sorry. Take care

Altho I don't work Mondays have heard from my boss what's happening at our place:

30 KW/V expected in (inc several Y12s!), only about 20 arrived (1500 students). Spread out into library and 2 classrooms, all at least 2 m apart.
Not a mention of testing yet, hooray.
No wraparound at least this week, double hooray!

Boss and I are going to share supervising library this week so neither of us has to be in every day and can keep an eye on our own DC.

Saw last night a press prediction that Boris will hold off announcing lockdown til Wed as they will then have the "full data" re effects of Christmas, but he'll be able to act before Parliament returns on Thursday so won't be asked too many awkward questions.

All the news nationally makes it sound like a very few, isolated primary schools have not opened when they should have today, whereas I get the impression from local news sources, MN and PUAUS it's more like 20-50%! Plus all the LAs who've closed/supported closure/said they won't fine parents who chose not to send DC in.

The vast spectrum of approaches to testing which is emerging shows just why things can't be left up to individual schools - although obviously if the govt's insane and you've got a sensible head, it's a good thing!

@Evvyjb I'm so sorry to hear that

@JanuaryChill

Altho I don't work Mondays have heard from my boss what's happening at our place:

30 KW/V expected in (inc several Y12s!), only about 20 arrived (1500 students). Spread out into library and 2 classrooms, all at least 2 m apart.
Not a mention of testing yet, hooray.
No wraparound at least this week, double hooray!

Boss and I are going to share supervising library this week so neither of us has to be in every day and can keep an eye on our own DC.

Saw last night a press prediction that Boris will hold off announcing lockdown til Wed as they will then have the "full data" re effects of Christmas, but he'll be able to act before Parliament returns on Thursday so won't be asked too many awkward questions.

All the news nationally makes it sound like a very few, isolated primary schools have not opened when they should have today, whereas I get the impression from local news sources, MN and PUAUS it's more like 20-50%! Plus all the LAs who've closed/supported closure/said they won't fine parents who chose not to send DC in.

The vast spectrum of approaches to testing which is emerging shows just why things can't be left up to individual schools - although obviously if the govt's insane and you've got a sensible head, it's a good thing!

I think a lot of schools had Inset day planned for today.

We will get a clearer picture tomorrow of how many have had to close for students.

I think a lot of staff will have done like me - gone in today to listen to the Head - but he hasn't found a solution to any of my concerns so I will be sending my letter in tonight.

I feel like a LOT of schools have insets today, which might be skewing the figures?

I might be making that up though, but either people haven't sent their letters yet or the school haven't had to make a decision because of INSET. But I don't know?

I am in. Inset. I am struggling. Our slt have really got to grips with RAs and enforcing them as time has gone on. They couldn't be doing more with the resources and guidance they have. Only a few staff are NEU and we are tier 3. Cases are lower than November here.

I just feel physically sick. I am worried and anxious.

@Evvyjb sorry to hear that.

Well done to all who are handing in letters - I think more have than perhaps we first thought, or will be after INSET today.

Being in a room of 30 people, even though we have good ventilation, is inherently risky during a pandemic.

We have split the house at home. Ds and me separate from older DH. He is hoping secondaries close before he has to go back. Not sure he will go back to full classes if asked.

Remember when the biggest worry was Ofsted? The good old days!

@evvyjb very sorry to hear that.

Yes INSET days mean true pic not clear yet. Our local secondary isn't due back until Wednesday.

Fb friend says Scotland likely to announce lockdown today inc schools closing and much stricter rules.

Was really surprised to see how PUAUS parents appear not to understand that the NHS is perfectly "within its rights" to inform someone's DM that her 75 yr old husband wouldn't be put on a ventilator if he deteriorated in hospital. The outrage!

Do people not understand, this is what "Protect the NHS" actually means? (Plus that his general condition might mean he couldn't survive ventilation anyway of course)

Whatever Boris announces over the next few days, please, please can he spell out the situation in hospitals and what that might well mean for your/ yr loved ones' treatment in two weeks' time?

Oh @Evvyjb that's awful.

Quick Q - someone mentioned good ks2 online maths resources a few threads back. One was numeracy ninjas. Can anyone remember what the others were? I'm looking for easy starter questions for U KS2.

Ok, so, in the summer, we had one or two teachers in per day to supervise 20 or so kids.

We now have about 30 in, and I accept we don't want bubbles mixing, but they want 12 staff in for the full day each day.

@Evvyjb that is horrendous, so sorry.

@Evvyjb
So sorry to hear that

Next week, those 12 staff are in addition to anyone teaching Y11/12/13

Although SLT seem to be operating under the assumption they won't be coming in to school- which is, um, interesting.

@Evvyjb

Just found out a colleague has died from Covid over xmas.

Shit.

That is appalling so sorry.

Oh my gosh @Evvyjb, I'm so very sorry.

Scotland to enter full lockdown.

Bojo has misgivings?

Ffs so many staff clearly had it at our place, one close to death.

we did have some terrible safeguarding issues. At the same time the only thing that got us out of that first wave was closing all schools. The staff definitely had it. Kids and staff were ill. They have been since too. Not as many but community rates were not as bad last term as the first wave.

This wave is looking like the first.

Scotland is about a month behind London, we are back in a March style lockdown. All schools closed across Scotland until February and possibly longer.