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

[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

I found you!! I thought you'd all gone uncharacteristically quiet, and only just realised we've moved to a new thread 🤦

I'm planning like mad today, for lessons to be emailed out first thing tomorrow. It's taking far longer than I would normally spend on in person lessons.

The nasuwt letter is shit and it also COMPLETELY ignores the fact that primary staff have been yold not to wear masks and simply asks us to ask for our risk assessment and make sure we wear masks. They're shite.

I went with them because the only other two union members in school are with them. I wish I hadn't now as it's too late to change and be supported now.

We have 6 nqt and rqt and none of them are in a union. It's just me and two other teachers. Some support staff are with UNISON. 17 teachers and only 3 unionised is shit. I think it's because they're all so young. It literally is just the three oldest that are.

Fogger. Not finger.

Lots of reports on Fb PUAUS page and here about primary schools contacting parents to say they can't open tomorrow because they do not have enough staff.

Wonder what percentage of schools will actually open tomorrow (presuming no U turn announcement).

@JanuaryChill

Lots of reports on Fb PUAUS page and here about primary schools contacting parents to say they can't open tomorrow because they do not have enough staff.

Wonder what percentage of schools will actually open tomorrow (presuming no U turn announcement).

Yes, I want to know this.

I also want the attendance data on the last week of term.

Will they ever release either??

January I'm really glad you saw that poster and got help. Those sure start centres were an absolute godsend for so many women, whether we were the target demographic or not.

I was the target demographic when I went with dd1, as I was a young single parent, in fact I qualified for extra specialised support for "young mums" and had parenting classes, etc. I wasn't quite the target demographic when I went along with dd2, but I still found them very helpful, and I am sure some of the women I met there were grateful for the rest of us listening when the complained about their lives/husbands/boyfriends. It was like a real life MN, being able to speak frankly I'm the company of only women.

I feel relieved I'm secondary at the moment - currently we have to go in tomorrow which does seem a bit ridiculous with the government telling people to WFH if they can, but I could hardly claim it is unsafe. Without the children in it is easy to socially distance, we could probably have a room each if we wanted to. All our meetings are online so no concerns there, although could definitely join those from home...

I'm in the NASUWT and they have been very good at supporting me in the past so don't want to change really. I'd say the majority of my colleagues are NEU though (including quite a few support staff).

I was just coming to post the NASUWT email. I think they are being utterly spineless.

@SquashedFlyBiscuits

Feeling sick. The NEU members at my school are all chatting. I really wish we didn't have this decision to make. Tomorrow is an INSET. I'm really, really hoping that the decision gets taken out of our hands. We are still in tier 3 though so that is unlikely. No word from slt so no idea what they are thinking.

Exactly the same here @SquashedFlyBiscuits only word from school is that we are expected in tomorrow but inset via zoom.

It’s not too late to change @phlebasconsidered.
If you go to sign up with NEU today it says they will support you on COVID related action.

phleb I'm amazed that you've got so many teachers who aren't in a union. I don't know any teachers who haven't always been in a union, and all student teachers and nqts are advised by their mentors in our school to join one before they step foot in a classroom. I've never needed to speak to them before, but I've never needed insurance before either and I still make damn sure I've got some for the "just in case" factor.

Flags I'm pretty relieved to be secondary as well. I am not even allowed into the school building this week, so that's definitely safe. I feel for the primary school staff, it must be so scary to be expected in as normal in all this chaos. Dd's school emailed this morning to say the council are meeting today to decide on school openings, they'll let us know what the plans are as soon as they know. I'm pretty hopeful that they'll decide primary schools aren't opening as planned, and only kw and vulnerable children should be in school. Dd would be thrilled with that decision, but not quite so thrilled when I make her do some school work at home.

@phlebasconsidered it's not too late to switch for support on Covid is it?

Hmmm is this someone talking nonsense on my union Facebook page?

There will be an announcement either today or tomorrow lunchtime about primary schools closing. As they ( government)have / are currently in a meeting.

I’ve just realised why posters are always going on about poor supermarket workers in unsafe conditions.

It’s because they personally feel unsafe in the supermarket. People not wearing masks or noses out. People not social distancing properly. Just so many people in general. Those poor supermarket workers being in those conditions all day.

Whereas I actually feel pretty safe in a supermarket in comparison to a school corridor. But those posters will never be in a school corridor.

You’re right nobel supermarkets feel really safe compared to schools.

Looks like primaries are going back as normal. Stupid decision, it’s just going to overwhelm the NHS.

I've had that email too Noble. I found it interesting that they portrayed it as refusing to go to work rather than emphasising you would still be working but from home. I also found it interesting that one paragraph seems to be entirely about how a union would look rather than workers or safety.

I'm curious as to the gulf between what they are saying and what NEU are saying. I would like to understand what came up in their talks and where they diverged on the interpretation of the legal advice that was sought and given.

Another case of feeling like we're likely missing a key bit of information.

Just had a message from Head to say school definitely opening tomorrow. Director Of Public Health has left it up to schools to decide whether to open or not. I cannot roll my eyes enough at the unwillingness of people paid to do a particular job so spectacularly unwilling to actually look past the cushy pension and do their job

@JanuaryChill I'm so glad you saw that poster. I saw a different incarnation of it (love heart sweets with subtle abusive messages on them) after I'd left my ex and had a full on meltdown. At least it stopped me blaming myself for it all going wrong! (and I also considered myself too middle class for all that!)

So in fact, that the last sentence above makes no sense

I’m going to read my new books. Powerlessness is making me anxious and I’m not wasting my last afternoon before the Covid shitshow starts again doomscrolling on the boards here.

Can anyone find the Twitter post that predicted early release of data at 3pm? Because that has happened.

That was the one that said schools closed by 6pm.

@Piggywaspushed

Can anyone find the Twitter post that predicted early release of data at 3pm? Because that has happened.

That was the one that said schools closed by 6pm.

Broom cupboard under a mop and the last of the Milk Tray.

😮 piggy

Here

See Keir whats a lockdown.

Sorry for the spam

The government must impose a national lockdown within 24 hours, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said.
Sir Keir said the virus is "clearly out of control" and national restrictions have to be "the first step".
He said: "It's no good the prime minister hinting that further restrictions are coming into place in a week or two or three. That delay has been the source of so many problems.