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 work in a dept where things are rarely shared, and when they are, they're often crap. I have one colleague who produces stuff that I'd use (but I have to remove the clip art)
But I do like to help others out - I used to give loads of stuff to Teachit when it was just English and run by real teachers. There's no point in reinventing the wheel, and having done the Teams guide for our staff, it's a no brainer to share.

No one in real life has ever mentioned Oak Academy to me - I would have no idea it existed if it wasn’t for here. That’s just one thing I’ve learnt here which really should be coming from school

Just had an email to say dd's school is closed. They will be remote learning for 2 weeks, starting Tuesday.

I'm watching channel 4 and there's one of those get into teaching ads. Hilariously it's the one with the hipster acting out being a gas - they're all far too close together!

Just got an email from ds2’s primary that they’re unable to open due to staffing levels.

I really didn’t want to send him in as our rates here are rising ridiculously quickly (East of England) so I’m incredibly thankful to his teachers for sending in their section 44s.

I do know however that I’m in the massively privileged position of having a wfh dh, so no childcare issues. Although I will be bloody exhausted keeping an eye on both kids online learning as well as doing my own live & prerecorded lessons, it’s worth it right now.

At the moment, it looks like our plan (secondary) is for us to be in school teaching our live lessons from our classrooms until they’re all back in on the 18th. Given the state of my WiFi that’s probably for the best!

@MrsHamlet

I'm watching channel 4 and there's one of those get into teaching ads. Hilariously it's the one with the hipster acting out being a gas - they're all far too close together!

And their staff room was open!!

@MrsHamlet yes thank you again for the guide. We will be going through it in this house tomorrow. Have tried to keep off MN today as I'm feeling very anxious about the TB and general fear about everything to do with schools. Chatted with Dmum earlier (mistake!) and she said "well it's a good job nurses and doctors aren't doing what you lot are doing"😢

Wow, monkey - as one of "us lot" I reckon we're all doing the best we can, so...

I can't talk to people outside here about school stuff because they just don't understand.

I'm gearing myself up to go in for INSET tomorrow. Fortunately part-time so only one day up close with the kids this week. I'm trying to work out how to stay away from the kids I support (and the others) when we're in their classroom. Got to choose which mask I'm going to wear so the children with hearing problems aren't too disadvantaged.

Really wish my school was closed.

just caught up - I had to have a few hours away from news / mumsnet / social media for my own sanity this afternoon so made a last minute decision to paint the bathroom as a way to avoid everything that is going on

I still have tomorrow and Tuesday off as holiday (although have a huge to do list to work my way through ready for my lessons) and then back in on Wednesday for inset via teams. Virtual teaching then resumes on Thursday.

Would love to be a fly on the wall in Gavs house right now

So I've just had a call from the local takeaway to say that the delivery man that brought my food tonight was supposed to be isolating at home due to being a close contact of a positive case. Apparently, someone reported him and the police had to come to stop him working to make sure he goes home to isolate. I can't believe how irresponsible people can be!

Thought I'd dechristmasify and show my true colours. Inspired by previous discussion, thought a bit of alliteration wouldn't go amiss.

In person inset tomorrow

@Iamnotthe1

So I've just had a call from the local takeaway to say that the delivery man that brought my food tonight was supposed to be isolating at home due to being a close contact of a positive case. Apparently, someone reported him and the police had to come to stop him working to make sure he goes home to isolate. I can't believe how irresponsible people can be!

Presumably he can just do a few lateral flow tests and keep going... oh hang on... that only applies to us.

@rainingcats

just caught up - I had to have a few hours away from news / mumsnet / social media for my own sanity this afternoon so made a last minute decision to paint the bathroom as a way to avoid everything that is going on

I still have tomorrow and Tuesday off as holiday (although have a huge to do list to work my way through ready for my lessons) and then back in on Wednesday for inset via teams. Virtual teaching then resumes on Thursday.

Would love to be a fly on the wall in Gavs house right now

I honestly don’t think Gav’s noticed!

@MrsHamlet

I'll ring them back and suggest that - I can imagine the response I'll get.

But doesn't that just highlight the differences. The guy at the pizza place was really shocked and apologetic about the driver whereas we'll be doing that as a matter of course from now.

Latest from our local comp on testing. This is utter bollocks, right?

"The Government has shared information with us from Oxford University and Public Health England, which have indicated the tests are as accurate in identifying a case as a ‘PCR test’ (99.68% specificity). The tests have lower sensitivity but are considered better at picking up cases when a person has higher viral load, hence the need to test frequently. Testing will be offered free of charge"

Have taken pleasure in reporting (and getting deleted) a post on another thread asking for people to go and sign U4T's petition!

It's truly shocking isn't it. So Kevin tests positive on lateral flow and goes home, but Kevin's BFF who has been sleeping over all holidays comes in regardless... no police involved. Bonkers.

@CallmeAngelina

Have taken pleasure in reporting (and getting deleted) a post on another thread asking for people to go and sign U4T's petition!

I have been reporting people all afternoon. It’s actually quite therapeutic when they are deleted!

www.itv.com/news/2021-01-03/robert-peston-covid-the-statistics-that-make-school-closures-almost-inevitable

Yes no one claims they're as accurate as a PCR test - otherwise why would you have to have one of those to confirm.

I suspect this is Heads or whoever just not understanding rather than wilfully misleading, which of course is another problem with this mad system

Appuskidu

I have been amazed at how many posts that have been deleted.
It is nice to see MN doing something about some of the vitriol.

Reporting posters is soothing. It's like summoning SLT to deal with Nathan. Often more effective too.

I have sent my letter in feeling relieved. Not sure what happens next.

@oddsbodkins

Latest from our local comp on testing. This is utter bollocks, right?

"The Government has shared information with us from Oxford University and Public Health England, which have indicated the tests are as accurate in identifying a case as a ‘PCR test’ (99.68% specificity). The tests have lower sensitivity but are considered better at picking up cases when a person has higher viral load, hence the need to test frequently. Testing will be offered free of charge"

Didn't someone on here say that's what heads have been told to say by DfE?