The Forty Second Republic - Lockdown 3 online learning struggles continue

[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

Thanks boss!

Thank you

Checking in (with a firm grip on my chocolate biscuits)

Thanks Staff.

Looks like we have more keyworkers and vulnerable children in from next week. Had an interesting rota today with too many adults in for number of children really and masks to be worn everywhere other than classrooms (primary).

Thanks

42! When did we start this-was it during lockdown?! Feels like it has always been here!!

I feel completely stressed - wine, or Ben and Jerry's?

Thank you!

Didn't get much chance to catch up with the last thread- one of those weeks!

Apologies if this has already been linked amp.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/14/regulator-refuses-to-approve-mass-covid-testing-schools-in-england?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other&__twitter_impression=true

Basically, the medicines and healthcare regulator have refused to approve the use of lateral flow tests in schools due to risks of people who should be self isolating remaining in school, and therefore potentially spreading the virus.

I am glad they have refused to approve it. Obviously we will see what happens in the coming days but it does rather rain on Boris and Gavin's parade doesn't it.

I think us lot should run the country. We always seem to be at least a month ahead of them!

Thanks Staff.

EnemyofEducation. If we’re going to pilot a whole vaccine schedule on the entire population why not pilot a testing regime on every school in the country.

Not sure the government have really grasped the idea of pilot studies.

@PumpkinPie2016

Thank you!

Didn't get much chance to catch up with the last thread- one of those weeks!

Apologies if this has already been linked amp.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/14/regulator-refuses-to-approve-mass-covid-testing-schools-in-england?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other&__twitter_impression=true

Basically, the medicines and healthcare regulator have refused to approve the use of lateral flow tests in schools due to risks of people who should be self isolating remaining in school, and therefore potentially spreading the virus.

I am glad they have refused to approve it. Obviously we will see what happens in the coming days but it does rather rain on Boris and Gavin's parade doesn't it.

Boris can’t just ignore that, can he? Or tell PHE to say it’s fine and the LF tests can still be used to replace SI in schools??

@starrynight19, By the way, I'm so sorry.

Hello all. At least that's one week done.

Thanks for the new thread!

Hello!

Interesting article:

www.tes.com/news/busting-3-myths-about-superiority-exams

I am already terribly fearful for my workload this spring /summer:

www.tes.com/news/gcses-2021-teachers-mark-exam-board-questions

Here's a depressing one while I am procrastinating. Ironically should be planning a yr 8 lesson on breathing!

If we are focusing on vaccinating the over 80's who, in comparison, are not out and about in society that much, we are not actually breaking chains of transmission. Not for 1 second saying that the elderly should not be prioritised but my cold rational science brain is worried.

The virus is mutating quickly (as viruses tend to do). The current vaccines we have may be effective against current strains but there will be many more. If we are not focused on breaking transmission chains now we will end up with strains that the vaccines will not be effective against. It's the old evolutionary game of cat and mouse - us being the mouse obviously. I'm really worried that our vaccination 'plan' is too short term and doesn't take into account the long term action of a typical virus.

Sorry if that doesn't make sense - waaaay too much alcohol for this time of night . As you were.

Thanks for restarting. I managed a whole day today without ending up with a headache from constant screen staring! Combination of actually wearing my glasses all day, remembering to drink water and having a break at lunchtime (not to eat lunch mind, to locate the cat who had gone AWOL, in rather close proximity to next door’s swimming pool....).

Does the lack of approval for testing replacing isolation mean anything though? Will Gav just order schools to do it anyway?

We were discussing it in the Broom Cupboard...

No, don't think Boris can illegally and illicitly ignore the MHRA. (Like my alliteration there, Eng bods?)

The herd immunity in the young thing, there was something put up on PUAUS' page yesterday about that, someone kind of confirmed it in a Commons committee - 2nd article down in the ones listed after this article, which is also v well written:

bylinetimes.com/2021/01/06/how-did-the-government-get-it-so-recklessly-wrong-on-covid-19-children-and-schools/?fbclid=IwAR2wcn4XUbBemts7lfSAE9I4PuuwoEe8rSNBofneNT7YQ_nH1X4WZT3c-es

What is the Byline Times? They seem to know their stuff.... I think that's why I didn't post the "herd immunity" article yesterday, simply because I wasn't sure about the source. Off to investigate (and not wash up....)

I imagine the government could find itself I n very hot water if it ran a testing system without regulatory approval. On children. Court action etc.

About the Byline Times - a truly independent newspaper, seemingly:

www.transparencyproject.org.uk/byline-times-a-new-approach-to-journalism/

Am tempted to subscribe as they seem to know their stuff about schools!

Why has the MRHA only come out with this this week? Does anyone know?

I hope so. Using the tests to weed out asymptomatic cases and isolate them I agree with in principle. Replacing isolation was always a stupidly risky idea, conceived solely to make the DfE attendance figures look better

Don't know piggy but the fact that the government have repackaged the tests and put their own branding on them, changing the instructions which say they can only be used by professionals could just be part of the story:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9127345/UK-coronavirus-Department-Health-rebranding-professional-use-kit-self-test.html

Literally finished marking 20 minutes ago and checking in before bed. It’ll be the weekend before I get to properly catch up at this rate!
Night all