The Forty Fourth Republic - primaries sort of in, secondaries out, Gormless Gav says two weeks notice

[Staffdontblowitnow]

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 resent being put in a risky situation. When I went in last time I was with year 10 and a member of slt was moving kids into my room who, without masks on, were walking right by me shouting and arguing with said slt member.

Cheers for that!

what have you been doing for the last 10 months whilst we have been working our backsides off?

Oh wow. That's unfortunate. He was in a coma. I do hope he's taking it easy given his lingering health issues.

In my head there are two Michael Rosens. The poet and author that my kids absolutely adore and who was one of the best live performers I've ever seen.

And then twitter Michael Rosen who I often find quite irritating (sorry piggy )

Honey (and anyone else) do your KWV kids wear masks when seated now or not?

Isn't everyone irritating on Twitter?

Apart from maybe Simon Smith and, these days, Tom Sherrington?

No.

No nor when moving. Seriously the slt member was letting them stand right by my desk shouting at him without a mask one whilst he was moving them. I have emailed and said I didn't feel very safe and asked whether the year 11s will be split over two rooms - unsurprisingly I've had no reply.

I'm considering forwarding the email to all of slt and politely asking for a response. I'd asked in it whether we should still be able to expect to be able to maintain distance in classrooms as we when school was fully open because it seemed like I had less protection than previously.

My BF, a headteacher, is in hospital with Covid. She really can only have caught it from school.

No, our KWV children are not wearing masks except in corridors (as before). A few do wear them when seated by choice, but not many. I insist if they get up to the photocopier or similar but not all staff do.

Oh Carrie. How awful.

Seems a reasonably question honey.

I'm surprised our place hasn't done a new risk assessment for this situation, or a summary thing or something. Has anyone's?

@CarrieBlue

My BF, a headteacher, is in hospital with Covid. She really can only have caught it from school.

I hope she will recover soon, Carrie.

No, no new risk assessments or policies. Which is weird since this is the first lockdown with schools "closed" since July.

Hope she's OK, CarrieBlue. 💐

Sorry to hear that, Carrie, hopefully she will make a fast recovery

I’m trying to be encouraged that there’s a bed for her and she’s only on oxygen and drugs, not itu and a ventilator.

I might be being arsey, but when I read that I thought - so social workers are avoiding contact with 18-26 families, while teachers are expected to have much more contact and without masks - and social workers are hoping schools go back as soon as possible so some physical contact is made? Wtf?! Maybe they need to be actually doing some house calls - with appropriate PPE obvs.

Social workers were refusing to come into school last term, because it was "too dangerous"- but fine for teachers and vulnerable kids, apparently.

It feels very much like some social workers want schools to do their jobs for them.

I do think there is an issue where some teens are left in inadequate homes, with the school helping to meet their needs (e.g. providing uniform, washing facilities, food, washing clothes and so on) and lockdown has now highlighted this issue.

@JanuaryChill

Honey (and anyone else) do your KWV kids wear masks when seated now or not?

No. We are using the same rules as last half term, so masks in communal areas unless eating, and masks in the corridors. Students don't wear masks when seated.

I wear my mask whenever I'm in with kids (I can eat elsewhere), but even this isn't compulsory.

Hopefully she’s well enough to be home soon.

Not a U.K. press conference January, one from home. Because of all the Tracing they are doing they can see not just the numbers but the chains of transmission. I think over half the cases are linked to school outbreaks. Either pupils or staff or parents/family members who have caught it from someone bringing it home from school. It does explain why they suddenly shut all the schools to everyone, including key worker/ vulnerable groups.

But it shows how this idea of schools being safe is absolute rubbish. I doubt there’s much difference between English schools with mitigation and ours with none.

Absolutely rafals. Why can people/parents/ the government in the UK not see that every other country in the world has actually done things to make schools safer, that it's a) possible and b) necessary??

Ours don't wear masks now.

@CarrieBlue

I’m trying to be encouraged that there’s a bed for her and she’s only on oxygen and drugs, not itu and a ventilator.

That does sound positive, Carrie. That’s was MiL was on (released yesterday) to recover and rest at home. Not sure what your friend’s trust will do but they released MiL immediately when she could cope off the oxygen despite still being obviously unwell

Ours aren't wearing them at all. It's a shit show really.

Have had an email response now (speak of the devil) and I've been switched to year 7 (no mention of safety concerns but that'll do me).

We have less year 7s than year 10 or 11 ffs.

Apologies - very sorry to hear about your friend Carrie - I got distracted between reading your post and posting.

Hopefully she's in the right place and will turn a corner soon.

@HerdyGerdy - thank you, I need some positive experiences to stop my wobbles. There are treatments now too aren’t there?

@CarrieBlue so sorry to hear this.
I've just had my first vaccine (cev). A humbling experience.

@TheHoneyBadger - thanks