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

Thanks for the thread staff

MrsH that sounds like a care visit for mental health needs to me. You sound like a lovely friend, and I would do the same if I was worried about one of my friends (who am I kidding, who has time for friends?)

I had a lovely video call with the hlta who works with a small group of my lovelies today. We're going to do a joint live lesson with them tomorrow and really not worry about how much maths we get through, just chat to them, play some bingo and let them tell us about how things are going at home. We only do one live lesson a week with each group, and we don't get huge numbers, so I think letting it be a bit more social might encourage more of them to join in next week. It did my mental health good to see and speak to a colleague to be honest.
I'm also doing a live catch up with my form tomorrow morning and they are so excited. We haven't seen each other during lockdown and they keep chatting about it in our team. I really think it's going to be good for them just to see each other on a screen and be able to share what they're getting up to. No lesson, I won't be telling them what they should be doing, I just miss them and want to know how they are (I do have a quiz ready just in case they are too shy to talk to me).

I thought I'd get lots of chat from pupils just wanting to talk, I'm having to drag anything out of them! They will post in chat more than actually use their voices. Complete change from in school!
My primary aged dc is desperate to get to speak to his teacher when they are live, on the other hand.

I have some links for mental health resources to share with my form tomorrow. Will dig them out and post later.

I agree with everyone else Mrs H.

Think it is a good move socially and politically on the part of NEU too.

Phone call to DS was very short tonight-he just keeps saying 'no home Sunday' and then hanging up after we say 'soon darling. Silly virus'. God we miss him.

@WhenSheWasBad

NEU partnering with DMirror and Viking to get essential paper etc to deprived primary pupils

Quite a few of the kids I’m teaching online say they have no paper. Secondary though.

We've got village shops acting as resource hubs, handing out exercise books and stationery to any pupil from our school who need them. I suspect there are quite a few primary kids who are accessing our resources through the shops as well, but we're happy for that to happen if it needs to. This is regularly advertised on our FB page, along with reminders to keep in touch with school if there is anything we can possibly help with. I think that's one thing we've really got right, making sure we are giving as much practical help as we can to our most disadvantaged pupils.

@Monkeytennis97 it must be so hard for you. Sending very unmumsnetty hugs and

@namechangedyetagain thank you x

Monkey

I’m sure we will see lots of posts about the NEU’s “virtue signalling” elsewhere on here. Whenever I see such a comment, I’m going to treat myself to a chocolate biscuit. I’m looking forward to it.

@MsAwesomeDragon think you asked about whiteboard.fi and Teams. Yes they can have both open at the same time. Mine do come back to teams to use chat or ask me questions. I don’t know if using a phone - they would have to switch between the two but then anything on a phone is not ideal so probs would be ok?

@Monkeytennis97

'soon darling. Silly virus'. God we miss him.
Bloody hell monkey. I'm known for my concrete heart but that's broken me. It's all just shit.

Hello - thanks for new thread.

Is it too late at night to make a cake? I really fancy cake and somehow I'm convinced there are less calories if you make it yourself yet nearly 8pm seems a bit late in the day for baking.

Answers on the back of an sae please.

I missed bojo and the neu 'big announcement' - from the lack of commentary on here I'm guessing I didn't miss much.

Oh and flights are back on - I just had to change dates - crossing everything it's just a case of cutting down the number of weekly flights and now I've switched to another day it will be ok.

Nope. Make the cake :)

Only if you promise to share HoneyBadger

I really want cake now. Luckily I have chocolate digestives as a reasonable substitute.

You're the boss, boss. It'll be a coffee cake if you fancy a slice

Thanks everyone x It really is shit. @TheHoneyBadger save me a big slice!😊

HoneyBadger have a chocolate digestive whilst we're waiting

I would love to understand the link between lockdown and baking. Every time without fail you can't buy flour in my village. I manage to get 2 bags of self raising in my tesco delivery today so I'm a rich woman.

HoneyBadger do NOT admit that to anyone IRL

4 days ago Drakeford was saying that it was going to be very unlikely that every year and every class/pupil will be back after half term. Today Kirsty was talking again about the youngest (foundation/ks1) pupils maybe returning first with exam years as they can't learn online easily.

But the press is still making me rather nervous in terms of them seeming to thing that low cases means schools open without waiting for the pressure on hospitals to ease first too, even a bit.

I'm always torn between feeling less safe, but at least being able to just teach properly when they are all back in school....and this weirdness that feels safer but is not easy in terms of teaching at all.

@starrynight19

Still no sign of our lateral flow tests for staff in school yet

Ours have arrived today so testing is beginning to role out this week.

I wonder if the NEU got so many new members they had a financial boost?

Yes, hopefully I haven't outed myself on this thread or I might get burgled for my flour.

Cake is in oven, icing is made waiting, calories circa 1 billion per slice so I'd best share though ds will demolish it if I don't lay down the law.

Was the neu announcement just a virtue signalling of giving paper to kids then? That was their 'big' announcement? Don't be spending subs on legal action or paying independent data analysts spend it on stationary for kids that the government should be paying for? If it's meant to be a pr attempt I'm not convinced it's a worthy one.