The Forty Sixth Republic - online learning has killed the 'snow day'

[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

The local authority I work for have shared the zoom meeting they had for headteachers of schools in North Wales concerning the return to school of foundation phase pupils on the 22nd.

The minister had said it would be a phased and flexbile return so I was expecting some talk about rotas or who would come back first, followed by who else, but it basically sounded like it was all ks1 pupils back all together. Which I'm surprised about.

Main message: school is safe. Pupils can spread it as much as anyone else, but the youngest don't seem to and it's teachers passing it to teachers that's the problem.
We are to keep bubbles exclusive (so that precludes people covering ppa!)
And may have to wear masks in communal areas when it's adults coming into contact with other adults.

@MrsHamlet

I see you choc giving away rewards with casual disregard for Ptolemy's feelings.

How about if I promise Ptolemy the lead role in the non-existent end of year production?

Well that completely ignores the data on how often the child is the person who brings it into the household and passes it onto family.

Wasn't Ptolemy getting it anyway? Don't you know I'm in the PTA?

Oh drmad that doesn't sound good at all.....

for you or for us... or for the UK population in general.

"Main message: school is safe. Pupils can spread it as much as anyone else, but the youngest don't seem to and it's teachers passing it to teachers that's the problem."

Oh God. We're all fucked, aren't we?

Those trousers look good.

I was thinking this, then I read that they’re just moving the weeks to next year, so could try to get around it that way. It wouldn’t help people that are leaving though!

What difference would moving the weeks around make? It doesn’t matter how you shuffle it the number of weeks in a child’s school life will still be the same.

@MrsHamlet

Wasn't Ptolemy getting it anyway? Don't you know I'm in the PTA?

There may be an opening for a Secretary of State for Education coming up soon - would Ptolemy be interested in that?

Hmmmm-increasing learning time, huh?

By decreasing holidays? Despite a few vocal supporters, that doesn’t actually seem particularly popular with that many parents and they’d still want the option to go on holiday if they can and would only want it to be voluntary (for kids).

By increasing the school day? Popular with some working parents who might save money on childcare. I’d hope most people can see that keeping kids working for another hour or two at the end of the day, isn’t going to be great for their mental health or ability to learn ‘more’. Behaviour would be terrible. It would stuff any sort of athletics/brownies/Cubs/music lessons/swimming etc type clubs as well.

Scrapping foundation subjects to focus just on maths/English? Even KeVan seems to see the merits of music/sport/drama, so that seems unlikely? Unless he intends to get schools to do maths/English/humanities/science from 8.30-3.30, and then we teach PE/music/art till 6?! Would be a nightmare to timetable in secondary!

Wonder if he’ll actually be talking to any state school teachers or heads-or will Gav just add him to the ‘exec heads’ WhatsApp group to see what they have in mind!!?

Ptolemy is a shoe-in. He'll reform the exam system and they'll all do Hamlets - I'll get the contract and swan off into the sunset with my squillions.

@MrsHamlet

Ptolemy is a shoe-in. He'll reform the exam system and they'll all do Hamlets - I'll get the contract and swan off into the sunset with my squillions.

Any chance of some glue sticks out of the next fundraising then?

It was very snowy here today but our school stayed open because clearly the children who are in need to be in because key workers etc.

We had 50% attendance.

No. Bloody teachers with their bloody unrealistic demands. Chunter chunter.

Slightly worrying YouGov poll today that showed 62% of people in favour of extending the school year...

We are at just under 50% at the moment and HT has agreed to more after half term. Excluding the vulnerable from the equation, very few of them have both parents working as KW. Some of the 'KW' occupations are absolutely laughable, and many genuinely working in KW roles are actually home based. I know I grumble about this a lot, but I'm still fuming.

I saw that one piggy. I don't know if it's parents or everyone who got that poll. I think a lot of people who aren't parents don't have any idea what's going on in school during lockdown. Lots of people think schools are closed so teachers aren't doing anything, which would mean they can't see a problem with extending the year.

Bit late to pointing this out but Kevan is a bona fide Welsh name...

Don't know why I wrote Welsh when I meant Irish...

Kevin is in fact not a real name ; it's an anglicisation.

Great, now Kevan has made me feel bad.

Kevan is the worst.

I've just looked up his career and he's worked in Tower Hamlets and stuff. Why is he asking for more time instead of more investment?

Because he was New Labour.

Then he went abroad to foreign climes.

Where no one made fun of his name...

They did call him Sir Collins though, in an article I found.

awesome if you have the app you get questions everyday so it's random. But probably not very representative.

Those trousers do look good.

I also like the way they have “styled” them “with a jumper”, according to the website.

I didn't buy those ones in the end but four other pairs that were all in the sale at £10 or less. All fit nicely and look like they'll wash well. Haven't tried my granny knickers yet.

I bought some jumpers from seasalt today. Very exciting.