The Forty Seventh Republic! Happy Valentines and get some half term rest

[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

It looks like exam boards are trying to offload all responsibility and accountability onto schools. They get to avoid appeals etc by dumping everything on teachers.

Sorry meant to add that hopefully ofqual sees that and resists them doing that.

It's such a tough one, in theory exam boards have no role this year and definitely don't need all the funding for markers etc unless they use those people as moderators. I don't see how they can let schools grade yet put the accountability on the exam boards unless there is some sort of external verification/assessment. I'm hoping for some sort of payment/time for teachers to do this grading. It won't be quick and easy that's for sure.

@TableSetting

Head of OFQUAL on Radio 5 now in case anyone wants to listen.

Missed it - what was said?

@HercwasanEnemyofEducation

Start of Feb 22nd week for announcement from ofqual.

Ffs tell us now so we have time to plan!

I'm hoping for some sort of payment/time for teachers to do this grading. It won't be quick and easy that's for sure
Do you remember the days when we got paid for doing GCSE standardising in school? We had a big book of scripts to mark and then someone went to a meeting and got told the right marks. And got paid about a fiver!

Is it normal for teenage boys to just thoughtlessly break or destroy things? I almost started a thread but imagined us4them types jumping all over it and somehow casting aspersions on my teaching based on having a non perfect teenager.

@RuleWithAWoodenFoot

Is he the one in that sillyRebel Wilson film about chickflicks? Maybe Isn't it Romantic?

His brother is married to Miley Cyrus?

His brother (of Hunger Games fame) is now divorced from Miley Cyrus, so my teenager tells me.

There is a third Hemsworth brother who looks tiny next to his brothers-I think he is about 5 11 though!!

Good news! You’re back to being fangirls! ❤️❤️❤️

I have to admit, when watching Avengers/Thor, I preferred Tom Hiddleston to Chris Hemsworth.

Someone is going to have to moderate exam results between schools - the threat of the algorithm kept them in check last year but even then teacher assessment was generous. How that can be set up and done in a short period of time is beyond me. But then I guess schools can set up Oak Academy over the Easter holidays, mass covid testing centres at the drop of a hat and so on. We’re far more effective than other sectors!

Honey, quite possibly, IME.

Oh my I hadn't realised Gale was a Hemsworth 💖

And we're all Katniss, after all, aren't we?!!!!!

Popping in to avoid my essay and I too have no idea who this Chris person is. However I have just started watching Bridgerton and I can thoroughly recommend that 😈

Hope you're all having a good break, the job I saw turned out not for NQTs. Are all job descriptions / person specs the same? Want to start writing notes against some headings whilst I have a bit of time to think.

Are all job descriptions / person specs the same? Want to start writing notes against some headings whilst I have a bit of time to think.
Not identical but they'll all want similar things - flexible, dedicated, outstanding, doesn't use chairs...

The Hemsworths!

I do like Tom Hiddleston as well though

Are all job descriptions / person specs the same?

Yep. And everyone wants an enthusiastic, dynamic and passionate teacher but would actually be perfectly happy with someone merely competent. But you can't say that.

@MrsHamlet

Are all job descriptions / person specs the same? Want to start writing notes against some headings whilst I have a bit of time to think. Not identical but they'll all want similar things - flexible, dedicated, outstanding, doesn't use chairs...

Cheap!

@MrsHamlet

Are all job descriptions / person specs the same? Want to start writing notes against some headings whilst I have a bit of time to think. Not identical but they'll all want similar things - flexible, dedicated, outstanding, doesn't use chairs...

That cheered me up

I've heard of classrooms where there isn't a teacher chair. Now I know why.

@noblegiraffe

I've heard of classrooms where there isn't a teacher chair. Now I know why.

There was a phase in some new builds not to have a teacher desk at all. There was a cabinet to put your laptop on so that you could connect it to the IWB but that was it.

Could we write him a group letter showing all the times we've posted Katniss pics??

Please?

Well I'll definitely be cheap. Some days I am vaguely competent and some days Fridays when there's the promise of gin at 5pm I'm even a little enthusiastic😆

I'm going to have trouble with the whole wider school thing as there have been no clubs/ fetes / meeting parents etc etc. And i have no discernable talent to offer. I've helped run a homework club in previous school though so could do that kind of thing?

We didn’t have teacher desks or chairs in my first school when I first started teaching (97) as they were considered by the head (who didn’t have a class) unnecessary and we could all sit at the children’s tables to plan and mark. It was a nightmare and gave me terrible back problems. Sitting at KS1/EYFS tables and chairs for extended periods really isn’t good for you and I’m short.

Votes for chairs.

Votes for chairs.

Vaccines for summer schools.

Some sort of bribery?

I’m glad we are talking about fancying fit actors again, rather than back in the terrible dark days over Christmas where it was Gav or Gove

There was an excellent twitter thread re desks. I'd never move to a school without a teacher desk and chair, what other professionals are required to work on a filing cabinet?

Oh appu I'm about to eat my lunch!!!