The Forty - Eight Republic - countdown for DfE media agency to wake up

[StaffRepFeistyClub]

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

So much for Boris following the science, eh Smile!

Indeed, Chloe - if this is true then Whitty needs to resign unless he’s listened to. His presence reassures the public that the medics are on board with the plan.

@Piggywaspushed

It's back to that feeling before Monday, isn't it, of having the weight of the world on our shoulders? Schools seems to be emblematic of the whole polarised debates and teachers are in the eye of the storm. We are held morally responsible for the journey-or not- out of lockdown. the DfE lurkers must be pissing themselves with joy seeing women with children back to 80s style accusing unions of Marxism and telling teachers to be martyrs. James O'Brien needs to do another programme about how women ahve turned on women and public sector workers have turned on each other.

Jesus, anyone would think teachers invented covid to get out of a bit of work.

I know teaching is a job with heavy responsibility but it is NOT our responsibility to end lockdown, heal harm, solve domestic abuse, poverty, starvation.

Lost learning is even debatable .

The government must LOVE it that the upcoming economic downturn can be blamed on school closures and that the bleak future for some uni and school leavers can be blamed on covid : not Brexit. No no nothing to see there.

Perfect, bravo!

Before the Sept return, Whitty and all the CMO and DCMO signed that letter saying schools were safe.

He won't resign, he's a loyal type - to the country I mean, not the Tories. He'll see it through.

Feeling distinctly meh today. Lots of excitement in the papers about being able to meet family but that's only useful if they're close by. My parents are the other side of the country so I haven't seen them since last August, guess I won't be able to over Easter hols either. Being chucked back into a 1500 person strong melting pot on March 8th makes it all the more galling!

It’s not loyal to the country though, giving support to something you know is wrong.

Having said that, the Guardian could be making it up - I have zero faith in any of the MSM outlets.

Yeah true, noble.

What do we think he’ll say re schools on Monday?

I think it'll be primary back and secondary staggered with LFTs. I hope that Easter is a natural 'firebreak' and the impact of school opening can be seen. Then any adjustments needed can be made. Eg rotas until May half term to ensure exam years get assessed.

We really need the exam plan.

We can’t risk Y11/13 being caught up in isolations and if everyone is back, that’s entirely possible.

Yep, it'll be primary back. If any staggering happens at all, it'll be a week for ks1, then ks2 back the following week. But I don't think they'll bother with that either. I've only planned 2 weeks in any detail.

With loyal and Whitty - I think he's probably dampening them down a lot behind the scenes.

Does anyone reckon the unions will suggest section 44 over going back before any vaccinations?

DH told me yesterday about his friend’s wife who is a remote IT consultant for the NHS and was done a few weeks ago. I would certainly feel a lot better about going back ‘exactly as before’ if I’d had my first jab.

I hope so rule

You can imagine the scene:
"Go on, tell them it's safe"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because it's not safe at all?"
"Just tell them it is"
"What, and lie?!"
"You're saying that like it's a bad thing"

I hope so @Appuskidu.
So far in my list of friends and relatives I have an at home social worker, an opticians receptionist, an NHS office worker from home, an army at home worker and an at home Age uk worker all vaccinated while my mum is still waiting as is this 49 year old asthmatic in school teacher!

It's taking the piss.

Appu I would imagine so, although not necessarily relating to vaccinations - just relating to the fact there probably won't be any new safety measures would be enough! Unison have a virtual meeting booked for Wednesday.

@Piggywaspushed

It's back to that feeling before Monday, isn't it, of having the weight of the world on our shoulders? Schools seems to be emblematic of the whole polarised debates and teachers are in the eye of the storm. We are held morally responsible for the journey-or not- out of lockdown. the DfE lurkers must be pissing themselves with joy seeing women with children back to 80s style accusing unions of Marxism and telling teachers to be martyrs. James O'Brien needs to do another programme about how women ahve turned on women and public sector workers have turned on each other.

Jesus, anyone would think teachers invented covid to get out of a bit of work.

I know teaching is a job with heavy responsibility but it is NOT our responsibility to end lockdown, heal harm, solve domestic abuse, poverty, starvation.

Lost learning is even debatable .

The government must LOVE it that the upcoming economic downturn can be blamed on school closures and that the bleak future for some uni and school leavers can be blamed on covid : not Brexit. No no nothing to see there.

This is just a perfect summary.

I think primary will be fully back on 8th March, because, y'know, childcare . I don't think it is any safer around here than it was in January - local rates are still very high - and I think we'll be hokey-cokeying with bubble closures beyond Easter as a result.

It doesn't feel safe at school now, even with half numbers, as there is so much cross-contamination between the bubbles (and lots of the children are seeing each other socially out of school in any event) so goodness knows what it will be like when we're back to 30+ in each class.

On the bright side, presumably it will feel like a breeze only having to do the one job rather than simultaneously teaching remotely and in the classroom!

Wales talked openly about wanting to explore any and everything to help with a phased and flexible return and even used the word rota in press conversations.

Nope. Phased has turned out to mean
ALL foundation back on Monday.
ALL ks2 and exam years back 3 weeks later.
Prob ALL the rest back after Easter.

We're probably just to be happy they have stopped (for now) talking about changing the school year structure and having us back earlier than Sept.
Bastards.

Tbf I’d be happier with that phasing in England DrM... I think if we can wait until Easter for secondary back fully that would be ideal... personally I’d allow in classes that need to do coursework etc in some kind of smaller groups so they go for a day or few hours a few times between now and then to get back on top of things..

Well random, DH's congenital heart condition definitely isn't his fault. Must be his mum's eh??

I feel like half term has been a complete write off. Rubbish weather, nothing to do, bored toddler, constant pain...
Wow, I need to go back in my box. As you were.

So.... My childcare bubble mum has had a visit from a very nice policeman about breaking lockdown.
Apparently he didn't say but implied that my loathsome neighbours had reported us for repeatedly having "child parties".
The policeman had absolutely no problems with what we are doing - us adults never enter each others homes and the kids go nowhere else other than our homes. No other childcare or family bubbles.
This is the same neighbours whose (adult and living with her boyfriend) daughter visits them regularly. Inside the house....

FFS

I so wish we could move.

The gold mine guy was working there in the time of emails being a thing but you didn't have internet at home so I'd be going into uni to check my emails and you'd send really long emails and look forward to receiving the same. When he came back having presumably made a ton of money he wanted me to move to Beirut with him and at the last minute I decided no, I'm going to stay and do my pgce He now lives in France last time I spoke to him and has aged well and remains on my maybe a repeat fling after ds leaves home list

Monday is going to be interesting isn't it? Presuming whatever he announces Monday will take at least a few days to emerge in actual published guidance. I'm not stressing till it happens at this point. I'm done with all these pregnant pauses in which to build anxiety then grand announcements and uturns etc. It's like high drama relationships or people who plays games with you - I run out of energy for it and tune out and won't play the game anymore.

I'm still not getting on with work and am now undertaking cpd on domestic violence and children delivered by a retired police officer. I'm not sure why that feels less 'work' like than cracking on and getting some lessons done. In a small step of progress I have located and lugged upstairs the bag of year 9 books that have an ancient qma essay in that needs marking.

@EnemyOfEducationNo1 That's awful! I would be so tempted to report the hateful neighbours next time they break the rules. I am also blessed with charming neighbours and spend a lot of time fantasising about moving to a remote Scottish island with no other occupants.

@HobnobbingAboutHobnobs I get you, full sympathy here. Lots of ‘Mummy I bored. We go X?’ from the two year old, and shivering and moaning at the park when the poor thing is soaking wet and cold. So much for quality time together, I think she’s desperate to get back to childcare.

I don’t know about you, but I’m more tired than when half term started!

TES has an article which declares Whatever you did over half term, teachers, it was worth it!
Apparently.