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The staffroom

Whether you're a permanent teacher, supply teacher or student teacher, you'll find others in the same situation on our Staffroom forum.

Original poster

The Forty Ninth Republic - Announcement Week - Roadmap and Exams - Be more Bob

999 replies

StaffRepFeistyClub · 22/02/2021 08:36

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.

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.

OP posts:
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MsAwesomeDragon · 23/02/2021 11:57

Our head of PE is convinced he's the hunkiest. And the other male PE teachers also think they're pretty hunky. I suppose they're alright, but they're very full of themselves (and the younger 2 are rather short). If I was picking the hunkiest, it would have to be the head Shock, as he's rather dreamy to look at even if I don't always agree with his policies.

SansaSnark · 23/02/2021 11:59

@JanFebAnyMonth

That is a useful thread Noble.

Yeah, presumably the only reason they've gone from two tests to three tests (Jan to Mar version) is because of medical advice.

In a way the bigger issue in the medium term is how many will dontests at hone/how competently / honestly.

Schools are going to be doing an awful lots of cheerleading positive media messages.

Maybe the most "hunky" member of staff could dress up in uniform and do an instructional video for the parents?

Or Chris H??

Yes, I think there will be a minority who won't test at home and will lie about it.

Theoretically, we ought to still be able to send them home if they show symptoms- as the test is only valid when you do it, and they could have caught it since.

However, our pastoral team are pretty reluctant to send children home regardless (before Christmas, it was basically only possible to get kids sent home if they had a temperature of 38 degrees or more), so I doubt it would happen in practice.

MsAwesomeDragon · 23/02/2021 12:06

Our pastoral team don't like to send the kids home either. Because it's a hassle. Loads of parents tell us there just isn't any way to get them home in the middle of the day as they rely on the school buses, which is fair enough really. Public transport doesn't exist for their villages, and often the only car is at work with one of the parents.

motherrunner · 23/02/2021 12:22

@MsAwesomeDragon

Our pastoral team don't like to send the kids home either. Because it's a hassle. Loads of parents tell us there just isn't any way to get them home in the middle of the day as they rely on the school buses, which is fair enough really. Public transport doesn't exist for their villages, and often the only car is at work with one of the parents.
Our pupils arrive by school coach, bus and train. Last summer when we opened to Yr 10 a lot of parents kept their children at home as it was too difficult to get them into school.
looseddaughter · 23/02/2021 12:24

Urgh - just had horrid Teams session with Y11s basically haranguing me as to why we were off, why we've done X if exams are off, why haven't we done X if exams are off, when are we leaving etc etc. Really resent being put in this position.

EnemyOfEducationNo1 · 23/02/2021 12:27

My year 10s have just given me a hard time about why will they have to wear masks if they are getting tested, they hate wearing masks, their uniforms dont fit and the official supplier is shut blah blah blah.
To be honest, it was better than trying to teach radioactive half lives by zoom...

CarrieBlue · 23/02/2021 12:39

Yes, I think there will be a minority who won't test at home and will lie about it.

I won’t be testing at home but I won’t lie about it.

TheHoneyBadger · 23/02/2021 12:44

We won't test in school. Both ds and I would test at home but not in school. I have a hideous gag reflex with very loud side effects.

piggywaspushed · 23/02/2021 12:45

My head has interpreted the mask plans as students to wear them but not teachers if they are 2 m away... he is aware other schools are saying different and is awaiting clarity.

piggywaspushed · 23/02/2021 12:48

I am glad you think that jan. I was wondering if I was just paranoid.

Two hours ago, I couldn't see at all and was nearly throwing up. So that's two migraines since Saturday...

noblegiraffe · 23/02/2021 12:48

That's a point. If we're wearing masks we wouldn't necessarily need to stay at the front, would we?

piggywaspushed · 23/02/2021 13:07

I still will definitely stay at the front.

ItsIgginningtolooklikelockdown · 23/02/2021 13:09

At the start of the year we had to wear masks when we got closer than 2m (ie walked round the room). When it switched to all seniors in masks we had to wear it all the time with them. For our close contact system being closer than 2m for a sustained period would mean isolation, whether or not you had a mask on.

JanFebAnyMonth · 23/02/2021 13:12

@MsAwesomeDragon

Our pastoral team don't like to send the kids home either. Because it's a hassle. Loads of parents tell us there just isn't any way to get them home in the middle of the day as they rely on the school buses, which is fair enough really. Public transport doesn't exist for their villages, and often the only car is at work with one of the parents.
No probs apparently they can "scoot home" according to the guidance I posted last night....

Piggy we can always rely on yr head can't we! Sorry you're feeling bad.

Just a minute, thinking again re the "outbreak" definition change from two cases within 10 to two cases within 14 days: that's a good thing isn't it?? It's a wider/ probably more truthful and therefore more useful definition of an outbreak.

MsAwesomeDragon · 23/02/2021 13:17

No probs apparently they can "scoot home" according to the guidance I posted last night.. oh of course!! I forgot how safe that is, scooting 4-5 miles along A roads with no pavements and poor visibility due to bends and hedges. Definitely not dangerous for my year 7s.

TheHoneyBadger · 23/02/2021 13:17

I'm taking it to mean we can take our masks off to teach if we're two meters away. Whether I'm more comfortable leaving the front of the room or not will depend on whether they're all wearing masks. Wondering how many parents will claim exemption. Would help if there were clear guidance on what merits an exemption but instead it'll leave us at the mercy of ht interpretation and the ht at the mercy of moaning parents.

Just been out for a bright but windy walk. Highly recommend it if you can.

TheHoneyBadger · 23/02/2021 13:21

Really hope we can have exempt students clearly flagged on the register rather than not knowing if a kid is exempt or taking the piss but not being able to question it because of singling someone sensitive out accusations.

JanFebAnyMonth · 23/02/2021 13:23

@TheHoneyBadger

Really hope we can have exempt students clearly flagged on the register rather than not knowing if a kid is exempt or taking the piss but not being able to question it because of singling someone sensitive out accusations.
Last term we had an email list of exempted students honey. Only about 15, I was surprised tbh.
RandomGrammarPun · 23/02/2021 13:32

Same at ours. There should already be a list of exempt students because if compulsory masks in corridors? Our list was very small and relevant students were given a small pass. A couple are so wearing the sunflower lanyard. It's such a small number, we know who they all are by now.

SmileEachDay · 23/02/2021 14:15

Looks like my school is going to change procedures so that kids stay in one group and place.

This is potentially meaning that staff will have to move and that we won’t be teaching our own groups.

I’ve gone from “resigned” to “massively anxious” in the space of 10 mins.

JanFebAnyMonth · 23/02/2021 14:15

According to noble's thread the testing guidance is out I think.

Now off to call 50 parents and ask how the home schooling's going Grin

Mistressiggi · 23/02/2021 14:39

Our changes being announced just now - Nicola is saying March 15th for the rest of primary to return, and "more seniors for part of their learning", with the 5th April for everyone (which is in the Easter holidays for most of us).
Assume more details will follow.

JanFebAnyMonth · 23/02/2021 15:28

So you're mainly returning to school in the holidays mistress??!

5 April is Easter Monday but not a bank holiday up there is it?

JanFebAnyMonth · 23/02/2021 15:29

I thought confirmation of a positive LFT by PCR was no longer needed, is it still for schools? That's what our parental permission letter says.

noblegiraffe · 23/02/2021 15:44

"Staff or pupils with a positive LFD test result will need to self-isolate in line with the stay-at-home guidance. They will also need to arrange a lab-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test to confirm the result if the test was done at home."

So no confirmation needed if it's the onsite testing, but is needed if you did it at home.