THE FIFIETH REPUBLIC!

[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.

Do not give the staffroom password to others 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.

Really fab news monkey!

Anyone else think they’ve got a shed load of tests and this is the easiest way to use them up whilst pretending they give a shit about schools and communities?

Yep. That's exactly what I think. Doesn't match the message though - that schools are 'safe'.

Gosh piggy, I see (from yr post Data thread, cross-referring here but I don't think you'll report me 😊) yr DS's school is doing all 3 tests before starting teaching. I suppose that's the more cautious approach.

So there's obviously a range of approaches being taken:

1 Start testing next week to a greater or lesser extent - eg our first testing day is Friday, for Y11 and 13, then they have actual school on Monday 8th but the whole school aren't in lessons until the Thursday. All have one test before coming into "bubbles" the next day

2 Start testing from Monday, all have one test before coming into "bubbles" the next day.

3 Test from Mon but they go straight into classes after receiving negative results. Our nearest secondary is apparently doing this.

4 Do all 3 tests prior to "bubbles" as your DS's school.

And of course, some children won't be tested at all.....

@Monkeytennis97

🎉🎉🎉❤️❤️❤️

He's home. Had it done and was very good apparently. Saw some other LD people as we drove to his home walking in the direction of the Drs - must be their day today, and what a beautiful day it is😊

Great news.

It's astonishing in a way that this has just been flung out there?

I tried to use the website to find our nearest participating test centre but the website doesn't work at all!

Brilliant news re ds, Monkey. And also everyone else who's been jabbed this week. Feeling a bit aggrieved to hear of other local friends who are in the unpaid carer category but don't leave the house getting their vaccine but que sera.

Bumped into some friends on a walk who have both had theirs through the council (wfh) saying "when are you getting yours?" "Never," I think I answered.

@RandomGrammarPun I checked and same, maybe because it is from Monday?

I think it's just a crap website... It's the same one just to find an asymptomatic testing centre for any reason.

I wonder whether asymptomatic people will bother unless it's made incredibly low-effort for them.

Just thinking, according to Fb our LA set up a couple of asymptomatic testing centres about a month or so ago. I've yet to hear of anyone actually using them.

The map for collecting them didn’t work but the map for going to get tested (LFT asymptomatic testing) is working? So hopefully from Monday will then allow you to book to collect tests from the same sites?

I’d be surprised if demand doesn’t outstrip supply actually - I think many parents/households of school staff will take up this offer.

Oh, I do.

I know ppl using them, getting a negative and then going into each other's houses. Including elderly relatives before they'd had a vaccine...

@JanFebAnyMonth we've been going to the asymptomatic testing site near us as we have to have an LFT before seeing DS and before he returns to the home. They've been amazing and so helpful when we have DS with us.

I mean, it's inevitable. I've even found myself being less careful around dh at home when I've had a test in school, even though I know they're rubbish.

Although I'm aware of the false sense of security from those tests..

Btw thanks everyone for the lovely words

Quite good discussion with some useful links re LFTs from Parents United (BRTUS/PUAUS)
Links to info to the saliva tests, apparently held up by lack of robotic arms (no pun intended):

www.facebook.com/groups/657607021743154/permalink/870039200499934/

Yes @RandomGrammarPun I agree, negative results are going to be so misinterpreted. These tests need completely 'rebranding' as something like "Try and Find Covid" tests, to emphasise that a positive is real but a Negative just means Covid wasn't found. Or something.

Yeah jan what DS's school us doing us a bit odd. First test 8 Jan and the keep going until 15 when back at school. I guess they thought it easier and safer than anything else. They obviously didn't at the same time ponder that some might not be able to get to school without transport.

Great news Monkey and everyone else who has had their jab. Hoping it's not too much longer for the rest of us.

I'm still ignoring work and housework and have been gardening in the sunshine instead. Feel better for it, but know I'll regret skiving off tomorrow as I've so much to do.

Just musing. Are those working in/volunteering at public test centres being or have been vaccinated?

Working in the vaccination centres yes all offered the vaccine, don’t know about the volunteers though.

I know two volunteers who have had a vaccine. Not as standard practice, but just because there were spares.

Then with school staff doing the tests in schools, that’s pretty much the same to me. No one would begrudge test centre staff a vaccine including those just at the door welcoming people in but it’s sucks that it’s okay to begrudge the school staff that protection when they are involved in exactly the same thing.
Anyway, there is no changing people’s unfounded hatred of people who work in schools, eh!?

Yes, my friend had a spare. She's volunteering through St John's ambulance. Also a teacher.

I really hope the parents of the students teach don't hate me as much as some of the parents on here hate teachers.
I've been giving my garden a haircut, and now I'm watching rugby.

Apparently over 40s are getting vaccines from Monday in Wales. Dh is very over 40 and hasn't been invited to book yet. I'm a bit over 40 and it's news to me. The bloke is both a know it all and a Billy bull shitter though.

Asda had an advert for school uniforms on Facebook saying'Who is more excited?' (About the return) quite a few replies were from people saying not me.

Really different to Mumsnet on the whole.