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.

@Spidder

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.

I'm in north Wales. My GP is doing 68 and 69 year olds next week. Not even started on the CV. It's a supply issue apparently.

michino that's what I thought. We were doing well... then ran out of vaccines.

OK, advice needed. Jobhunting, alongside many other things. Primary, looking for a job with a bit more (so assistant head / deputy type roles)

The job ads I have been reading specify 'substantial ongoing CPD'. Well, one of the reasons for moving is because I am 'stuck'. I am not considered for CPD because I'm just 'can'tkeep who is very good in their classroom role and subject role but there's no need or reason to develop any further'.

I obviously do the basics - safeguarding, SEN type things - and the whole school training - e.g. external INSET on priority subjects. Also deliver CPD to colleagues on my subject.

It got me wondering whether there was something that I could be doing online, that might help? I could be more active in local networks for the subject I lead - that's on the 'to do' list - but what else?

@cantkeepawayforever

OK, advice needed. Jobhunting, alongside many other things. Primary, looking for a job with a bit more (so assistant head / deputy type roles)

The job ads I have been reading specify 'substantial ongoing CPD'. Well, one of the reasons for moving is because I am 'stuck'. I am not considered for CPD because I'm just 'can'tkeep who is very good in their classroom role and subject role but there's no need or reason to develop any further'.

I obviously do the basics - safeguarding, SEN type things - and the whole school training - e.g. external INSET on priority subjects. Also deliver CPD to colleagues on my subject.

It got me wondering whether there was something that I could be doing online, that might help? I could be more active in local networks for the subject I lead - that's on the 'to do' list - but what else?

What about some remote CPD on the stem subjects?

www.stem.org.uk/remote-courses-for-primary-teachers

@cantkeepawayforever

OK, advice needed. Jobhunting, alongside many other things. Primary, looking for a job with a bit more (so assistant head / deputy type roles)

The job ads I have been reading specify 'substantial ongoing CPD'. Well, one of the reasons for moving is because I am 'stuck'. I am not considered for CPD because I'm just 'can'tkeep who is very good in their classroom role and subject role but there's no need or reason to develop any further'.

I obviously do the basics - safeguarding, SEN type things - and the whole school training - e.g. external INSET on priority subjects. Also deliver CPD to colleagues on my subject.

It got me wondering whether there was something that I could be doing online, that might help? I could be more active in local networks for the subject I lead - that's on the 'to do' list - but what else?

Mental health first aid?

Thank you! I should possibly have specified that I am slightly oddly qualified for a primary teacher - PhD in a science subject - but that is EXACTLY the right kind of thing! Brilliant.

Teachmeets, Cant? Like this sort of thing twitter.com/stemlearninguk/status/1365002390722801666?s=21

Or a lot of teaching conferences have moved online if you're willing to pay.

I’d take ‘advantage’ of the Covid situation cant and do as much online CPD as you can. You can then say that you have attended Webinars and completed training MOOCs etc. and up to date with such and such.
Good luck with it all!

Making a list!! to you all.

cantkeepawayforever

I did some if these during the last lockdown and the maths and English ones I attended were quite good.
global.oup.com/education/support-learning-anywhere/professional-development-webinars/

I'm in a similar situation to Cant - thanks Lonely, those courses look really useful. I'm not desperate to move jobs but am sort of loosely keeping my eye out. There have been a lot of staff changes within SLT at my school and I'm not sure it's the best place for me any more.

National College for cpd. We've been signed up by school-not sure if it's usually paid for. I've done a course on effective remote and blended learning, trauma informed practice and domestic abuse in the last couple of month. I'm doing one on teaching black British history with future learn currently.

Seems like the days of in paid time cpd is gone.

When I worked in fe I had great cpd with train fares and fees paid. Most recent ones I remember were gypsy and traveller training with Leeds Gate in a nice hotel in London and a training day with the Sophie Lancaster Foundation.

Now I do free courses in my own time

But that's ok because I'm not needed despite my counselling qualifications and bereavement training etc because a shiny young pe teacher is now in charge of well-being and mental health for the lowest possible tlr point and no allocated time.

Thanks Honeybadger. It looks like the National College is £50 per course unless the school has signed up, but if I see something that would really fill a gap, that would be worthwhile.

@TheHoneyBadger

National College for cpd. We've been signed up by school-not sure if it's usually paid for. I've done a course on effective remote and blended learning, trauma informed practice and domestic abuse in the last couple of month. I'm doing one on teaching black British history with future learn currently.

Seems like the days of in paid time cpd is gone.

When I worked in fe I had great cpd with train fares and fees paid. Most recent ones I remember were gypsy and traveller training with Leeds Gate in a nice hotel in London and a training day with the Sophie Lancaster Foundation.

Now I do free courses in my own time

I remember the happy days when there were all-day courses with lunches! That was always the bit you’d ask your colleagues about the day after a course-‘ooh, how was it-nice lunch?!’

Now, they’re after school (if you’re lucky to be sent on one at all) and not a biscuit in sight!

Talking of CPD I bet I can beat everyone on the 'how much external CPD have you had in your career?'. Not in terms of loads, the opposite.

In 25 years I've been on external CPD 4 times. Shocking.

I was allowed out for a course 2 years ago. It was an 8 day course over the full year. 8 days!!!!! And there were lunches, and school paid for my train fares (not cheap for a 2hr journey) and they paid for hotels for the night in between the 2 day together part. It was pure luxury!! Absolutely everything was reimbursed to the school by the course provider though. The lunches were definitely the best part of the days, but the course was really useful this. That was 5eaching A Level Maths, so not useful for primary teachers, sorry.

My memory is that you could get at least one full day course per year paid for, and your classes covered, when I started out in the early 2000's.

Now I can't imagine asking to attend a course. I think I'm meant to feel grateful for the fact we're signed up to National College when it's a few videos and a multiple choice quiz that counts as training.

Even essential stuff like mandatory safeguarding now seems to be hours of video, read, quiz online stuff to be done in your own time.

Yes, all our safeguarding is online now. I do better safeguarding stuff through Brownies than I do through school. Although that might have gone online this year too, but at least theirs is a webinar with actual people on the other end rather than a video with a quiz at the end.

I was an NQT in the later 90s and we had loads of courses as NQTs and then lots for the NLS and NNS and then there were some lovely subject ones for a good few years through the LA, but then they seemed to stop!!

Maybe about 2010...

Oh I wish our safeguarding was online. The yearly visit from the LA person is dire. Half a day WASTED.

I caught the end of the paid courses fun. Did some AMSP and MEI ones that were ace in early 2010s. A couple on my NQT year at random places too, remember one was an overnight in a hotel. Now everything is done in your own time. In school cpd is usually dire ime.

Cant

What about picking an area of practice you’re really interested in and writing a blog? Build your own CPD by researching and writing?

Chis shop across form us is opening on Monday after a two year delay. They ahve investigated in a vulgar neon 'open' sign which is on 24/7 and a shop sign also on all the time. Both shine right in our front window. Bastards.

At the moment the overgrown bushes in our front garden are obscuring it a bit but we will have to get those cut back at some point.

Chip shop, obviously...

When the plans for this new set of shops were done there was all sorts of lovely planting and landscaping.. trees etc. Nope.

I have to beg every year to be allowed out for senior examiner standardising in spite of the fact that it's funded. Last time, the head asked me what the benefit to the dept was ... when I said none because my ovaries make my opinions on anything in the dept redundant. He signed the form.