The Fifty-first republic - twice weekly tests and wear masks at all time till Easter

[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. Do not sit on the chairs and wear a mask.

I've always though 5 week summer hol and two week autumn half term is a good compromise. The last week of august is usually shit.

I've just seen on another thread that a hospital has been monitoring the LFT / PCR rates on their testing and finding about 25% false positive rate with LFTs. Obviously this is just hearsay, but very interesting if it's true.

must go and throw away all my masks cos Tim and Andrea said so

I am wondering somewhat how some parents will cope when their charges return to school.

Several times recently I have had kids duck out of lesson because their parents need them: today a girl's dad needed help in his shop!

Warrior
I've lived in Germany a few times, but not had lots to do with schools. Not 100% sure on holidays- I think they're roughly the same as ours. They do have an increasing number of whole day schools though, and the half day ones start early (by 8) and focus more on core subjects.

In some (Catholic) States they do have a few lovely four day weekend in May/June- bank holiday on Thursday and "bridge day" on Friday. Seemed to be every other week for a month or two!

The booking online seems to have dropped to 55/56yo now if that helps anyone

Don’t the have slightly different term dates in different areas in Germany, or is that France?

@HSHorror

The booking online seems to have dropped to 55/56yo now if that helps anyone

Wonder how long it’ll be to the mid 40s? 🤞

@RafaIsTheKingOfClay

Don’t the have slightly different term dates in different areas in Germany, or is that France?

I think it’s France where different regions have slightly different holiday schedules. Helps to spread out holiday demand.

If I’m honest I think it makes a lot of sense. But can’t imagine how hard it would be to sort out logistically.

In amongst the bleakness have to cherish the little rays of light. Absolutely love my Yr 9 class and at the end of the lesson they told me that they were all looking forward to being back in class as they apparently miss my ‘manic energy’. Think they’ve interpreted my anxiety as ‘fun’ 😆

@WarriorN

I've always though 5 week summer hol and two week autumn half term is a good compromise. The last week of august is usually shit.

My friend works in Brighton and Hove and they have a 5 week summer but 2 weeks in October. She loves it.

ONS graphs out today. Primary has dropped a bit further which is good - I still don't understand why this doesn't tally with REACT.

The drop in infection rates seems to have stalled so it doesn't look like pushing back opening schools would actually make things any better in terms of infection rates. Obviously it would in terms of vaccine progress.

Who had 'school tests will crash the testing system' on their return to school shitshow bingo card?

It's come in a little earlier than expected.

@noblegiraffe

Who had 'school tests will crash the testing system' on their return to school shitshow bingo card?

It's come in a little earlier than expected.

So am guessing by Monday all testing will be abandoned?

Ooh, I wondered when that would happen. I thought it would be Monday morning, but apparently I was too optimistic.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-56268188

One of the classrooms I teach in doesn’t even have a window. Shall I take a sledgehammer in with me and hammer a hole in the wall?

Me, me, I thought of this scenario on Tuesday evening when discussing various schools' different systems with my church group on Zoom!

@motherrunner

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-56268188

One of the classrooms I teach in doesn’t even have a window. Shall I take a sledgehammer in with me and hammer a hole in the wall?

The only downside I can see to that is that it will probably be reported in the MSM and that would be outing

@chocolateisavegetable ‘Bloody teachers being with tax payers money to destroy tax payers building to have fresh air, most likely paid for by tax payers’.

*paid

I see that Vicky Ford won't be answering all our questions because "she's busy" - why offer to answer questions the week before schools open then - not like she didn't know! And there's not many questions there anyway

@motherrunner

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-56268188

One of the classrooms I teach in doesn’t even have a window. Shall I take a sledgehammer in with me and hammer a hole in the wall?

Just give Bob the sledgehammer.

I did have it, but I was with MrsAD thinking it would be Monday.

mother you'll be wanting a chair next

Air and a chair? That’s living the dream!

(Can I also have time for a wee?)

@chocolateisavegetable

mother you'll be wanting a chair next

Good lord no!!!!

That doesn't make sense though.. my DS didn't have to register AFAIK. School did it all.