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.

Well done to those who have had Ofsted - celebratory drinks well deserved.

My own two primary aged children are incredibly excited about going back to school - am trying to channel some of their positivity to replace the fear!

I have a repeated twitch in my eye that is leading me to play “Screen Time, Stress or Sinister” several times a day 😩 I am almost certain it is down to ridiculous amounts of time spent on a screen + massive anxiety about back to school + tiredness. Have googled and NHS says if it carries on for more than a couple of weeks, see a GP, so will do that.

Big behaviour crack down is happening at my school when we go back, which is a relief. Will be a slog whilst we get the message across, but hopefully be worth it - pre-lockdown, things were really, really challenging

We need to stop thinking that good behaviour is something that ‘just happens’. Some children are lucky to have supportive backgrounds where they learn good habits and social skills. Some are not. That’s not their fault. But only the school can do something about it, so schools must – working in conjunction with parents.

Wtaf? Where to even begin with this? Only the school can do something about children living in poverty, only the school can do something to support families in crisis or just lacking skills? Really? Of course we can help, and we do, but so many social problems track back to poverty and the fact that public services have been annihilated.

I HATE ROWS

And also ... I thought we were meant to the guide on the side, not the sage on the stage.

Exactly harriet, was aghast when I read it earlier.
And rows? Please. They're in rows in my class at the moment- it doesn't work at all.

I also dislike rows. My children benefit from group discussion around a table. They learn those social skills that Gav thinks can only be learnt in school, because they quickly realise that they need to listen to one another and co-operate as a team to get the task done. If they're all facing me they just wait to be spoon fed.

Has Gav actually set foot in a primary school since 1985?

Biden vaccinating all teachers by the end of the month. Because they are essential workers. Good to know teaching is valued in one country.

@MrsHamlet

I HATE ROWS

Yes!

I miss my little groups of four and wheeling around the room giving feedback, mini inputs, random (but kind of relevant) discussions.

Fingers crossed for September.

MrsHP presumably in the instructions for the box???

Well, i'm a bit fucked off with the parents of kids in my class on Monday being all happy on FB and arranging social events. I rang every single child in my class today and spoke to the parents. SO many are vaccinated or will be. It's lies. 2 parents in my class today openly admitted on social media that they had clicked on carers and got away with it. The general opinion seems to be "go for it". Of 35 in my class only 19 have parents who are employed.Only 4 are carers as jobs or for family and I have 3 in my class with an EHCP and have 1 more with severe SEND that qualify. Yet I have seen 22 posts from"my" mums saying they are being jabbed. I get that I may not know everything, but god, i'm with 35 kids on Monday!

I feel like I am bottom of the pile. Are they lying? Fibbing to get a vaccine?

I need to get over the anger. Because I am angry.

In another vein, has anyone got any good stories about HRT with thyroid issues? I SO want it. I have had enough waking up at 2am sweating and crying. I have a GP appt on Monday Not about school, because I just get on with it, but about perimenopause because I have had enough!

I am beginning to think they'll vaccinate wild animals before teachers. We really do seem to be the lowest of the low according to the government

@phlebasconsidered Wtf? That is pretty bloody shameless. I'm not surprised you're fuming.

No experience of HRT I'm afraid, although I can sympathise with the peri stuff. I am considering going to my GP to check that my weird symptoms are actually peri stuff and not something more scary. I hate going to the doctor so will inevitably put it off for as long as possible. They always blame my weight for everything which pisses me off. I have genuinely been told "Worst ear infection I've seen for years. Maybe you should lose a couple of stone..."

I heard on the radio the other day that the first rollout of Covax vaccines was being done in the Ivory Coast and they were giving them to the army and healthcare workers because they’re leading the frontline response, and teachers. They specifically said teachers because they’re around so many children.

Discussing testing this evening in my church group (all mums, several school staff!), heard of problems registering tests. I suddenly thought, what if the NHS website crashes next week with every school in the country trying to log on and record results? Some are apparently getting individual students to register themselves so that will be even more connections.

(Seeing as many of ours don't manage logging on to the simplest website, I can't see that going well even without crashes)

That's shit phleb. I think lots are cheating the system.

I'd join that menopause fb group (below) the woman who runs it is regularly in bbc news things, she really lobbies the government. I'm having issues myself and on thyroxine but hoping I can manage by keeping up with the supplements (I got out of routine recently.)

If it's oestrogen I'd imagine you'd have to be monitored as it can affect levels?. Progesterone could be another option. High dose fish oil (epa especially) is supposed to help flashes. Magnesium, taurine and b6 too help with sleep but you may need the big guns to help you tbh.

The menopause support network on fb and online. Someone on mn told me about it.

Also this.

www.menopause-exchange.co.uk/

Btf just say don't take soy.

Checking the group I don't think there's an issue bar needing to monitor and adjust dose.

Bloody hell, just read gav's speech. Sounds to me like he literally wants them in a Victorian classroom complete with dunce's hat and the cane.

What is the FED?

Really shouldn't have read that speech before trying to go to sleep - I am sooo angry. How fucking dare he. And then hold us accountable for results as well no doubt. Etiquette and trigonometry, hand in hand. What an utter fuckwit.

Thanks ladies. I've already been told no soy or Menopace because of soy. I am going to gird my loins and rage at my GP. I am sick of neverending bleeding, rage, anxiety, fuck all libido, no sleep and mad extra PMT style moodiness. I am now going to visit those links and hopefully find people like me who wake up at 3am sweating like a bastard, cry by 6am, rage by 8am, barely hold it together in the classroom and bleed so much they have 4 pairs of the same trousers in their cupboard. I honestly do not think AD will touch this, it is so hormonal and visceral. My thyroid is stable right now so def not that.

It could be being treated like shit by the government though!

That sounds really shit, phleb. Hope you get some support.

@JanFebAnyMonth instructions and email simply say to report to NHS. Am pretty sure there is no ‘legally binding’ law to report to school. I don’t even care - I just hate being lied to (and told what to do). And also know they’ve been lying to people trying to coerce them into taking tests so feel all up in arms....

Evening all!

At least President Biden values schools staff...

Hope you are all well. Manic day for me but at least it’s over! Off to Bedfordshire.
Night!

Sorry mumsneedwine see you already mentioned Biden!

Amazing to see the tweet though @ChloeDecker !