The Fifty-second Republic - Beware of Education’s ides of March

[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 non-staff as it attracts the wrong sort of crowd.

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 do wear a mask.

Yes love this is a complete non-event (I supervise pretty closely so big events don't happen!) That has been blown up into a huge thing by the other child, who is now being nasty to my dd, even though literally nothing happened!!!

@MsAwesomeDragon doesn't it make you cross, I do feel for you. Because some parents shout loud, it's always their child is hard done by. Meanwhile the quiet ones get on with life. I hope the other child starts to leave your DD alone.

Dh once worked with an ex student of mine. Parent had spent 5 years covering for said student.

Kid/ man walked out on day 3, because he didn't like how he was being spoken to.

Dh knows this, because when the man didn't turn up the next day, his mum phoned and told them why.

his mum phoned and told them why.
There are no words.

2 lessons with yr11 this week and I've bollocked them already for their far too laid back attitude. I hate all the contradiction: ease them in gently/ get all the evidence. It's as stressful as hell, compounded by having to tell kids to put their masks on in every lesson and in the corridors. They've picked up on the fact it's not a law. I did point out that running up and down the corridor is also not a law, but should I do it in school, I'd be in trouble.

MrsHamlet It's my favourite story. And answers so many questions.

@noblegiraffe

LFT tests

Lateral flow test tests.

Like PIN number. Argh.

Ha, yes-this has been annoying me! It’s LFD tests, surely.

My favourite story about an ex Bob is one who was going to be a footballer (really! He'd been signed for the Newcastle United youth squad and would be full time with them as soon as he finished his GCSEs). We did keep telling him that his attitude wasn't going to go down well with proper coaches, and he should really practice being polite, and maybe try to get some GCSEs as a back up plan. He didn't listen to us, got Ds And Es in all his GCSEs. He joined the youth squad, swore at the coach on day 3, was dropped, no football career. Funny that! His mum did try to argue with three football team that it wasn't fair, they said "tough! We've got enough decent players who are respectful that we don't need him. Off you go!"

@MsAwesomeDragon we were talking about a very similar lad yesterday. Great footballer but attitude stinks (swearing / shouting at everyone, stomping off etc). It must be a shock in the real world when they are told no.

Yes we have a big sign in reception to point the way to the LFT Tests. Gah!

Oh god, the kids who are going to be football stars. I worked in a school in the vicinity of lots of premier league football clubs. Being a footballer was the answer to everything- apart from the fact they were a dime a dozen.

We have a Bobette footballer. She was suspended from her team because of her attitude in school. They never seem to get it.

I had one of those @MrsAwesomeDragon. Dad actually said to me at parents evening that I should be proud and consider myself lucky I had got to taught the lad since he was going to end up as an England goalkeeper.
That was year ago, he went to ‘boro academy and hasn’t been heard of since ( didn’t pass any GCSE’s either)

I taught a boy who now plays for England. He was lovely.

I have never seen LFT tests! Just LFTs. LFD tests seems to be what it says in letters. On Facebook yesterday, i saw 'lateral flo' !

All the mediocre football players in year 6, thinking there will be a football career for them. You don't want to piss on their fireworks, but you know. The only person I taught who became a footballer was signed for Arsenal ladies. She would wipe the floor with the boys, but they'd never admit it!

Reality check for me today in school too. Kids have lost all independence.

I'm peeved.

My asthmatic friend sent me a message telling me to check my texts as she (same age, same asthma history, same prescriptions - or lower to what I have to take, same non-ward admissions for A&E treatment on the same number of occasions as far as we can figure it) has been invited to book her group 6 jab, which she has in a few weeks time.

Nothing on my texts. And when I stuck an econsult in to ask for clarification I got a reply that said I'm in group 9.

Well I can't be. I'm not 50 yet, not for a few years, so they must mean AFTER group 9. So I'm looking at June and July by the covid queue reckoner for this area. At least I'll be taking Mum for her 2nd one next week, only 5 weeks since her first jab.

Our reception class bubble has burst in the 2nd week since they returned.

And I'm already starting to lose sleep over the prospect of returning, though I don't know why.

The ht has said we're not to pile any pressure on re work in the weeks before Easter. We're to spend max one 'work' lesson in the morning and one in the afternoon and use the rest of the time for wellbeing and fun stuff to make them enjoy being back.

I have y6. They are soooo far behind having missed a term this year and more than a term last year now. And they really need structure and to be kept very busy to avoid behaviour issues.

Last night I fell asleep quickly, but then woke up 25 mins later. It felt like I'd been asleep for ages, but then I couldn't drop off for a few hours. I hate that!

@DrMadelineMaxwell

I'm peeved. My asthmatic friend sent me a message telling me to check my texts as she (same age, same asthma history, same prescriptions - or lower to what I have to take, same non-ward admissions for A&E treatment on the same number of occasions as far as we can figure it) has been invited to book her group 6 jab, which she has in a few weeks time.

Nothing on my texts. And when I stuck an econsult in to ask for clarification I got a reply that said I'm in group 9.

Well I can't be. I'm not 50 yet, not for a few years, so they must mean AFTER group 9. So I'm looking at June and July by the covid queue reckoner for this area. At least I'll be taking Mum for her 2nd one next week, only 5 weeks since her first jab.

Our reception class bubble has burst in the 2nd week since they returned.

And I'm already starting to lose sleep over the prospect of returning, though I don't know why.

The ht has said we're not to pile any pressure on re work in the weeks before Easter. We're to spend max one 'work' lesson in the morning and one in the afternoon and use the rest of the time for wellbeing and fun stuff to make them enjoy being back.

I have y6. They are soooo far behind having missed a term this year and more than a term last year now. And they really need structure and to be kept very busy to avoid behaviour issues.

Our HT has said similar for this week which with our cohort doesn't go well as they require structure or behaviour goes completely out the window. We're mostly keep to our timetable but doing more partner work.

I've taught X2 premiership footballers. Both playing up an age group at England level whilst at school.

Both had excellent attitudes, and worked really does hard.

Got one on contract in Yr11 now who gets work set ahead by me which he completes away from school. He's not necessarily going to be top flight but he will be a success because of his attitude.

Yesterday, mine were calm. Today, they were most definitely not. I need a dark cave and ALL the mini eggs. Dealing with the fallout - behaviour logs, support referrals, parent phone calls and emails just takes SO MUCH TIME! No books marked, no resources printed just behaviour, behaviour, behaviour. I could hear the screams, shouts and door slams from other bubbles too.

Also, covid in ds's school - luckily not his bubble, building or ks for now.

DH stressed as his MAT has given and then changed advice about GCSEs and CAGs numerous times already. They have now put all plans on hold so he isn't sure what he's doing.

Gah...teaching...

I have only taught obnoxious footballers too. You just know they aren't going to make it with such shoddy attitudes and work ethics. One handed me his Y3 homework in that was clearly completed by an adult. When questioned, mum looked surprised and told me that she didn't realise that he was expected to do it for himself.

Someone on the thread re families of students testing, has just pointed out that the reason the LFDs come in packs of 7 must be because they were originally packed in the days of "replace isolation with serial testing" - for schools or businesses. 10 days inc a weekend was going to mean 7 tests, wasn't it (presumably counting the first day of notification as Day One, or something)?

"I have to make a birthday cake tomorrow for ds (which will likely be shite) and I think I'll just wrap her up a slice and put it in her pigeon hole with the card. Here have some shit cake and a card that says thank you because it's lockdown and I don't have any 'with sympathy' cards. Better than nothing I guess."

I think it will be appreciated, Honey. To be honest, I got the cooking idea from MN, where posters who had been bereaved had said they appreciated gestures that made their lives easier, but which didn't require thought. Some mentioned that they didn't want to be asked "how can I help you".

I've been off today, but recorded a lesson that couldn't be timetabled. Must say, doing it remotely is much much better than trying to squeeze it into a lunchtime or before school session like it was last year.

Morning all,

Yes the irony of back to school good for MH and now 6 weeks of rolling exams. My school is saying from next week there will be no new content causing so they will have 4 weeks til Easter for revision. Tbh, I’m glad of the ‘evidence’ folder. School is preparing for any appeals. We are going to take their ‘best’ 6 pieces of work out of everything they have done to show this is their top performance. I just wish the Dfe had suggested something similar, you know back in Sept!

Checking in to say hi, seeing as the two year old has been awake since 5 singing nursery rhymes to her teddies.

My Year 3 girls have reached a pitch that can be heard only by dogs. The excitement at being back is lovely, but goodness me the squealing is killing me.

I went east on them the last two days to let them settle, but I think comments up thread about keeping them busy are right. They need structure and learning to sink their teeth into, and that absolutely can be done without pressure.

Good luck everyone. Is it Friday yet?