The broom cupboard 3 - for briefly stranded republicans

[TheHoneyBadger]

First in tops up the gin supplies and turns on the tea urn.

I seem to recall a recent document assuming 35% in school testing take up but can’t remember what it was in or what that assumption was based on.

That was an estimate in about July of how many were still doing the at home testing. Certainly, at our school, it fell to about 45% - but was only measured by how many reported test results, so possibly not very accurate. Lots of people don't report negatives, and I didn't report DS's positive because the PCR the same day trumped it.

I am hopeful that in school testing will have a higher uptake...

I think the difficulty of getting to the school is why we are waiting til term begins.

7 and 13 will have their first test on their first day on Friday. Other year groups second tests are on days where they are in school for lessons anyway so everyone should be able to have at least one at school if they consent.

I think - I hope - that despite being a BH weekend, this is going to be a very difficult one for the Government.

We start back on the 6th so our kids are coming in on Thur/Fri 2nd/3rd for testing.

Prior to summer though, we hadn't had many kids sign up for it at all

Sat in the hairdressers awaiting my hair cut. I kind of feel this is the start of the 'back to school' preparation

Hi everyone, having signed out over the summer I am now back to lurking/contributing mode. Having missed a lot, I hope you are all well. I can see that @Piggywaspushed has been covid struck. I hope you managed to get some semblance of a holiday before that happened.

DS starts secondary in Sep and you will be pleased to hear that in his school they are keeping masks in classrooms where teachers are either pregnant or clinically vulnerable in any way. I really respect his school for that decision.

Did you all meet up in the end? Where did you go? What did you do? I would have loved to join you but holiday and family commitments meant my time was pretty full up so I didn't ask to join the Skype.

Dh and I started the summer more tired than we have ever been and have struggled with energy levels throughout the holiday. Just want to be able to plan and think about the future with some level of certainty. Ds is a young one in his year so it will be many more months until his is 12 and he will be in a large secondary until then.

I went in to school this week. My class this year should be a bit easier than the lot I had last year so 🤞

Welcome back @SquashedFlyBiscuits

I didn't get chance to do the meet up either as we have been away/DH working so I have had DS.

That's really good of your son's school I hope your son enjoys starting secondary school- I'm sure he will!

I was more tired than I have ever been at the start of the hols but I have done a lot of relaxing which is good

Last week off now so getting organised for the return. I am excited about my classes this year and some projects I am working on in school.

I will miss the time with DH and DS though

Apparently 2% of Scottish pupils were off for “Covid-related reasons” by Friday!

So that has to be either they’re positive, they have symptoms and are awaiting PCR result or just isolating, or they attend the one school that’s closed already!

About 10 of us met in Birmingham for lunch - some may have consumed cocktails, some may have stayed overnight.

It was a revelation!

There will be another, to which all Republicans will be invited.....

Revelation in what way, Jan?

How many of the Republicans are men?

We can’t possibly reveal what discoveries were made.

Well if you push me ():

What can I say? Some were quieter than expected, some louder. Some older, some younger, but let’s not get into that.

Illegal consumption of alcohol, people lying about their age in order to access a metre rule, and coded gifts from MNHQ in the form of Smarties were some of the highlights.

Some older, some younger, but let’s not get into that.

Did anyone turn out to be Gavin Williamson in real life?

@Mistressiggi

Did anyone turn out to be Gavin Williamson in real life?

or his wife?

Yeah, we’re all now on DfE payroll as double agents. 🕵️‍♀️

Good hustling, that's what I say

OK, so Born and I are older.
Herc was ridiculously young-looking.
Noble and Hamlet downed a fair few cocktails.
Not going near the other things.

Herc will forever be known as ‘the sixth former’.

@motherrunner

Herc will forever be known as ‘the sixth former’.

Wow. Impressive Herc.

I failed to sort Skype out. I kept failing the are you a robot tests

If you do another one I’ll try again.

I loved the meetup. I really enjoyed meeting everyone and putting faces to names.

My school are doing all covid tests as part of the normal first day of term for everyone. Because so many rely on school transport the uptake if we have time slots would be very small, it was in march. So the kids are in forms and wearing masks until they've had their covid tests, which only took an hour last time we did it like this. Each form has one non-teaching tester allocated to them, and they can get through the 30 kids in about an hour.

Dd's school doesn't have to worry about transport because most kids live in walking distance, so they are giving time slots to each form. DD has to go in at 11:30, with a parent/carer, for covid test, photo for Sims, biometrics for library and school lunches, and a tour. Dd1 will take her that first day. I think they're planning on getting through year 7 and 12 on Thursday, then the rest of the school on the Friday while 7 and 12 have induction day that they didn't get to have in July.

My DC’s school have told them to do two LFD tests at home next week and submit the results online.

www.tes.com/news/dfe-hires-attendance-advisers-cut-school-absence-covid?fbclid=IwAR2Srgw29mPO0Ghi89J23A7WSxSHrraxCsaCFh35enddS1TSoGjrFq4Q3U8

I’m so pissed off about the DfE finding £500 a day for attendance officers, yet we can’t afford bloody books!

Glad to hear you had lots of fun! Maybe I shall come to the next one. In real life, I am really chatty but seem to be a quieter one on here.