The Sixty-fourth Republic - good luck to those still gliding towards the holidays especially after euro final

[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 for school staff to let off steam.

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.

We are still waiting advice on chairs and masks but keep the windows open. You don’t have to upload LFT results during the holidays.Do not sit on the chairs and do wear a mask.

@CallmeHendricks I don’t know. I know nothing about her apart from her name and how much DS loves her. With restrictions it’s meant I haven’t been able to meet her.

@motherrunner DS’s teacher has gone above and beyond for him this year. I’m writing her a card - but explicitly saying what she’s done and how grateful I am and how much it has meant to us and him. Then I’ll give her vouchers - probably from somewhere ‘nice’ like JL or similar I think. I know I’m the past the things that have really touched me are the individual really personal messages from kids/parents.

God’s Own County here with an almost brummie accent!

@Hercisback

born Are you near the place Brummies refer to as "round the XX"?

West mids here too, border 3 counties.

No, south and east of the Wrekin, though I can just about see it from the top of my hill on a very clear day, along with a few of the “coloured counties” to use the words of AE Housman…

Flags are you East? Something I once saw you post made me think you might be from nr where I grew up, can’t remember what though!

@Mistressiggi

I'm just waiting for two of you to realise you're in the same school

Well I know MrsHP doesn’t work in my school because her maths department is cool and sociable.

Wow. That's an impressive TA, mothereunner.

And I second the vouchers from JL suggestion, motherrunner.

Though, when I was a TA, I genuinely appreciated anything. And I still have cards made by children.

Vouchers are a good idea, if you don't know them at all. JL, as has been said, or if you had any insider info that she might be into gardening, then vouchers for a garden centre? Or, last Christmas I got one for a fabulous one-off quirky gift/home decor shop in the village. Loved spending that one!

Anything gifty from the White Company or Jo Malone?

I'm on a roll, here!

I also got one, as I think I said, for a spa salon locally, and went for a facial and pedicure. That was nice, as it came with a long handwritten personalised thank you.

Good work as Usual by the Byline times. Not surprised at all about Dingwall. He has suddenly piped up out of nowhere. There is always a reason.

Yeah I suspect it was Dingwall who told Liz Truss to announce that the JCVI was unlikely to approve vaccinations for kids and that a decision was imminent. That then shaped the narrative - you saw it on here. And yet the decision was not imminent and still hasn't been made.

He then did that twitter thread arguing against vaccinations that was retweeted widely, in which he said he was a member of the JCVI and implying he spoke for them instead of just (unprofessionally) making public his side of the debate they are having in private.

I mentioned on here when he retweeted U4T...that wasn't a good sign.

She is an amazing TA. On Friday we had a call from the Head and a boy in DS’ class threw his lunchbox down the toilet (DS had left it outside the cubicle). DS distraught as he only has a few food groups he eats. His TA went into the school kitchen and made him a lunch she knew he would eat. I was nearly in tears when I spoke to the Head.

On a different but related note, it's suddenly hit me how crazy it is at the moment.

I'm a Supply Teacher and I have never, ever experienced anything like this.

Schools are so stretched.

She sounds great, motherrunner.

@JanFebAnyMonth

Flags are you East? Something I once saw you post made me think you might be from nr where I grew up, can’t remember what though!

Not East, like Carrie I'm in God's own county.

I think a couple of you are from near where I grew up. I've been trying to work out which hill has singing or shooting near the M5...

Gosh for such a small set of countries there is so much to the UK, isn't there? I'm always amazed by this.

I bought "my" TA (the one who was my right hand woman for two years with a challenging y9then 10) a rose bush.
Called the Lady Gardener. We both sniggered like Bobs 🤣
I'm Lancaster so vvv easy to train or drive anywhere.

Looking to me as if Birmingham is a central point.
The drawback is..... Birmingham.

I've been trying to work out which hill

There’s a poetry reference.

Stratford?

I mean as a central point. Stratford, that is.

For all the Birmingham-environs people, Nick Drake is trending on Twitter.Apparently, a track of his has been used in the football coverage.

I spent a lovely summer's day in Tamworth-in-Arden a while ago. The Midlands is such a beautiful part of the country.

Nick Drake being played as part of football would be the best bit of sportsball for me.

I’m God’s own county too @CarrieBlue born and bred.