Sixty Seventh Republic - under temporary guardianship

[Hercisback]

In the absence of staff and her fabulous thread titles and witty openers here is a 67th thread. The broom cupboard is overflowing so time for another Republic. Hopefully we hear from staff soon.

Stolen from thread 66.
'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.'

Reinfection rates do seem very low (apart from one recent study from Iran which may not stand up to scientific scrutiny….)

Appuskidu We got an email from our Head’s PA asking if we wanted a Boots Corporate Flu Vaccination Voucher-I assume a school has to sign up for this maybe?

Our LA is not providing free flu jabs this year (first time in years). Seems a bit short sighted as there are going to be enough staff off with Covid without adding flu into the mix. I've just paid for and had mine privately but loads won't.

I paid privately for a flu jab as didn't expect to get one (never been offered one in the 4 years I've worked at the current school)

The LA is offering them but nowhere near the school is accepting the vouchers. I paid for mine.

I get my flu jab from my GP but need to book it.

That's good to hear jangly. I can't face being ill with it again.

Paid for my flu jab at boots at the start of September. DH usually has one via school but not this year so booked him in at the last minute too.

We've moved into DefCon 9 now, sorry I mean an update of the risk assessment. So we've gone back to masks in corridors, limited numbers in staff room, ventilation, extra cleaning (HAHAHAHAHA! my classroom hasn't been cleaned since last Wednesday anyway), no school trips, no whole school events or worship.

12 cases and rising....

12!!! That's not many.

Oh, are you primary?

Corner isn’t SEN, is she?

Ok, talk to me about joining a MAT and becoming an academy.....

Please.... panicking a little here. Are there ANY good things?

Depends on the academy chain. We have an excellent academy chain near us. Two schools which are really one school. That wouldn't be dreadful.

I've been in a few chains. Smaller local ones where schools with a similar ethos have gone in together tend to be nice in my experience and each school feels operationally distinct.
Larger chains that go on lots of takeover missioms tend to be the source of more negative stories in my area.

For the 2nd year running, the county have sent staff to school to vaccinate all the teachers and staff with the flu jab, so that was all sorted for all of us (who wanted it, a couple opted out) with that.

I'm off to London at half term and it very much feels like I'm keeping everything crossed, hoping to make it to half term without catching covid! Only one case in my class this week!

I’d say the same - bigger chains that are what feels like money making, taking over schools type ones I hear very negative stories and people don’t stay longs. A few smaller federated type schools with similar ethos seem to be much better!

I'd agree with every one ne re MATS. Big ones like OAT, Harris etc avoid. Small local ones are fine.

Our small local one is ... Well, I can't say what i really think as it's too much, even for MN.

@Fenelladepompom

Our small local one is ... Well, I can't say what i really think as it's too much, even for MN.

Oh no... How much are staff views taken in to consideration usually or do the govs just decide and that's it?

"Staff views taken into account"? Ahahahahaha 😭

Our MAT is lovely. Definitely staff and students are the priority.

Our LA was/is a stinking pile of poo, so...

Part of the answer to what went wrong with that lab, leading to 40,000 false negatives being sent out:

www.theguardian.com/world/2021/oct/18/uk-lab-immensa-false-negative-covid-tests-not-fully-accredited

I work for a school in a large academy trust. I like it although I think it's more of a pain for our head to answer to the trust than it is for me. Fantastic headteacher so I feel like that would be a good place to work regardless of type of school.

I need to remember not to venture out of here. Just read that 'schools are chilcare' and I shouldn't have picked a job where I know I'll be exposed if I'm anxious. Some people literally don't see an issue with what's happening in schools as long as they're OK.

Yes I'm primary. So lots of them with "just a cold" probably have it and have passed it on. Also lots of "bit of a tummy bug". And almost no testing.
Lalalalalalala.