Sixty-Eighth Republic - still under temporary guardianship…

[MrsHerculePoirot]

In the absence of staff and her fabulous thread titles and witty openers here is a 68th thread. The broom cupboard is overflowing so time for another Republic. Hopefully we hear from staff soon.

Stolen from previous threads…
'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 have classes with over 50% cases.

PHE basically said fuck off and stop ringing us.

Just finished marking Year 11 mocks and their two papers in my subject.

The first paper, which we have been going over again since Sept, scored well. Really well.

The second paper, which we did during the January lockdown and when we came back, was very mixed with some low ends but then we will be going over that end of Jan early Feb.

Our problem is, is that Computer Science changed syllabus (for the 3rd time since they became 9-1) and so we have no grade boundaries as no one has publicly sat this syllabus yet.

We are basically applying made up grade boundaries from 2019 from a different syllabus, not just paper because our SLT is telling us to use those ones, and yet that Paper 2 was completely different back then!

I am therefore hoping that the actual grade boundaries are not so wildly off this summer, however, we might be screwed as a subject if it goes to TAGs

Spent the day dealing with an irate parent who had removed their child from religion, spent a great deal of time at the beginning of term complaining loudly about religion, and today wanted to know why they were not participating in the carol concert. FFS. Drinking wine.

2 weeks yesterday to go....

Maths teachers read this: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/secondary/4422325-GCSE-Maths-topics-examined-on-each-paper-to-be-provided-7th-Feb-2022

@DollyMixtureLulus

Spent the day dealing with an irate parent who had removed their child from religion, spent a great deal of time at the beginning of term complaining loudly about religion, and today wanted to know why they were not participating in the carol concert. FFS. Drinking wine.

2 weeks yesterday to go....

I shouldn’t laugh but I can’t help it!

Always the way…

@echt - congratulations, what a lovely end to your day (anybody else have adverts about migrating to Australia 😂)

@phleb - I hope your getting somewhere with your DD's school

@noble - that looks like it could actually be useful for once

Parents evening tonight but at least no chance of Ofsted next week

I spent an hour today dealing with a parent who has done something RIDICULOUS to her child's hair, and was emailing to complain about other children taking the piss out of her child's hair.

FML

An hour?! What on earth was there to discuss?

I can't book the booster - I'm in Wales (unless I've misunderstood).

@DollyMixtureLulus and @RuleWithAWoodenFoot sorry to hear you've had to spend the day dealing with silly parent complaints. Can't believe the one who whinged about religion can't understand why you thought the Carol concert was a no go.

@echt glad you had a lovely last day!

Hmm Piggy's tweet link has made me realise that oh that is probably the only reason they've changed to a 2 year ECT, to get two years out of trainees before they quit or go overseas. It sounds cynical but I can honestly believe that is the only real reason. Though maybe they think if they get through a second year they'll be more likely to stay.

Echt that sounds nice. It made me realise that in most of my classes I have at least a couple of kids who'll thank me for the lesson as they leave and wish me a nice day.

Ventilation study in Swiss classrooms, no surprises:

twitter.com/davidelfstrom/status/1469082182585044998?s=21

Thanks Jan-just read that study. Definitely applies to me! How I have gotten away with catching it again recently I don’t know!
Good news is that I have finally been able to book my booster despite being over 40 - the last few weeks have been frustrating to say the least!

I’m actually doing a favour for a neighbouring school this weekend by marking their Year 11 mocks for them because their entire department has been taken down with Covid. Teachers supporting teachers and all that…

How have we got to this stage and still such poor mitigations in schools!? Ventilation is pretty bloody basic, no!?!!!!

Sorry to spam! This just gets better….

OCR have released today a statement about what Computer Science GCSE and A Level can expect as concessions, in February.

1. No topic list for Paper 2 so revise everything
2. Topic list for Paper 1 but topics not listed may still be assessed, so revise everything.

FML. So bloody unfair on the kids.

That's awful Chloe

Film is more or less that.

'List of topics as per the spec'. ie everything.

MFL is crap. They’re just going to release the topics for the writing papers in advance.

Better than I get!!

English meanwhile gets told the actual possible forms for the writing and has a text taken out of lit

And yet we will all ultimately be judged for our results in the same way. Sigh.

@Piggywaspushed

English meanwhile gets told the actual possible forms for the writing and has a text taken out of lit

Which is especially stupid when the forms of writing really mean diddly squat.

It's all shit

Congrats @echt on making it to your last day!

I'm on my knees. Had another awful observation so I think I'll be on some kind of support plan. Having issues with a refuser, my data is not great, and this week the chn have basically ignored me and even the basic of tasks they can't do independently.

I'm feeling unsupported. Has been noted that im negative so im basically not leaving my classroom during the day.

I'm actually considering giving up teaching. As its clear I can't do it. Im exhausted so can't make any decisions this weekend but I'm not made for it. Have to admit I was wrong and others were right. I wasn't good enough.

I needed to vent so thank you. I am hoping I'll now sleep for the first time this week.

Have to admit I was wrong and others were right. I wasn't good enough
Don't make decisions when you're exhausted. We're all struggling.
Talk to us

Everyone is on their knees just now. You can't judge yourself on this week

I've just finished marking the mocks for the maths department and the huge gaps in the knowledge of so many of the kids is staggering.

name it's been a long slog of a term, don't make any decisions right now. We all feel like giving up from time to time.