Are any other school support staff feeling apprehensive about returning given that it now seems to be expected that we’ll covering for any unwell teaching staff colleagues??!

[PressedintoAction]

Just that really.

I’m support staff in a secondary school, in a role with little pupil contact. I don’t feel that I have any skills that qualify me to babysit class(es) of teenagers!

I’m not worried about not having any subject knowledge - it’s just that I have absolutely no training in classroom management, behaviour management and zero knowledge of any particular issues or strategies required for managing some of the children.

Also, I didn’t sign up for this! I’m not trying to be a jobsworth and I happily signed up to go into school to help out with key worker children in the last lockdown but I am absolutely dreading being stuck with 30+ unruly teenagers who are possibly (and understandably) frustrated at not being taught by their usual teacher….

If I hadn't already resigned, I would definitely be feeling very anxious! The attitude of some that we need to "keep schools open at all costs" really annoys me. I was in Primary and at one point last term, we were extremely close to the school not being able to keep children safe due to so many staff being off and I was covering classes myself.

I'm also support staff in a large inner city secondary school. The thought of being asked to cover classes fills me with horror. It's not my job. I'm not trained for it. Who covers my job when I'm away? Nobody! In fact my work is literally piled up if I'm absent. I'd help anyone out if they were in a fix but this is just an ask too far.

Nevermind covering for unwell colleagues. That is usually and to be expected.

Try covering for perfectly fit and healthy staff who have simply been sent home as they are unvaccinated and have had a positive case in their class ffs!

@Meredusoleil you're not seriously saying your school does that are you? How can they?

So don’t cover. It’s not your job. You’re not being a jobsworth, you’re paid to do your role and not to be a teacher. For close to minimum wage, you really shouldn’t have the responsibility. If all TAs did this, the gov would have to intervene. As it is, they expect people to ‘help out’, which really just enables a dysfunctional system to rumble on for another few weeks/months.

[quote JanglyBeads]@Meredusoleil you're not seriously saying your school does that are you? How can they?[/quote]
Yes. That is what had been happening. Apparently its government guidance 🤷 Haven't heard of other schools doing that though!

Has been and still is I should say.

But close contacts don't happen in schools....