Shielding letter

Just received my shielding letter so no work for the next 2 weeks. Hardly worth it already 2 weeks through the lockdown.

Organisation still poor.

[Marionfromhappydays]

kick back and relax 😁

[Boxerlady]

Mine came today - postmarked 4th November - but I had the same thing by email a while ago.

As you say, poor organisation.

[Lolabridge in reply to Boxerlady]

Ditto!

[Ms-D]

Wow im glad you are off. I was told to carry on with mask arghh but teacher tested positive yday so 6 colleagues now waiting results. So scary to think these flippibg tiny minys can spread it to us and make us terribly ill even if they dont get it as bad. Another colleague just tested positive as i type. Wonder what my result will be🤔

[Hidden in reply to Ms-D]

Frightening... I was wearing a mask and a face shield I was exhausted at the end of the day . Felt like oxygen deprivation.

Good luck I hope you get a negative result.

Really feel the vulnerable have been left exposed. Let us know how you get on. X

[Ms-D in reply to Hidden]

Will do. Its so sad that this lockdown has left ppl feeling so unforgotten

[Ruth12345]

Goah thats not good having letter so late. Oh and myself had email day of lockdown 2, then 1 general letter from council and oh has had letter from health department which says we as email.

Take care.

[Bootoo]

I got an email on the 4th of November, but no letter as yet...

[Boxerlady in reply to Bootoo]

I'm actually quite annoyed that I've had a letter as well as an email - I was originally quite impressed that they'd saved paper. Silly me! 🙄😂

[Hidden]

Had to work for 2 weeks no shielding letter 🙄🙄I’ve a few cupboards to clear out 😂

[Pippy25]

That's rather late isn't it....a bit like closing the door after the horse has bolted as the saying goes! As you say poor organisation. Take care x

[Kags1068]

Very annoying it's arrived so late, but I'm glad you shouldn't have to go in for the next 2 weeks. My closest friend is a deputy head cum reception teacher cum early years leader (you know how it is), and they were summoned to have an "emergency" video meeting with public health yesterday afternoon. I think it was after Thursday's rise in figures. They were told keeping kids in school was paramount, and that it was basically very inconvenient that teachers keep getting infected and they should try to avoid it at all costs! I guess a lot of these "types" must never have set foot in a school! Madness! 🤯😳

Hope you stay well x

[Hidden in reply to Kags1068]

It’s worrying. School staff are dispensable and that’s the healthy ones. There will be no teaching staff in the near future. Burn out !! Our school has been reduced by 9 staff the last year or so. Many special needs children now, as many special schools closed and children integrated into main stream schools no extra staff. Class sizes growing. 10 years ago our class size was 28 now 34. Teaching is so difficult . I’m lucky I only work 3 hours a day but many TAs have to take work home as their time is taken up cleaning equipment and class rooms. They are payed a poor salary but are really taking on the roll of teachers no overtime.

Sorry rambling venting .😁😆x

[Kags1068 in reply to Hidden]

No apology necessary. Everything you are saying echoes what my friend says all the time. She also feels dispensable, and that as a profession, the negative press they constantly receive really gets her down. Her classes have also grown and are the same sort of numbers you mention. Also, they have many more special needs children too, and it's increasingly difficult to get them statemented. Every year she has a number of challenging children compared to the odd one or two a few years ago. A couple of years ago she had 5 severely autistic children in her reception class. Two of whom were unable to speak and all were very disruptive and sometimes violent. (Not their fault of course, but not nearly enough support in place). In addition a year or so ago, she had a child with very complex physical needs who required his colostomy bag changing (and contents examined) throughout the day. No health support was offered, and he had a very difficult mother who did not want "be bothered" while at work during the day and constantly accused the school of "disability discrimination" and threatened to sue every time they tried to raise any issue. It was very stressful and yet another duty that fell to her poor TA's.

Sorry, I'm ranting now! I just feel very strongly about all this on behalf of her and other school staff. Most people have no idea of the reality of working in schools nowadays and I think, would be shocked if they did.

Phew!! Rant over 😉

[Hidden in reply to Kags1068]

Feel better??? I did 😂

[Kags1068 in reply to Hidden]

Haha - yes! Glad it worked for you too! 😁😁

[MadBunny in reply to Kags1068]

Just read this thread. As retired teacher( due to RA ) I take a lot of interest in what's happening in schools.I think most, if not all of these 'types' have absolutely no Idea of what's involved in teaching. Inconvenient indeed! I would have had some choice words to say.

[Kags1068 in reply to MadBunny]

Hi MB

Hope you are ok? Thanks for your reply. I think we've spoken about school issues before.

I can imagine that as someone who spent their career in teaching, it really all does make your blood boil somewhat! I think once a teacher, always a teacher?😳

Feel free to to vent with any rude words of your choosing 😉😁😁

Best wishes x

[MadBunny in reply to Kags1068]

I'm fine thanks- hope you are too. Yes once a teacher...... To be honest I don't know how I would have coped with all this. I was shocked to read how class size has increased yet support has decreased so much. I left teaching in 2013 and things had already started to change then. We were getting more students with special needs in mainstream education( don't get me wrong I thought that was a good thing) yet no extra support.

[Kags1068 in reply to MadBunny]

Yes, it seems the things you mention are all the 'new normal' now. Like you, my friend has no issues with having special needs children in school, it's just the sheer lack of support which is in turn detrimental to those children and the rest of the class. So sad, as education is absolutely vital for everyone in society, yet is often seems so undervalued - unless as usual, you are able or willing to pay for it! Doesn't seem quite right somehow. Oops, I'd better stop now before I put my foot in it - haha!

I'm ok too thanks - blundering along as usual ........ 😉😊

[MadBunny in reply to Kags1068]

To be honest maybe it's just as well I'm out of it all now. I'd just be so angry and stressed😊

[Kags1068 in reply to MadBunny]

Unfortunately, I think you might be right .......! 😊

[MadBunny in reply to Kags1068]

Sadly yes. Although I would probably be there fighting it as best as I could.

[Kags1068 in reply to MadBunny]

I think you would!😊

[Hidden in reply to Kags1068]

Unfortunately getting statements for these children is a lengthy and difficult process. When eventually it is managed the next year it is withdrawn. TAs then take on these roles which in turn takes them out of the class. We are a small school 7 classes 7 TAs at least 20 special needs . Each teacher has a PPA day class covered by 2 TAs. TAs now cover lunchtimes as well so have to leave the class to have their own lunch break.on top if this they administer medications ( diabetic injections the norm now) and are first aiders. How on earth can children get a consistent education or help if the are struggling never . The chance to get to talk to children so we can spot problems is getting harder and troubled children are falling through the net. Teaching children to use the toilet/wash hands and use a knife and fork is all part of teaching these days. I really could go on and on. It breaks my heart.

[Kags1068 in reply to Hidden]

I really do hear you, and sympathise. Honestly, everything you have said could have been my friend speaking. Her school is the same size - 1 form entry etc. All the things you describe, she experiences too from the statementing issues to the toileting and eating issues. She is forever having to clean children up who have had "accidents". They also have lots of issues with lack of speech development (not being spoken to at home enough), and even getting them to sit still on the carpet for a story! I guess you've probably experienced that too (and more).

My friend is always saying how much the role of TA's has changed over the years and how much more is expected of them (for crap pay). She really values her TA.

She is also finding it more and more difficult to cope with seeing all the problems children are facing (and she is a very strong person). We are 52 now, so she's been teaching 30 years and things have definitely got worse. She's also the safe-guarding person at the school and has had to have a number of distressing meeting with Police and Social Services in recent months. Sorry, I'm going on and on now, but I really do feel for you all and admire the hard work you all do under very difficult circumstances.

You don't get to leave it all at work at the end of the day, do you? 🙁

[Green230461 in reply to Kags1068]

My husband is a teacher. This was his response to children socially distancing ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! You get the idea!!!

[Kags1068 in reply to Green230461]

I think that seems pretty accurate!! 😳😁

[Hidden in reply to Green230461]

Spot on

[Lotphie]

I still haven’t received an email or letter. First lock down letter was very late. Next letter never came so spoke with Rheumatology Nurse and she arranged letter to be sent. I seemed to have been the forgotten one even though I’m on methotrexate and Benapali Injections and also been told I have a damaged lung which may have been caused by RA or methotrexate. Also had pneumonia last year and taken off RA meds while I had the infection. Never want to go there again as flare up the worst ever and my husband had to do everything for me. I take the attitude that I may have got lost in the system but I know I’m here. I also suffer from anxiety so I feel safe at home. I still look after two of my grandchildren two days a week while parent have to work. So I just do what the government are telling us to do.

[Monkeysmum]

That’s not good is it J1707. Would have thought things should be so much more straightforward second time round.

[Green230461]

Had mine on the post yesterday Saturday! What a waste of money and time

[Nicanoo]

I'm in Wales, no shielding, primary teacher for 23 yrs and RA on methotrexate for 5yrs. Had a covid case in my class last week, no masks for staff in class with 27 children breathing and moving around in 1 room. 108 in my bubble building!

[Lyns58]

Me too. I had one day in work this week as have had covid so been off 3 weeks anyway and now shielding again🤔