WBC Communications?

[observer]

Believe schools are informing staff by e-mail - fine if all staff have a PC - but what about those who don't?

[Paul Kennedy]

Some are getting texts or phone calls. Sorted.

[observer]

Not my sister in law - but I'll tell her, if that's the official policy - TA!

[inky pete]

If staff can get in, they should make the effort if they expect to get paid for the day.

 

If they find that the school is closed to kids when they get there, they could spend the day clearing snow so the school stands more chance of opening tomorrow.

 

That's what a lot of workplaces which can't do business due to lack of staff are doing with those who do make it in.

 

Or maybe the school summer holidays should now be shortened by a week so that there are still the same number of teaching days in the year?

[Paul Kennedy]

Hey up Inky, we're talking about the taxpayer funded state sector.

[Paul Kennedy]

Not my sister in law - but I'll tell her, if that's the official policy - TA!

 

No idea whether it official policy or not Observer, but makes sense to me as virtually everybody has access to a phone, and in the case of texts, not that I do them, they can be sent out en masse.

[LymmParent]

If staff can get in, they should make the effort if they expect to get paid for the day.

 

If they find that the school is closed to kids when they get there, they could spend the day clearing snow so the school stands more chance of opening tomorrow.

 

That's what a lot of workplaces which can't do business due to lack of staff are doing with those who do make it in.

 

Or maybe the school summer holidays should now be shortened by a week so that there are still the same number of teaching days in the year?

 

I can only speak about what I know on that score - all the Ravenbank staff who could make it turned in and shovelled the place clear. The Head and Deputy were in making daily assessments and decisions about opening were made at 3pm each day, not before. The road is a complete mess, even after they've gritted, so they've arranged staggered arrival times for Monday and asked everyone to park in the car park and walk up Pepper Street to avoid risk close to the school where kids will be walking. I don't see what more they can do? It would have been reckless, crass stupidity to ask 300 kids plus accompanying adults and pre-schoolers to attempt the journey last week.

 

You're carrying on as if teachers arranged this and think it's great. Most of them are actually concerned about the kids, you know?

[wolfie]

You're carrying on as if teachers arranged this and think it's great. Most of them are actually concerned about the kids, you know?

 

Someone talking a bit of sense LP.

 

The decision to close a school is down to the headteacher. Normally if the headteacher can get in then they open the school, regardless of how far away the teacher lives.

 

The teachers are contracted to work 195 days, if they don't turn up the head normally asks them to make up the lost day(s)

 

If supply teachers don't turn up they lose their pay. simples.

[inky pete]

If that's what happened at Ravenbank then that's fine.

 

But the stated reason for closing a lot of schools has been "not enough staff can get in to supervise the children safely". I remember being at school in bad weather conditions and we weren't allowed out into the yard, we all just sat in the hall and played games. Doesn't take too many staff to supervise that.

 

It's not just the schools, many businesses have also suffered more disruption than necessary because so many people have not even tried to make it in to work.

 

Personally, I don't really care whether or not the schools are open - until I'm asked to do both my own job and someone elses because we need to cover for colleagues who could get into work, but have to stay off looking after the kids.

 

There seems to be very little recognition on the part of the schools that the impact of them being closed extends far beyond their staff and their kids.

[observer]

Think you'll find the elephant in the room is fear of litigation - which nowadays creates inertia in our public institutions.

[Bazj]

I just feel sorry for the kids who because of the legally correct dogma, don't get to enjoy the feeling of a mass snowball fight on the playground with 200 kids all lobbing snowballs at each other.... as Harry syas: "Happy Days"

[observer]

Snowball fights?! Remember the saga of the prohibition of conker fights? The HR, H&S Acts, and the litigation culture imported from the US have assured we have inertia in our public institutions, led by management that are terryfied of putting a foot wrong.

[RENT-A-GOAT]

Teachers getting their hands dirty and shovelling snow?

 

NOW YOU ARE JOKING

[RENT-A-GOAT]

Believe schools are informing staff by e-mail - fine if all staff have a PC - but what about those who don't?

 

With the fat salaries our teachers earn working 195 days a year they should be more than capable of affording even an all singing/all dancing PC! Not forgetting the staff laptop they are usually "entitled" to

[wolfie]

 

With the fat salaries our teachers earn working 195 days a year they should be more than capable of affording even an all singing/all dancing PC! Not forgetting the staff laptop they are usually "entitled" to

 

So you call 21k-30k a big fat salary???

So you must be on a whole lot less then?

[RENT-A-GOAT]

40k in 2-3 years aint bad.

 

How unfortunate they have to slum it out for 21-30k initially

[wolfie]

Eh No!

Year 1 - 21k,

Year 6 - 30k

After this, progression to the upper pay scale is dependant on performance

UPS1 32660

UPS2 33870

 

Like I said you must be on buttons to think that is a big fat salary.

[Dizzy]

Teachers getting their hands dirty and shovelling snow?

 

NOW YOU ARE JOKING

 

No joke... many members of staff have been doing just that

[inky pete]

Eh No!

Year 1 - 21k,

Year 6 - 30k

After this, progression to the upper pay scale is dependant on performance

 

?30k at age 27 or so, not bad in my book - and about 25% more than I earn for 48 x 45 hour weeks.

 

Pay rises after that which depend on being good at your job???? Whatever next!!!

[wolfie]

Try getting a job as a train driver ?35k for a 4 day week or ?70k with overtime, thats a big fat salary.

[LymmParent]

At risk of getting back on topic...... Teachers don't get freebies - those who've turned in to shovel will still also be making up the lost learning time, so they've actually worked for free, outdoors, shovelling snow in minus ten degrees, which is most definitely not in their contracts, for the benefit of the kids. Very few staffrooms were under snow!

 

If you have kids and work, then it's your responsibility to have arrangements in place for childcare - be it cover for school closure, sickness or whatever. I am tired of selfish whining people who think that their personal schedule overrides any other consideration. When you look at schools opening, the ONLY factor is the wellbeing of the kids.

 

If you are covering at work for people who are just lazy, then that's not fair. But put the blame where it belongs - on the selfish individual who didn't give you any consideration.

[RENT-A-GOAT]

Like I said you must be on buttons to think that is a big fat salary.

 

38k with a pathetic 22 days holiday but at least I can safely say I earn it

[wolfie]

Like I said you must be on buttons to think that is a big fat salary.

 

38k with a pathetic 22 days holiday but at least I can safely say I earn it

 

Much more than a teacher then? and we only have your word regarding earning it.

[Dizzy]

Am I missing something RAG.....

 

You get paid ?38k and you are moaning about geting a 'pathetic' 22 days holiday a year

 

I presume you get paid for bank holidays too and get sick pay when you are ill

 

You want to get out in the real world where many people do not get paid for any time off

[asperity]

Try my job. I'm only allowed to work for 14 hours a day 7 days a week, unless something urgent crops up. Still I do enjoy it so can't complain eh