paulkerton Posted April 30, 2020 Posted April 30, 2020 Apparently most staff will be expect to be in but management is worrying how to deal with distancing of staff. I'm betting that there will be a declaration that even when they start to look at opening schools towards June time, there will be a declaration from government that those who can work from home, should still do so. So people like your finance and HR people will likely be able to do that, as they've proven it is possible now - even some of your IT staff will be able to, perhaps on a rota so that they're in for two weeks, out for two weeks perhaps. Looking at other countries, there might also be a "cannot travel X amount of miles from your home" declaration too. But until the Government announce something (and I think this recent lymph node inflammation/Kawasaki disease discovery has put the chills into them) we're all just speculating.
Davit2005 Posted April 30, 2020 Posted April 30, 2020 I'm betting that there will be a declaration that even when they start to look at opening schools towards June time, there will be a declaration from government that those who can work from home, should still do so. So people like your finance and HR people will likely be able to do that, as they've proven it is possible now - even some of your IT staff will be able to, perhaps on a rota so that they're in for two weeks, out for two weeks perhaps. Looking at other countries, there might also be a "cannot travel X amount of miles from your home" declaration too. But until the Government announce something (and I think this recent lymph node inflammation/Kawasaki disease discovery has put the chills into them) we're all just speculating. Our team was on a rota system about 2 weeks or so before lockdown started and that will be the plan if any site presence is needed at all for the foreseeable maybe even till 2021. I've been in once since late March and a few of the team have also been in one day only.
Popular Post mikeprice Posted April 30, 2020 Popular Post Posted April 30, 2020 Schools need to remember that some non teachery people work in small offices where it is impossible to work 2m apart needs to be mentioned as sometimes non classroom staff get forgotten! 6
the_quick Posted May 1, 2020 Posted May 1, 2020 We have quite small office, 2m distancing is impossible, there are 3 of us. As we are now open for key worker kids, one of us is in each day till 12.30. This is on rota, so I come in every third day. Quite happy with that. When school partially open would be happy to do that as whole day on site and rest work from home. Summer holidays soon and I supposed to replace all servers and do some other jobs. Can't see this as being a problem, as in the summer very often we work on different days and there is hardly anyone on site.
Ditto Posted May 1, 2020 Posted May 1, 2020 Schools need to remember that some non teachery people work in small offices where it is impossible to work 2m apart needs to be mentioned as sometimes non classroom staff get forgotten! 100% agree and often not treated with the same level of respect as the teaching profession are by leadership. When next weeks plans come out, it is not going to cover all scenarios, so we all need to look after ourselves and not be pushed in to situations that put us at heightened risk. Based on many other posts on Edugeek, there will be tensions and people being asked to work in a way that they are not comfortable with. I would recommend everyone has a think about how they can get support for their own well-being, whether it's through legal cover, union, LA support or other. I know the vast majority of support staff will want to do there utmost to support the children's education, but we need to be treated as equals.
hardtailstar Posted May 1, 2020 Posted May 1, 2020 Even when getting a bit angered at times, I'm finding it some much more soothing to be in my own house, away from the environment, I can do things at my own pace, can have a podcast/music on in the background, I think it's been a revelation mental health wise in the professional sense, almost makes me realise how much unnecessary strength we go through in most cases for not much thanks or renumeration This time has completely shot my mental health.
keyboards Posted May 1, 2020 Posted May 1, 2020 We have quite small office, 2m distancing is impossible, there are 3 of us. As we are now open for key worker kids, one of us is in each day till 12.30. This is on rota, so I come in every third day. Quite happy with that. When school partially open would be happy to do that as whole day on site and rest work from home. Summer holidays soon and I supposed to replace all servers and do some other jobs. Can't see this as being a problem, as in the summer very often we work on different days and there is hardly anyone on site. The problem is, you'll get someone annoying who will be like why can't work in this office, y in that office and so forth for no real need.
mikeprice Posted May 1, 2020 Posted May 1, 2020 The problem is, you'll get someone annoying who will be like why can't work in this office, y in that office and so forth for no real need. If working at home is working OK then you should be continuing to do it However, if you do need to physically be there then the holidays do have the advantage of being able to move stuff to different places and work socially distanced with no problems On a different note - if people start thinking about introducing home working as a permanent feature then I would advise recording what is done very carefully (which is a pain) If you are not even on site then you become more invisible - which will, sooner or later, make someone start thinking that the can do without some or all of the IT team If you have an accurate list then you have some evidence to counter this - and maybe even ask for more people
keyboards Posted May 1, 2020 Posted May 1, 2020 If working at home is working OK then you should be continuing to do it However, if you do need to physically be there then the holidays do have the advantage of being able to move stuff to different places and work socially distanced with no problems On a different note - if people start thinking about introducing home working as a permanent feature then I would advise recording what is done very carefully (which is a pain) If you are not even on site then you become more invisible - which will, sooner or later, make someone start thinking that the can do without some or all of the IT team If you have an accurate list then you have some evidence to counter this - and maybe even ask for more people Logging is a great idea, I've been doing it since day one, Google doc updated every time I did something half-meaningful, not massively in depth but just notes
mthomas08 Posted May 1, 2020 Posted May 1, 2020 The problem is, you'll get someone annoying who will be like why can't work in this office, y in that office and so forth for no real need. Had that same discussion with my previous line manager. The idea was I went in my own small office away from my team.. so I didn't get disturbed for the day to day tasks. Great idea! But how on earth do I keep an eye on my team and what is going on? Have daily briefings, get them to log everything etc.. unrealistic at the time due to the work load we faced. My current LM is within touching distance of the HT and finance which makes perfect sense. The majority of the admin team are located near reception again makes sense. There is a logical and professional reason some people are located in certain areas. Like us in IT, we are right by the servers.... no point sticking attendance here or reception.. On another note regarding C19. I made a calendar notification.. apparently by now C19 should be gone and all our lives are back to normal because the virus was just another flu. How wrong were they... I think its important to remind those individuals the seriousness of it all. We all got warned (far worse compared to Ebola). In my life I don't remember seeing the WHO constantly updating us almost on a daily basis of how serious it was (all the way back in JAN). As always, stay safe, take it serious and don't treat the situation like Trump did and call it a hoax (or just another flu).
mikeprice Posted May 1, 2020 Posted May 1, 2020 When Matt Hancock said he was aiming for 100,000 tests by the end of April I thought he was mad to think that was even slightly possible But apparently they have managed to 'do' 122,000 (ish) which is well over Which is a massive achievement for the people who have got all this sorted out and they should get due praise for it OK it includes home tests that have been sent out - that is just a bit petty considering how far past the target they have managed to get along with the Nightingale hospitals this is really up there in terms of achievements! don't normally praise this government but in this case I think it is worth breaking a habit!!
smurfomatic Posted May 1, 2020 Posted May 1, 2020 When Matt Hancock said he was aiming for 100,000 tests by the end of April I thought he was mad to think that was even slightly possible But apparently they have managed to 'do' 122,000 (ish) which is well over Which is a massive achievement for the people who have got all this sorted out and they should get due praise for it OK it includes home tests that have been sent out - that is just a bit petty considering how far past the target they have managed to get along with the Nightingale hospitals this is really up there in terms of achievements! don't normally praise this government but in this case I think it is worth breaking a habit!! The original target was to carry out 100,000 a day, not to post them to people. 73,000 actually tested yesterday, which is a great number but should be a lot higher by now.
mikeprice Posted May 1, 2020 Posted May 1, 2020 The original target was to carry out 100,000 a day, not to post them to people. 73,000 actually tested yesterday, which is a great number but should be a lot higher by now. Should have started earlier - but from where they started this is an achievement There will be an enquiry at the end of all this and I think a lot of people will come out of it quite badly - but at the moment we can only start from where we are
smurfomatic Posted May 1, 2020 Posted May 1, 2020 It's a massive increase, even on yesterday - which was 52,000 tests and 33,000 people according to waybackmachine's capture of the gov.uk website: https://web.archive.org/web/20200430175708/https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public
caffrey Posted May 1, 2020 Posted May 1, 2020 This time has completely shot my mental health. I wonder if any of this is taken into account when we are thrust back into it. My daughter who works in probation had a test today, she was waiting in the queue for 2 hours and self administered the test, I can't believe for one minute that she would do it properly
6Foot2 Posted May 1, 2020 Posted May 1, 2020 Link: Social distancing works – just ask lobsters, ants and vampire bats [The Conversation] ...What can we learn about social distancing from other animals, and how are their actions like and unlike what humans are doing now? Feed the sick, but protect the queen Social insects are some of the most extreme practitioners of social distancing in nature. Many types of ants live in tight quarters with hundreds or even thousands of close relatives. Much like our day care centers, college dormitories and nursing homes, these colonies can create optimal conditions for spreading contagious diseases. In response to this risk, ants have evolved the ability to socially distance. When a contagious disease sweeps through their society, both sick and healthy ants rapidly change their behavior in ways that slow disease transmission. Sick ants self-isolate, and healthy ants reduce their interaction with other ants when disease is present in the colony. Healthy ants even “close rank” around the most vulnerable colony members – the queens and nurses – by keeping them isolated from the foragers that are most likely to introduce germs from outside. Overall, these measures are highly effective at limiting disease spread and keeping colony members alive. Many other types of animals also choose exactly who to socially distance from, and conversely, when to put themselves at risk. For example, mandrills – a type of monkey – continue to care for sick family members even as they actively avoid sick individuals to whom they are not related. In an evolutionary sense, caring for a sick family member may allow an animal to pass on its genes through that family member’s offspring. Further, some animals maintain essential social interactions in the face of sickness while foregoing less critical ones. For example, vampire bats continue to provide food for their sick groupmates, but avoid grooming them. This minimizes contagion risk while still preserving forms of social support that are most essential to keeping sick family members alive, such as food sharing. These nuanced forms of social distancing minimize costs of disease while maintaining the benefits of social living. It should come as no surprise that evolution favors them in many types of animals...
hardtailstar Posted May 1, 2020 Posted May 1, 2020 I wonder if any of this is taken into account when we are thrust back into it. Doubt it. Everything is urgent or to be done yesterday with us in IT but teachers can frolick about getting their exercise during the day or whatever. Held my tongue on many occasions.
keyboards Posted May 1, 2020 Posted May 1, 2020 I've said on a few occasions, it will no doubt be ignored but we need a day or two just to re-adjust ourselves, check everything, almost go back to our surroundings and all the things we couldn't do on-site. Otherwise we're going to go back and be pestered non-stop, tons of tickets all within a few hours or day of being back, we just need a day to reintegrate with our surroundings, IT colleagues etc I think this has taught me not to take work as seriously, it's almost not being on site as you can't be chased, can't be pestered, no one keep tracking of if you pinch five minutes here or there extra for lunch of arriving/leave early/late 1
smurfomatic Posted May 1, 2020 Posted May 1, 2020 It's certainly going to take time to re-adjust back to "working from work". If I'm honest it's been very quiet for me over the last few weeks, testament to how much work the Head of IT did over Easter preparing Google classroom and prepping the teachers on what to do. I'd much rather be busy (or at least have something to do) as it's really hammering my previous mental health issues - making me feel like I'm a fraud for still working when I should be furloughed, as I'm obviously not really "working".
6Foot2 Posted May 1, 2020 Posted May 1, 2020 (edited) Good Omens: Lockdown Edited May 1, 2020 by elsiegee40 2
caffrey Posted May 1, 2020 Posted May 1, 2020 We can't be furloughed in case something goes wrong, there's always going to be a need for some IT support no matter how trivial
elsiegee40 Posted May 2, 2020 Posted May 2, 2020 DfE Disapplication notice: school attendance legislation changes The notice applies from 1 May 2020 to 31 May 2020. It temporarily disapplies offences relating to the failure of parents to secure regular attendance at school of a registered pupil. Parents can be sure that they will not be prosecuted or receive a criminal conviction by not sending their children to school. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/disapplication-notice-school-attendance-legislation-changes 2
Ditto Posted May 2, 2020 Posted May 2, 2020 (edited) DfE Disapplication notice: school attendance legislation changes The notice applies from 1 May 2020 to 31 May 2020. It temporarily disapplies offences relating to the failure of parents to secure regular attendance at school of a registered pupil. Parents can be sure that they will not be prosecuted or receive a criminal conviction by not sending their children to school. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/disapplication-notice-school-attendance-legislation-changes It's interesting to note that this applies for just one month. For many of us, the last week of May is half term, so it's effectively the next three weeks only. It would be controversial for any parent to be pursued for a fine in June. One to watch I suspect. Edited May 2, 2020 by Ditto
6Foot2 Posted May 2, 2020 Posted May 2, 2020 NOTE: Irvine Welsh's Twitter Bio is NSFW (Includes expetive) Link: https://twitter.com/IrvineWelsh/status/1255747736084848641 [irvine Welsh Video Tweet] Tend to get a bit bored with Trainspotting parodies but this one is for the @NHS so all good. Click the link above for the video.
TwistedHelixis Posted May 2, 2020 Posted May 2, 2020 Posted yesterday by someone else - So for those 100,000 tests that were apparently done, they quietly dropped the phrase 'tests carried out' from their test reporting, at least 40,000 tests included in yesterday's figures were YET to be carried out when they made that announcement. hmmmm
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