it managers - are you being asked to come in

[DrBeaker]

working from home and on call to go in if needs be so mostly ms teams and doddle , still its improving my powershell

 

Used Powershell for the first time a couple of weeks ago, to do what I couldn't do in a batch file. Quite impressed.

[dblight]

We have just been instructed not to goto sites for any reason without express permission from the Trust Business Manager. All of our Shared Services are working from home.

[CHiLL]

We're working from home too. We have a proviso that one of us needs to come in once a week to ensure the IT services are alright and also come in if something can't be resolved remotely. We haven't heard anything different from management, though Boris' speech yesterday may change that as it's not necessary to go in just to check the systems, since that can all be done remotely.

[keyboards]

We're working from home too. We have a proviso that one of us needs to come in once a week to ensure the IT services are alright and also come in if something can't be resolved remotely. We haven't heard anything different from management, though Boris' speech yesterday may change that as it's not necessary to go in just to check the systems, since that can all be done remotely.

Seems utter nonsense and madness to me! If not a bit selfish putting you and others at risk, directly against all government, world health organization advice.

[synaesthesia]

We've been asked to have one of us on site at all times, so we've set up a rota between ourselves basically meaning we'll be in 1 or 2 days a week. We have children in from keyworkers/vulnerable etc so there needs to be someone available ideally and at the same time they're basically in one area so we have the run of the rest of the building to isolate/work in with minimal, in fact probably less risk than being at home Edited March 24, 2020 by synaesthesia

[Disease]

We've been asked to have one of us on site at all times, so we've set up a rota between ourselves basically meaning we'll be in 1 or 2 days a week. We have children in from keyworkers/vulnerable etc so there needs to be someone available ideally and at the same time they're basically in one area so we have the run of the rest of the building to isolate/work in with minimal, in fact probably less risk than being at home

 

Same, I think people need to realize that the risk with gloves and proper hand washing in between jobs/contact is minimal and you are providing a valuable service to key workers as a key worker yourself.

[DrBeaker]

Same, I think people need to realize that the risk with gloves and proper hand washing in between jobs/contact is minimal and you are providing a valuable service to key workers as a key worker yourself.

 

I ordered face masks, boxes of gloves etc before the Coronavirus issue hit and still waiting for the delivery. Especially so in your case if you don't have the proper H&S kit to deal with the risks.

[dblight]

We've been asked to have one of us on site at all times, so we've set up a rota between ourselves basically meaning we'll be in 1 or 2 days a week. We have children in from keyworkers/vulnerable etc so there needs to be someone available ideally and at the same time they're basically in one area so we have the run of the rest of the building to isolate/work in with minimal, in fact probably less risk than being at home

 

Thats mad, we have about 50 or so in out of 4500 across our trust and no one from shared services are allowed onsite.

[Scotbynature]

Now because of an argument between the council and the company who own the building about paying the PFI contract the school is open. I am the only person being told to go in to set some laptops up for pupils to work at home. There will be no pupils onsite so our school is not classed as a critical employment but I have basically been ordered to go and deal with parents coming in to pick up laptops. But the school are really concerned about my welfare and asked that I adhere to social distancing whilst dealing with parents. Gee, thanks for the concern while you are all safely at home as per the governments guidelines.

[ticktock]

Working at home from today. I only live 10 mins from school so can pop in if I need too. Only 6 kids in school and 8 staff but I suspect that will decrease. Been quite busy resetting passwords and helping staff with bits and bats. Credit to our Head who has worked her socks off and led from the front.

[DrBeaker]

Now because of an argument between the council and the company who own the building about paying the PFI contract the school is open. I am the only person being told to go in to set some laptops up for pupils to work at home. There will be no pupils onsite so our school is not classed as a critical employment but I have basically been ordered to go and deal with parents coming in to pick up laptops. But the school are really concerned about my welfare and asked that I adhere to social distancing whilst dealing with parents. Gee, thanks for the concern while you are all safely at home as per the governments guidelines.

 

I'd be concerned from multiple points:

 

Safeguarding- what if you get an angry violent parent?

 

Lone-worker - what if something happens when by yourself?

 

Coronavirus contact from potential infected parents?

 

What I did I set laptops up and told them to collect them directly from Reception which is like in a vestible/airlock type thing. But this was staff, not students.

[Garacesh]

My tech and I are still in, but we're splitting the week (aside from Mondays, as a catch-up/planning day)

 

I think there's some prudence to having support on-site if there are still people in the building.

[smurfomatic]

Was told yesterday that I was to work from home wherever possible.

 

No children in, so the only people on site now are residential staff and one of the admin staff collecting post every day (though not sure why, as no-one will be in to read it!) and occasional visits from staff who absolutely have to be on site (e.g. referring to paper files).

 

I will only be going to site if there's a major failure of on-site equipment. Given that we're a Google school so 99% is on the cloud so server is not doing much any more, plus obviously no need to worry about wireless controller issues if there's no staff, not likely to be called out! If I am, not a problem, but it's a 30 minue drive for me.

[localzuk]

Well, we've changed our plan now. None of us are going to be onsite any more, except for a weekly pop in if anything needs physically doing on a Monday morning. And we suspect that we'll end up fully closed sooner rather than later anyway. We have so few children in, there is no need for onsite IT support all day every day.

@Scotbynature I would personally turn around and say no. If the school is closed, and the government have ordered everyone not going to critical work to stay home, then you should not be going in. The time has been and gone for faffing around with laptops.

[XiJ]

We’re a business looking after a number of primary schools. We’ve encouraged staff to work from home for a couple of weeks. Last week we decided no more onsite visits unless essential. Today the office is closed and it’s ticket only Remote support.

 

The MD and myself (as a manager) are going to install routers in the last few schools we’re due to onboard as the LA are ceasing all IT support and internet connections in 1st April. I’d rather but it’s not internet after 31st I’d we can’t get in.

 

Strange times. Gonna be deploying a lot of updated VM’s for the next few months though. Our server game will be strong [emoji2]

[mrbios]

Situation changed since my last post...been told this morning to just stay home. Had a lovely day, each task was done one by one without interruption, in between tasks I watched people play half life Alyx on twitch, and I got to spend lunchtime in the sunny garden with my wife and kids.....could get used to this

[Disease]

I ordered face masks, boxes of gloves etc before the Coronavirus issue hit and still waiting for the delivery. Especially so in your case if you don't have the proper H&S kit to deal with the risks.

 

Face masks do nothing so are pointless, gloves are only an extra barrier as long as you wash your hands you are fine and again, the risks are minimal for IT staff.

[mavhc]

Face masks work to reduce risk, just they don't want everyone buying them all. Best thing is to have 2 phones and keep them in your hands at all times so you don't touch your face

[DrBeaker]

Face masks do nothing so are pointless, gloves are only an extra barrier as long as you wash your hands you are fine and again, the risks are minimal for IT staff.

These were before the Coronovirus hit the UK. These were H&S kit to dust out PCs, but with the demand for them due to Coronovirus meant I couldn't get them and I'm still waiting.

[JATSO]

In on my allocated 3 days at 2 schools keeping my distance though. Very few staff and pupils in getting a free lunch is the bonus:).

[Disease]

These were before the Coronovirus hit the UK. These were H&S kit to dust out PCs, but with the demand for them due to Coronovirus meant I couldn't get them and I'm still waiting.

 

Fair enough, I think there is a lot of wild hysteria going around though in regards to H&S and Corona.

[sonofsanta]

We're all staying offsite now. Only staff in are 1 SLT, 1 teacher, 1 site, 1 cleaner. We can't change the tapes for the offsite backups, but we can survive that for a few weeks as I doubt many people are uploading back through HAP+ anyway; I've advised people to backup work to OneDrive in the interim.

 

I'm getting some more laptops delivered to my house (only downside: @ICTDirect_Dave now knows where I live) and I'll get them set up, then arrange with one of my techs to take them in* so SLT can hand them out to any other staff who need them. Other than that... gonna be a while before we see each other, I expect.

 

Bright side: I'm expecting my staff to come out of this a little more independent, IT-wise. A man can dream!

 

*I've got a vulnerable adult at home, so minimizing exposure as much as possible

[k-strider]

we are now working from home i went in yesterday to get the last of remote access to individuals desktops working (ones with special software on) and grab some large monitors to take home :-D im only 2 miles away so can go in if needed to fix anything physical but today has been lovely too just get through anything in the mailbox without being disturbed and get to eat lunch with the fiancee in the sunny back yard :-)

thanks for all the replys peoples.

 

edit - the school did give me a critical workers letter to cary with me should i need to go in but get stoped lol...

Edited March 25, 2020 by k-strider

[ICT-Joe]

Here, we're working on a rota system - at least one of us is in college while the others are working from home. I've been in Tuesday and I'm back in again tomorrow.

[ICTDirect_Dave]

@ICTDirect_Dave now knows where I live

 

You're safe for now, but I'm gonna invite myself over when all of this has blown over