Request to only work when children and staff are not at school

Peter Sigsworth

Peter Sigsworth

COMMITTEE
What's your views on this.
I am nearer 70 than 60 male and overweight. The latest guidance from the governement over lockdown 2 states:

'If you are over 60 or clinically vulnerable, you could be at higher risk of severe illness from coronovirus. You:
  • should be especially careful to follow the rules and minimise your contacts with others
  • .......'
Our school is struggling to maintain any sort of social distancing and I have only just got the HoD to agree to only do demonstrations with no class practicals.

On Monday (first day back after half term), I requested to be allowed to work outside the school day includling coming in at the weekends - my HoD supported this and I am still waiting for the management to make a decision - It's now 4 days of mixing with children and staff (some whom have tested positive).

The meeting with 'school manager' to discuss is in 5 minutes - should I ask why it has taken so long to make a desicion!!!!!! I might even have got COVID 19 by now.
 
J

Jan 157

We had an email from the trust who said any vulnerable people or people living with vulnerable people shouldn't be in.
 
Peter Sigsworth

Peter Sigsworth

COMMITTEE
What I failed to add previously is my HoD asked management on Monday and they arranged the meeting for today - she replied to management asking why I couldn't start now pending their decision to which she got no reply.
School manager walking in to the meeting, immediately agrees to working outside school hours without asking me or HoD any questions just droned on about fairness - bit my lip.
 
Peter Sigsworth

Peter Sigsworth

COMMITTEE
Because we are now not doing class practicals only demonstrations, I can do my job quite easily outside school hours where I am at considerably less risk. I can't understand why they left the decision for 4 days - when I could have caught the disease - I might still caught it yet.
 
F

Fleur

Glad they made the right decision for you, shame it took them that long to communicate it! Fingers crossed you've avoided it and can now stay safer.

I think one of my colleagues would now be classed as vulnerable and I'm trying to come up with a plan to protect them but it's so difficult when there's just so many kids. Several of my science team live with people who are vulnerable and I can't imagine how hard it must be for them coming into work right now.
 
Peter Dale

Peter Dale

I'm vulnerable (diabetes, overweight), but I've not had anyone tell me I should be off. We're not doing practicals so other than general tidying and maintenance I don't need to be here, so why am I still here?
 
Elizabeth Gould

Elizabeth Gould

COMMITTEE
We've had an email about whether or not we, or the people we live with, are vulnerable. I think if this applies to you, you should definitely work outside of school hours, from home, or be furloughed. This job isn't worth risking your health for!
 
H

Hands Solo

Seems like a good solution to your predicament Peter.

I thought the dfe have specifed extremely vulnerable rather than vulnerable - not something I would have been pleased about had I still been working in a school. I'm over 60 and overweight (no chance of getting any younger or slim (any time soon anyway) and hubby, as well as these is also asthmatic). Those of you in the vunerable group who's school have put you in the "shielding" (for wont of a better term) category, good on them, for those that haven't I hope you will get extra protection put in place at the very least.

This was the reason I packed it in, the risks weren't worth it. I was very fortunate that my school took into account my reason for leaving and waived my notice period.

Best of luck to any of you trying to negotiate for a safer working environment :thumbsup: .
 
Blackadder

Blackadder

Complete farce all of this in schools. Yes i definitely agree school should be open but SLT planning is like any governments, last minute dot com!
Im supposed to be in a year 8 bubble but let the year 11 in in a morning, a 15 mins dinner duty with year 9 and then stand by the door at the end of the day and let year 9 out!
After 9 weeks unlike most school have only had the VI form off for two weeks. All other years have not been affected. We were in a tier 2 category before this shambles of a second lockdown, so the laws of averages say we should have at least one possibly two years out during this time! EIther we b****y good in our school or do i smell a Donald! (cover up) here
 
stelden

stelden

Here the only people who find out if there are any positives or any in isolation are those that teach them, so work can be sent home. The silence from SLT is deafening. Over 60 with two auto-immune diseases and a asthmatic partner.
 
Elizabeth Gould

Elizabeth Gould

COMMITTEE
stelden said:
Here the only people who find out if there are any positives or any in isolation are those that teach them, so work can be sent home. The silence from SLT is deafening. Over 60 with two auto-immune diseases and a asthmatic partner.
Click to expand...
Would you be classed as "extremely vulnerable" then? If so, surely you can say you need to be at home?
 
Nick Mitchener

Nick Mitchener

COMMITTEE
if you are classed as CEV you should have heard from NHS by now, if in doubt speak to your GP

Our local authority publishes lists of schools with confirmed cases
 
Jaytee

Jaytee

Jan 157 said:
We had an email from the trust who said any vulnerable people or people living with vulnerable people shouldn't be in.
Click to expand...
We have a few staff here ( including 2techs) who are vulnerable but not "extremely". So have to be in. Very difficult.
 
Jaytee

Jaytee

If you read the criteria for extremely vulnerable it makes you think that these poor so & so's shouldn't be working anyway!
Vulnerable can be suppressed immune system, kidney disease or diabetes etc. Surely a school is one of the worst places to be?
The NHS sent someone I know home to shield over the whole lockdown because she is BAME & over 60. No health issues.
It is crazy to have people working that are worried sick. There is a lot of talk about mental health in lockdown, what about those whose mental health is affected because they are in work?
 
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