Teachers should be prepared to ‘sacrifice their lives’, says ex-Ofsted head

Under no circumstances would I have wanted someone to teach my children who had a sacrificial lamb mentality. Is that what he thinks parents would want.

Nice of him to say this . I’ve just returned to work after 14 staff caught COVID and we had to close for three weeks. I’ve worked seven months fearing this but smiling and getting ion with it on less than £9 an hour. Forgotten early years staff.

'same level of devotion as medics'??? Give us the same pay and maybe! What a pillock!

Maybe he should lead by example and go back into the classroom himself.
Ofstead are STILL carrying out inspections on top of everything else the poor staff have to deal with.
Ridiculous man !!

Susiewong65

Maybe he should lead by example and go back into the classroom himself.
Ofstead are STILL carrying out inspections on top of everything else the poor staff have to deal with.
Ridiculous man !!

Crikey! Is that full inspections, or just visits?
Not in the private sector.

It's utter madness if full inspections are continuing. What a waste of time - just when there are rapid Covid tests and catching up to do!

Apparently there are currently 10,320,811 children in schools at the moment. £700,000,000 is about £70 each.
Just saying.

I hope most of this goes to the most needy schools - but fear the money is already in large part, spent.

Not many months ago, teachers were being praised! Any hint of disagreement with the government and this is how they react. Appalling and undeserved. My daughter is DH at a large primary school, where the organisation of cover for key workers' children has, at times, been a logistical nightmare, involving hours of work contacting families who don’t always respond to group emails.

Office staff have produced work packs for families without printers and catering staff assemble food parcels. IT technicians have prepared laptops to loan to needy families. Luckily, most parents are appreciative of the efforts made by the school staff at every level.

This would be happening in schools everywhere and the government do not help morale by issuing statements like this. I intend to write to my (Tory) MP to complain. Since this is reported in a reputable newspaper, one may be sure of its veracity.

My daughter caught Covid in September. Had 9 weeks off sick with long covid. Poor girl (40). Went back to work as a EY teacher on the senior lead team a week before Christmas. Although better now, she feels like a sitting duck. She is so anxious about getting it again as she was so very poorly and has 2 small children of her own (8 and 4) to disappear down a rabbit hole worrying about them losing their mum.

I don't see why children need to "catch up". I think they should just start again and carry on. It'll sort itself out eventually. The idea of the poor teachers having to sacrifice their summer holidays is ludicrous. They've been working flat out throughout the whole pandemic. Teachers are over worked and under paid. It's time they were recognised for the brilliant jobs they do in shaping our kids' lives. Let's hear it for the teachers!

Does he have no idea how hard teachers have been working? They haven't been sitting at home twiddling their thumbs. My DiL has been in school 4 days a week, teaching the children (approx half class) who were in while preparing work for those learning at home. Equivalent to doing 2 jobs, more or less. And, at the same time, putting herself at risk because she has asthma.

Teachers deserve the summer holiday. Parents, too - a lot will want to take their children away for some fun after all the stress.

I’ve just emailed this to my MP. You are welcome to draw on the contents of this, should you wish to do likewise.

www.independent.co.uk/news/education/covid-schools-reopening-ofsted-teachers-b1807935.html

Dear Mr. Foster,

Not many months ago, teachers were being praised! Any hint of disagreement with the government and this is the reaction. Appalling and undeserved. My daughter is a DH at a large primary school in Staffordshire, where the organisation of cover for key workers' children has, at times, been a logistical nightmare, involving hours of work contacting families who don’t always respond to group emails.

Office staff have produced work packs for families without printers and catering staff assemble food parcels, which are sometimes delivered by senior staff. IT technicians have prepared laptops to loan to needy families. Some office staff produced 3D visors for the NHS, using the school printers adapted for this purpose. Last year, staff worked during the Easter and half term breaks, taking turns to ensure childcare was provided for key workers' children.

Luckily, most parents are more appreciative than some education officials of the efforts made by the school staff at every level. Teachers have engaged online with pupils at home and with parents, whilst delivering lessons to children in their bubble. Teaching Assistants have had to learn new skills to engage remotely with those groups of children following support programmes.

This is happening in schools everywhere and the government do not help morale by issuing statements like this. Since this is reported in a reputable newspaper, one may be sure of its veracity.

grannyrebel7

I don't see why children need to "catch up". I think they should just start again and carry on. It'll sort itself out eventually. The idea of the poor teachers having to sacrifice their summer holidays is ludicrous. They've been working flat out throughout the whole pandemic. Teachers are over worked and under paid. It's time they were recognised for the brilliant jobs they do in shaping our kids' lives. Let's hear it for the teachers!

Agree. Plus what great law of nature decided what children need to be able to do by a set age ?? Of course they will “catch up”.
The summer school etc will I guess be voluntary and therefore may not catch those most in need ? What do we think?

How will that amount of money pay for resources, staffing (not just teachers by site staff to keep school open rather than tackling although the maintenance that gets done in the holidays ? School meals?

I can’t put the link up, but he did go back to teaching last year to help out.
If you read other articles on him he apparently did a lot of good whilst he was Head of Ofstead.
An unfortunate remark that he made though.

As a working teacher, I’m heartened to read so many positive posts commending the work that we’ve put in over the last year to deliver lessons whether online or in school. Thank you for your support. ?

There is no evidence that teachers are any more at risk than any other workers.The unions have done so much stirring that it’s turned public opinion against teachers, which is a shame.I know two teachers who are angry about this issue and wish the unions hadn’t gone in firing on both barrels.
Nobody expects anyone to ‘give their lives’ it was a silly comment.

Wilshaw seems to have shot his mouth off again, but I can’t see how the uttering of a retired official on Question T8me can be described as a statement issued by the government, Ashcombe, even if it was worthy of the appalling Williamson.

My point is that a Conservative MP who received a letter on these lines could duck the issue by simply saying that Wilshaw was not speaking for the government.

No surprises that there is a retention problem with teachers, with the lack of respect from pupils and parents with no support from education authorities, who would want the job.

There are plenty of jobs just as well paid with less hassle, as for risking their lives, no more than nurses, supermarket staff and many other essential workers and I don’t get extra pay either.

I agree lemongrove. My dearest friend is a secondary school teacher and she's angry at what she calls the 'over dramatisation' when it comes to teaching staff, especially as there's a great deal of other staff in needed in schools that hardly get a mention.

I take your point, grumppa, but I did change that to “education officials” in my email, which is a modified and longer version of my original post here.

Wow a senior Ofsted official condemning teachers! Nothing new really, although I think the actual dying might go a bit further than usual-nervous breakdowns being the accepted result. I have a suggestion. Take all the money currently spent on Ofsted and give it to schools.

It was a short inspection Ellianne but still looking at the data which is now irrelevant.

Presumably these inspectors are still being paid, not furloughed, so have to justify their jobs.
It would be more beneficial if they came into schools to support and see the human faces behind the data they are so fond of crunching.

The only people that should be laying down their lives are Johnson and the rest of his criminal gang.

Teachers , on the whole have been teaching, mainly in schools for the whole time.
Many have had to work extra hours prepping lessons twice over - once for in the classroom , and again to go online, including the worksheets for classroom and for ones that have either to be delivered, or to be printed out by the parents - extra work due to the different mediums.
The idea that they have just been sitting at home doing zoom calls every day is wrong.
My niece, who is a primary school teacher has told me that there has barely been a day go by, certainly in this current lockdown, when she hasn't been worried about going into work, in case she catches the virus - just think, she has been teaching children of hospital staff, other teachers, retail staff, police, paramedics, bus drivers etc and has had to self isolate 3 times due to either another staff member testing positive or one of her pupils parents testing positive.
This man needs to go back into his office, lock the door behind him, and never come out again IMO, preferably on a reduced pension. Shame on him !