Do not wait to strike till the iron is hot; but make it hot by striking

For those who wonder why I was on strike today.

This is not an "open letter", I have actually printed this out, signed it and sent it to Ms Morgan, via my MP.

Dear Ms Morgan

I am on strike today, 5th July, along with countless others from my union. We are all professionals with a passionate belief in excellent, creative, stimulating and fulfilling education for the children in our care, and the decision today was not taken lightly or maliciously. It behoves you, as a fellow professional woman, not to present us as trouble makers out to disrupt children’s education; we are not choosing “a path of disruption over negotiation and discussion.”

While I am not obliged to lay out my reasons for striking to you or anyone else, I have thought very hard about this decision.

I am strongly against the forced academisation of schools. I believe that letting private companies with their own agenda run education will lead to a decrease of opportunities for children, as those who do not conform to the agenda will be excluded and marginalised.

Children should not be taught by unqualified teachers. This is a self evident truth.

Children as young as four are not failing. Children as young as seven should not be in tears at school because they are forced to sit in silence to do work that we were not able to adequately prepare them for – the sample SATs papers were not sufficiently similar to the SATs tests administered in May, especially in Key Stage 2. Children going to High School should not be expected to resit tests that they have “failed”. This is a waste of time.

Data released today shows that nearly half of 11 year olds in this country have failed to achieve the expected standard. I cannot believe that this is due to a failure in teaching; the assessments have been far too difficult, and the moving of the bar has been unfair, especially as the current Year 6 have only had one year of the new, much more demanding curriculum, yet were expected to take tests based on learning that would have happened across their four years in Key Stage 2. The political decision to do this suggests that the government are keen to follow the “path of disruption”; determined to show that schools are failing children, and therefore need to be forced to become academies in order to “improve”.

Children as young as seven are experiencing severe stress, and there has been a huge increase in mental health problems in young children. Since September, I have personally recommended referrals to CAMHS of 4 children, all under ten, and am aware of many others in my school who are suffering from anxiety and stress, much of which can be laid at the door of the increased pressure from considerably harder assessments; assessments that are coming at younger ages.

The assessment requirement of “total coverage” has been discriminatory to children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. The spelling requirement means that children with dyslexia will never be able to work at the expected level, and children who do not have the motor control at seven to join their letters will also not be able to work at the expected level; is this really the path we are going down? Your government put in place a wonderful new Code of Practice; this requirement absolutely undermines it and destroys much of the good work you have done.

The undermining of local authorities will also have a detrimental effect on children with SEND, as the local authority supports schools by providing Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, Educational Psychologists, Paediatric Physiotherapists as well as specialist teachers and other professionals to help with children with challenging behaviour. Why have you invested so much time and money into nominally supporting children with SEND, when you remove the support the local authority provides?

In real terms, funding has been cut. I am a governor at my school and have passed a very tight budget this year; we are also having to make tough staffing decisions. The Institute of Fiscal Studies in October last year published a report stating that they forecast that school spending per pupil is likely to fall by 8% in real terms, taking into account the increased employer contributions to National Insurance and pensions, as well as a pay settlement of 1%. Having heard you on the Today programme this morning, I am aware that you do not accept this to be a true picture of schools, but I can assure you that it is. I am aware that you speak to school leaders; I would suggest that you need to speak with school leaders who do not share your political views and might provide you with a different picture.

I hope that you will listen to what teachers, head teachers, school support staff, academics and economists are telling you; we are as deeply concerned about the state of education as you are and would be devastated to see it destroyed by policies that can be reversed.

You know that book I'm reading about getting along with your co-workers? It says that sarcasm is never helpful. I can lend it to you if you want.

I'm full of righteous, rational, if disproportionate, rage, and because, for the sake of my blood pressure, I am only speaking to people I agree with, so is everyone else I talk to.  I don't particularly want to talk about the reasons behind the rage that has led me to pour myself a soft drink, and fill it with gin, that are preventing me from ringing my father and yelling abuse at him down the phone, that has led to me temporarily abandoning the diet (I've lost a STONE people, a whole bloody STONE) and eating all the things in the house.  I'm on the verge of screaming "I BET YOU VOTED LEAVE YOU BASTARD" at anyone who gets in my way, or who looks at me, or who is anywhere within a mile of me.  The only tiny crumb of comfort I can find is that there will be a total destruction of our political system and we'll end up with different political parties and proportional representation, and then we'll have proper, actual democracy; and even though there'll probably be a complete break up of a union that has lasted for centuries and another civil war in Northern Ireland, it's all worth it because we are FREE and IN CONTROL again.  Hurrah.

Anyway, enough of that.  

Things that keeping me sane:

The Sewing Bee

Murder She Wrote

Sewing

Knitting

I've made a Tilly and the Buttons Bettine dress in the same striped fabric I used to make our #teamcarter supporters tops.  It is delightful, even if I messed up the skirt a bit, and had to piece it together.  But it fits well, and is flattering and I love it, very much.

I've also made a Dolores Batwing t-shirt out of a not actually very stretchy jersey from Spoonflower.  It is much, much too small in places and is a pain to put on but it looks fine, so I'm wearing it on Friday for a do. I might have to remake the top for Lucy in the end, as I'm really not sure about it.

The third thing I've finished recently is the yellow Petrie top in Rowan Wool Cotton, and it is lovely, but much too cold here in Poundland to wear.  THIS BLOODY COUNTRY AND ITS STUPID STUPID WEATHER.

I'm in the middle of making a bright red Myrna cardigan as well, as part of the Outfit Along for this year.  So far, it is lovely; I accept it doesn't look like much here, but it is really gorgeous.  I've not made the keyhole this time, which has made no difference to it at all, I just didn't fancy it.  I'm just about on to the sleeves, and I'll make them tighter this time, the yellow one is too loose around the wrists, which is irritating.  The other parts of the Outfit Along will be a cherry print big puffy skirt - so a waistband and a Cambie dress view B skirt, and a Lark tee shirt in white jersey.  I've made one, but I should have cut a smaller size.  WIN.  Even Nigella is bigger than me now.  DOUBLE WIN.  There's still a long way to go, but I'm definitely shrinking.

Hey ho, I'm on strike next week; I can't go on the march but I will DO SOMETHING in order to relieve my dreadful rage.  I think I might join the Labour Party.  We will see.

Another voice crying out in the wilderness

It's nearly Christmas, and the round of parties, shows, food shopping and preparation has begun again.  I've made our cake, which is being fed with the finest brandy by my parents; our pudding is maturing in the cupboard; the children's gift mountain is building up, and our church is collecting presents for the families in our local Women's Refuge.

I was a bit stumped this year.  What do you get 12 and 13 year old children?  I have no idea, so they are getting clothes.  There's also a baby on the way, to another woman running away, and they are getting a gift card and a baby gro.  Children in the middle are getting Hello Kitty gloves and Spiderman socks.  I've also got some lovely smellies for the mums, and some boxes of chocolate to share around.  It involved shopping at Primark, which I rarely do, but they have some nice stuff that will do very well for everyone. 

The food bank also needs support, so I buy something everytime I'm in Tesco, and actually, because I don't really go to Tesco either, I go there on purpose.  Yesterday I bought two packets of tea, a jar of instant and some hot chocolate for them.  Some weeks, I buy a couple of tins of chilli or bolognaise, some rice or some pasta, or some milk powder or UHT.  

Why am I telling you all of this?  It's not because I want to show you what a good person I am, it's to show that you can do good easily, without going out of your way or by spending a lot of money.  If I had picked up the children in the middle of the night and run, I would want to know that some one out there cared enough to buy them a Christmas present;  Lord knows the poor souls must be going through hell at the moment.  If I was in a low paying job, trying to make both ends meet, being referred to the food bank, I'd want to know that people cared enough to do something, even something as small and seemingly trivial as adding a fiver to their weekly shopping.

I am privileged, I KNOW, and I use my privilege to try to do the right thing.  I don't bang on about it, but I am religious and I feel we should be helping people.  The Archbishop of Canterbury backed a report a few days ago; I don't think it's all down to surplus food being wasted - it is down to low wages.  It's down to benefit cuts.  The women's refuge in Hanwell has had its funding cut and cut and cut again, and now it's basically supported by volunteers and people's second hand goods.  Yet it is busier than ever.  Why is that?

Why aren't people who are in work able to feed their families?  Why aren't we, with our supposedly flourishing economy, able to look after the people in our country?  People pay taxes, why are they not used to support the most vulnerable in society?  Why are people thrown to the wolves?

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest

Reasons to go on strike.

I'm a good teacher, not outstanding, not bad, but good.  I enjoy my job, and I work very hard.  My little band of happy three year olds are doing very well, thanks, and I often go the extra mile or so. I'm contracted to do about 20 hours a week, but generally end up doing at least 25.  It doesn't sound much, particularly when you hear that the average for a full time primary school teacher is a 60 hour week, but I am part time for two very good reasons, and it's only because the children are in nearly full time education that I can do the hours I do.  Last year was far more stressful, as I could only work extra hours after school; at least now I can go in early and work in the staff room.

If you really want your children to be at school for 50 weeks a year, because that is more convenient for you, take a long hard look at yourself. 

If you think that the main purpose of school is to be free childcare, remember that we are parents too, we have lives outside our work, and we have childcare problems too.

If you seriously believe that teachers start at 5 to 9, finish at 3 and have 13 weeks of freedom a year, grow up.

If you believe that those who can do, those who can't teach, we can never be friends.

If you don't yet realise that childhood is short and precious, and shouldn't be spent entirely at school, learn this.

If you believe that teachers are solely responsible for your child's education, look at what you've learned in your life.  How much of that happened between the ages 5 and 18?  

It doesn't fit the pattern, but I've found that the parents most likely to complain about the inconvenience of a strike day are also the ones most likely to withdraw their child for holidays during term time.  Apparently, that's not disruptive.

It's not a race to the bottom.  It's not a crap jobs competition.  Our education system is being constantly undermined by someone whose main qualification for the job appears to be "I went to school."  A private style system is a great idea, but there's a reason that that costs 10 grand a year.  

I won't go on.  I will strike again; regretfully, it seems to be the only way to be heard, even if it damages the thing we are trying so very hard to protect.

If you’re going to let one stupid prick ruin your life, you’re not the girl I thought you were.

Monday night, fell asleep in the bath.  Do you want more wine, asks my husband.  There's a pile of stuff to do, but I can't, I'm too tired.

A brooch, made for Lucy from a Mollie Makes kit.  She loves it.  She doesn't want to wear it in case she loses it.  Hattie wants hers yesterday.  It is on its way.  Slowly.

Today wasn't even that bad, as they go.  We had an Arabic speaking TA to help with one of my autistic children, and a Polish volunteer.  Amazing the difference that made.  Fantastic, beautiful, almost relaxing, except for the other autistic boy insisting on taking his trousers and pants off outside; at least he knows to do that before doing a wee.  For the first time in weeks, I didn't feel like screaming as I left work.  Or lying on the chairs and crying quietly.  Mr Gove, you know nothing.  You have never been bitten or scratched, hit, kicked or slapped at work, and you've probably only worked with people who understand what needing a wee feels like.  But go ahead and undermine our profession.  Someone I correspond with on Twitter told me that she has parents who cannot spell their own child's name.  You have genuinely no idea what happens in schools, and how we stagger on through it all, teaching, caring, loving, guiding.  But please, undermine us some more.  You have no idea.  No idea at all.

This wasn't intended to be political, but it was.  The personal is political, and the political is personal.

March Madness - 17/31  

Food bank

I went to Tesco today.  Shocking in itself, I know.  It's Hattie's birthday party tomorrow, and having promised a Gruffalo cake, I need to deliver, so masses of cake decorating stuff was needed.  Even after the great cupboard sort of last week, I'm never quite sure what I've got, and I don't mind doubling up occasionally.  After all, none of it goes off and I will use it.

As I went in, two women representing the Trussell Trust approached me to ask if I would be happy to buy something for the food bank, and put it on the table at the front.  The table was not very full, which was quite upsetting, even given how early it was, and as I left, I heard someone being rude to the women, which isn't very nice either.  

I don't know how I feel about food banks.  On the one hand, people need helping, and giving them food when they can't afford to buy it is a very good way to help.  But it is like putting a sticking plaster on a broken leg - it makes you feel like you are doing something, but does it really help in the long term?  Surely we should go upstream, as Desmond Tutu said, and find out why people are falling into the river. Of course we need to pull them out as well, but why have they fallen in?  Is it this ghastly bedroom tax, which seems to be totally unfair, or is it the benefits cap, which is also unfair - of course you should be given less money on benefits than you can earn working, but raise wages to a living wage, don't pull the rug away from under the most vulnerable in society's feet.  

I am very privileged.  I am middle class, well educated, intelligent, relatively wealthy, married to a wonderful man who shares responsibilities with me and I'm white, which makes a difference, much as I hate to think or say it.  I have two perfect children who don't have learning difficulties or special needs - Lucy is a bit deaf, but we think it's a temporary thing, and both of us have the education, the will and the power to make sure she sees the people who she needs to see in order to help her.  As part of my commitment to actually living my faith, I am trying very hard to look at the world through other people's eyes, particularly at school.  I must try to remember that the parents of my children do not have my privileges, and when they wind me up, I must bear this in mind.  I must, to use that terrible phrase, check my privilege.  

If you are interested in food banks or the Trussell Trust, look here.  Jack Monroe writes very movingly about food poverty; you can find her blog here.  You can check your own privilege by looking in a mirror.