The ever-excellent John Tomsett has posted yet another “hits-the-nail-on-the-head” guide on his blog. This time it is about staff well-being. He lists some excellent ideas that are spot on. However, John is clearly a very enlightened head who is operating at the edge of the envelope and I can’t help but feel there are some basics that need to be covered in some schools before we tackle his list:
- Drinking water near classrooms – there is nothing worse than having to walk across school for a cup of water.
- Toilets that are cleaned during the day – not just in the evening.
- Enough toilets so we can get to use one at break time – demand for staff WCs is non-linear.
- Toilet paper – decent quality toilet paper.
- Hot water in the sinks – and not on those stupid taps that you have to hold down. I promise to turn it off when I have done and not to flood the toilets. I’m a big boy now.
- Soap – not 20-year-old pink carbolic soap – real soap, like we have at home.
- Spoons – buy huge numbers of teaspoons and scatter them around school so we can make a coffee without guessing how much we are tipping from the jar before stirring it with an old pencil.
These seven things would make me happy. John’s ideas would be the icing on the cake.
Chips of Brookfield 