Thinking of taking unpaid leave as I am anxious of returning to work at school

paul2louise

I work as a lunchtime assistant at primary school. I am not in a union. I worked all thro lockdown and when schools reopened when a lot of my co-workers didn't. I was finding my anxiety and stress  reaching a high level and the doctor offered to sign me off sick. I chose not to and carried on working. I have been taking stress counselling sessions to help control my anxiety and worry. 
When I finished for the summer holidays I was in a place where I just wanted to hand my notice in as I had enough. I have been a lot better over the holidays but the September start back is only a few weeks away. My school have told me very little about how it will all work in September. It's been a case of "come into work and we will see how things go". Not knowing how things are going to be makes me worry. How they plan to keep the children and staff safe hasn't really been explained. 
So I wondered if it was unreasonable to say that I don't want to return on the first day back. I want to let school settled down and when they are getting it working I will see how I feel about returning. 
I know I won't get paid but I am worried that I will get worked up before starting back and be back to square one.
Thanks 

jon81uk

Your workplace needs to have an adequate risk assessment in place, ask to see it. If you don't think it adequately addresses the risks then talk about it.

Grumpy_chap

If the OP does not return back to work, what measures do they have at which they will be ready to return?

paul2louise

It isn't just risk assessment. I saw the last one. It wasIwas very vague and didn't really mention any details about lunchtimes and how the staff would manage. When the school reopened I other sorts of problems that arise from the way we had to do things. I had 20 children in my bubble when I was supposed to be a max of 15. I had the keyworker group who were happy having whole school to themselves . Then we reopend to more children so they didn't like it. That's meant I had fighting and trouble every day in my group. No respect. Children not conforming to the boundaries set. I had asked for support but the head was not really that bothered. I really don't know how they can seperate 7 year groups of children and feed them seperate!y in the time given. I would have sole responsibility of 70 children to supervise outside and then organise them in the dinner hall. 

paul2louise

I am fit and healthy and am not scared of covid for myself just how the rules and restrictions make was a simple rewarding job seem like a logistic nightmare

KxMx

Is it possible to go over the Head perhaps to the board of governors or education department of local authority?

You have my sympathy, Mum's job has radically changed and she has been extremely stressed over it, but as the weeks go on it becomes more normal and she is adapting. 

paul2louise

KxMx said:

Is it possible to go over the Head perhaps to the board of governors or education department of local authority?

You have my sympathy, Mum's job has radically changed and she has been extremely stressed over it, but as the weeks go on it becomes more normal and she is adapting. 

Maybe that's an option as head is not very responsive. But I scared I just look like a moaning employee and a trouble causer. I wrote to the head before school opened up to years f,1&6 and he didn't reply and the office assistant called me and told me a lot of waffle and basically said if I had concerns to not return to work but I wouldn't get paid. I also emailed the head to report an incident with a teacher getting the wrong information and having a go at me. He never replied. So when I chased him up on it he said it was just a learning curve and we all just need to be patient with each other. 

comeandgo

If you do not return to work without any sort of agreement with employer you are in risk of losing your job.  Maybe best to find something else as you do not sound happy there and it's best to leave while still having a chance of getting a decent reference.  If you are doing a lot of complaining it's not going to get you a good reference.

JamoLew

Measures are going to be in place for months (possibly years) and it sounds as though you don't want to continue working whilst rules/regulations/restrictions are in place -- is this correct ?
If so, you would be better off resigning and finding other employment which would then free your role up for someone who wants it.
Sorry if this sounds harsh, but many millions of people are coping with enforced changes and dealing with them -- it just sounds as though you aren't and this won't change anytime soon

jon81uk

paul2louise said:

KxMx said:

Is it possible to go over the Head perhaps to the board of governors or education department of local authority?

You have my sympathy, Mum's job has radically changed and she has been extremely stressed over it, but as the weeks go on it becomes more normal and she is adapting. 

Maybe that's an option as head is not very responsive. But I scared I just look like a moaning employee and a trouble causer. I wrote to the head before school opened up to years f,1&6 and he didn't reply and the office assistant called me and told me a lot of waffle and basically said if I had concerns to not return to work but I wouldn't get paid. I also emailed the head to report an incident with a teacher getting the wrong information and having a go at me. He never replied. So when I chased him up on it he said it was just a learning curve and we all just need to be patient with each other. 

Don’t say you don’t feel safe or that you don’t want to return. Say you don’t think the risk assessment is right or that you are being made to work in an unsafe manner by supervising too many children. Make it about the rules not your personal feelings. 

JamoLew

paul2louise said:

I am fit and healthy and am not scared of covid for myself just how the rules and restrictions make was a simple rewarding job seem like a logistic nightmare

I didnt read it as being anything to do with risk/risk assessments more that the OP didnt want to work under the constraints established by said assessments