Articles in News

Articles in Fair4All Education

Specialist Teaching Consultation – Can We See Your Response?

Ben Clark

Did you respond to the recent Specialist Teaching Consultation from Bucks Council? If so, could you please send a copy to BuDS’ Fair4All Education project? It will help us to understand how people feel about the consultation.

An easy way to do this is using your emails. If, when you filled in the consultation you selected the box at the end to be emailed a copy of your responses, you should have received an email with your responses on it. You should then be able to search ‘Specialist Teaching Consultation’ in your emails – if it finds the email, you can then either copy it or forward it to us, using the details below.

Please don’t worry – we will remove all identifying information from your response before it is circulated, even within the BuDS Fair4All Education team.

To send us your response, please email the Fair4All Education project coordinator, Angie, at: angieb@buds.org.uk, using the subject ‘Specialist Teaching Consultation’.

Back in the Saddle – Update 22

admin

Today marks the anniversary of when I first started my virtual attempt to cycle the equivalent distance of a route from Land’s End to John o’Groats.  When I set off, this time last year, I thought I’d be completing about 5km a day and that I’d be able to complete the distance in round about a year.  Due to a major Chronic Fatigue flare, which started in March, 2021 really didn’t pan out the way I had envisaged.  However, I am proud to say that despite everything, I have managed to get on the exercise bike every single day.  Some days I only managed to pedal 0.25km but even these tiny distances add up and they each got me bit further along the route.  The youngest woman to climb both sides of Mount Everest and also ski solo to the South Pole, Mollie Hughes, said a great thing in an interview recently.  It was something along the lines of, when you are doing a challenge, it’s not about aiming to reach the goal, it’s about achieving the best you can each day.  I wholeheartedly agree with that.

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Early Warning About The Omicron BA.2 Variant

Ben Clark

BuDS would like to issue an early warning about the rapid spread in the UK of a new Covid-19 variant, known for the moment as Omicron BA.2. Read on for more…

BuDS has used only reliable scientific and academic publications to write this article, including the UKHSA’s own bulletins. But scientific understanding of BA.2 is still at an early stage, so what we say is not definitely confirmed yet.

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Finally – Some Good Covid-19 News

Ben Clark

We are delighted to be able to bring you some reliable, good news about Covid-19 in Bucks. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) Infection Survey measures the number of people infected with Covid-19 in a very reliable way. Because the survey does not rely on people deciding whether to get tested or register their test result, it is the best way of understanding how many people have got Covid-19.

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BuDS’ Analysis of the Prime Minister’s Commons Statement about Covid-19 Precautions

Ben Clark

In a shameful attempt to save his own job, the Prime Minister has announced the rapid ending of ALL precautions against the spread of Omicron in England, including soon even the requirement to self-isolate if infected. The move will prolong the Omicron wave, damage the economy, and lead to more avoidable deaths and hospitalisations, as well as restrict the ability of all clinically-vulnerable people to participate in society. Read on for more.

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Covid-19 Risk Assessment Week Ending 17th January 2022

Ben Clark

The feared increase in hospitalisations and deaths from Covid-19 has arrived in Bucks, with both totals more than doubling. Also, the most reliable information shows that the Covid-19 pandemic in Bucks has NOT improved, with an incredible 1 in every 19 people STILL infected. Contrary to what you may read in the media, the Omicron pandemic in Bucks is NOT ‘getting better’ or ‘going away’, and it is still essential that everyone takes strict precautions against catching Omicron. Read on for more…

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New Homeworking Support Grant to Help Clinically Vulnerable People in Bucks

Ben Clark

We’d like to share some fantastic news if you are a Buckinghamshire worker who’s clinically vulnerable to Covid-19. There’s a new grants scheme coming soon which can fund your employer to help you work more successfully from home. The grants, of up to £2000, can fund technology, training or new IT and software.  You can find full details here: https://bbf.uk.com/business-support/homeworking-support-initiative. Read on for more information.

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New Study Presents New Information About Covid-19 Transmission In Air

Ben Clark

This is an interesting study about the spread of Covid-19 in the air, but it needs to be treated with great caution. This is because the tests were conducted using the Alpha, Beta and Delta variants of Covid-19, NOT the current Omicron variant. As over 95% of all infections today are Omicron, this means the study is of limited value. Also, the study has not yet been peer-reviewed by other scientists, and therefore may be challenged or changed at a later date.

You can read the full study here, and read a media summary of it here.

Covid-19 Risk Assessment Week Ending 10th January 2022

Ben Clark

Omicron infections continue to climb in Bucks, with an incredible 1 in every 19 people now infected. This means it is almost inevitable that you and your family WILL catch Omicron in your normal life unless you take strict precautions. The good news is that the number of people going into local hospitals with severe Covid illness isn’t increasing so far.

Our key message remains that everyone needs to take action to keep themselves safe from Omicron. Read on for more…

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