Given the backlash teachers are probably about to get from the pro-government press, it's worth saying that they have NOT had it easy this year – quite the opposite. Making schools coronavirus-safe has in practice meant extra work, often physically tiring, every day.

One example: teachers normally have a room where they teach, and pupils come to them. But most schools are requiring children to stay in one room and teachers to move around, to minimise transmission. This is sensible but it means physically rushing around the school all day

That might not seem like a lot, but it's one more tiring thing on top of everything else. Another example: some schools are making teachers do seating plans for all their lessons to aid contact tracing. This can take a long time to both work up, and to get children to follow

These are just a couple of examples that I've heard from teachers, there are many more. The point is the work to make schools safe didn’t end in September - it's ongoing workload every day. And it’s all on top of having to face the risk of getting the virus every day

There's also a myth that teachers had some kind of holiday when schools were closed during the first lockdown - this isn't true, schools stayed open for key worker and vulnerable children, and will do so again in early January

So basically... thank you teachers! You work hard and do a great job, and are probably going to get demonised in the Daily Mail for standing up for workplace safety