The Caretakers' Forum

Hi guys, Happy new year.

So, we are a week in and already it's started. I came in this morning and on entering the staff room I found the sink full of pots even though the staff have a dishwasher. That says nothing more to me than they think it is beneath them to wash their own pots and leave it to some menial.. I have been tempted in the past to throw the lot away (as also jokingly suggested by the head). What is wrong with these people.
I am also ready to give my reasons for not cleaning their microwaves to the BM. We provide the means to cover their food yet they choose not to use it.

That's it......rant over.

over the years have thrown lots of pots away that people have just left out instead washing or putting in the dishwasher - it works for quite a while.

Same here,
either dishwasher full and not turned on, with excess crockery thrown in the sink, or dirty cups etc thrown in the dishwasher with the already clean stuff. I watched two teachers yesterday come into the staff room, take some cakes from a packet, then just discard the empty packet on the table! Pure laziness

I've had this discussion with numerous Heads and they always sympathise, but also then say that I have to understand how busy teachers are and that sometimes these things "just happen". I always say about how everyone is busy and yet it's always almost exclusively the teachers that leave their stuff everywhere! It's improved since I told my cleaners to just not clean the room if it's not tidy. They're not housekeepers, that is all of our responsibility.

Describing teachers as being like children is a bit harsh but they are definitely no better than teenagers with an often staggering lack of common sense.

Maverick wrote: ↑9th Jan 2024 at 8:26am What is wrong with these people.

The phrase “it's life Jim, but not as we know it” springs to mind...

I used to leave notes on the plates, cups etc left in the staff room and waited to see if the items were removed. If the items weren't removed or put in the dishwasher I then used to take pictures of them and send it out as an 'all staff' email. If that didn't work it just used to get thrown in the bin. What I find most amusing in all of this, is that if so much as a small piece of rubbish is missed by the cleaner all hell breaks out and complaints start to happen but in the staff room it seems to be acceptable to leave it in a state.

PalaceEagles wrote: ↑9th Jan 2024 at 11:19am I used to leave notes on the plates, cups etc left in the staff room and waited to see if the items were removed. If the items weren't removed or put in the dishwasher I then used to take pictures of them and send it out as an 'all staff' email. If that didn't work it just used to get thrown in the bin. What I find most amusing in all of this, is that if so much as a small piece of rubbish is missed by the cleaner all hell breaks out and complaints start to happen but in the staff room it seems to be acceptable to leave it in a state.

exactly so. I’ve lost count of incidents where teachers have been at fault but I get met with a shrug or look of indignation. One similar thing caused by a cleaner will have them up in arms stating ‘health and safety’
Roll in retirement!

Dont get me started-too late.
Before --- (The seasonal word only permitted in December) --- we had the usual last minute "lets wind the caretaker up"issues. Wheres the decs, how do we put them up, cant you put them up .etc
Then to top it i started passing blood.
So operation booked for kidney stones to be removed. Advised to take it easy. so a few days off before the op(december 20-subsiquently cancelled) so i thought.
Skeleton staff in. 3
But whos going to clean our toilet?
Ill leave it there.

Comparing them to children is harsh. Kids are not THAT bad