Day off school June 23rd for Euro Ref - last day of term 24th June WWYD?

[strokerecovery]

Just been announced that our school will not be open for Euro Ref day. The last day of term is on Fri 24th June but it's only a half day - kids can leave at lunchtime. Am just wondering whether there is any point in sending kids into school for 3 hours. I am going to speak to the Head Teacher but wondered if I'd get any mileage in suggesting that they make the last day of term Weds 25th June. Am in Glasgow.

[strokerecovery]

Sorry, that was meant to say 'make the last day of term Wednesday 22nd June'.

[UsainWho]

Same here. I am at work, school needs to be open!!

[UsainWho]

Lots of people I know are keeping them off though and booking hols leaving on the Wednesday for cheapness. Up to you whether you send them or not, mine love the games day.

[Coffeethrowtrampbitch]

We missed last day of term last year to go on holiday and never heard any more about it from school, it was just recorded as an absence.

We're in Lanarkshire but I don't think my school is that strict, a neighbour went to the Phillipines for 3 weeks before Easter and as far as I know didn't ask permission first.

[Hissy]

In my view absolutely no school should be closed for any kind of election related activity. There are always a gazillion other places to hold elections, it never needs to be a school. Children's education should not be affected by a ballot.

I suggest writing your mp and the school/local authority and suggest they find an alternative venue

[prettybird]

Attendance is always crap the last week of school ds hates me from making him go in I wouldn't force your kids but I know the English MNers who read this and don't realise this is Scotsnet won't agree.

I suspect the attendance stats for Glasgow schools will be affected by the timing of the referendum.

Ds' secondary school is used as a polling station but no longer has to shut since "safe" access was worked out after the Parent Council complained.

But some primary schools used as polling stations have no choice but to close. The council has minimised the impact by making election days Inset days, but this referendum wasn't originally in the diary

[prettybird]

Hissy - too late to suggest alternative venues and at least in Glasgow, the problem had been addressed by making election days one of the pre-arranged Inset Days - as next Thursday is (the council elections next year will be the same, as were the WM elections last year) so education isn't normally affected. Unfortunately, the EU Referendum date was set after the start of term and all the Inset Days had been allocated.

[strokerecovery]

Yes I noticed that it's down as an inset day (that wasn't there before today) My DD is in P7 so I don't want the last day to be a damp squib with most people missing - there's always quite a nice atmosphere with all the leaving P7-ers doing Auld Lang Syne so it would be a shame if they didn't get that celebratory final day. Sending my kids on the Friday with half the school deciding to bail out early would be really annoying (and they're not exactly going to miss out on any education in those 3 hours are they?)

[strokerecovery]

Yes, that's a good idea TheTroubleWithAngels - just elect Wednesday as The Last Day and let the celebrations (and tears!) ensue. Although that Friday morning could be quite memorable dependent on the decision of the Euro Ref!

[strokerecovery]

What do people think are the chances of GCC saying attendance not compulsory on the Friday morning or would it be down to the discretion of the head teacher - apologies for ignorance, no idea how these things work!

[prettybird]

I think they'll leave it up to the discretion of the headteacher. I think the council is legally obliged to provide x number of sessions and tough shit on the schools which gave to shut for elections

[MintChocAddict]

It's a complete pain in the arse.

My DCs school is closed for Scottish election in May and Euro referendum in June. Not to mention 3 more days at the end of May for holidays and in service!

I just think it's not fair that the same schools are used all the time for elections. Does anyone know if there's a specific reason why it always has to be the same ones? As far as I'm aware there is no inservice day as it's being tagged on to the late May holiday weekend..

Any teachers on here?? If your school is always used for elections, Do you go elsewhere for the day?

Think I might write to the Council!

[OneMagnumisneverenough]

No schools are used for elections in our council area, they never have used them in the 14 years we've lived here. It is clearly possible if they put their mind to it.

[DanyellasDonkey]

No schools in my area are used for elections. They used to be but now church halls, a concert hall and even a gol.f club are used. No need for schools to be used imo.

[prettybird]

Complain to your council and/or the returning officer. Complaints may encourage them to look at alternatives.

Here are two examples from a recent review of polling stations in Stirling Council:

Nursery school used but an alternative found so that it will no longer need to close.

And

Primary School used but no suitable alternative, so it will continue to have to be used.

As I've mentioned, in Glasgow they've tried to minimise the impact by making the normal election days Inset Days. The plus side is that we know well in advance that they'll be off school (even if your own kid's school isn't used). The downside is that the Inset Days are no longer put onto the October or May holidays, giving an extended holiday for the pupils. You can't really "do" anything with a random Thursday off

[LotsofDots]

Our school is closed on 5th May and 23rd June. We don't finish for summer until the following Tuesday though. It's a total pain. There are a squillion church halls in this town, none of which are used for polling.

[Groovee]

There's no way that the council will allow an early closure due to the 190 days that children have to be in school!

We had a mother try to get us to change the Easter Holidays one year because the Royal Wedding meant closure.

[prettybird]

A friend who is a returning officer says that there are all sorts of regulations as to what is permissible for a polling station: must have disabled/ramp access and toilet facilities being the two main ones that I can remember him mentioning.

Although I would have thought that most church halls but not all would comply.

[hidingwithwine]

We still don't know what's happening in Fife. After the smart move of making the June inset day shift to cover the election on Thursday, they have neither inset days or holidays left up their sleeve. The EU referendum is our second last Thursday, which is a bit awkward too. My HT is dreading us being a polling station whilst the pupils are in as she copped a huge amount of very unfair flack last time we did it for the GE.

[strokerecovery]

Our school in-service days (for the school year 2015/16) were scheduled as 11th and 12th August, 24th September, 17th February and May 5th (to coincide with elections). The closure on Euro referendum day is down as another Inset day so they've managed to pluck that one out of nowhere!

It's likely that a lot of people will simply see the Wednesday as the unofficial last day of term (except for those with childcare issues obviously).

[DrWhooves]

My HT is dreading us being a polling station whilst the pupils are in as she copped a huge amount of very unfair flack last time we did it for the GE

Sounds like what happened at my local school the last time. They stayed open as a polling station and school and the parents were not happy, some were posting on the local news Facebook page that they would be standing guard over the playground to make sure nobody that wasn't school staff got near the kids at playtime.

[dancemom]

Op how do you know your school is closed ? I'm also in Glasgow but haven't heard anything ....