Schools as polling stations

According to my economics teacher, it was because election results can affect the stock market, which can affect interest rates. The Bank of England used to announce the bank rate, which affects other interest rates, every Thursday. Holding the election on a Thursday gave a week for markets to settle down before the next decision on bank rate was made.

I can count the inset days, we have 2 campuses, one is closed, one is open. They are getting a day less. Just because your experience is one thing it doesn’t mean all at that way.

Dds previous school used to be a polling station. They first used to continue the school day while polling was happening but I think either safeguarding rules were updated, or there was an incident which meant for subsequent polling days the school was closed. Now they have changed the polling station to a church a few min down the road

And for those saying it makes voting more difficult - postal votes. Me, Dh and Dd always do a postal vote regardless. Easily arranged.

My next post clarified that for one off events then the Lea can give schools an additional day off. Staff are usually expected to work, either in school, at home or as twilights. But occasionally children get one additional day off in the year. For obvious reasons this is best avoided but not always possible

Keeping a child off school, just for a day, is doing the work of the devil when it suits them.

Well you don’t know that, surely it depends on the school

I. The case of something bigger like a general election the Lea may also decide to allow the school one extra closure day. This is permitted if there are reasons why the day can't be made up elsewhere

My school stayed open for them in the nineties up until dunblane and then they changed it to say they couldn’t just give access to anyone to the school so started closing

Inset days can be moved if necessary. They don't like to, obviously.
Or a day could be tagged on at the start/end of a term. Again not ideal. But all possible.

Your child won't be missing any additional school.
As mentioned previously, your children will still have the same number of days in school.
It will be made up elsewhere, usually via inset.
The teachers may not be allowed into school for this one day, for in person inset, but may have it elsewhere or done as 2-3 twilight sessions after the school day instead.

Who owns the church?
If unused, is it still safe inside?
Is there suitable disabled access?

As if the school would move inset days after the term dates have been published. Imagine the AIBUs... I booked my holiday and now the school have changed the dates, so either I fork out £££ to change holiday plans or get done for missing a day of school. AIBU to think this is unfair?

I sound really pious, but fuck it. There are countries where children don't have access to education at all. Equally it wasn't so long ago women died so people could vote in the UK. I'm just grateful for that. They made an enormous sacrifice and if it means school closing for a day, then so be it. The fact we live in a democratic country is brilliant.

I actually think schools shouldn't be used. Community centers, church halls, mosques, bowling clubs make much more sense.

Rather than trying to mess around with holidays, inset days and kids time off school.

One issue of Saturdays and Sundays is it will cost more to get people to man the polling stations.

It depends. The rules say (and have said for as long as I can remember and I have teacher parents and started myself in 1988) that school can remain open only if there is a separate entrance which can be used by voters and the building/room they are in can be closed off/made inaccessible from the rest of the school. Some school set ups don’t allow this.

Our primary local school is our polling station it's not closed.

Not all of them. It’s definitely possible to move them about, even though it might cause some individual parents issues. It’s not the school’s fault though - and you seem to be complaining they might lose a day while also complaining they might aim to work it another day.

When I was at school our school hall was the polling station but school was open. I expect it's a security risk now though.
I don't see why your friend is so annoyed, she gets a day with her child. When you have kids you always end up taking AL when you'd rather not.
It doesn't sound like it's always at the school so I wouldn't have a problem with it.

I don't quite understand the logic of using schools at all. In areas where there is cjoxie, it doesn't seem like the easiest option. Within a minutes walk of our closed school there is a leisure centre, 2 churches, a separate church hall, a community centre. On what planet is a primary school the best option?

Ours was closed three times in a year for elections - 400 kids missed out days education. It has now moved to a split between the local scout hut and church but it took a lot of campaigning and letter-writing for it to happen so something for them to consider especially if the school can get on board.

Every school I ever attended was used as a polling station. The difference was that back in the 60s and 70s all that happened was the school hall and part of the playground were declared out-of-bounds. Apart from that it was a normal school day.

Why that was changed to a full day's closure I have never been able to discover.

Other venues used for PS are Bethel church, a rugby club, a community centre and library/charity hub (used to be a school until it was replaced by a larger one 200m away in the mid 80s)

That's all very well if those buildings exist and are suitable and available. Where I live, the school is the only building that could be used. It's an entirely residential area with a couple of very small convenience stores and a small pub.

Where I am they are published at least 20mths in advance
2 at start of the school year
1 in November
1 along with half term in Feb
1 in May.
You can guarantee parents will have booked things to go with those same days.