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Original poster

To wonder why DS's school is closed this afternoon?

86 replies

cottonwoolbrain · 16/07/2024 15:58

It's been in the calendar since the start of term. It does not really cause us an issue as he's 11 and in year 7 and there's usually one of us working from home anyway.

But they're being very vague as to why. Usually they tell us - teacher training, planned repairs etc. but all they've said this time is school closed. DS says someone asked in registration this morning and was just told "because it is"

I can't help wondering if the staff are having an absolutely well deserved party as they reach the end of the school year - I certainly wouldn't begrudge it I'd want a break if I had to spend all year in the company of a thousand noisy kids!!

It just seems - odd Confused

OP posts:
BarcardiWithGadaffia · 16/07/2024 18:40

hennybeans · 16/07/2024 16:45

At the school I worked in 20 years ago, we always had a training day in early December to get our Christmas shopping done. I doubt schools get anything fun like that anymore though.

I going to go out I a limb and say that the staff aren't having a Christmas shopping in July, thats a funny suggestion

WappityWabbit · 16/07/2024 18:39

A retirement party for a member of staff?

Firtreeandpinecones · 16/07/2024 18:36

The school has been temporarily teleported to Scotland for the afternoon, where it is already school holiday time.

That'll be it. Definitely.

scarletbegoniass · 16/07/2024 18:32

TheNinthLock · 16/07/2024 16:49

It’s clear enough.
The clue is WE HAD half a day off….
Not - we GAVE half a day off to anyone who got into Oxford or Cambridge, but we had.
We had = All of us received

Show quote history

The ‘we’ is hardly clear – you could easily have gotten into Oxbridge yourself. Random posters have no way of knowing if you were in the general student body or got into Oxford or Cambridge (before you stated it).

Why did you say ‘for anyone’, and not ‘if anyone’?

queenofthewild · 16/07/2024 17:24

Maybe some kind of transition afternoon for new Y7s?

Or admin prepping for new Y7s - allocating tutors and sets now the SATS results are in.

ricecrispiecakes · 16/07/2024 17:22

If it's been in the diary for months it's unlikely to be a funeral.

Maybe a meeting, or being positive, a wedding?

Greenlittecat · 16/07/2024 17:20

curlycurlymoo · 16/07/2024 17:19

I wonder if they're owed time back in lieu and they've
Shut to allow for this? Rather than have staff off at different times?

School staff don't really get TOIL, they're just expected to do it for the "good of the children"

curlycurlymoo · 16/07/2024 17:19

I wonder if they're owed time back in lieu and they've
Shut to allow for this? Rather than have staff off at different times?

LlynTegid · 16/07/2024 17:15

Funeral or memorial service seems unlikely if it was decided upon in April. I'm inclined to the suggestion it is about planning for next school year, as teachers who are leaving would have given notice by April in many cases.

mitogoshi · 16/07/2024 17:11

My dc's school closed in the afternoon for a memorial service once, seemed fitting as it was one of the slt had been there 30 years. Some children went too (by invitation)

Original poster
cottonwoolbrain · 16/07/2024 17:06

@Octavia64 I don't think it's a funeral as this was scheduled right at the beginning of term or even at the end of last term.

@LostTheMarble I hope it's not that Sad

Oh well I'd better actually do some work rather than sit her speculating

OP posts:
LostTheMarble · 16/07/2024 17:03

Might be a crisis/mass interview situation. Some schools are losing more staff than is capable of running a fully open school come September…

TimeandMotion · 16/07/2024 17:00

Rycbar · 16/07/2024 16:55

the post to me reads that the children who got into Oxford or Cambridge for a day off and the poster was one of those children. So not, it’s not clear.

Show quote history

Well, that poster says herself she didn't get into either, it’s not as if she’s claiming to have outstanding English skills!

Octavia64 · 16/07/2024 16:57

It won't be a staff party.

Possible it's for a funeral of a staff member and many members of staff want to go.

Staff parties are in the evening and lots of staff don't go or want to go.

Rycbar · 16/07/2024 16:55

TheNinthLock · 16/07/2024 16:49

It’s clear enough.
The clue is WE HAD half a day off….
Not - we GAVE half a day off to anyone who got into Oxford or Cambridge, but we had.
We had = All of us received

Show quote history

the post to me reads that the children who got into Oxford or Cambridge for a day off and the poster was one of those children. So not, it’s not clear.

Original poster
cottonwoolbrain · 16/07/2024 16:52

Not the last day that's Friday and they finish at noon

No point phoning as phone calls nearly always drop to answer phone and they ignore nearly all messages fir at least 48 hours unless urgent.

They got their reports yesterday

It's a mystery!

I don't particularly mind I'm just intrigued!!

OP posts:
AFmammaG · 16/07/2024 16:50

My DD’s school do this at the end of the school year. The receptionist told me they advertise it as ‘parents evening’ but parents are strongly discouraged from making an appointment. In fact they don’t even advertise how to make an appointment and the one time a parent I know tried, they dealt with it outside of the afternoon school was closed.

They absolutely do have an end of year staff party! Not that it bothers me, just a hassle for me as I work in the office and can’t collect easily.

TheNinthLock · 16/07/2024 16:49

scarletbegoniass · 16/07/2024 16:26

I don’t think they misunderstood, you didn’t explain very well.

‘At my school we had a half day off for anyone who got into Oxford or Cambridge’. Why would anyone read ‘for anyone who got into Oxford or Cambridge’ and extrapolate that that means it was for everyone?

Show quote history

It’s clear enough.
The clue is WE HAD half a day off….
Not - we GAVE half a day off to anyone who got into Oxford or Cambridge, but we had.
We had = All of us received

hennybeans · 16/07/2024 16:45

At the school I worked in 20 years ago, we always had a training day in early December to get our Christmas shopping done. I doubt schools get anything fun like that anymore though.

PigglyWigglyOhYeah · 16/07/2024 16:43

Just phone and ask.

Icanwalkintheroom · 16/07/2024 16:42

It won’t be for a staff party.

Getonwitit · 16/07/2024 16:41

Ask them ?

Everydayimhuffling · 16/07/2024 16:33

Is it the last day? Mine has a half day on the last day too. It is basically for a staff lunch, but they would probably get rid of it except that it's been there a long time so they basically can't. It might be something similar at that school.

ACynicalDad · 16/07/2024 16:26

Leaving party for someone whose been there decades? An afternoon to finish report witing?

Original poster
cottonwoolbrain · 16/07/2024 16:26

@CaptainMyCaptain It won't be anything to do with universities since the school does not have a sixth form

OP posts: