General Election. How many of your childrens schools are closing for the day?

[VincentVanGoughandhisear]

So with a General Election being called for December, is the school that your child/children attends due to close?

If you are a teacher or work in a school, do you have to work that day or is it a day off for you too?

My childrens school is.
They have also had to cancel trips and events that were scheduled for that day.

The nursery is closed in my sons school, which is annoying but at least not the whole school! Just so happens my husband is off!

My school has never closed for an election (teacher) so I'm interested to know what happens in other schools! I assume it's allocated to a training day and staff work in their classrooms etc?

@VincentVanGoughandhisear I wonder why schools are used if there is another suitable space nearby.

Our school for instance has a village hall and a British legion on the same road.

Is it cost for the government? Would they have to pay these vacant centres whereas they can use schools for free?

There's really strict criteria for polling stations (they can be lifted in tiny villages or extreme rural before I get bashed with exceptions), plus cost is a factor.

The building has to be secure to a certain standard. There has to be certain spaces for polling staff. It has to be completely accessible - so disabled access, but also accessible to all communities. For example in my village the most ideal location building wise would be a church, but the church has loud opinions that offend many people, especially those who are gay or Muslim. It would never be selected because it is not a place that any one gay or muslim could reasonably be expected to enter and it would be wrong to restrict their ability to vote.

My school has never closed for an election (teacher) so I'm interested to know what happens in other schools! I assume it's allocated to a training day and staff work in their classrooms etc?

It depends on the school building set up. In some schools I worked in staff were in because the polling area could be secured from the classrooms, but in other schools staff couldn't be in. Often we'd then go to another school for some sort of training, or go on external courses. One time school staff did a training day in the community centre (it couldn't be used as a polling station because it wasn't close enough to the bus route).

My eldest child is in high school so doesn’t close. The previous primary my kids went to didn't close but the one my son goes to now does. I’m lucky that I don’t work on Thursdays so we will have a wee day off, cinema and lunch I think.

The school I work.in is closed. Third time this year....but this time I get the day off and my kids will all be at school/college.....

Councils have the right to use any publicly funded school. They are usually the most convenient option due to accessibility and large hall. Often alternatives cannot guarantee availability if an election is called with five weeks notice.

Schools can remain open if they can segregate voters from pupils ie there is a separate entrance or children's centre.

. Councils need to send out poll cards over the next couple of days so these would have already been sent to printers.

We haven't been told yet, but DS's school is normally used for a polling station, and closed to pupils, so I assume that'll be the case this time too.

DH is a teacher and will also be off (assuming same set-up as previous years), so he can look after DS and also generally looks after his sisters' 3 kids - he'll be going back to work on the Friday for a rest!

Don't think DS has any activities that'll be affected, but DH thinks their Christmas play might have to be moved.

I don't think I've ever heard of a school staying open (for staff or pupils) when being used as a polling station, but we're in Northern Ireland, so there may be additional security issues here.

Yes, I understand students not being allowed to go to school, but staff?

Yes, I understand students not being allowed to go to school, but staff?

A few years ago, where there was a pre-planned election, our council made the Election Day an in service day for staff

Yes, I understand students not being allowed to go to school, but staff?

For security reasons no one is allowed to stay inside a polling station except polling staff. So, unless the hall or area being used as a polling station can be secured from the rest of the school then school staff can’t be there

Ours is open - but the car park is shut. We have a self-contained polling station porta-cabin shipped in for elections, so the school does not have to close.

Means that the whole area will be choked up with all the teachers/support staff cars, as well as the usual drop/off pick up mayhem - AND the people dropping off to vote on their way in/out of work...

joy...

My primary school was never closed , much to my young dismay .

The local one closed though so all my friends got the day off.

My eldest DCs school closed for Polling , but my youngest DCs one did not as a community hall was used.