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Original poster

This is a crap day for a Jubilee holiday

103 replies

BlowDryRat · 31/01/2022 07:36

All schools have a discretionary day's holiday to add to this school year to celebrate the queen's platinum jubilee. DD's school chose today Confused It's cold, raining, windy and generally miserable.

AIBU to wonder why they didn't choose a day in the summer when the kids could have a picnic, go to the park, play outside etc.? Instead, I'm at work as usual while my parents look after her. I'm sure she'll have a lovely time with them but it just feels like a waste of a holiday.

OP posts:
Brendabigbaps · 31/01/2022 09:33

I hope the 96 year old lady with alot of stress going on in her life doesn’t die in the meantime!

Why can’t schools celebrate it on the 2nd June like everybody else!

BashfulClam · 31/01/2022 09:33

It would be better I. May/June. Scottish schools don’t do a half term in May ad the finish for the Suet at the end of June so a wee day off would be nice.

TheCanyon · 31/01/2022 09:37

@BashfulClam

It would be better I. May/June. Scottish schools don’t do a half term in May ad the finish for the Suet at the end of June so a wee day off would be nice.
Our schools is the 3rd June. Seems a bit silly when they finish 3 weeks later.
Madcats · 31/01/2022 09:43

Ah, that might explain why there seemed to be a lot more families down on the coast for what was (here) an unremarkable Saturday, weather-wise.

The advantage of having a Monday (versus Friday) off is that most off-peak holiday rentals are Friday-Monday for a weekend.

PriamFarrl · 31/01/2022 09:45

@SpiderinaWingMirror

For the love of God, why wouldn't you just finish a day earlier in the Summer?
That’s what we are doing.

But I can see the appeal of breaking up this long term.

PineappleWilson · 31/01/2022 09:45

My son's school chose the last day of the summer term, in mid-July. The other local secondary chose a day in mid-November. I commented at the time which of these options I'd rather have as a day off. Grey, dreary and stuck at home as your parents are working, yeah!

CountessOfSponheim · 31/01/2022 09:50

She actually became Queen on 6 February, which will be Sunday, so I'm guessing they went for at least the same week (although this Friday off or next Monday would have made more sense than this Monday). but yes, hardly anyone is clamouring for more holiday in January so it's an odd choice -- adding on to one of the half terms would make more sense.

Mumdiva99 · 31/01/2022 09:52

@Brendabigbaps

I hope the 96 year old lady with alot of stress going on in her life doesn’t die in the meantime!

Why can’t schools celebrate it on the 2nd June like everybody else!

Because schools (LA schools in England) already have this day off in the May half term . So it's not an additional benefit for any of these staff. So that they aren't disadvantaged by this it has been agreed that they should have the benefit of that day at another time.
SickAndTiredAgain · 31/01/2022 09:56

The secondary school near me had it in the first week of December. I thought at the time it was odd not to add it on to one side of an existing holiday or bank holiday weekend.

ClariceQuiff · 31/01/2022 09:57

Brunonono Brilliant, isn't it? Grin And I was getting my jubilees mixed up, of course it was her Diamond Jubilee in 2012, not her Golden Jubilee!

thelittlestrhino · 31/01/2022 10:05

I'm so surprised that some schools seem to have been able to choose their own day! It was set at authority level here - 3rd June which is ok, but as it's Scotland we finish at the end of June anyway, and have 2 common riding holidays in the middle of June so it's a very bitty month.

Original poster
BlowDryRat · 31/01/2022 10:07

If I was a teacher I'd take the theoretical summer day to go to a theme park when it's quiet. Winter day off = duvet day.

OP posts:
onemouseplace · 31/01/2022 10:12

What an odd day. DD's secondary is taking the 6th June off which makes sense as it's the Monday after half term. Only the other DCs' primary has a random Monday at the end of June which they've only just put in the calendar, so is no bloody use to anyone.

VirginiaQ · 31/01/2022 10:18

@QforCucumber

Ds school was the 3rd January, they extended the Xmas holidays for it while, like you, DS had to go to MIL and I had to go to work. Seemed a bit pointless for us, sure it was great for the teachers
But 3d January was a Bank Holiday anyway because NY Day fell a Saturday? Nothing to do with the Jubilee?
Vanillaradio · 31/01/2022 10:35

Well looked more into this and turns out that all schools in our town are finishing one day early for summer holidays. Thanks for the heads up. This has been changed on the calendar on the council website and there's an item about it buried in the info section but I wouldn't have had a clue otherwise as I was going by the term dates put out in September which had the term finishing in Friday. This seems a better idea than a random day and hopefully the holiday clubs will open a day early if all the schools are closed. If not I think ds will be sat with a laptop and pile of books whilst I work as that week will be in dh's "hotspot" leave period that normally needs to be booked 12 months in advance.

QforCucumber · 31/01/2022 10:54

@VirginiaQ oh, the next day then, I can’t remember I just know it was tagged on to the end of the Xmas holidays so he didn’t go back until the Wednesday

Crunchymum · 31/01/2022 10:57

I think they've tacked ours onto the end of the Easter Break.

Crunchymum · 31/01/2022 11:03

@Crunchymum

I think they've tacked ours onto the end of the Easter Break.
Actually I take this back, they are closing on the 21st July now (not the 22nd - the Friday!)

This works out super handy for me as I actually booked our holiday from 22nd onwards and thought they were missing their last day.

It's not been put in the calendar though, and looking back through the emails they told us several months ago.

Crunchymum · 31/01/2022 11:06

[quote QforCucumber]@VirginiaQ oh, the next day then, I can’t remember I just know it was tagged on to the end of the Xmas holidays so he didn’t go back until the Wednesday[/quote]
We didn't go back until the Wednesday and that wasn't our extra day?

Funny how it varies.

Crunchymum · 31/01/2022 11:13

Why can’t schools celebrate it on the 2nd June like everybody else!

It has nothing to do with celebrating, it is to do with when the B.H fall.

The late May BH has been moved from the last Monday in May to the Thursday and there is an additional B.H on 2nd June.

Essentially schools are getting this extra BH back in lieu.

My school worded it as

"As the additional Bank Holiday falls inside the May half term, the DofE had laid regulations to reduce the the minimum number of days' schools must open in the academic year 21/22"

It goes on to say DofE gave the schools autonomy to decide when to take this extra day.

ancientgran · 31/01/2022 11:16

My GS is getting it in July. I'd be happier with it now, he's had covid and although over it he still seems tired and washed out. I think a lie in and a lazy day would have done him the world of good today. In July he is looking at a six week break and one more day won't be particularly exciting.

APurpleSquirrel · 31/01/2022 11:19

Ours added the extra day to the beginning of the October half term last year, so the kids broke up on the Thursday & had the Friday off. Meant a few people could go away a bit earlier.

Original poster
BlowDryRat · 31/01/2022 13:37

@crunchymum what a result!

OP posts:
UndertheCedartree · 31/01/2022 14:16

@mydogisthebest

Summer days can be pretty awful weather wise too.

My birthday is mid June and most years the weather is shit. Often it is quite chilly and it's rarely warm or sunny. In 2020 it absolutely poured all day. We went out for the day but got so soaked after 2 hours we went home again

It obviously depends where you live. I also have a mid June birthday and most years it is beautiful here.
UndertheCedartree · 31/01/2022 14:27

@thelittlestrhino

I'm so surprised that some schools seem to have been able to choose their own day! It was set at authority level here - 3rd June which is ok, but as it's Scotland we finish at the end of June anyway, and have 2 common riding holidays in the middle of June so it's a very bitty month.
3rd of June is one of the Jubilee holiday days. In England that is during half term hence English schools getting an extra day of their choice.