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Original poster

Teachers - when do you break up?

75 replies

40andlovelife · 19/11/2023 13:59

We break up on the 22nd December so another 5 weeks of what is proving to be an awful HT. Poor behaviour, apologist parents and excessive workload that does not benefit the kids along with shite weather and dark mornings/ evenings are making me long for this 5 weeks to be over. This is really sad because no one should be wishing the weeks away!

What are you doing to pass the next 5 weeks and look after yourself?

OP posts:
Moonshine86 · 19/11/2023 14:03

Breaking up on the 20th. I know exactly what you mean by wishing your life away! I am at what is considered to be a good school and my gosh I am completely burnt out. Can’t enjoy the weekends as I feel sick to my stomach.

HollyGolightly4 · 19/11/2023 14:06

22nd and go back on the 3rd 😢. Utterly rubbish.

I've treated myself to a luxury advent calendar (trying not to open till December!) And trying to get a serotonin boost through fairy lights

WhatHaveIDone21 · 19/11/2023 14:08

We break up on 22nd too. I have a very challenging class this year and dread going to school every day. We are also expecting OFSTED any moment so as a staff it's like none of us can breathe until Wednesday lunchtime.

Cotswoldbee · 19/11/2023 14:08

Not a teacher.

Ours break up Fri 15th and go back Tues 9th.
Bliss! 😁

grafittiartist · 19/11/2023 14:10

Break up on the 22nd too.
But I much prefer to break up late.
We get a whole week after new year this way.
If we break up too early I just end up Christmas shopping every day which I hate. Would rather rush, then have a break after.

caringcarer · 19/11/2023 14:18

The 22nd seems late to me. 19th or 20th would be better. Kids are probably too excited to get much done after this date.

Original poster
40andlovelife · 19/11/2023 14:22

Moonshine86 · 19/11/2023 14:03

Breaking up on the 20th. I know exactly what you mean by wishing your life away! I am at what is considered to be a good school and my gosh I am completely burnt out. Can’t enjoy the weekends as I feel sick to my stomach.

Yep it's the anticipation of what's to come after the weekend. I'm the same, feel awful on Sundays

OP posts:
Original poster
40andlovelife · 19/11/2023 14:23

HollyGolightly4 · 19/11/2023 14:06

22nd and go back on the 3rd 😢. Utterly rubbish.

I've treated myself to a luxury advent calendar (trying not to open till December!) And trying to get a serotonin boost through fairy lights

Advent calendar is a great idea! I've got one of those lumie alarm clocks that are supposed to help with SAD

OP posts:
Original poster
40andlovelife · 19/11/2023 14:24

WhatHaveIDone21 · 19/11/2023 14:08

We break up on 22nd too. I have a very challenging class this year and dread going to school every day. We are also expecting OFSTED any moment so as a staff it's like none of us can breathe until Wednesday lunchtime.

Ugh I know the feeling. Waiting for the call and wondering if the heads on the call at 12 every day

OP posts:
Original poster
40andlovelife · 19/11/2023 14:25

Cotswoldbee · 19/11/2023 14:08

Not a teacher.

Ours break up Fri 15th and go back Tues 9th.
Bliss! 😁

Very very nice. Even though I break up 22nd, I don't go back until the 8th which is nice

OP posts:
Evvyjb · 19/11/2023 14:25

Same - 22nd. We've also had some really appalling news as a school this week, plus really high levels of sickness. This is going to be a long and difficult slog...

ThrallsWife · 19/11/2023 14:27

I have my SAD lamp on for the second time today as I am typing this.

22nd here, too. Cannot wait; we've barely been back, but workload is horrendous again and kids are pretty much done with school again already.

I spent most of half-term barely willing or able to do anything, I was that exhausted.

I am currently looking at the to-do list for today and trying very hard to psych myself up to start working.

OggyBunsen · 19/11/2023 14:29

22nd for us too. Difference is, in January I'll be moving on to a different school - I'm so relieved. We've got a new to Headship Head at my current school: he's come in like a bull in a china shop, changed loads, removed systems and processes and not replaced them. As a result, school has become a very unhappy place Sad

Woolabaloo · 19/11/2023 14:29

22nd here too. Partly closed due to RAAC right now too so having to teach via video etc again. Nightmare.

35and3 · 19/11/2023 14:29

Finish 15th dec, kids back 4th jan.

WhatHaveIDone21 · 19/11/2023 15:07

@40andlovelife it's awful isn't it. I am literally wishing my life away because I hate school so much. I've been teaching a long time but this is the first year I feel like leaving. Have been looking for other jobs but nothing out there at the moment and I'm not even sure what I would do.

ShowOfHands · 19/11/2023 15:07

Finish the 22nd. Back on the 3rd. Take away weekends and bank holidays, it's only 4 teaching days off. It seems short compared to previous years.

I'm v happy in work and at a good school but post Covid, behaviour and mental health for students are both still poor.

Ofsted came on the last two days of term before Christmas last year. That was really challenging as we'd deliberately finished teaching the syllabus a day early so that we could have some fun lessons/quizzes/films on the last day.

HollyGolightly4 · 19/11/2023 15:08

@40andlovelife I love my lumie!!

HollyGolightly4 · 19/11/2023 15:10

@ShowOfHands that just seems so mean!

NillyNoMates · 19/11/2023 15:24

We break up on the 21st. Six am drives in the pitch black are taking their toll on me.

Shinyandnew1 · 19/11/2023 15:28

We break up on the 20th and back on the 3rd-everyone seems to be so ill already :(

verrymerryberry · 19/11/2023 15:39

21st here back on 8th

Those having very short time off did you have two weeks for half term? If not this seem ludicrous

We had one week at half term and the half term is a rare 8 weeker

But we are consoling our selves- we had OFSTED earlier this year and the last week we will do nice stuff because the kids won't cope - I'm secondary too- we also have exams for each year and yr 11 doing three past paper so we have all this to mark before Xmas!

We have some nice events to look forward to and a few work dos. Also my colleagues are bloody lovely! We are bringing a shed load of nice food and drinks (mainly Coke Zero - we are water and salad for the rest of the year!) for the last week and having a week of buffet lunches (in our 30 minute lunch "break" lol)

CurlyhairedAssassin · 19/11/2023 15:43

OggyBunsen · 19/11/2023 14:29

22nd for us too. Difference is, in January I'll be moving on to a different school - I'm so relieved. We've got a new to Headship Head at my current school: he's come in like a bull in a china shop, changed loads, removed systems and processes and not replaced them. As a result, school has become a very unhappy place Sad

Edited

Why do they do that? They need to get a proper feel for what works well and what doesn't first rather than just coming straight in and thinking they have to make their mark.

CaptainCallisto · 19/11/2023 15:43

22nd for us too, back on the 9th. It feels like this term has gone on forever, and we've only been back two weeks...

GrammarTeacher · 19/11/2023 15:46

20th for me. Can't wait. Had a department review from the MAT last week. School show this week. Year 11 parents evening.