Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Working on Good Friday - rather unusual!

111 replies

DisabledDemon · 23/03/2024 04:07

I work as a private English tutor and every year, see an increase in students wanting extra tuition at this time of year (the Mock results are in and a number of students have realised that they need more work if they're going to get the grades they need - panic has set in!).

Covid, of course, contributed to this, as did the teachers' strikes - but this is the first year that I've found myself booked to teach on Good Friday (and not just one student). What on earth is going on?

OP posts:
TwoCoffeesPlease · 23/03/2024 11:01

@JanglyBeads yes, it’s right there - I’m not sure who it’s meant to be for, I’ve never heard of it before either

HotChocolateNotCocoa · 23/03/2024 11:29

donteatthedaisies0 · 23/03/2024 07:56

People do not get good Friday off all over the UK maybe the banks do as they do tend to follow English holidays . It's not a public holiday where I live fgs .

So you don’t live in the UK. Then why are you trying to tell those of us who do when our bank holidays are? And what’s all this “in name only” bollocks?

mirror245 · 23/03/2024 11:43

In NI people generally get Monday and Tuesday off. My dh is working on Friday. Those that work in UK based companies might get the Friday off though.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

General education
OutOfTheHouse · 23/03/2024 11:50

Am I in some kind of parallel universe? Good Friday is a bank holiday. Yes many people work, shops are open etc but that doesn’t stop it being a bank holiday. Lots of places open August bank holiday and the May bank holidays, it doesn’t stop them being bank holidays.

nononononononononon · 23/03/2024 12:44

endofthelinefinally · 23/03/2024 06:01

Good Friday has never been a bank holiday. Easter Monday is a bank holiday.

Not in Scotland.

Obeast · 23/03/2024 12:51

'What on earth is going on?'

Er...you chose to be booked by people? What's the problem?

sorrynotathome · 23/03/2024 12:53

This thread is hilarious. And a timely reminder that MN is full of people who emphatically state their random opinions as fact - flying in the face of all other information, including HM Government website. Good Friday is a bank holiday in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Easter Monday is a bank holiday in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Thank you and goodnight.

ANiceBigCupOfTea · 23/03/2024 12:54

LucyLaundry · 23/03/2024 06:37

You're being weird. In England and Wales, it's a Bank Holiday. Not in name only, whatever you mean by that. An actual bank Holiday like all the others listed on that link.

Show quote history

It's a bank holiday in NI as well

Maddy70 · 23/03/2024 12:55

You are a tutor surely they have asked if you'll work it and you can say yes or no?

Groovee · 23/03/2024 13:06

@PuppyMonkey yes. The LA in question is Fife Council.

The pain was I was off and DD's train was cancelled, so I had to drive her. I'd never heard of it, checked the councils website and it showed the school returned on the Monday. Then queried it with my friend who lives and works in Fife and she can't confirmed it.

Just because it's never been known to you doesn't mean it doesn't happen. They also don't get the same bank holidays as round about them. However they did finish earlier than we did.

Original poster
DisabledDemon · 23/03/2024 13:19

AnImaginaryCat · 23/03/2024 07:25

Yes that's correct (about Ireland).

I've worked Good Friday as a standard day be because "It's a bank holiday and this isn't a bank".

I was schooled on the fact only banks have to close on bank holidays and everywhere else it's optional! Clue is in the name I suppose.

From googling it does appear to be a public holiday in the UK.

Who is in charge of taking the bookings @DisabledDemon?

Show quote history

The parents have asked if I'll teach on that day and I've agreed. One family is Hindu and so don't celebrate Easter - their concern was that I might want to but hey, I'm self-employed and I can go to church in the afternoon.

OP posts:
Original poster
DisabledDemon · 23/03/2024 13:22

Obeast · 23/03/2024 12:51

'What on earth is going on?'

Er...you chose to be booked by people? What's the problem?

I didn't say I had a problem with it; it's just never happened before so it seemed unusual.

OP posts:
Original poster
DisabledDemon · 23/03/2024 13:24

Maddy70 · 23/03/2024 12:55

You are a tutor surely they have asked if you'll work it and you can say yes or no?

I could have said no - but I hate turning down work and I am very aware of how close we are to the GCSEs.

OP posts:
Nonewclothes2024 · 23/03/2024 13:28

donteatthedaisies0 · 23/03/2024 06:24

Did you not read , in name only .

Edited
Show quote history

I can read. It’s an official bank holiday according to the Gov.Uk website

Original poster
DisabledDemon · 23/03/2024 13:29

SnapdragonToadflax · 23/03/2024 06:19

Surely it's up to you whether you accept bookings that day? I can't imagine teenagers are that bothered, it's just a handy day off school they can use for tutoring.

I don't really understand why you're shocked. Don't work it if you don't want to. It's not like there's any cultural expectation of doing something else (like Christmas dinner) - it's just a bank holiday.

Yes, it is up to me - and being a Catholic, I have built the day around being able to go to church.

I'm not shocked, just surprised. It hasn't happened in previous years.

OP posts:
OutOfTheHouse · 23/03/2024 13:31

Groovee · 23/03/2024 13:06

@PuppyMonkey yes. The LA in question is Fife Council.

The pain was I was off and DD's train was cancelled, so I had to drive her. I'd never heard of it, checked the councils website and it showed the school returned on the Monday. Then queried it with my friend who lives and works in Fife and she can't confirmed it.

Just because it's never been known to you doesn't mean it doesn't happen. They also don't get the same bank holidays as round about them. However they did finish earlier than we did.

Scotland don’t have Easter Monday as a bank holiday but had two for Hogmanay where England and Wales only have one.

Original poster
DisabledDemon · 23/03/2024 13:37

MariaVT65 · 23/03/2024 06:44

Yeah, this tbh op. I also worked many Good Fridays.

You do realise shops are open right?

Kids are not at school either which is prime opportunity for you to get cash.

And most people in this country aren’t actually Christian, and they love xmas more than easter

Show quote history

Of course, I realise that the shops are open.

Britain is still counted as a Christian country, even if many don't go to church regularly.

OP posts:
YourWinter · 23/03/2024 13:39

Only in office jobs have I had Good Friday off, not in care work, not in supermarkets, not on a farm.

Original poster
DisabledDemon · 23/03/2024 13:41

PurBal · 23/03/2024 07:45

If you’re a tutor can you decline the work? I imagine it’s a difficult day to work for a lot of people. If not working most people are busy either with church or family commitments.

I could have but it's very close to the exams now and I have to make the most of this period as the summer is very lean indeed!

OP posts:
luckylavender · 23/03/2024 13:42

donteatthedaisies0 · 23/03/2024 04:48

It's not a UK wide BH .

It is

luckylavender · 23/03/2024 13:43

endofthelinefinally · 23/03/2024 06:01

Good Friday has never been a bank holiday. Easter Monday is a bank holiday.

It is a Bank Holiday

Original poster
DisabledDemon · 23/03/2024 13:45

GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut · 23/03/2024 08:59

This thread is bizarre.

It's clear OP is asking why in this particular year do her students want to be tutored on GF when that's not happened before - it's unusual for OP to work on GF, not the general population!

GF is a bank holiday where OP is, obviously. I've no idea what 'in name only' means. It either is, or it isn't. The August bank Holiday is for no reason at all as far as I'm aware, it's not a celebration of anything. That doesn't make it not a bank holiday Confused

OP, it think it might be because Easter is early this year, DDs school always has Easter in the middle of the 2 week break, but it's at the start this year (first day off is GF) so it's probably just a useful odd day before the 2 weeks off starts properly. I can see people wouldn't want tutoring smack in the middle of a 2 week break on an ordinary Easter holiday.

Edited

Thank you. You have totally understood what I am saying, which is a relief as I've had some oddly aggressive responses.

OP posts:
OchonAgusOchonOh · 23/03/2024 13:57

JustWhatWeDontNeed · 23/03/2024 06:53

I think it's not a public holiday in Ireland.

It is in the UK though.

I don't think it's surprising that students want tuition when they're off school and close to exams. Apart from Christmas Day, most places operate in some capacity on Bank Holidays, and have done for years. I don't think this is unusual?

It' a bank holiday but not a public holiday in Ireland.

So banks are closed and some public sector organisations are also closed. I have the day off as I work in a university but I'm bringing in the students I teach on a friday the previous day instead as I have material I need to get finished. They're obviously very happy about that😀

Until 2018, the pubs were not allowed open on good friday, although that did not apply if you were travelling so if you had a train ticket, you could drink in the bar in translations or on trains back in the day they served alcohol on trains. Now the only day must must close is christmas day.

OutOfTheHouse · 23/03/2024 14:16

YourWinter · 23/03/2024 13:39

Only in office jobs have I had Good Friday off, not in care work, not in supermarkets, not on a farm.

But the same is true of any bank holiday.

Alwaystired23 · 23/03/2024 14:27

donteatthedaisies0 · 23/03/2024 06:13

No their not I'm certainly seeing a dr at hospital on G Friday and Easter Monday has never been a thing where I live . G. Friday is a holiday where I live in name only . It has never been a holiday that is a holiday .

Show quote history

In Wales, they are both bank Holidays. I dont think they are in Scotland. My sister works in a hospital in Scotland, and their clinics will be running on Monday (I think).