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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be pissed off that schools are off AGAIN!?

214 replies

tallulahxhunny · 09/05/2011 14:37

after being off almost the whole month of april then the bank holiday and the voting day for some schools, and knowing that they finish for 7 weeks soon, why are they going to be off the friday before and the tuesday after the bank holiday at end of may? ffs at this rate i'd be better off home tutoring!!

Its not that i dont want to spend time with my children but i have had to fight all year for them to notice my child cant read (7) and now they have eventually took notice shes been off school longer than she has been in there! its bloody ridiculous (insert seriously angry face with much feet stamping)

OP posts:
compo · 09/05/2011 17:12

My ds will be spending his half term beach combing
loads to learn from that
and I can have a little lie in the sun
I'm loving all the extra holidays

5318008 · 09/05/2011 17:15

what issues did she have about growing up?

Original poster
tallulahxhunny · 09/05/2011 18:00

she is worried about growing up because she thinks if she doesnt grow up then me and her dad wont get old and die! yes i know its strange and she has been checked a few years ago for SN and going to be checked again hopefully

OP posts:
jetgirl · 09/05/2011 18:14

Not that strange tallulah, children often have fears about their parents' dying. I certainly did. I do think this disrupted half term have been unsettling for some pupils too.

We break up on July 28th, so after hlf term have and 8 week stint until the summer break. I will be on my knees by then! Our students move up.into the next academic year as soon as the year 11s leave so new timetable starts on June 27th. We'll have 5 weeks off this summer, not 6 as usual.

meditrina · 09/05/2011 18:22

It does seem a bit strange for the schools which are having two inset days. Even before the extra days for the Royal Wedding and, for some voting, it's a short term interrupted by other Bank Holidays.

I'd much prefer if as they were scheduled whenever possible in the long haul autumn term (when there are no Bank Hols) or early in the year when the days are short and miserable and a long weekend would be a welcome boost.

juneau · 09/05/2011 18:31

Your 7-year-old can't read and you're saying it's the school's fault? Unbelievable.

NinkyNonker · 09/05/2011 18:55

Given that many insets use outside people (trainers etc) schools don't always get much say in when they are free. Equally they can't all have all insets in the same term or same date.

spanieleyes · 09/05/2011 18:59

Don't worry, teachers are as pissed off as everyone else about the string of days off/holidays this month and last. As soon as we get started the children are off again, they can't remember what they did, the 3 and a bit weeks we have isn't long enough for any decent topic work which means it is either a "short" topic we squash into the time available or we stretch it over both summer terms. Give me a decent 6 week stretch anytime!

ilovesooty · 09/05/2011 19:56

YABU: except for the Royal Wedding day your child is in school for exactly the same number of days as last year.

As someone else pointed out, school doesn't exist to provide you with childcare, and the perfectly normal numbers of holiday/INSET days are not responsible for your child failing to learn to read.

jenga079 · 09/05/2011 20:09

Where do you live OP?

To be honest, the thing that surprises me most is that she's only off for a few days (not a whole week's half term!)

lynehamrose · 09/05/2011 20:27

You sound jealous about the teachers getting school holidays tbh. Why don't you train as a teacher if it bothers you so much? You mention you may as well do home tutoring- why not get properly trained, and earn a wage for it? (though you will be teaching 30 not 1) !

Seona1973 · 09/05/2011 20:38

the OP is in Scotland and our holidays are at different times and for different lengths of time compared to England. My kids are off the Friday and Monday at the May holiday at the end of the May. They then finish up for the summer on 24th June so not much time left at school now!

Maybeitsbecause · 09/05/2011 20:39

I'm a teacher and am absolutely loving it Grin

Seona1973 · 09/05/2011 20:43

p.s. the kids havent had much time at school recently at all i.e. 2 weeks off for easter, a 4 day week followed by 3 day week followed by another 3 day week. They now have 2 full weeks at school before having another two 4 day weeks. Must be a nightmare for parents who both work

Hulababy · 09/05/2011 20:49

This year children (and teachers) are getting ONE additional day's holiday - for the Royal Wedding. That is it. It is not really any worse than any other year. It just seems a lot as this year, what with a late Easter, they are all bunched together round April and May.

Sadly some schools also miss a day for polling. teachers have to be in though. This has always been the case from when I was at school too. Many schools remain unaffected though.

In the past children got the same number of holidays. I am 38y and remember school holidays int he summer being 7.5 week long at times, always 7 weeks. We also had two weeks at Easter and Christmas, and half terms in October, February and May. The holidays were a little longer as they included the 5 days INSET we know have, which were taken out of teacher's holidays when they were introduced. The number of pupil days remains unchanged.

DD is in an independent prep school and has an additional 3 weeks holiday. It does not affect her learning.

Hulababy · 09/05/2011 20:49

My comment is for the English system; no idea how it varies in Scotland.

TheFlyingOnion · 09/05/2011 20:51

"Must be a nightmare for parents who both work"

yes, seona, because thats all us teachers are really; free childcare and someone to yell at because you don't agree with your child's bloody book banding.

Don't forget, INSET days are not days off for the teachers - they will be in school doing training (maybe on setting the right book band?).

pickyourbrain · 09/05/2011 20:53

Yes op as others have suggested "can't you teach your child to read?" what is wrong with you expecting the school to teach them?! Hmm

Hulababy · 09/05/2011 20:56

Learning to read is not just he school's job. It should be a joint effort between child, school and parents. The school teaches the techniques - the phonics, etc. The child then goes home to parents and practises those skills with books. If either of the two sides don't do their bit the child will find it harder to learn to read.

Liken it to learning to drive a car. the instructor teaches you the skills. You then go away and practise. Those who get more chance to practise outside of the lesson are more likely to learn quicker and more effectively.

eggsit · 09/05/2011 20:57

I am a teacher and also pissed off with all these holidays. Unfortunately, I have end of year targets to meet, and all of the children seem to have forgotten how to write during their long month off. I can see sleepless nights looming.....

Hulababy · 09/05/2011 20:57

Seona - school is not childcare. When a person decides to have a child they shoud be aware that eventually that child will needlooking after.Prety much everyone has been to school - lets face it, half the population feel the know exactly wht teaching is all about after all! - so they know school only runs for 39 weeks of the year and includes a big summe rholiday plus holidays at other times. You can't blame schools for their terms - it's been like it for years.

handsomeharry · 09/05/2011 21:02

In Scotland the holidays are different. We do not have a week's half term and finish for the summer at the end of June. We go back mid August (these holidays are set by the local councils/Education depts and can vary by a week or so).

In my region we have two weeks in October, two weeks at Christmas, a long weekend in February, the first two weeks in April and a couple of holiday Mondays.

We have INSET days too. It has been a very strange month or so. My DS was off the first two weeks in April, back to school 4 days and off Good Friday. Back 4 days and off for the Royal Wedding and May Day and then off on Thursday as the school is used for a polling station.

Phew! This week is his first 'normal' week back.

pickyourbrain · 09/05/2011 21:07

I am always intrigued that teachers take such offense at these threads! As if we actually beleive any of you get a say in the holidays. Its the nobs at the top that need to sort it out.

Of course it's not just the schools job to teach kids to read. But I was responding to all the "Hwo can you complain about the school being shut - you should be teaching your child to read" comments.

Followed by a nice juicy helping of "school isn't just free child care!" That one always makes me laugh... 'free?!' not the last time I looked at my payslip it wasnt!

TheFlyingOnion · 09/05/2011 21:08

seconded, eggsit - my planning seems to be for a normal 12(ish) week term and this term is only 10 weeks, so I have all that teaching to fit in before the end of term assessments, plus sports day, making (international) Mother's Day cards and all that stuff, AND the kids are not in "work mode" because of the long break and the hot weather (still 30 degrees here).

Will be tearing my hair out I think!

Seona1973 · 09/05/2011 21:12

I have never regarded school as childcare, I was merely sympathising with those who have to arrange childcare during holidays/in-service days, etc (no need to get a bee in your bonnet!). I have never queried book banding either!! It has been particularly bad this school year as they were also off for several weeks due to snow. They seem to have been off school more than they have been in.

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