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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to think these holiday changes will cause chaos

68 replies

holidaywoe · 22/01/2012 20:23

Hi
My children both go to schools that are in the Nottingham county area, I am currently working in a school in the Nottingham City area which up until now has never caused a problem ....until Now!
The city in their wisdom have decided that they want to implement a 5 term pattern with 5, 8 week terms. The thought being 6 weeks are too long for children to be off school in the summer and it would be better for them to have just 4. The county however have rejected the idea and decided to stick to the original pattern.
I dont mind either way as long as they are the same. As it is if this goes ahead I will have different hols to the kids and will end up being off alone while they are at school and having to find childcare while they are off and im at work.

OP posts:

IUseTooMuchKitchenRoll · 22/01/2012 20:28

YANBU.

I like the idea of having 5 8 week terms, but it has to be nowhere or everywhere.

Original poster

holidaywoe · 22/01/2012 20:32

My thoughts exactly Kitchen I'm not against the idea, though having the spring holiday always falling in March will be on the chilly side. Whats got to me is the fact that they will be different.

OP posts:

FredFredGeorge · 22/01/2012 21:06

If your two DC's went to schools with different terms, then I could have considerable sympathy, but your problem is your job and holidays? Surely that's exactly the same as the majority of workers, you'll organise childcare, it's pretty simple and done by the vast majority of workers.

Yes it's annoying, and more expensive for you, but when the school you're working in re-negotiates your contract for the change of holidays you'll have to factor in the change in circumstances.

Original poster

holidaywoe · 22/01/2012 21:09

What do you mean when the school I work in renegotiates my contract, why would they be doing this?

And come two years down the line the children will have different hols as the comp is in the city and primary is county.

OP posts:

HarrietJones · 22/01/2012 21:13

In a normal job you can use annual leave to cover some holidays. Op could be teaching /kids off for most of the holidays.

I did fancy the 6 term model but it's never been discussed here

IUseTooMuchKitchenRoll · 22/01/2012 21:14

I only have a term time job because it fits in with my dc. If this happened to me, as it could in theory because dc's schools are in a different borough to the one I work in, I would have to quit my job.

NinkyNonker · 22/01/2012 21:16

Yes, all or nothing in the same area IMO. As a teacher you don't have the flexibility to use annual leave to cover school hols...as you don't get any in term time! Ridiculous to have primary and secondaries with different term systems.

Original poster

holidaywoe · 22/01/2012 21:23

Exactly it is NOT the same as most other workers Fred as my holidays are fixed and I would not be able to change them to suit the childrens.
For example as the proposal stands my spring (traditionally easter) holiday will always be the first two weeks of March however the childrens move around dependent on when Easter falls.
Also the new school year will start in August as opposed to September

OP posts:

troisgarcons · 22/01/2012 21:26

Several areas have them already. As far as i can discern, the only effect it has is to bugger up the travel industry and allow holidays in non peak times (not wanting another thread along those lines)

northcountrygirl · 22/01/2012 21:27

I've heard of a few academies changing the holiday pattern - which causes problems when you have children at different schools - so tbh I think it's gonna happen sooner or later.

Not looking forward to it myself as I've got 3 children and try my best as it is to work as full time hours as I can manage.

scurryfunge · 22/01/2012 21:30

You may have to pay for child care then.

DrCoconut · 22/01/2012 21:31

I'm completely opposed to changing to 5 or 6 terms. The holidays are fine as they are. DS1 is just getting into being off when it's time to go back and envies his American cousins who get a long summer holiday! Yes I have to work some of the time (college lecturer so don't get the children's holidays) but still would not want to change the system. I'd be annoyed if it was all swapped round so I had to have loads of time off alone and then pay for childcare for even more weeks.

NinkyNonker · 22/01/2012 21:34

Hell, I loved my 8 to 9 week odd summer holiday!

Blu · 22/01/2012 21:34

What a nightmare.

This would put me off moving to Nottingham, to be honest.
We have enough holiday in the colder parts of the year.
And I agree, it isn't the same if you have no flexibility in your annual leave.

Honestly. Teaching is an attractive profession to parents because of the holidays co-inciding - how many MORE factors will they introduce to put everyone off training to be a teacher?

northcountrygirl · 22/01/2012 21:35

I'm opposed too. I loved the long summer holidays as a child and I love them as an adult too. I try and work it so that I can take a bit of time off/ work from hope/ have late starts etc over summer and personally love spending time with the kids with no homework, activities etc...

Original poster

holidaywoe · 22/01/2012 21:37

scurryfudge the paying for childcare is not my issue its the fact that hols will be different in what is effect one area. One of the pay offs of not being able to choose when I have hols has always been the fact that I get to spend time with the children.

OP posts:

scurryfunge · 22/01/2012 21:45

Plenty of people do not get to choose annual leave. It just means you will have to reorganise child care. I agree teaching is a child friendly work option at the moment but it should not be different from any other profession and something that needs factoring in when having children. I spent a small fortune on child care even when teaching and continued to do so having left the profession for another....needs must.

SwedishEdith · 22/01/2012 21:48

I think it's a bit too late for the OP to factor it in before having children.

What a nightmare.

ivykaty44 · 22/01/2012 21:49

YABU lots of jobs have inflexable annual leave and you can't always have christmas off or easter and have to work, then whilst the children are at school take annual leave in term time, why should you be any different to thousands of other employees?

Original poster

holidaywoe · 22/01/2012 21:50

Scurryfunge you obviously have your mind made up that I should just accept it but you are not really addressing the point I was trying to make which was holidays should be standarised.
I'm sure that you will come up with a million examples but personally out of all the people I know none of them (unless they are teachers) have fixed holidays that can not be moved.

OP posts:

Original poster

holidaywoe · 22/01/2012 21:53

Gawd I knew this would turn into a suck it up type thread. But yet again you are missing my point.

OP posts:

Dozer · 22/01/2012 21:54

Yabu. The current holiday arrangements are archaic, based on a time when children helped with farming/harvest etc.

The v long summer break isn't helpful to learning. It's hard to cover for most working parents. Also healthier for DC to have regular breaks rather than some long and some short terms.

somewhere has to pilot these things, to see effects etc before roll-out.

ivykaty44 · 22/01/2012 21:55

why should holidays be standarised?

scurryfunge · 22/01/2012 21:56

I just don't feel so entitled about holidays, that's all. Standardisation of holidays is a bonus for teaching and most professions accept that fixed holiday periods are not a right. I am not allowed holidays during peak periods, ie. Christmas, August, Easter, for example because they are the busiest times. I try not to feel aggrieved about it. It's a pain the arse but I need to and want to work.

Dozer · 22/01/2012 21:56

Lots of people other than teachers have fixed holiday times, eg media, firms that "shut down", people whose bank holidays are automatically taken out of their annual leave. Most people have some restrictions: there is no legal right for employees to take leave when they want.

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