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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to be annoyed work are expecting me to come in on one of my days off?

43 replies

MatchsticksForMyEyes · 01/03/2012 18:39

I work in a school. The statutory child protection training needs re-doing. They are doing it on a day I don't work.
I am not obliged to do anything in school on a non-contracted day, however, I have attended extra meetings on the days I do and made arrangements to contact parents etc when I have been unable to on my days off.
I told the organiser I couldn't come on that day because I don't have any childcare. She asked me if I could find someone to have them. DH doesn't have any annual leave left and my parents work.
She then started laying it on thick saying the cleaners have given up their time to come in and do it as if I am being deliberately awkward.
As it happens, their nursery do have space for them, but I would have to put them in for a half day session when the meeting is only 1.5hrs.
My options are a) tell them I am not obliged to come in for anything on my day off and they need to offer me the training on a day I do work or b) put them in nursery and tell school they need to pay my costs.
I was reminded by the senior member of staff in front of a class of kids that I am expected on that day, which pissed me off more as now I feel I am being dictated to.
Wwyd? Any teachers' view particularly welcome.

OP posts:

MrsMcEnroe · 01/03/2012 20:03

I possibly hadn't read your OP as thoroughly as I should have as I hadn't realised just how much you were being pressured to come in on a day off ....

Grockle · 01/03/2012 20:11

Matchstick, talk to your union - the way this has been handled by SLT is not professional

noblegiraffe · 01/03/2012 20:53

I'm a part time teacher (0.6) but don't have this problem because due to timetabling for maths, I have to come in and teach every day, so nothing ever falls on my 'day off'. However school have yet to mention that I miss every staff meeting due to them being on my afternoons off.

CP however is something that you have to receive the training for. If Ofsted pitch up and there's an empty box next to your name there'll be trouble so I can see why they're keen for you to be there.

ilovesooty · 01/03/2012 21:55

If they want you to come they should pay you. Why should you do it for nothing while the F/T teachers are paid for being there?

However, they have no right to insist you attend, let alone put you under pressure in front of other people: that's grossly unprofessional.

Destrier · 02/03/2012 13:48

They'll have to find some alternative training for you on a day you do work.

I am all for 'volunteering' if you want to and being paid, but you should not be forced into something.

Taking time in leiu is all very well, but that is up to you.

When will SLT learn that if you treat people wll, they are much more likely to go the extra mile?

porcamiseria · 02/03/2012 13:51

its one day? Just do it, and stop whinging.

In the private sector people often have to (a) work unpaid overtime and (b) cancel work cos of work committments. there is a recession doncha know!

Inertia · 02/03/2012 14:43

In the past , I have been told by the union rep that if you go in for INSET in your non-contracted time, then the school are obliged to pay you ( though TBH if you have children it might make more sense to "bank" the time, and use it if you ever need time off for your own family). Going for a catch-up session, potentially elsewhere, is likely to be more of a PITA.

It's not as simple as saying "just suck it up and be grateful " BTW ; some teachers work in 2 schools, and would be teaching elsewhere on their non-contracted day at the first school.

PopcornMouseInBoots · 02/03/2012 14:50

I would expect to be paid, but would do it.

Tbh I don't think it's unreasonable to ask the woman on maternity to come in either - she's allowed up to 10 'keep in touch' days after all.

Original poster

MatchsticksForMyEyes · 03/03/2012 16:54

That's the problem though, it's not asking her, it's telling her. I have now said I will do it but told them the price of nursery for the afternoon.

OP posts:

DrCoconut · 03/03/2012 20:03

I work 70% at a college and attendance at training is mandatory even if it falls on my day off. I am expected to reschedule my week to fit it in and subject to disciplinary procedures for failure to do so. But to be fair my line managers have been very good since I went back after mat leave, they have allowed me as much flexibility as is reasonably possible so I have no issue with trying to return the favour.

FullBeam · 03/03/2012 20:28

From the STPC 2011:

62.8 Subject to sub-paragraph 9, no teacher employed part-time may be
required to be available for work on any day of the week or part of any
day of the week that the teacher is not normally required to be
available for work under their contract of employment (whether it is for
the purposes of teaching pupils and performing other duties or for the
sole purpose of performing other duties).

You cannot be directed to be at school on that day.

I would be inclined to write to the Headteacher quoting this paragraph and reminding him or her of your previous flexibility on this issue and suggesting other ways that you might access the training.

TroublesomeEx · 04/03/2012 07:49

I've always been paid at supply rate to attend training days that fell outside of my contractual obligation.

My HT's attitude was that teaching requires you to make enough sacrifices as it is and she wasn't prepared to ask even more of the teaching staff than she already had to.

Because of this I did sometimes stay for a full day training voluntarily and unpaid, when my contractual obligations only required me to be there for half a day and I had the opportunity to leave at lunchtime.

You can't really bank the hours as such because there'd be no time to claim it back. You can't really leave a class of children teacherless for an afternoon!

exoticfruits · 04/03/2012 07:58

I was always flexible and did it unpaid, however I had very nice Head Teachers-if they were expecting me to do it, or pressurising me to do it then it would have been different.

Rhiana1979 · 04/03/2012 13:37

Not a teacher and currently on mat leave. I'm hoping to go back to work 4 days a week, I know my boss will hate this, forget and end up arranging things on my day off. I know if I agree once she'll continue to do it and not think about my hours, just assuming that I'll be prepared to give up my day off every week.

puffinnuffin · 04/03/2012 14:26

I am a teacher (currently part time). In my experience of working part time in various schools, part time teachers often get a rough deal and are frequently expected to work on their days off- you often end up working full time but getting paid a part time salary. There is no opportunity to 'bank' days off in return. They would have to pay someone else to teach the class. This is completely unrealistic.

Also part time teachers with small children end up having to pay for child care to go in on their days off but not getting paid for the extra work they are expected to do. Therefore they are out of pocket.

Obviously a bit of give and take is fine every now and then but some schools really do take advantage of good will.

TroublesomeEx · 05/03/2012 14:25

but, but Puffin, it's a vocation. You do it for the love, the love I tells ya!

Cherriesarelovely · 05/03/2012 14:42

Hello OP. Another teacher here. I work in a jobshare and have the most generous, kind and considerate boss. She is very respectful of when I am meant to be in school and when I'm not and is really understanding about things like DD being ill. As a result no-one at our school TTP and when something like this comes up I would definitely go in if I could do it. I always accompany my jobshare partner at parents evenings and vice versa but I think that is because there is this culture of give and take which predisposes you to feel benevolent!

EdithWeston · 05/03/2012 14:52

When I was working elsewhere in the public sector, if I had to go in on a non-working day, then they covered all additional childcare costs and gave TOIL. If the latter is not an option for you, you'll have to decide if you want to ask for an additional day's pay as well.

It's a bugger when this happens, but if it is block training for a umber of staff, then it has to be arranged at the time that best suits the needs of the organisation and suits the majority of participants. But by showing willing on these, you are in a better position to object to other embuggerations (like timings of other meetings which do not involve outsiders).

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