to think there is NO NEED for 2 inset days after a week off?

[Charliefarlie1192]

Only realised by asking on fb this morning that ds doesnt return to school till wednesday as today and tomorrow are inset days, aibu to think this is beyond ridiculous?!

There is a need to have INSET days.

But OP, I agree that it's a bit annoying when they are timetabled into what is already a very short second half of a short term. I much prefer it when they fall in the long slog of the autumn term, which is never broken up by Bank Holidays and when it would be lovely to have one or two long weekends.

I attended my DS's last Inset day as a Governor just after the Easter holidays and I couldn't believe how many parents turned up with their children, because they hadn't read the term dates and the absolutely numerous mentions of it in the weekly newsletter.

One parent asked if they could take her child anyway and let him sit in the Library all day?!

I have to ask, Happymummy21 - what was it like 20 years ago for you then

Did you start at 8, finish at 6 and then go down't pit after

When I was at school 25 years ago it was 9-3.30 plus 13 weeks holiday.

inset days inconvenience teachers too as they have to arrange childcare for their own children who are off school.

Happymummy, the opening times are set by the individual schools and their Governors.

Ours is 8.55am to 3pm although those hours may be extended next year.

Yes you are being unreasonable. If they are needed what difference does it make when they are?

No it isn't ridiculous, they need to have training days. Yabu to have only realised by asking on fb this morning that they didn't go back until Wednesday.

I actually don't think teachers are paid the holidays anyway, they just can choose to have their salary paid as 12 instalments.

They don't accrue holiday as other professions do.

However, yes I agree it's frustrating. THankfully I am able to work from home these days if I need to, and my eldest 2 are old enough to stay home at home if neccessary so life is easier, but it was very difficult when they were all in primary. But I'm afraid it's just one of those things.

You should have been informed though. Did a letter get lost somewhere?

My dd has the day off because the bus company thought today was an inset day!

It is very tricky for working parents I agree

It is doubly tricky as my DDs' 2 schoold have them on different days so we can't just extend our holidays as an earlier poster suggested.

We do, however get plenty of notice and I usually try and do something nice with whichever DD I have off - it's nice to have one-to-one time. I do have to make the time up later though

Teachers don't half get touchy don't they? I don't think the OP has bashed teachers, but the system

YAB unbelievably U. Stupid, mindless, ignorant comment. Why the actual fuck should teachers lose some of their holiday, when as a pp has said, they're contracted to work 195 days and kids have 190 days at school?! You do realise that the so called holiday is used for planning, prep, catching up from last half term etc? I've just read somewhere else that another teacher on here sends her children to childcare in the Whitsun half term holiday so she can write reports.

INSET days are there so teachers can continue to train to provide the best education for YOUR children. Bothered about that? Or do you just want someone to babysit?

Happy mum, I went to school 20 years ago (started at primary level 30 years ago), our school day at primary age was 9 til 3 (may have been 8.45 but no earlier) with an hour for lunch. Secondary school was 8.45 until 3.05 with a 45 minute lunch break. I then worked in a primary school until 6 years ago and the school day was 8.45 until 3.05 in the infants and 3.10 in juniors with an hour for lunch. Ds1 is now at school and does 8.55 until 3.15, so I see no difference barring 5 mins or so in the length of a school day so can not see why you are so surprised!

curryspice - exactly and yes teachers do seem to get very touchy.

for those saying teachers arent childminders, i disagree slightly, as surely childcare forms part of their role, else who is caring for our children when they are at school?

Think happymummy is joking.

Now teachers today, they've got it made. Back when i went to school, god, we were there from 9am to 3.30pm! And we only got 13 weeks off a year. Not like today..... Oh, hang on! It's still the same! How un surprising.

I cannot believe that people are surprised by inset days. I mean really, they're hardly sprung on parents at the last minute.

Dc's school always tack them onto holidays - usually 2 at the end of summer Hols/start of new academic year and then the rest added to Christmas or Easter holidays.

CurrySpice- yes, touchy maybe, but fed up to the back teeth with this sort of argument, together with the "oh it must be lovely to start at 9 and finish at 3!" argh!

5 stone, teachers are paid the same or similar amount of holiday entitlement as most workers (5 weeks max I believe) but are then paid 12 equal instalments so they do not have almost 2 months of no pay.

She then said "why can't teachers train in the holidays? They get enough!" whic seemed fairly critical of the holiday entitlement teachers have.

But of course it's the system she's narked at, not the school/teachers.

Curry, I see your two sets of Inset days and raise you my three different sets... not that I've ever sent a child in to wait outside an empty school, oh no

It is report writing season, and most teachers would have spent this week ripping their hair out over the best way to phrase a minor detail.

So maybe the teachers here, myself included, are being overly sensitive

I have to do a certain number of hours training per year as part of my job, as do many people in various professions.

AFIAK no one is ever expected to use days of holiday to do training relating to their job (and I would be making this face if anyone tried to make me!) so why should teachers be any different?

Whilst I envy the holidays teachers have I think this is reflected in the fact that, IMO, they are not paid enough for what they do.

BlackholesAndRevelations I'm sure you do get fed up. But the effing and jeffing and personal comments she's got back don't do the profession any favours!

Like I say, inset days are a pita for working parents but you work around it don't you? It's just one of those things.

Ting - that's a real pita!!

Back in the olden days that was my holiday. They took 5 days off for training.

(I know it's been said before, but OP doesn't seem to have read that bit).

My ds is only back on Wednesday. Two inset days here basked back in bed this morning without all the last minute uniform ironing to do!