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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that INSET days are.....

238 replies

thismousebites · 15/07/2013 23:04

basically just another day off?
So, all you teachers out there, what exactly do you do on INSET days?

OP posts:
Original poster
thismousebites · 15/07/2013 23:43

Why do teachers need these extra days off?
Surely they learnt all this stuff before they got QTS.

OP posts:
herethereandeverywhere · 15/07/2013 23:44

Save for curriculum updates; once you've done that training once, what changes? Surely the total change/refresher could fit into one day per year?

Does everyone with a pastoral/care role in the public sector have so many training days every year?

phantomnamechanger · 15/07/2013 23:44

INSET days at start and end of school year makes excellent sense - loads and loads of admin to be done, new teachers to find their feet etc

ParkerTheThief · 15/07/2013 23:44

I think that too often the perception is if we're not actually teaching we are not working.
Therefore people see teaching as a 9-3.30 job with extended holidays.
Planning, preparation, training don't seem to be recognised at all.

ilovesooty · 15/07/2013 23:45

To put that another way, if they are not gettin paid for them that implies they are doing them voluntarily does it not? In which case, they dont actually have to do them. So why do they do them then in that case? Because they are part of their contract - a contact for which they are paid. So in the grand scheme of things - they do bloody get paid for them

They are compulsory, but teachers were not financially compensated for losing 5 days of their holidays when they were introduced.

phantomnamechanger · 15/07/2013 23:45

Why do teachers need these extra days off?
Surely they learnt all this stuff before they got QTS.

of course mouse, and we all know nothing ever changes in education don't we. there are not new standards, new initiatives, nothing ever needs updating to make it better. Oh no Hmm

ParkerTheThief · 15/07/2013 23:46

OP, your last comment has convinced me you are just trying to wind us up.

ilovesooty · 15/07/2013 23:46

Why do teachers need these extra days off?
Surely they learnt all this stuff before they got QTS

Oh sure. No professional job changes over the years... Hmm

StetsonsAreCool · 15/07/2013 23:47

ilovesooty, that's why I rolled my eyes Wink

I do wonder if people had the same misconceptions about teachers' 'time off' when they were called training days - it seems that INSeT is open to more misunderstanding, if you don't understand what it stands for.

I say that as a child of two teachers btw

ilovesooty · 15/07/2013 23:47

OP: do you actually know anyone in employment who undertakes professional development?

Eyesunderarock · 15/07/2013 23:47

I reckon anything I know that is over two years old is past its sell-by date. The sooner they have those MIB memory-eradicators as standard issue for teachers, the better.

shockers · 15/07/2013 23:47

This whole idea of not being paid for them is disingenuous though isnt it? Teachers get paid 25-30 k a year or whatever and part of that contract is that they are in school 39 weeks a year? Plus inset days. So they do get paid for them really dont they?

Has anyone said they don't get paid?

ilovesooty · 15/07/2013 23:48

Sorry, Stetsons Blush

ilovesooty · 15/07/2013 23:50

Has anyone said they don't get paid?

They don't get paid in the sense that their salaries were not adjusted to account for 5 extra working days.

partystress · 15/07/2013 23:51

Can't help getting frothy... Just done a back of fag packet calculation. If the hours I work were spread over a 'normal' 47 week year (4 weeks hol plus bank hols), I'd average 43 hours per week. That is working, not including breaks. So even if INSETs were just another day off, I think what with my degree and post-grad qualification (and zero job security now that heads can hire and fire at will) I'm still giving pretty good value for my £25k pa.

McNewPants2013 · 15/07/2013 23:51

I'm off work every Monday and Friday, so inset days for me are heaven.

The only issue that I had was not being told till 2 weeks before spoke to the head teacher and now we are told at least a 8 weeks before hand. ( not that I had much planned, but handy to plan days out with the kids)

ilovesooty · 15/07/2013 23:52

In that sense it was the equivalent of workers being told that their A/L would be cut and all compulsory CPD was to be done on days they would previously have taken as holiday.

phantomnamechanger · 15/07/2013 23:52

OK, for those being deliberately obtuse, here's a few examples of why "once and for all" does not work

our school sends out a detailed parent questionnaire and then bases its school improvement plan on the responses. every single year. this may involve huge changes to the curriculum or timetabling, whole school behaviour policies etc It is a good school with some areas outstanding according to OFSTED - does that mean they should not bother trying to improve all the time?

they may need a whole day of training on a new software records system

or a whole day first aid refresher course - or do you think having done something in the distant past when they were students is good enough?

they may have a pupil starting with complex care needs that may involve a detailed talk on diabetes, epilepsy etc from a medical professional

StetsonsAreCool · 15/07/2013 23:53

S'alright sooty. I was distracted by the vile man on big brother and didn't do the sarcasm very well.

Although now I'm distracted by the fact that people who have to teach our children don't need occasional training to learn about the latest fad best way in which to do that Grin

ilovesooty · 15/07/2013 23:55

It is a good school with some areas outstanding according to OFSTED - does that mean they should not bother trying to improve all the time?

They'd find themselves hammered by Ofsted for "coasting" if they didn't.

snowmummy · 15/07/2013 23:55

OP, I cannot believe the ignorance of your posts.

Original poster
thismousebites · 15/07/2013 23:55

Yes, I do know someone who has to undertake extra training.......me!
The difference is that I have to go on a week long training course every year in order to be allowed to do my job.
I have to pay roughly £2,000 for this and I lose a weeks pay.

OP posts:
phantomnamechanger · 15/07/2013 23:56

fyi OP - a friend of mine is in utter despair as Ofsted have just announced their visit to her school - the displays are half off the walls, the kids are hot and tired, they are having class parties, achievement assembly, meet the new teacher for next year and rounder tournaments all week. Ofsted are stupid coming in the last week of the school year, just stupid!

Eyesunderarock · 15/07/2013 23:57

Never mind mouse, why not be a teacher instead?
Quick bit of training and off you go!

ilovesooty · 15/07/2013 23:58

Yes, I do know someone who has to undertake extra training.......me!
The difference is that I have to go on a week long training course every year in order to be allowed to do my job.
I have to pay roughly £2,000 for this and I lose a weeks pay.

So because your employer exploits you you think everyone should be in the same situation? Or do you reserve your resentment for teachers?

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