to ask for a justification of inset days

[5Foot5]

Really, really don't want to sound like I am teacher-bashing here. This is a genuine question.

There is a story being discussed on the news programme about a school which has decided to have all of its inset days at one go so that parents could potentially take advantage of term time prices for holidays. This got me thinking about the timing of inset days generally.

I assume that these days are used for training and /or acquainting staff with the myriad changes imposed on them all the time by government.

But, here is the question, why do these days have to be taken during what would otherwise be term time? Why are they not held during the school holidays when there is surely enough capacity to accommodate these days?

Can i add that I am no longer affected by this since DD has now left school but it really has only just occurred to me..

"finding childcare during holidays is ok"

Maybe it is for you, but not for everyone. As I said, there's no way of suiting everyone, and nor is it the school's role to do this either. Inset days are about raising professional development (in theory) and actually, caring for children when schools are out is the parent's responsibility.

By 'ok' I mean 'less than perfect but I usually get through it by the skin of my teeth helped by the fact that I have an understanding employer'. But at least you do have a fighting chance of finding someone to take the kids, even if it's a bit raggedy and complicated (not to mention fucking expensive). But for the five days off during term time when no holiday clubs are open and the childminders are all full, you're shafted.

and actually, caring for children when schools are out is the parent's responsibility.

See, it's this kind of divisive talk that doesn't do you any favours. I'd like to see how employers up and down the country would react if their staff told them that they were from now on going to take 14 weeks' holiday a year because they have a responsibility to care for their children.

So you take leave from your job. Isn't that what most parents use leave for? Being with their children?

And, in my experience, few schools will spread all 5 days at random. Most will do some at the beginning/end of term too.

I don't want or need any favours. It is what it is, however, and if you have children, it shouldn't be too much of a shock to learn that they're going to need care when schools are out.

Isn't that what most parents use leave for? Being with their children?

I'm talking about taking leave from my job - out of my 25 days that I'm allocated a year - so that you can have your training days.

Anyway, I suggest you write to Parliament and the EU and inform them that parents have a responsibility to look after their children 14 weeks a year so we should all just down tools for that time.

I don't think it's divisive talk. Isn't finding child care to cover while a parent is at work something all working parents have to do?

if you have children, it shouldn't be too much of a shock to learn that they're going to need care when schools are out.

Ffs. Am I speaking in a fucking foreign language or something? I'm not shocked. I'm just saying that finding childcare during termtime is a different matter from finding childcare during holidays.

Teachers can't take leave from their job to cover their children's INSET days, they have to find childcare. At least you've got that option

Its no ones fault that you have to take leave to cover inset days. I'm surprised that they are randomly in the middle of weeks as I've never experienced that and would definitely question a school choosing that approach.

Isn't finding child care to cover while a parent is at work something all working parents have to do?

Yes, it is. But it is significantly easier to find that childcare during set holidays as opposed to for odd days off during termtime when holiday clubs are closed and childminders are full.

Yes, cruikshank, I get that. But my point is, that your 25 days of leave a year are for you to use as you need. And your need, with children, is to care for them if they're not at school. Some of it can be more easily sorted with holiday childcare, some can't. What else would you be using your leave for, whether it's school holiday time or term-time?

Its no ones fault that you have to take leave to cover inset days

Did I say it was? I am simply pointing out the logistical difficulties. Now, you might want to see that as an attack on you, or as me trying to duck out of my parenting responsibilities - hell, you might even want to imply (as you have done upthread) that I don't like spending time with my kids. But I have said none of that. I am just saying that inset days are a pain in the fucking arse because it is difficult to arrange childcare for them.

What else would you be using your leave for, whether it's school holiday time or term-time?

I would be using it to take time off when I want to.

Why are your schools randomly spaced? Is that the same every year? Seems unhelpful by the LA. In my LA they are always just taken off the holiday

"I would be using it to take time off when I want to."

Surely you should be using it to take time off when you need to, for looking after your kids?

And who has implied you don't like spending time with them? I must have missed that.

I have no idea why they are when they are - we just get the dates and that's it. A pp upthread said that it's to do with availability of trainers etc - I should imagine it would be all but impossible for me to change how they're organised, seeing as I'm just one person. We usually get one at the end of summer and one at the start but the other three are odd Mondays/Fridays that would otherwise be term time. Sometimes it's four on odd Mondays/Fridays that would otherwise be term time.

I haven't implied you don't like spending time with your children??!!

I can understand your frustrations, I think you need to bring it up with your school as it seems unfair to have random days.

Unfair?

You are one person, but probably not the only person feeling that way.

Maybe an email to the chair of governors to query the policy of mid week ones would start a conversation about it

And who has implied you don't like spending time with them? I must have missed that.

It was this bitchy little comment of yours here:

Isn't that what most parents use leave for? Being with their children?

With the implication being that I'm moaning about spending time with my children. Which I'm not.

I think it's unfair to have random inset days in the middle of weeks. If trainers could only be booked for particular days then maybe a twilight session or two,that has been my experience. I hate twilights by the way!

They aren't midweek though - they are always on a Monday or Friday. It's just that it's a Monday or Friday in term time.

I've rarely come across mid-week ones, apart from, say, this coming week, for us, when we have one on Wednesday, the day after term ends.

Other than that, the only reason I can think of might be to avoid always having the same days affecting people for good or bad.

Oh ok! Sorry my mistake. Not unfair then but still frustrating in the middle of terms.