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..

Our school tagged 3 inset days onto the end of the summer holiday so instead of going back on the 2nd she now goes back on the 7th september. We took the opportunity for a cheap week at centerparcs in france as it's back to term time prices.

I am rather at people complaining about inset days and moaning about teachers and having to look after their own children

Exactly, trufflehunter. The bottom line is that children are in school for 190 days of the year, until 3.30 (ish) each day. The rest of the time is up to parents to sort. I fail to see why the teaching profession keeps being hassled to justify the hours beyond this to the general public. I don't get involved in how other professionals spend their time.

For those saying that the week block wouldn't be productive. I expect that there will actually be several evening sessions and this week is simply the school "returning" that time. Much like when a supply is booked to cover the class yet the teacher isn't ill, simply having additional time already worked returned to them.

When does that happen cando? I've never heard of time being 'returned' in a normal teaching day (different to twilight training for an inset).

The justification for INSET days is that teachers need to keep up to date with research, professional development & training. There is already a wide-spread misconception that there is an issue with educational standards in this country. Could you imagine the outrage that would ensue if it were suggested that teachers did not need to be well-trained professionals (academies & independent schools excluded, of course)?

Libraries - perhaps it's local to our secondary school? The three I have done it for are all Academy based thinking about. I haven't provided that sort of cover for state schools, but yeah where a teacher has done additional time elsewhere/with other classes this has been given back to them.

Just checked, nothing about INSET days on either school website

We always have inset either twilight sessions (which I often miss because I have a childcare issue!) or tagged onto holidays which works far better.

As a teacher I'd be screwed if DSs school had random days here and there.

Agree it's usually death by PowerPoint anyway - yawn...

The five days altogether does not make sense at all. As others have said they are scattered thru the year for a reason - pre Sept start, then at other times a needed. The school which is having them all in June is just as a sop to parents to get a cheap week's holiday - definitely not a way to use them a properly intended. I bet the HT is also intending to let teachers have that week off if they want to they can also have a cheap holiday. if they all do - the school saves on training costs.

Grumpy, ours are hidden on the "Term Dates" page, so it will say, for example, Tuesday July 21st, school closes at 2pm, Wednesday 22nd, In Service Training Day for staff. There isn't a list per se od the dates throughout the year.

And our website just gives the term dates-when the children should be in school. We find that if we also publish the INSET dates some parents can be confused and think their child needs to be in school on those dates too!

Mrs Ultracrepidarian-the school in question can't just "give teachers the week off to save on training costs!" It is a legal requirement to provide the equivalent of 5 days INSET training. They MIGHT have covered the week with Twilight training or they could use the first week for INSET and the second week for holiday but they can't avoid the training altogether!

Erm they are quite important for staff training. Especially first aid, safeguarding, school teaching and learning initiatives.

^Cruikshank, I'm a childminder and we do cover INSET days.
I have never been asked to do so by a parent who didn't already use my before and after school service.^

Have you asked any childminders, or have you just assumed we're all full?

For the third time, yes I ask childminders every year. Sometimes they can help out, but mostly they can't. They are booked up. And the holiday clubs are closed. Because it's termtime.

I am rather hmm at people complaining about inset days and moaning about teachers and having to look after their own children

It's not to do with not wanting to 'look after their own children'. I work. I work full-time. I get 25 days off a year. That's five weeks. Schools are closed for 13 weeks. That doesn't fit, so like many parents I make hodge-podge arrangements with holiday clubs, childminders, friends etc. And it's an arseache, and it's expensive, and stressful, but I do it. I do it so that I can put food on the table and keep my family alive. It's not a jaunt, or a jolly, or something that I do to avoid spending time 'looking after my children' - I am looking after them while I'm at work - I'm providing for them. If I wasn't working we'd be in the fucking gutter. And I know why inset days are there, and all that blah, but at the same time it makes the entire circus of trying to make 25 days stretch over the time demands of an entire year that much more difficult when the school decides to close down for 5 extra days when there is no childcare available.

DH goes into schools on their INSET days to deliver

IN Service Education and Training

Schools book him a year in advance to get the pick of the best dates.

Every member of the staff will be in the building on those days and they are hard work.

Any parent who resents them clearly resents having properly trained and professionally updated teachers

The school does not decide to close for 5 extra days. INSET days take place on days when the school would be closed anyway. They are not term time but some parents seem to think they are because they sometimes come at the start or end (or even in the middle) of a week that is, apart from the INSET day term time. It does not matter what you call them: INSET days, school closures, holiday, non-term time, days when you will need extra child-care the number of days remains the same. Because some people don't understand the need for INSET days doesn't mean they are in any way extra.

cando - ah I can see maybe some secondaries. I was thinking of primary where teachers have no way to earn credited time in the first place. That said, the couple of secondaries I know don't do it either. Maybe you are right and it's an academy thing.

Oh my god seriously.....does everybody actually believe that an average class teacher actually has a say about the school timetable???!! Emmmmm.....no they don't!

And secondly....when you have your children its common knowledge that one day they will be in school and they will get summer holidays etc....DEAL WITH IT!!!

Fullrumpus
Some schools put insets slap bang in the middle of terms - there used to be quite a few Thursday ones.

Tacking them on to holiday weekends and end of terms is only in the last 10 years.

But they are still non-term days no matter which day is allocated it still adds up the same NUMBER of days which the school is closed to pupils.

Ffs. They might not technically be extra but because of the way that childcare works it's an extra day off work for me because there's no childcare available. And of course I don't resent having teachers who are trained; I'm just fucked off because I only get 25 days off a year and they are eaten into by these days. Other posters upthread have come up with what seems to me are not only innovative but workable solutions around this. I will definitely put these to the school so thank you for those who have contributed to the wider discussion and looked at the actual issues involved.

I wonder how this looks to people in other countries. Instead of saying 'wow, isn't it great that my children are educated for 38 weeks of the year for free' it's all 'what about the rest of the year?'

Chances are that INSET days will become increasingly devalued as Academy schools (2/3 of all state secondaries) are no longer accountable to Attached inspectors, and can go for years without OFSTED darkening their doors
so heads will be tempted to cut costs by making the days wishy washy rather than hiring in trainers who add real value to the school.

DHs tracking data certainly shows that non LEA schools are less willing to pay for external experts across the board.

It never occurred to me that teachers only work 190 days a year. Blimey. No wonder everyone with a degree is topping up to be one.

Academies aren't immune to Ofsted sweeping in at the hint of underachievement.

noble
Academies aren't immune to the potential risk of Ofsted sweeping in at the hint of underachievement.
AS I've seen several schools where the results are tanking but nothing is happening on the external accountability stakes.