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Original poster

School Christmas Hols - Orders from New Head Teacher

152 replies

Bookworm13 · 19/12/2016 10:45

In the scheme of things, this isn't of world shattering importance but it really annoyed me!
We live in Scotland and my two teenage sons officially finish up for the school Xmas hols on Wed 21st ...could they not have followed other areas of the UK and allowed the kids to finish up on Fri instead?!
I've lost count of the amount of frazzled parents/kids I've spoken to in the last few days and my eldest has got his Higher prelims starting on 5 Jan.
They don't seem to do much work the last few days anyway - but what was rather annoying, was that their new headteacher sent out a snotty e-mail at the end of last week, ordering parents to make their kids attend on the last day - even though the school finishes early and all they would be doing is watching a concert.
The previous HT (who was a lovely man) never issued any letters of this sort at all (and especially in that tone)
Judging by the reduced numbers of kids going into school this morning, it would seem his orders are being ignored. Even the local primary school was significantly quieter today.
My two have gone in today, have said they are going into school tomorrow but asked me if they could stay off on Wed and I said that wasn't a problem.
Why can't there be a bit more commonsense about these things - and where is the Christmas spirit?!
Sorry for the rant....! X

OP posts:
teabagsmummy · 19/12/2016 12:13

i'm in fife and ours don't finish till the 23rd at lunchtime

MargotsDevil · 19/12/2016 12:15

Am I the only one who is a bit Hmm at the cheek of the OP complaining that the head has felt it necessary to remind parents that Wednesday is a school day but she's not sending her DCs in? Obviously the irony of that is lost on her. And yes - I will be working until lunchtime Friday.

Puremince · 19/12/2016 12:16

Niece and nephew break up on Friday 23rd. We're in Scotland.

MillieMoodle · 19/12/2016 12:18

We're in the Midlands-ish, secondary schools finished last Friday, primary schools finish tomorrow.

MycatsaPirate · 19/12/2016 12:19

My dd finished on Friday at 1.15pm.

Of course she went in. By your standards I should have kept her home. And then keep her home the day before Easter and a few days before Summer starts.

In fact I don't know why anyone bothers following the school term dates and just lets their kids take a day or two off because they can't be bothered going in.

This is like the thread where a woman wanted to let one of her dc have the day off because she was tired. FFS.

mummydawn07 · 19/12/2016 12:21

my girls finish school on weds 21st too and at 1:30pm they aso go back on Thursday the 5th..... a bloody Thursday 2 days back at school and it will be the weekend again Grin I do wonder about the dates they choose sometimes

notangelinajolie · 19/12/2016 12:21

Not all UK schools have finished. It's the 22nd for all schools where I am.

mummydawn07 · 19/12/2016 12:23

I agree with others, just because the school finishes at 1:30 on weds my girls will still be going in, it's still a school day and keeping them off means they might end up missing something important or even something fun they might be doing that day.

CondensedMilkSarnies · 19/12/2016 12:24

Where do you draw the line though ? If the schools finish Friday you'll have people saying what's the point I going in Friday . So then Thursday is the last day , so what's the point going in Thursday ?

mummydawn07 · 19/12/2016 12:27

if you think parents keeping kids off because the child is tired is bad, I know parents that keep their kids off because the parent is tired and can't be bothered. does anyone else wonder how some parents are allowed to be parents and continue to have kids when thy can't be bothered to look after the ones that they've already got.

MrsCharlesBrandon · 19/12/2016 12:31

Midlands here and my DC's schools finished on Friday 16th. This week would have been much easier if they finished on weds!

They go back on 4th Jan though, so very early.

FurryLittleTwerp · 19/12/2016 12:32

I used to hate it when I was at school finishing a whole week before Christmas - I just couldn't bear the suspense. At least being in school kept me entertained Grin

Stillunexpected · 19/12/2016 12:36

Surrey here, secondary school finishes tomorrow lunchtime, local primary finishes Wed lunchtime and there are kids in various other school uniforms on the train this morning as well. Maybe new HT feels it necessary to send a snotty letter because equally snotty and entitled parents are independently deciding their own end of term?!

ICanTuckMyBoobsInMyPockets · 19/12/2016 12:37

Loads of parents keep their kids off school for absolutely zero reason.

Head sends letter about attendance.

Can you see why there might be a link here OP?

If they were working do you think they could just toss it off this week and not bother going in?

PigletWasPoohsFriend · 19/12/2016 12:37

Middle of the country here. Finished Friday, back on the 3rd.

Eva50 · 19/12/2016 12:39

We are in Scotland and Ds3 finishes on Friday at the normal time. I think it's far too late but schools open so he will be going. I'm sure they will be doing lots of fun things.

CancellyMcChequeface · 19/12/2016 12:40

I'm going to go against the grain here a bit. The school doesn't own your children. Lots of children really enjoy the end-of-term parties, concerts and excitement, and would hate to miss out on them. Some don't, and some see it as a complete waste of time. If yours stay off, it isn't as if they will be missing out on important learning opportunities. The schools I've worked in have never had formal lessons on the last day of term before Christmas. It's your decision.

The message isn't that school, overall, is unimportant - it's that you as a parent have the rational ability to weigh up the relative value of things instead of blindly following rules. Same applies to term-time holidays, etc.

BaggyCheeks · 19/12/2016 12:47

Meh. We're Scotland too and don't break up until the 23rd. DS will have his last day on Thursday though - he has a PM nursery session so gets an extra day off with the half day. I'm glad, less time for him to be over-excited at home waiting for Christmas dat Xmas Wink.

I'm guessing if more parents didn't treat school as optional, the head wouldn't send "snotty" emails.

Loopsdefruits · 19/12/2016 12:48

I think I mostly agree with Cancelly,

I think either schools should work until the holidays, or realise that the 'non-work' parties, games, concerts days are not required for learning and accept that some kids and parents aren't going to show up. Going to school for 3-4 hours for a xmas party is a waste of time, some children want to go so that's fine, some do not. OP I don't think you're being that unreasonable tbh.

CauliflowerSqueeze · 19/12/2016 12:50

No they don't "own" your children, but when you register your child with a school you agree to follow their rules and procedures and attendance requirements.

You can take them off roll and home educate if you prefer, but no, you're not in a position to pick and choose à la carte which aspects you wish to support and which you don't. It's a package. You buy into it or you don't.

haggisaggis · 19/12/2016 12:52

Certainly in S1 - S3 at my dc's secondary they do nothing in the last week. Kids complain that each teacher puts on a dvd but because the films are always longer than the lesson time they never get to watch the end. The teachers also do not expect them to all come in on the final day . I dutifully sent them to school on the last day up until last year when I left it up to them. I think dd is not going in and ds (in S6 so has work to get done) will probably go in.

pfrench · 19/12/2016 12:53

or realise that the 'non-work' parties, games, concerts days are not required for learning

Of course they are. Preparation for a concert is a life skill, attending a party without hitting someone, life skill, playing games using some team spirit, or competitive spirit, life skill. Schools aren't just for maths and English.

AndNowItsSeven · 19/12/2016 12:54

My dc finish on Wednesday at 12 and 2 , much better to be in as less hyper and easier to sort out last minute Christmas stuff.

CauliflowerSqueeze · 19/12/2016 12:54

"Concert days are not required for learning" - that's quite a narrow view of learning. Learning can also be celebrating the achievements of others and enjoying time with classmates doing activities which are not going to be examined. Learning can also be singing along to a Christmas song, being responsible for clearing up decorations and completing the term as a collective student body. Learning is part of being a member of the school community.

ilovesooty · 19/12/2016 12:56

So perhaps schools should stop putting themselves out organising Christmas activities and just do full scale learning until the very last minute.
I'm tired of the argument that parents should be able to cherry pick which statutory school days they send their children in for.

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