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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be almost in tears to see my children's term dates for the next year?

126 replies

CatONineTails · 13/09/2017 21:55

Two children, at schools 3 miles apart but in different counties. Each child is at the closest school (by several miles) for their age range.

Every. Single. Fucking. Holiday. is different. Different weeks for October half term. A one week overlap at Christmas but one finishes and starts a week before the other. Different weeks in February. I don't dare check Easter yet Sad

I'm a self employed single parent FFS. How the fuck are working parents meant to manage this? Thats almost 2 months of one or other of the children being off school - it's going to put a serious dent in my income. (Yes I know holiday clubs exist but they're not suitable for my younger child who has Aspergers).

And how the fuck is anyone meant to go from September to fucking Easter with only one week of lie ins?

OP posts:
fucksakefay · 13/09/2017 22:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
CatONineTails · 13/09/2017 22:03

I just think it's about time term dates were set nationally. There doesn't seem to be any reason for the difference, just different counties thought different weeks were better. I'm actually really stressed out by it Sad

OP posts:
MaisyPops · 13/09/2017 22:03

They aim for consistency within counties but between county variation is common, shit but common.

A colleague at my school had our dates, her husband working in a different authority had another (say 2-3 days variation and their children in the local authority where they live were entire weeks apart. That was a stressful year for them.

It's crap, but it happens.

Ta1kinPeece · 13/09/2017 22:07

Blame Tony Blair - he introduced "parental choice" and Academies "allowed to be flexible on term times"

the Tories just built on his framework (badly)

youwouldthink · 13/09/2017 22:08

Term dates are national here in Ireland. . It is crazy to try to manage the way yours are figured.

Butterandsugar · 13/09/2017 22:08

That's really rubbish. Does your younger son have any interest that would keep him occupied? Is working from home an option? Staggering time off across regions seems so illogical

Original poster
CatONineTails · 13/09/2017 22:09

Neither school is an academy!

And having checked one newsletter it turns out that one of the schools has changed their Christmas dates since the end of last term Angry

OP posts:
FenceSitter01 · 13/09/2017 22:11

Every LA has always set its own dates, within that schools have the option to be flexible.

I would write to your MP, now, explaining the difficulties you face. It might make a difference going forward.

Original poster
CatONineTails · 13/09/2017 22:11

ButterandSugar it's literally not possible to work with my younger child at home. They need almost continual input and attention. I can work from home but it won't help much. I'll be pulling all nighters to try and keep up.

OP posts:
Lethaldrizzle · 13/09/2017 22:13

Genuine enquiry - why can't kids go to the same school?

noblegiraffe · 13/09/2017 22:13

Can you raise it with the school? You won't be the only parent in that position. If they changed them recently, perhaps there's scope for changing back if enough parents complain.

Totally crap situation.

LakieLady · 13/09/2017 22:13

There may well be other parents locally who are in the same boat. Perhaps you could track one down and look after each other's kids for part of the holiday?

broadbeany · 13/09/2017 22:13

Blame Tony Blair - he introduced "parental choice" and Academies "allowed to be flexible on term times

I'm always up for blaming Tony Blair, but this doesn't need to be anything to do with parental choice or academies, it's usually just different counties setting different dates for the schools under their control.

The issue of peak-rate holiday pricing in half-terms might be even worse if the dates were set nationally, so there may be something good in this. For the people who only deal with one county.

converseandjeans · 13/09/2017 22:14

That's awful. Missing the point of the thread - but is there any way of getting them in the same school? Can you maybe do some favours over the next few months like playdates/sleepovers and then ask for them to have yours in return?

Glumglowworm · 13/09/2017 22:15

lethal in the very first post OP says both children go to the nearest school for their age group.

Ta1kinPeece · 13/09/2017 22:16

lethal
one at Primary, one at Secondary for example ....

Lethaldrizzle · 13/09/2017 22:18

Yes sorry did not see that!

Sukitakeitoff · 13/09/2017 22:19

This is not just about academies - different local authorities (or perhaps LEAs?) set their own term dates. For example some parts of Britain have Easter 2018 the first two weeks of April while others have it the last week of march and the first week of April.

In cities that span two different local authorities this is madness.

HaHaHmm · 13/09/2017 22:19

Lethal OP says that each kid is at the 'closest school for their age range'. Presumably they are in different phases of education.

YANBU, OP. There is increasing disparity between local authorities' term dates and I think this is being encouraged nationally. It's fine if it gets you a cheaper holiday but it is shit if you live on a county border.

DH and I are both teachers, and we have a school-age DD, so we are at the mercy of three different local authorities. We already know that we have different holidays for October 2018 and it will be the primary reason why I will be looking for a new job next spring.

lljkk · 13/09/2017 22:20

Leicestershire, Derbyshire & Notts all had different term dates for decades. It's not that new a thing for border counties to be quite different.

YetAnotherNC2017 · 13/09/2017 22:20

Sympathy :(

For two years we had four DC in three schools, all with different holidays Angry I took annual leave and 4 weeks unpaid parental leave per year then used school clubs, friends and family to soak up the rest.

They're now at two different secondary schools and the holidays are only 2 weeks different.

Original poster
CatONineTails · 13/09/2017 22:20

LethalDrizzle one is at high school and one at primary. Obviously I dont send them to different schools for shits and giggles Confused

OP posts:
poddige · 13/09/2017 22:21

We are on border of north/west of a county and same for us every year. What a nightmare.

No practical advice but feel your pain OP.

turbohamster · 13/09/2017 22:21

The teachers went on strike though when Nottingham city tried to go a different way from the county on term dates though lljkk

Ta1kinPeece · 13/09/2017 22:21

Easter 2017, DD had 4 weeks off (Uni) DS had 3 weeks off (6th form college)
they overlapped by 5 days Hmm

THe trouble is that the cheap holiday campaigners want multiple dates
and thus bugger it up for those with kids at different schools