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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

School msg inset day tomorrow less than 24 hours notice

172 replies

JustJ18 · 15/04/2018 14:32

I have just recvd msg that my Grandsons school is having inset day tomorrow. txt msg arrived at 1.30 pm Sunday afternoon. There is no notice given on schools website, I have searched all letters info prior to Easter Holidays, no notice given. How can this be acceptable. I am now desperately trying to find cover, both sets of grandparents working, friends and other family members are working and can't do at such short notice. Any suggestions? Should I take him anyway as Teachers will be there?

OP posts:
cloudyweewee · 15/04/2018 15:01

That's ridiculously short notice. I imagine it must be an emergency closure for some reason. Please don;t take your GS in, though, or you'll be turned away at the door. Individual schools set their own INSET dates in my local authority.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 15/04/2018 15:02

Is it a legit text?
My DD had a message when it was snowing that her school was shut , imagine how Hmm she was that it was a hoax. (She's Yr11 though)

The message looked really legitimate , the wording, the school logo etc

WeAllHaveWings · 15/04/2018 15:04

Check the LEA website for the academic years holidays and inset days. It's it on there? Can you ask other parents if they knew? As others have said, if it is not then make a formal complaint.

You cant take him to school anyway as they are unlikely to accept him (unless hundreds of pupils also turn up as they are also not aware).

Time to start ringing around his friends to see if anyone could take him for the day in exchange for some free babysitting on another date. If not then someone needs to take an emergency day off work.

AnnieAnoniMouser · 15/04/2018 15:04

Schools usually start back on the Tuesday of each new term

Where do people dredge this utter nonsense up from?

🤣😂

DragonsAndCakes · 15/04/2018 15:07

Where do people dredge this utter nonsense up from?
Along with them usually being set at the beginning of the year. I imagine they think that because their school does something then all schools do.

chickenowner · 15/04/2018 15:07

Are you really sure that there's been no other notification before the text message?

I agree with PP that the only reason a school would do this with such short notice would be if there was going to be no heating, no running water or no electricity at school tomorrow, or some kind of infestation meaning the building has been fumigated and so will be unsafe tomorrow.

Please do not take your grandchild to school tomorrow. Teachers are teachers, not babysitters.

Vangoghsear · 15/04/2018 15:08

The text is almost certain to be a reminder. INSET days are normally planned well in advance and parents and carers informed using the school's usual communication channels eg list of dates issued at beginning of school year. Complaining will be a waste of everyone's time.

Glumglowworm · 15/04/2018 15:10

Far more likely that this text was a reminder than first notification.

YWBVU to take him to school and they would just send you away again.

Piggywaspushed · 15/04/2018 15:10

I am confused. You said grandson but then mention both sets of grandparents. What about the parents of your DGS? Did they not know about the inset day perhaps? And forgot?

I have found that lower age schools can often be more chaotic about communication of INSET days than secondary schools but this seems unlikely to be a first communication.

LifeBeginsAtGin · 15/04/2018 15:11

Are you sure this isn't just a reminder and it has been advertised elsewhere for a while.

Has your DC been off sick and not received a letter or notice?

Can you check with other mums about the Inset day? IF it is short notice perhaps you can arrange c'care with one of the mums?

Buxbaum · 15/04/2018 15:13

Is it a legit text?

This is a jolly good point. You need to check with other parents. It could be a hoax. If the school is on Twitter then check their account, too - it might be easier to update Twitter than the school website. You may even get a response if the member of staff who manages the Twitter sees it.

I'm afraid I think it's highly, highly unlikely that the school has called a genuine INSET day with 24hrs notice on a Sunday afternoon. If they have, then they will have followed the emergency school closure procedures as for a snow day, for example, with notice of the closure posted on the website, Twitter account, sent to parents by both email and text message, and potentially on the council's school closures site.

lalalalyra · 15/04/2018 15:13

I am confused. You said grandson but then mention both sets of grandparents. What about the parents of your DGS? Did they not know about the inset day perhaps? And forgot?

If a grandparent got the message, and a grandparent is desperately trying to find childcare, then presumably the child is in the care of the grandparent otherwise the parents would have been mentioned.

Piggywaspushed · 15/04/2018 15:15

Well, yes but we aren't told that by OP and both sets of grandparents are separately mentioned. Just a bit confused!

coconuttella · 15/04/2018 15:16

I'm afraid I think it's highly, highly unlikely that the school has called a genuine INSET day with 24hrs notice on a Sunday afternoon.

I agree. I’d imagine they had advertised it but you missed it somehow... easy enough to do. However, it should definitely be on the website.

If they genuinely haven’t advertised this before, that would be appalling, and I’d imagine plenty of parents would turn up anyway. I’d definitely check with other parents!

PuppyMonkey · 15/04/2018 15:17

OP, you say it’s not on the website. Are you sure it’s not hidden under “school calendar” or “term dates etc”?

LadyMonicaBaddingham · 15/04/2018 15:18

Likewise, @Piggywaspushed. Very confusing.

Haffdonga · 15/04/2018 15:18

Schools don't do that.

This is either

  • a reminder of a previously published date
  • a fabrication for provocative purposes by a journo
  • a fantasy or wind up by someone who doesn't want to go back to school
-
Caulk · 15/04/2018 15:19

Check the school Facebook/Twitter page.
Check with other parents

Millybingbong · 15/04/2018 15:21

so much bollocks on this thread. everyone knows everything don't they?

Walkingdeadfangirl · 15/04/2018 15:23

I bet the date is in he schedule, have you checked the school calendar?

TheJoyOfSox · 15/04/2018 15:25

Sorry JustJ18 I’m probably being really thick but I don’t understand this.

You have been told your grandsons school is closed tomorrow, so why are you trying to sort out alternative childcare? Is that not for his parents to sort? Maybe mum or dad will have to take a day off of their work. If mum and dad both work regular 9-5 sort of hours could they share the childcare? One have the morning off, the other have the afternoon off to care for their child.

longestlurkerever · 15/04/2018 15:26

Ime schools quite often do issue messages requiring parental attendance etc at short notice. Could easily be genuine, although very annoying. At our school we have a class email list - I'd be straight on asking if anyone else is equally taken aback and if anyone could take him for the day.

PuppyMonkey · 15/04/2018 15:27

Sox perhaps OP is a grandparent and also the main carer?

bookmum08 · 15/04/2018 15:28

If it's anything like my daughter's school half the parents won't have recieved the text message. If it is a genuine error (it wasn't put on the term dates list by the school) then half the school would turn up because they didn't get the message!!!

SimonBridges · 15/04/2018 15:31

If this really is the first mention of it then the school Facebook page will be full of people losing their shit.

I remember one year when an inset day was changed. Much notice given. Highlighted on every news letter.
One parent turned up with child in tow effing and jeffing about how she hadn’t been told.