Teacher Reply Over Summer

[hairnightmare17]

Son is in secondary school.

We received school reports on Monday. One grade on there is different to what my son said he achieved. It was a terrible mark for an important subject and he would need work on it over the summer if it is correct, since he is going into year 11.

I tend to believe my son didn't get that mark but without a reply from the teachers I won't know for sure. I have queried it by email twice this week, no reply. Attempted to call, to no avail. School broke up yesterday.

Is it worth emailing again? Is it likely I would receive a response over the summer break.

MidniteScribbler

It would have to booked as directed time.

Parent emails can be answered after the kids have left for the day - at whatever time you normally carry out your duties during undirected time.
I have just explained what I have been doing in my undirected time after it was delightfully suggested staff have less work to do because it's the end of term.

I'm more than reasonable with parents. Our school policy is aim for 3 working days to a reply.

People seem to forget that schools managed just fine without endless email queries.

Sometimes people don't get round to everything before they take annual leave. I wouldn't expect them to catch up on their holidays.

Could you two get a room or something?

Only if he's a man - can't say I'm attracted to leftie-loving, lesbian teachers.

With regards to salary, Clavinova is right. The STPCD says we must be available for 195 days, 1265 hours. In the Supreme court case she refers to, the NASUWT argued that because teachers routinely work outside those 195 days, there was no reason for our annual salary, like those of other professions, not to accrue daily. Hence strike pay deductions at 1/365. I suppose the question is whether answering a parental email sent 4 working days before the end of term counts as a reasonable expectation interns of work outside directed hours. I think it does. Especially a quick, factual response as required here.

TheFallenMadonna

The problem is that the NUT argues the opposite when it suits them. Meaning that many things are contradictory.

Well, by arguing this one in the Supreme Court, the NASUWT have got the ruling that our salaries accrue daily. And I agree, you can't have your cake and eat it. So, annual salary, days on which we are required to be present for 1265 hours, other reasonable work outside those hours to get the job done. That's it.

And then the question is over what is reasonable because people can't say that it's paid holiday and claim it's reasonable to expect us to work during the holiday by doing x y z.

In this case, holidays shouldn't really come into it IMO. Because I think it is a reasonable expectation that a straightforward parental enquiry is answered within 4 term time days.

Well, that was a lovely day.

I think some people seem to be getting distracted by the red herring of whether holiday is paid or unpaid, and how my salary accrues. Those things aren't relevant.

The relevant points:

• there is directed time and there is non-directed time. I cannot be directed during non-directed time. Therefore, any complaint directed at my failure to answer an email on any date between breaking up for a holiday and my return to work would have to be met by "Sorry, Crazy Parent 101, the teacher does not have to answer emails outside of directed time."

• there is "my actual job" and there is "what other people perceive to be my actual job". As it happens, we aren't measured on the promptness of our replies to parents. There is no accountability for that. Communication with parents over and above that driven through the formal channels within directed time (Parents' Evening, reports) is, fundamentally, a courtesy. In my school, moreover, there is no directive that says I have to communicate with parents by email at all, let alone within X working days.

So, in summary, in my case, if you were unhappy about my not answering an email during my holidays, you could complain to my Head, and my Head could do precisely jack shit about it. You could rant and rail, but the bottom line is, you as a parent aren't the arbiter of what is "reasonable" outside directed time, and my Head would never suggest that answering emails during holidays meets that description, because my union rep would eat him on toast.

@hairnightmare17 just read through this and just wanted to say, I have no idea where everyone's confusion has come from. It's fairly obvious that you're just asking whether he needs a brush up over summer so his brain doesn't get rusty or does he need specific assistance over summer to get his grade where they need to be.

There's been no need or reason for the abuse you've had and I don't think the emails you've sent are harassing or needy!

I think that you should maybe arrange for a tutorial session to asses where your son is at now and from that decide whether he is at a 7 or a 4.

To the people who have posted here with abuse about OP. No one is expecting teachers to spend their summer checking emails - however I don't know one person that could take 10 days off work, let alone 8 weeks without checking their emails. Not because it's expected in their roles, but because it's sensible planning to see what's being built up and what needs responding to. I know myself that I wouldn't want the surprise of that inbox after 8 weeks unchecked!

Plus - as no other career path works like teaching in terms of holidays etc, is it unreasonable for people outside of that vocation to not know how the breaks works. It would make sense for everything to shut down over a one or two week break but 8 weeks is the big unknown in terms of contact!

Plus - as no other career path works like teaching in terms of holidays etc, is it unreasonable for people outside of that vocation to not know how the breaks works. It would make sense for everything to shut down over a one or two week break but 8 weeks is the big unknown in terms of contact!

Here's the big clue, though: if your child is off school (excepting INSET day - and don't email me then, because INSET is the busiest day of the year!) so am I. So yes, it is ludicrous to imagine that a parent of a school-age child doesn't understand that I am not working during the summer holidays.

Answering emails in the 4 days before the holidays...

Senior leaders (Head, Deputies, Assistant Heads) do not have the same conditions re directed time btw, so can be contacted during the holidays. Just for info.

To the people who have posted here with abuse about OP.

Who has done that?

If you have headteachers email then he/she will be constantly accessing emails over the summer and you should receive a response.

Learningcurve, I’ve had an experimental look in my school email and - three weeks in to the holidays for me - there are precisely zero new work related emails. Everyone is off, it’s completely different to an office environment with work continuing without you while you’re away.

No harm in emailing (secondary teacher here!). I’d check my emails now and then

@Mistressiggi @Pengggwn and that's absolutely fine and great for you. My point was that this is the norm for you. So it will be blatantly obvious to you that no emails will be checked, however it would not be blatantly obvious to anyone not used to it. As the OP said she'd never had a need to contact a teacher in the holidays, so it was an enquiry as to whether they are checked during this time.

There have been some responses to the OP that have made out like she is expecting emails to be checked or expecting to get a response which wasn't the case. There have been some responses (not necessarily from yourselves) that have read as though she's expecting a response when she isn't, she was asking on the likelihood of a response. Therefore a polite "oh no, teachers will also get the full 6-8 weeks so nothing will checked until September" would have sufficed off a lot of posters rather than the teachers on here responding likes an arrogant entitled parent!

however I don't know one person that could take 10 days off work, let alone 8 weeks without checking their emails. Not because it's expected in their roles, but because it's sensible planning to see what's being built up and what needs responding to
In many sensible schools nothing builds up in your email over holidays because all leaders and staff are aware that it is the holidays. We are all off at the same time.

As a leader, I have material for people to work on in September. I don't send it out over the summer whilst I'm doing my own strategic stuff. I'll go through it in September and then will also arrange deadlines so that staff don't have to do anything over weekends and holidays other than a reasonable amount of their personal planning and preparation.

I can go off for 2 weeks and not have a single email from a colleague.

I used to work in an email obsessed place where people would fire off emails left right and centre (staff and parents). Staff turnover was horrendous and you'd get emails from the office saying Mrs Blogs wants a call back and is wanting to know why you hadn't replied to her email 55 minutes ago after you 'couldn't be bothered' to reply to her message yesterday.
Mrs Blogs and her bullshit would go straight to the bottom on my to do list (I would generally reply promptly to parents as soon as convenient around actual teaching, and will stay back later if a parent says they're at work til 5 and could I catch them properly later, but repeatedly contacting school because you didn't get a response in 24 hours. Nope. Sorry. I don't respond to ridiculous demanding types)

My point was that this is the norm for you. So it will be blatantly obvious to you that no emails will be checked, however it would not be blatantly obvious to anyone not used to it. As the OP said she'd never had a need to contact a teacher in the holidays, so it was an enquiry as to whether they are checked during this time.

And I certainly haven't been super-critical of her for asking the question, but I definitely think a little thought would have done the job in this case. The OP - like everyone with a child - knows it is the school holidays. Teachers aren't at work. Hardly rocket science.

I think you are over reacting and this can be sorted in September, they will start to do lots of past papers and obviously they have their mocks before their GCSES. Download some papers and get him to do 1 a week. Not sure what you we talking about by a serous boot camp ? He’s obviously bright, I wouldn’t push him too hard he will go the other way.

I think the teacher probably feels the query was asked and answered in class. It was explained that the reports were written before the final grade. However, this still means that at some point in the year the OP's son was doing badly in the subject, so some revision will do no harm (not hours a day though)

I haven't read the full thread, but if he broke up on Friday you may well find the school will have an inset for staff tomorrow, so worth calling the school. Also send an email to the subject head. You did the right thing and emailed last week, the teacher should have got back to you then and didn't so may have to answer you this week instead. For what it's worth I'm a teacher and I think not responding to an email sent before the holidays started is poor form

OMG what a thread!

OP, if your ds is capable of an 8, and got a 4 in one test, even if he got a 7 in another test, i'd be getting him to go over his science this summer.

I am also sure if the teacher picks up the email and has access to the data you'll get a reply. Not helpful to send reports so close to the end of term without time to respond to queries. Most teachers I know would be pleased you're supportive and grateful for the back up!

LEAVE. THE POOR TEACHERS ALONE !!!!!!
Why would they send out such a late report based on old data? This does not make sense .