To think school heads should be contactable in school holidays

[EloiseMinch]

A secondary head is likely to be on 70k+ and a primary head of 50k+. Those are high salaries for positions of senior management responsibility. AIBU to think they shouldn't just cut off completely in the school holidays?

Maybe some heads really are working in the holidays but I know the head at DC's school definitely doesn't. She is, for example, completely uncontactable from the end of one term to the start of the next.

This thread is about your obsession. Clearly, you think they shouldn't be contactable whatever their contract says, and, just as clearly, she isn't.
The gap is your own knowledge of her obligations. Literally hundreds of people have told you you are being unreasonable, but you are still scraping away. You're very strange.

*should be

I am going to say this one more time:

The head IS contactable, just not for YOU because your complaint is petty.

They will be in contact with the govenors, deputies, school staff and admin staff.

But there is bugger all they can do about a bullying issue in the middle of the holidays when most of their staff will be off abroad. And are they supposed to call the other boys back from holiday to investigate further?

You are mental.

You are not their employer and they are not answerable to you. Which bit of that don't you get?

The head IS contactable, just not for YOU because your complaint is petty

That’s just plain wrong (although your next line might be right). The head isn’t contactable by any parent at all.

OP you're coming across a bit dim.
Does it really blow your mind that people work during their time off?
Yes she is on unpaid leave, but yes she is also working. Sad isn't it?! But if you want to school to function then she knows she needs to give up her personal time and do some work unpaid.

And why should they be?

You are not their employer and they are not answerable to you.

You can’t really mean that a school has no responsibility to respond to parents concerns about their children’s safety. I think you mean that I can’t instruct the head, but I never suggested I should be able to.

OP you're coming across a bit dim.

Cough... The idea that someone works unpaid overtime is not beyond me. But as the insult ratio seems to be increasing I may give up.

You seem to think you can decide on their terms and conditions.

frasersmummy. In DC’s primary there is literally nobody. I know this as the school flooded in the middle of the last holiday and no one noticed until the start of term.

Support staff are contracted for 39weeks+holidays, teachers all year round actually. I work in HR for schools' personnel at a LA.

However, heads shouldn't have to be contactable by parent's in the holidays you nutter.

You can’t really mean that a school has no responsibility to respond to parents concerns about their children’s safety. I think you mean that I can’t instruct the head, but I never suggested I should be able to

And you can't mean to suggest that the Head has a never-ending responsibility to respond (personally, rather than via a delegate) to concerns about children's safety. Can you? It isn't as though your child is currently under the care of the Head, so there is no urgency. You just want your own way, like a child.

You seem to think you can decide on their terms and conditions

That is literally completely wrong. I do seem to think I can whinge online though. That would be a more accurate comment.

That’s just plain wrong (although your next line might be right). The head isn’t contactable by any parent at all.

But that doesn't mean she isn't contactable by her employer. That isn't the same thing, is it?

And you can't mean to suggest that the Head has a never-ending responsibility to respond (personally, rather than via a delegate) to concerns about children's safety

There has been no delegation. I contacted the deputy directly after it became clear the head would never respond.

I am really not sure these personal insults are called for. Is this normal on MN?

However, heads shouldn't have to be contactable by parent's in the holidays you nutter

What the hell is going on? When did this become a normal way to communicate ?

Firstly there will be a school office email address so you absolutely can contact the head. You just need to label it ‘for the attention of the head’.
Of course the head is working during some of the holidays. Responding to your email is not the reason the head is on a relatively high salary.
Lastly I really do not understand why you have waited until the holidays before raising any issues. You can still send an appropriate email but don’t expect much action on it until September.

EloiseMinch

You have mentioned several times the fact that the HT is a non-teaching head. Why do you think this is important? Do you believe that teaching heads’ contracts are different from those of non-teaching heads?

Firstly there will be a school office email address so you absolutely can contact the head. You just need to label it ‘for the attention of the head’.

The school is shut and there is no one monitoring the school emails. In our case the head doesn’t respond during term time either so the question is rather moot :)

Having said that, everyone I know on 70k+ is contactable at all times.

Being above the high tax bracket does not mean we are public property.

The fact you have repeatedly called a headteacher a "public sector manager" shows you have no concept of what the job entails.

Im sure you're just being goady for goadiness' sake, but people who need to contact the head will be able to, fwiw I'm awfully glad you aren't in the profession.

JerushaAbbott, good question, I suppose I have particular sympathy for school teachers.

Isn’t a non teaching head a senior public sector manager?

I am almost at the end of my career in education and in answer to how long has it been going on, forever. Heads and teachers are not usually and have never usually been contactable by parents in school holidays. As has been explained to you so many time OP, they are not paid during the holidays.
I do find it strange you don't have the general school email address, isn't there one on their website? Very few people have my personal email but the whole world can have my school general one which I can pick up from anywhere with wifi.
If you have a safety concern then surely you need to contact social services rather than the Headteacher.
I sent an email to my DD's school on Saturday and the Head replied yesterday and I am just going into my school to do some admin work in peace and quiet! I doubt I'll be in again after today though until September.

OP I’m married to a HT of a large primary school. He is taking 4 weeks off this Summer and is in work this week and the last week. He works 12 hour days and works most Sundays in term time. If he worked in the private sector his salary would be considerably more. Happy holidays!