AIBU?

[MycatiscalkedElvis]

Unpaid leave? Where do I stand?

@Pumpkintopf gives good advice.

Don't do anything drastic yet, it's a long way off. Put everything in writing and explain the circumstances. The fact you have cover and the rest of the staff are behind you bodes well.

It will cost the head nothing if you are being unpaid as your wages will cover your job share partner. If you resign, it will be very costly to the Head in recruiting costs to find a replacement for you!

going sick is what nearly everyone’s told me to do, even the deputy! But I can’t lie it’s just not me.

Well, you certainly can't now that you've asked for, and been denied, unpaid leave! Especially as you'll be coming back with a new wedding ring. It'll only take one wrong person to see your Italian wedding photos for you to find yourself with no job and no chance of a good reference either.

I can't get past the fact that your husband to be booked your own wedding during term time for a TA. That's beyond bonkers.

It's really not helpful for pp to keep repeating"you shouldn't have booked it" that's not what ops asking. I have no advice but i hope you get it sorted op.

Head's a cunt sadly.

This is not a union issue as you have booked it yourself!!!
The head obviously doesn’t want to set a precedent by allowing 10 days off for a staff member. Her choice I’m afraid.

Do not, I repeat, do not take the time off "sick". You'll be found it in a flash - you'd need a sick note for that period of time anyway.
Those who are slating the head. Let's think here. A TA is employed for a reason. There's a job to be done. 10 days is two weeks off! Not one day. Of course the head can't agree to that. It would set a precedent for a start. One of the perks of working in a school are the long holidays but the flip side is you have to go away during those holidays. You want to get married in Italy. Change your dates to the school holidays.
Also, those posters saying July is quiet in school have obviously never worked in primary. It's one of the busiest times of the year with plays, concerts, swimming galas, sports days etc let alone prep for the term ahead so to have an absent TA for 2 weeks would be very disruptive.

I was wondering when posters said it wasn’t a busy time. Teachers are on MN telling us they are rushed off their feet the last few weeks of term so I’m really not surprised she said no.

I think I said it wasn't busy academically, ie for example SATS preparation is finished, the curriculum content is largely finished, the plays etc can be covered just as effectively by the ops job share partner.

But the head has said no for continuity reasons. Difficult to argue with that when they should have booked or for a short time later during her normal holidays.

Hardly continuity when the op's job share partner who works with the same kids in the afternoons has offered to cover every morning she's away!

I would imagine it's simply a wish by the new HT to draw a firm line on these requests. But I think the additional circumstances merit further consideration here.

And for what evere reasons the head has said no. The op knows when her holiday dates are, the head doesn’t have to authorise two weeks off. I couldn’t walk into my work and dictate when I take annual leave and neither should the op.

There is no reason she can’t get married during her 13 weeks off like most schools staff do.

Head can legitimately say no for whatever reason. It's not an issue for union or governors. You can go and they would have to sack you - you don't have to resign - but then that might affect any reference.

To all those mentioning the long holidays tho, TAs don't get paid for holidays. They get paid only for hours worked. biscuit for any fucker who tries to claim teachers don't get paid for holidays either

Regardless of payment, that’s when she is off work.

It doesn’t matter where you work, a holiday should never be booked without the dates being checked first. I just don’t understand why your partner would book without checking?

It’s not a union issue as this is a situation of your own making.

Why can’t the dates be changed?

You have plenty of time to apply for TA roles in other schools between now and then I assume. Maybe you could start laying foundations now so that hopefully you have something in place for September if you're planning on resigning.

If you’ve got cover I don’t see why it should be a problem. The head IBU. YANBU