State teacher in Glastonbury bender?

[Windermerewanderer]

Aibu to think that a head of department in a large state secondary school (of a core subject - English/maths/science) is a CF for taking two days off school to go to Glastonbury?

The school fines parents who take kids out of school for holiday.

Not the first year this has happened.

Money too short for laminating and photocopying but not for two days of cover.

If you have even noticed this..... then you have too much time on your hands.

Unless of course you work at the school and are annoyed because you were denied leave yourself.

Try finding a hobby and minding your own business, op.

Think its fantastic that a teacher is allowed to do this. Imagine if this is their big thing, something they always wanted to do but alas they chose to be a teacher so bad luck chuckie you don't get to go, ever, unless you quit teaching, which quite frankly so many are. Maybe they have worked their socks off this year, attended residentials in their time off, stayed late to give children an opportunity they might not been able to do if the teachers hadn't given up their time. Just maybe the ht is human and can see and reward their staff who go the extra mile. Maybe YOU should be looking at what difference you could be making to your school, what do you do to support the school. If you really want to be part of the decision how about becoming a governor. Hope they enjoy the festival and share it with their pupils.

I would love to work in a school where I could take time off in lieu for days of my holiday I've given up. I'd get a whole two weeks off extra a year!

This is really refreshing to read, that so many people (presumably parents) think it’s no big deal. On the TES website (where the vast majority of posters are teachers) I’ve seen posts from people asking how they go about asking for a day off to be bridesmaid or similar and they’ve been ripped apart for even considering asking - by other teachers!!

In my (8 year, so far) teaching career I’ve had 2.5 days off (paid, though I was expecting unpaid) to attend weddings (not my own, I was able to choose when that was so picked the middle of the summer holidays). I also was allowed 2 days for a sporting event in my training year. The vast majority of the time, particularly in a secondary at this time of year, planned absences can be covered internally at no cost to school. If teachers are taking unpaid leave for events the school may actually end up better off!

Unbelievable. Given they get so many holidays it's not really on.
I assume after having found this out OP you are next in line to do a PGCE?

Chinny reckon

I finished school 2 weeks early last year. I was part-time and did stupid amounts of extra hours to help the school out in a staffing crisis.
I took time in lieu instead of being paid (again, to help school out)
You have no idea of the circumstances

Tbh depends on the school.

My old place wouldn't let you do anything like that. Never. Funnily enough they have nearly 20 staff leaving in summer. Felt untrusted, permanently on show and staff hate it. Stressed staff, stressed kids. Out of lesson activities almost gone.

Current school? Head said "don't worry, I'll cover your lessons if need be, it's the last week and it'll be fine". Only staff leaving are retiring or relocating. Happy school. High staff morale. Great atmosphere. Loads of out of classroom activities.

Both schools have similar results.

Which school would you rather send your kids to?

What precisely are you objecting to? I’d have no issues with DSs teacher doing this. Everyone, including teachers deserve to be able to live their lives. Everyone knows teachers are fairly put upon and have very stressful jobs. I hope they raid the beer tent dance their ass off to the killers, get really muddy and come back an even more rounded and less stressed person

Way back in the early 70s I recall an elaborate plan to cover for a colleague going into Leeds to get cheap tickets, for an Elton John concert.
As a Head of Department I arranged cover for a young newly qualified teacher who was off to Glastonbury so she could get off early, it was the start of a school holiday.

I've worked 80 hour weeks, done unpaid residentials and am currently doing paperwork on maternity leave. In return I've taken a Friday and a Monday off to take my children to Centre Parcs off season. Only way we could afford it.

A really refreshing thread though :)

You should know better than to slag teachers off on mumsnet. Keep it to nurses and the nhs that’s fair game on here.

Unbelievable. Given they get so many holidays it's not really on.

What’s unbelievable is that people still aren’t aware that school holidays are unpaid.

If this is actually as you say OP, and you know the ins and outs, then it's not the teacher who is being the CF it's his boss for allowing it. Not because I don't think the teacher should be given the time off, but other staff aren't given the same (so you say)

You're not asking if you think you're being unreasonable, you obviously think you are, you obviously think the teacher is BU.

I suspect you don't actually know all the facts though.

And in my place, people people aren't even allowed a day to visit their new schools. Even if they have no lessons on that day Checked with union, it's at head's discretion.

State teacher in Glastonbury bender?

Bender?

I wonder how much of this is because the OP thinks teachers also shouldn't be going to festivals at all; or getting drunk; or smoking weed; or hooking up with a sexy stranger or any of the other things they imagine people get up to at Glastonbury.

PS. Your title sounds like a Daily Mail headline, OP. Glastonbury bender, like the teacher's going to be pissed up constantly?!

And un-clench!

It’s non of your business

I don't believe this post for a second.

There's been a few posts lately which sound like journalist bait and days later... surprise surprise they end up in a shitty paper.

Bore off.

Bite my shiny metal ass.

Oh God! I had no idea that teachers were allowed to drink alcohol. This is very unfair. Their pupils can't drink alcohol.

Lucky teacher. I hope they have a good time.

My headteacher is a graceless trout and would never agree to that. I've just been granted half a day's leave for a hospital appointment. Unpaid Because I dared to accept the appointment, that was assigned to me I didn't make it, during term time.

It's so important that SLT members value their staff and implement a good will policy. Makes all the difference.

HiJenny35 - something he really enjoys nice bit of casual sexism sneaking in there. Are women, in your world, not allowed to trudge up the career ladder?