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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

School closed next Monday!

261 replies

Schoolclosure · 28/11/2019 12:15

I’ve been meaning to post this all week, I got a text from my dc’s school on Monday saying that due to the electricity board doing work on Monday 2nd dec the school will have no electricity and therefore will be closed. AIBU to think that it’s a tad ridiculous and. They could have just done the work over the bloody weekend!!??

OP posts:
LolaSmiles · 29/11/2019 15:57

In the sense that it provides a place for working parents' children to go during working hours (give or take), yes, it is childcare
No it isn't. It provides education for 190 days of the year.

That's exactly why parents have to arrange childcare before / after school and during holidays.

Would you decide a Saturday morning sport academy 9-12 is childcare because some parents work Saturdays and therefore the coaches should accept they provide childcare (after all the children are being surprised for part of the working day for some parents)?

Drabarni · 29/11/2019 16:14

Of course teachers don't provide childcare, that's why there are so many threads about breakfast/after school care, they wouldn't exist if school was childcare.
The staggered starts in reception wouldn't exist, or half term, or inset days or holidays.
They provide education for 190 days if state school, private tend to be much less.
The sooner parents realise it's their responsibility to sort childcare the better. Why do they want to relinquish their responsibility?.

CountFosco · 29/11/2019 16:22

I send my kids to a sports club in the school summer holidays because I need childcare so yes, a sports club is childcare. Anything activity they do where they are looked after by someone else is providing childcare. As far as I can tell education is just childcare that I don't pay for at the point of delivery. Childcare settings follow the EYFS just like infant schools. My eldest child was taught to read and write at nursery by a qualified teacher. What exactly does a teacher do that a childcare professional doesn't do?

drspouse · 29/11/2019 16:25

But as many home ed families say, the actual education can be accomplished in an hour or two a day.
So the government could decide to teach children in very small groups on that model, or each small group could attend one day a week etc.
But instead they open schools every working day for the whole day, and the holidays are similar in length to working holidays (we aren't like the US where parents get 2 weeks and schools get 3 months).
As I say, it enables parents to work and if it didn't exist they'd have to find something else.

LolaSmiles · 29/11/2019 16:34

But as many home ed families say, the actual education can be accomplished in an hour or two a day.
I'm always skeptical of those claims.

I could happily add another 3 lessons a week to my GCSE groups to cover things in as much detail as I'd love to.
I sure as hell have neither the education experience or the subject knowledge to comment on whether science/history/MFL/all other subjects can be covered to the required standard in 2 hours a day.

If all these unqualified, non specialists have some sort of superhero educational power then they need to join the profession, or at the very least come and enlighten us with their wisdom.

CountFosco
Is that a holiday club being advertised as full time hours for set weeks being paid for? Just like holiday childcare providers?

Because the Saturday morning sports between 9-12 isn't childcare, then again I've ran voluntary youth clubs and had parents complain when they don't run because they have work. Some people clearly think any provision when they don't have their kids is their own personal childcare and should run according to their convenience.

The award for showing no clue about the differences between different roles goes to this: what exactly does a teacher do that a childcare professional doesn't do?

flumposie · 29/11/2019 16:44

Monday is an Inset day at the school I teach at. But as we had to go into work on a Saturday for Open Day we have this Monday off in lieu of that. We don't just get given a day off for Christmas shopping ! Those teachers who couldn't work the open day have to go in as normal. To be honest I'd rather not have to do an open day on a Saturday even if we get a Monday off in December. Typically Monday is my day off anyway.

SpiderCharlotte · 29/11/2019 16:48

I've only read the first page and I'm off out but I have never worked in a school that gives Christmas shopping days! I think that's ridiculous.

BarrenFieldofFucks · 29/11/2019 16:51

Arguably, the introduction of mass education initially was in part to provide childcare for the masses so they could work the factories etc. 🤷

drspouse · 29/11/2019 17:03

Oh I know teachers do loads of things that childcare professionals don't do but I've had DS home for a week (he was excluded but is usually really cooperative with us at home so we got a lot done).
Probably an hour a day was formal learning with half an hour getting him ready/transition/redirection.
Of the rest of the time probably half was topic type work, educational games, crafts, play with an adult.
The other half was play on his own or outside or eating etc.
He is in Y3 though a bit behind.
So it probably couldn't be done at secondary level but most of what we did that isn't literacy/numeracy could be delivered by a childcare setting with some guidance.

FlamingoAndJohn · 29/11/2019 17:12

But as many home ed families say, the actual education can be accomplished in an hour or two a day.

Yes. It most likely can be if you have one well behaved compliant child.

drspouse · 29/11/2019 17:19

I only had one at home but he's neither well behaved nor compliant. If he had his day or his hour a day with 5 others he'd be fine.

drspouse · 29/11/2019 17:25

(So what I mean is if schools were open full time but each child got 1/6 of the time. They'd get the same amount of literacy and numeracy but no extra time)

BarrenFieldofFucks · 29/11/2019 17:31

I think that figure is an exaggeration of a principle...just that loads of the school day is wasted on admin, movement around the school, disruption etc

dreamyflower · 29/11/2019 17:46

I've taught for five years and never had a teacher shopping day 😂😂 I think that's a myth in most schools.

Lipperfromchipper · 29/11/2019 17:48

@CountFosco

Childcare is part of what schools do. Why do teachers refuse to acknowledge they provide childcare?

Yes teachers CARE for the children but they are not CHILDCARE!! It just so happens we have the children in our care whilst we do our job. Childcare is not what schools provide!!! They provide education!!We are called teachers as that is what we do....we (again) provide education!! If that is the stance you take then you could assume that hospitals are childcare as they also “care” for children!! Sounds barmy doesn’t it!! Hmm

RollOnNextYear · 29/11/2019 17:52

It may not be an emergency meaning weekend work.
It it may be important that it's done within a time frame meaning it can't wait till the holidays.

It doesn't matter its one day. You have plenty of notice

My ds school had emergency works. That was a 20 min notice to collect or make arrnagents for them to get home.
I luckily am a sahm and happened to be nearby that day to collect him, my Goddaughter and sister. But could of been a pain for those working. Despite it being secondary school arrangements had to be made.

clareykb · 29/11/2019 17:52

RE Christmas shopping days... everyone gets a certain amount of occasional days.. up to school when to take them school I work at has it as a shopping day in December but dds school has it tagged on at the end and has a slightly longer holiday. It's not a new thing just places use it in different ways.

consfusedandlookingforwine · 29/11/2019 17:56

I would love to know what schools are giving out shopping days to teachers. In my 12years I have never been given a “Christmas shopping day”.

maureen17 · 29/11/2019 17:57

it is so hard when you have to find alternative care for your children etc and I really do understand and feel for you ... but I'm sure this is the date your school has had to agree too ..I hope you are not affected by election date to vote as well at your school!

clareykb · 29/11/2019 18:02

Confused.. it's just an occasional day in December rather than at another time.

LolaSmiles · 29/11/2019 18:03

consfusedandlookingforwine
The only time I've known them feature is when they are allocated as a PD day as part of the +5 and staff don't come in because they've done the twilight sessions.

I had a look at some of our regional councils. Only one mentions occasion days, but they also have fewer than 5 PD days so I'm guessing the occasion days are really the remainder of the 5 PD days that have been done by twilight sessions. I've not seen any listing 5 PD days plus random days off.

It's just another thing for people to complain about because schools only opening 190 days of the year seems to be a shock every year.

CountFosco · 29/11/2019 18:18

If that is the stance you take then you could assume that hospitals are childcare as they also “care” for children!!

Hospitals don't provide childcare, when my son is in hospital DH or I have to stay in hospital with him to care for him. The only time we don't have to care for him in hospital is when he has a session with a teacher.

ForalltheSaints · 29/11/2019 18:21

OP I agree with you. Utilities do work when it is most convenient for them, not for you.

drspouse · 29/11/2019 18:23

But effectively because of the hours and weeks that school is open, it IS childcare.
It could open many fewer hours/days and then families would have to find other childcare, or not work.
So the way they have set it up, it IS childcare.

Lipperfromchipper · 29/11/2019 18:28

But it’s not childcare...like you say it just so happens they operate during the day...which just so happens to be the times most ppl work.