To not want schools to give up summer holidays

[littleblackdress04]

Just read in papers that it’s been proposed that kids go back to school in July/ August

I think this is a rubbish idea - if it’s going to be that long then just let them have a ‘normal’ summer and go back in September.

Kids have been cooped up because of this- I’d want to take mine to the hills, go camping & let them have some freedom. Then start school in September. This isn’t a holiday for them - it’s a horrible stressful period of being cooped up & not being able to live their normal lives.

While school gives a structure and is important, so are proper periods of holiday.

I’m really against the idea but aibu? Be interested to hear other thoughts. I’ve not been particularly worried about the kids education- they will catch up in time and it will be fine

I have been a teacher for many years and have worked as hard over the last few weeks as during the busiest times in school. In common with many others I have had to learn a wide range of new skills and develop online learning platforms from scratch, train staff, pupils and parents to use them, plan new work that is suitable for working at home, support colleagues with sick relatives to complete work for their classes, be on call every day for parent queries, post daily tweets etc to reassure families and take my turn on a rota to look after the children of key workers. Anyone who thinks that my colleagues and I have had an extended Easter break is very much mistaken. I love my job, the pupils, families and my colleagues but it worries me that so many people seem to think teachers and school staff are at home chilling out. We are doing everything we can to support our families through this.

why this assumption that most people are out of work at the moment?

Most people I know still work - from home for the most part, but not many are physically out of work.

Many others are working "differently", shop owners are still selling and delivering most of the orders locally themselves for example.

Friends in the travel industry are suffering, but I can't think of many more who are not working.

Who thinks this lockdown is actually a holiday? It really is not.

It's a sensationalist headline based on nothing. DoE staff are planning for October start even

So it's ok for the government to change the working time and holiday for NHS staff and other workers so we can be given medical care, provided with food and other essential services? But it's not ok for the working time set up of teachers that be changed- even if that is best for education?

Good job other professions don't hang so doggedly onto what's best for them rather than what's best for those they serve.

Let me say this once again. Teaching contracts pay a teacher for 1265 hours a year teaching time. When these hours are used then the time is done till September 1st. So not schools will not be open to education during the summer.

I presume NHS, care workers etc are working extra hours-and getting paid for them?

And having holidays postponed-but will be able to take them later.

Teachers are totally replanning their working days to provide an education and scrapping their Easter holidays to provide childcare.

Please don’t suggest we are hanging ‘so doggedly’ onto what’s best for us when that is quite clearly not what’s happening.

@MamaGee09 I know many many families who are unable to work, and those in lower paid retail, cleaning and hospitality roles are severely affected.

Not everyone can work from a desk. Sales are down in many industries and staff are being laid off.

It’s not that teachers are above the law! It’s that we don’t get paid in the holidays, it’s inflexible times in the year that we’re off without pay.

If they want us to work, they’ll have to pay us. NHS workers (on appalling wages) may have foregone their holidays, but they’re being paid for their work, not enough in my opinion, but they are being paid.

I think forced labour is even beyond this government? Surely?

I personally don’t have an issue with what the children’s commissioner is saying. I think opening and providing activities for the mental wellbeing of children would be absolutely wonderful, beyond wonderful, but I don’t think it will be funded properly.

Teaxhers ans pupils are still suposed to be working though.
I cant say about pupils (Mines are secondary and I know for a fact thatmany of their friemnds are doing fuck all).
But every teacher I know is still working, lockdown or not. Some are doing EVERY LESSON online like a normal day. For others, work is sent online and then they correct what they get back.
And of course, others are AT SCHOOL.

They'll need the hols and I cannot see that changing.

@MamaBearLockdown

It is not an assumption. Around half a million extra people are already claiming unemployment benefit and this is expected to rise substantially
www.poundsterlinglive.com/economics/13018-uk-unemployment-rate-may-have-risen-to-5-year-high-ahead-of-coronavirus-lockdown

I’m still working all of my expected hours and more on top, which is fine. I don’t have a problem working for some of the summer holidays either but I would either expect that to be paid or for the holiday entitlement to be rolled forward to the following year. Not sure what I’d do for childcare if the private nurseries don’t also open.

If we did open over the holidays, we’d have to have two weeks at October half term I think (if we aren’t in lockdown again) to make sure the children, especially the little ones, can manage.

However, if the holiday entitlement is rolled forward and added to next years allocated holidays, surely we’ll then have parents up in arms as they have to find childcare for those additional periods? We can’t just take random weeks off during the term (though it would be amazing if we could as it would be the first time in 17 years that I’ve benefited from term time prices!)

I’m just not sure, given that many schools can’t afford papers, pens, basic upkeep of the schools etc, that there will be enough money to cover staffing schools for that period, even if we were asked to take a 20% pay cut for that time (which I don’t especially object to).

The cost isn’t simply just the staff either, but for the children. The amount for each child varies in each LA but schools would need to receive an additional amount for this. The money from LA for EHCP funding for example, doesn’t cover the actual cost of the staff by about 20%. That has to come out of school budgets which is tough going if they don’t then receive the additional amount for the extended period. The national debt following the take up of the furlough scheme is going to be immense. I’m not sure that financially, this would ever be affordable if it’s done without rolling the holidays forward. And if they are rolled, schools will need to have large cash injections to cover them in the mean time.

We'll have to agree to disagree then MochoJoes. I have basically worked through my holidays in Feb, now Easter. Only I go on maternity leave soon I would most likely be working through the May holidays trying to rewrite planners to corporate the areas have been remotely taught during this time.

Summer is the only time teacher actually get a proper holiday where they can have closure from their job. I don't know what you do, but legally you will have holiday entitlement even if it's rolled over into next year. If you don't take it that's your prerogative.

It's not a race to the bottom. You can be damned sure MPs and those in charge won't be losing holidays or any entitlements. I too am grateful for the NHS, however I fail to see what relevance this to this discussion.

The gov may pay, my friend normally does masterclasses during easter etc for £100 a session.

So if the schools go back in August, which school will my Y6 DS go back to?

Will my Reception colleagues be teaching the 2019/20 cohort or the new intake? Same goes for Secondary?

What about the children who have technically left school? Where do they go?

Trouble is, that time of year is a transition from one year group up to the next.

Oh, and I normally spend at least 2 weeks of the summer holidays prepping for my new class...lazy teacher fecker that I am.

Trying to even figure out who goes where would be unworkable. Despite all the other issues (yes, teachers are still working; yes, schools are open even over the Easter holidays; no, not all schools are doing the same thing; no, teachers shouldn't have to work for free but you'll find that many of them are even now....I've just responded to work emails and I'll be in school tomorrow looking after children)

People all over the country are doing their full time hours from home, or in the workplace for a reduced salary.

If you don't believe me- ask on mumsnet.

Pay cuts are happening all over the place.

Working in your non paid holiday is the equivalent of a pay cut, but for some reason teachers seem unprepared to make the sacrifices that many many others are making. Because they are doggedly hanging onto refusing to give anything extra whilst many others give their all without any complaint.

The young people of our country deserve educators prepared to take the equivalent of a pay cut in these circumstances. But they seem unwilling to give any extra.

I too am grateful for the NHS, however I fail to see what relevance this to this discussion.

You fail to see when discussing usual holiday arrangements & potential disruption due to a pandemic the relevance of stating that many people have had to forego the status quo & face the real possibility of dying? ok....

Can’t actually believe I’m writing this!

My husband isn’t able to work either. We have totally lost his income and have no support from government until June. This however doesn’t mean that teachers should be forced to work holidays for free.

In the same way, many people still have their wages. My SIL is working from home successfully, and is on A LOT of full pay in a non teacher role- we cant blame her for my husbands loss. In the same way, we can’t blame teachers for the countries unemployment statistics.

Peoplepleaser,

You keep saying teachers need to give extra. Do you realise years and years that teachers go above their contracted hours so that children's needs are met? I am many other teachers pay a couple of hundred out of our own pockets each year so that kid can receive effective teaching as there isn't money in the budget for this. At what point of giving extra have we given enough?

Some schools only have a few staff in on a rota as some as exempt due to medical needs or caring responsibilities.

Finally, just to reiterate the one point that is continually ignore... Teachers are still working.

legally you will have holiday entitlement even if it's rolled over into next year. If you don't take it that's your prerogative.

You do realise that loads of businesses have told staff they can't roll over holiday for next year? It's not a viable option for many businesses.

"They are even turning away as many keyworker children as they can and the ones who they do have to take have not had any input at all. Just free play."

They'll be turning away anyone who doesn't fit the criteria. Any child who can safely be at home, should be.

And schools have been repurposed as childcare for the duration of the crisis - childcare, not education.

I've got holidays and weddings and all sorts planned for the summer holidays, if all of this is over. I don't want to forgo them but if everyone else who is currently working from home has to take this period as their holiday and forgo their annual holiday entitlement, then I'll do it too.

I'm so fed up of thread after thread just desperate to get kids back to school. Is your motive really public health? The safety and welfare of your child, your family and school staff?

Teachers are still working now. Bloody ridiculous idea to expect them to continue working through the summer holidays.

I mentioned this another thread I think a lot of private schools (if they are allowed to open) will extend term time (so either stay longer if they can go back in summer term or come back sooner in August). I know this will mean teachers having to work unpaid; however, many independent schools will go under as a result of this crisis. Many families will have lost businesses/income etc and if some restrictions are lifted over the summer will need to work. Private school staff are going to have some difficult discussions about working unpaid for say 4 weeks versus redundancies.

Teachers need to give extra. I don't know weather to laugh or cry at that.
Children coming back to school in July/August is a load of bs. The government will be glad to see the schools closed. The summer holidays helped slow the spread of swine flu in 2009. When schools recommenced in September, infections went up again. No one in government will suggest this idea.

Working in your non paid holiday is the equivalent of a pay cut, but for some reason teachers seem unprepared to make the sacrifices that many many others are making. Because they are doggedly hanging onto refusing to give anything extra whilst many others give their all without any complaint.

So all those teachers going in over weekends, holidays and bank holidays - where they are NOT contracted to work - is a sign that we are unprepared to make sacrifices or take a pay cut? Because working for free is not the same?

All those teachers getting up earlier and being contactable online all day in addition to re-working everything they have planned, setting and marking work, maiking daily phone calls and completing additional "gained time" tasks on top are NOT already doing more? Working longer hours for the same pay? That's not a pay cut and teachers refusing to give extra?

Get a grip.

I would say they should go back to school. It would them mean those of us without children can have a nice summer holiday away somewhere at a reasonable cost without noisy, annoying kids running around. I've been cooped in a need a nice relaxing break away