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

It wont happen. My DD is a Head of Maths and they are planning for a September return.
She is working at home, planning next year’s lessons/ supporting pupils, creating work packs/ supporting the teachers who are in school by doing their admin. She also has an eight month old to look after at the same time, she is exhausted and will need the long break to recover.
There are very few, if any, teachers sat at home doing fuck all.

Most people won’t get any holidays in summer or won’t have any money. social distancing will stay in place for a while, so no softplay, playgrounds, football, swimming pool, summer camps.
so its school, or sitting at home with parents trying to work at the same time.
i know what would be better for kids!

@Alkaloise yes I'd call that extra work if it's over and above the usual long DH's and holiday working that teachers do. I don't think it's too much to ask, just like everyone else is doing more, giving more and making sacrifices. It's called doing the right thing. No one said it was easy.

Teachers have already forgone most of their Easter holidays and will likely do the same in May- unpaid might I add. But that doesn't suit your argument so I can see why you haven't acknowledged it

I missed this but where's your statistical evidence that all teachers have forgone their Easter break? Most I know tend to do some planning/marking in non pandemic years anyway.
My dc's primary is closing for a week & staying open for the other week for a handful of children. Most teachers at the school aren't in & dc have as usual just been set a project. My friends biggest in the borough secondary have had less that 20 children in (despite the predictions of a thousand) & is operating on a rota system.

Nope not fair on teachers or kids really they may be off now ( kids ) but it's not like being on holiday as they aren't allowed out and what about teachers they are generally still working they need there time off too and saying this as a parent of year 10 who has a lot of catching up to do with exams not far off reAlly

@mochojoes
I’m not sure. But I personally buy paint, glue sticks and art materials, baking equipment, for my class. I’ll be (pleasantly) astounded if they fund what the children’s commissioner suggests.

Youth, play and sport workers cost a lot. We no longer subsidise school trips AT ALL, due to the fact we just have no money other than for the very basics.

This situation, would involve paying all school staff (including cleaners, kitchen staff, HR, admin etc) for an extra 6 weeks AND resourcing it. It’s be expensive.

I’d work voluntarily, but may draw a line at personally buying all the resources.

I also don't believe that come Aug it will be like none of this had happened & we will all be off on our breaks & holidays as if the pandemic was a dream.

nightmare is probably more appropriate!

Plus to add both my kids one at college and other secondary both working at home before Easter hols and more work being given after Easter they aren't sat around doing nothing and neither are the teachers

Also - those parents who are finding their schools are not providing proper work, supervision and support really need to get in touch with that individual school and complain.

That is not acceptable.

The teachers I know have to log their hours and tasks. They have to copy the Head Teacher into the work they are setting so that the Leadership Team know that the work is appropriate, differentiated and enough is being set.

Teachers have to log their phone calls to families, upload their planning, account for their time.

If individual schools are not doing enough that is not right, but it is also not across the board by any means.

I've said it before on another thread, but the demise of local education authorities has a lot to answer for here. Schools either stand alone, or are part of academies. There is no umbrella organisation ensuring standards across the sector. This is a shame because it is left to individual leadership teams. Some of whom are rigorous and motivated - and some which are not.

If your child's school is failing them, then complain. Don't tar everyone with the same brush.

@MNHQ these daily teacher bashing threads are the reason many people won’t financially contribute to this site.

Op didn’t mean it to be this way, but this subject always ends the same and it’s awful.

When will teachers get their holidays after working from home during the lockdown?

@mochojoes

I think (i don’t know for sure) it makes sense that secondary schools will have less children in school for childcare - but the expectation on secondary staff to deliver live online learning is higher due to the age of the kids.

Primaries will have more children in for childcare, as they can’t look after themselves - my daughters school is heaving. My school isn’t heaving, but there are far more than at the secondaries. But ‘lecture’ type videos have less impact.

Also, If travel is allowed everyone will have prebooked holidays.

@Beebie2 I think there is a huge discrepancy across the country in terms of schools budgets/resources. None of my friends buy materials for example. I've work in finance & dealt with school budgets and payroll, a lot of support staff are also AYR. My experiences are London centric but tbf that tends to be how gov decisions are made anyway.

I think you'll find you'll get what you're given.

Our school is operating on a 3 week rota system, opened throughout the Easter break with one week in school with the children of key workers and the two weeks at home allocating home learning - 3-4 activities per day then marking, online professional development, report writing, phone calls to pupils etc.

A lot of these posts just confirm that people are learning NOTHING being at home home schooling their own children. Nothing anybody can say will ever have them believing that teachers work hard over a lot of hours every week, including weekends. And that they truly don't want to grasp that teachers are continuing to work now from home, at school, and that trying to make up for lost time this year next year will be even more of a slog than a lot of teaching already is.

Really shit, frankly, that so many hold teachers in such disdain. Saying teachers aren't 'flexible' ... seems to be they're more flexible than most, trying to go from teaching all day at school to providing lessons via internet at home AND continuing to mark, plan, deal with data and provide support for key worker children at school.

But that's not good enough for a lot of people. obviously they should all be working for free through their own holidays, too.

@Beebie2 I agree that that makes sense but I know lots of key workers with young dc & I don't know anyone who has sent their kids to the primary, choosing grandparents or nannies or a parent moving out. I technically could have sent mine but as I can wfh wouldn't consider it.

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/education-51999539

As a teacher is quite like to run some holiday clubs for some of the children who I know will have really struggled during this time. Or anyone who wants to come. I really feel like families will need it. But it's going to be hard to organise because premises managers, kitchen staff and cleaners are still working.

Whilst not perfect, I think there would be some merit to doing so. Maybe for the next year (once the DC have gone back) the school hols could be reconfigured?

Putting aside the school issue, because even if the schools don’t open there will still be questions if holiday clubs can run as people will need childcare, I am surprised the summer people think they are going to have. Children being allowed to meet up with friends, going on holidays, going camping etc. The virus will still be here in the summer. There will still be restrictions. The government is going to priorities getting the economy going over social gatherings. I also think a lot of people may have very different views if the furlough scheme does not continue and they don’t have jobs by June.

Most people won’t get any holidays in summer or won’t have any money. social distancing will stay in place for a while, so no softplay, playgrounds, football, swimming pool, summer camps.
so its school, or sitting at home with parents trying to work at the same time.
i know what would be better for kids!

I imagine social distancing would be better for the kids if social distancing is still in place then - which won't be happening if they are at school! If schools are open they may as well open playgrounds etc. because social distancing and full schools are not compatible.

@jellyfrizz but surely organised childcare (lets put school aside, say holiday clubs and nurseries) over the summer is a more controllable form of lifting restrictions then just telling everyone we can go out and meet friends in the park (but saying to stay 2 m away) etc. Let’s not all forget the Mother’s Day pictures.

peoplepleaser1

I don't think it's too much to ask, just like everyone else is doing more, giving more and making sacrifices.

Like 80% pay and not being required to do anything

It's called doing the right thing. No one said it was easy.

But you do want it to be free.