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

A lot of this hinges on parents wanting school to fit in with their working life.

sadly, this is so true.

So bored of people confusing education with childcare.

It wont happen for all of the reasons already given. We are still working ( I'm making narrated PowerPoints today during my unpaid holiday - we work every unpaid holiday but some people still don't understand this !). Next week I will be back to working alongside my primary aged daughter as I try to guide her with her own work as I complete mine. The government would have to pay all staff extra - teachers, TAs, cleaners, office admin, kitche staff etc. Most of our pupils come on buses that are hired so they'd need drivers. Staff and parents will have holidays booked( I have days booked in London at the end of August) so how do you decide that some people can have their holiday but others won't depending on when schools are to be open. This is not a break for anyone so suggesting holidays should be cancelled in lieu of lockdown time is ridiculous. I'm happy to continue to volunteer to look after key worker children but if the government say holidays are cancelled ....

All the people expecting summer holidays with everything open and holidays going ahead will probably be disappointed.
It will probably be a case of a partial lockdown still with a lot of attractions still shut so will not resemble a normal summer holiday anyway.

Don’t believe teaching unions will agree to this one at all. They won’t allow their members to do live streams from home so

Why would teaching unions pose a barrier? They've failed to prevent a whole host of government action that's seriously damaged teachers pay and conditions. Teachers aren't exactly able to take on industrial action are they?
Unions can advise and debate, but ultimately teachers will do what the government wants us to.

Live streaming is a child protection risk and impractical due to connectivity and computer availability.

I’m sure the summer holiday will be different this year and things won’t all be open, but my teens will definitely need the summer off!

YANBU.
But a fair whack of individuals on here want teachers working 24/7 and to perhaps keep their kids in school 365 days a year.
But maybe give them the leap day off, every four years.

I think the use of schools as childcare during this, whilst absolutely essential is just going to feed into the belief of many people that school = childcare

Meanwhile in an other tread, where teachers are not shouting "Don't you dare treat us as glorified childcare! We have rights and we insist on our rights! Nothing will deter us! "

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/the_staffroom/3879029-Feeling-a-bit-useless

It will probably be a case of a partial lockdown still with a lot of attractions still shut so will not resemble a normal summer holiday anyway.

it surely won't, but no longer being stuck at home will already be an improvement!

No one with secondary aged children confuses education with childcare as their kids are able to be at home as needed without supervision.

Equally no one with two FT working parents confuses education with childcare as they are working during both school holidays and term time.

Our school is offering support staff TOIL or extra pay for working over the Easter holiday and for any hours they don't normally work since we are keeping the school open for extended hours for key worker children.

But they aren’t doing full time roles currently. Certainly not where I am, in primary. Most are at home doing very little - putting a few worksheets online (but not marking work) and answering the odd email a week after it’s been sent. They aren’t officially on holiday before easter but they certainly weren’t working their contractual hours.

Our teachers are all taking a day’s holiday (after Easter) for every day they work during the Easter break. TAs are being paid their daily rates. No one is doing it for free.

If you aren’t then you need to talk to your employer (school, LA, MAT) and/or your union.

Are you a teacher then? If so, you should know that no two schools are the same!

I'll be really fucked off if they try and make kids go to school during the summer holidays!! I'm a keyworker, I'm still working and my kids are still in school everyday. The only thing keeping us going right now is the hope we'll get on our summer holidays. To the person who said no one needs a big holiday after lockdown?! Try doing my job and then tell me I can't have a holiday!! I'll be absolutely livid!!!

I don't think YABU but I don't necessarily disagree with this. A lot of children are missing going to school and can't wait to go back, my 5 year old keeps asking when will school be open again. It wouldn't be something that would happen every year, just a one off due to these unusual circumstances, and I presume they would have a break in August/September anyway.

No way its a ridiculous idea! We have a 2 week UK holiday booked in August and if schools are back open I’m persuming we’d be able to go! I won’t be paying any fine for taking my dd out of school and my mum is a teacher, she is coming on holiday with us too, I would imagine lots of teachers already have holidays booked so very much doubt they would be able to open schools over the summer!

I have three children, one at secondary and two at primary and my husband is SLT at a secondary school. The summer holidays have always been too long, they should be 4 weeks max and the other 2 weeks used to perhaps make the May and October half terms two weeks. They were only ever 6 weeks when the children used to help with the harvest and they haven't been updated.
It's not as if the weather is the greatest either, with August often being wet.
The whole holiday/ school balance needs to overhauled imo.
Back to your point though op, my son is in year 6 and he would desperately want to go back to school in July and August, not only to have the preparations for secondary school but to say goodbye to his classmates, have the leaving party, go on his seven year anticipated residential trip. I realise that if you have very young primary age children then you won't care about this but from year 6 upwards, it matters to children.
Perhaps they should just let the receptions, year 6s, year 11s and year 13s (all for transition needs) go back to school and the rest of the years be home schooled until September. I have a child in year 3 and year 8 so it wouldn't exactly be a walk in the park for me also having to work from home but I really feel for the year 6s and hope this happens for the sake of my son.
However, first world problems eh?

I'd love it if kids went back in August, so many family are struggling to work and it is APRIL how do people think we can cope like this for 5 more months with nowhere for kids to go. If we've all used up holiday, taken so much unpaid leave we're skint and have no holiday club I can tell you those 6 weeks will be as miserable as things are now. There'll be no camping in the hills because we'll still be working! As for teachers working now, some are but some really are putting a very minimal amount of effort in.

No one needs that big holiday after lockdown Speak for yourself! Anyway,the way things are going,I can see the lockdown stretching into July or even August. 😷😷😷

As an early years practitioner who is continuing to provide care for key workers children during this period (I’d usually be on Easter hols right now as the preschool I manage is term time only) I am going to need my summer holidays please!!!!

If anyone thinks we can go back to “normal” in terms of travel anytime this year I think they are fooling themselves. The effects of the pandemic will stretch on until we can safely vaccinate against it en masse (barring those who cannot be vaccinated) and we have a sensible herd immunity to protect everyone.

School staff are still working, support staff like myself, cleaners, kitchen staff are still in, and don't get paid to work the holidays. Our pay is pro rata to take off the weeks we're not in. Most of us have also volunteered to cover the easter holidays as schools have still opened. You can't really ask for more!

@Namechangedforthisreply7

I am definitely working my full hours in term time! As well as having to develop work so it's available online, I'm also available for online chat with students. Parents and students are also far more needy and email all hours of the day. I am also marking and grading submitted work via Google Classroom. I'm having to mark more than I usually would as there is an expectation from students you'll mark all submitted work.

I'm spending the holidays trying to work out how to teach next term's units.

BTW. Teachers are paid an annual salary. TAs are paid pro rata usually for 38 weeks and however many hours. Teachers have an expected number of work hours which includes Parents Evenings and meetings. Generally you get the 30 days paid holiday but they are in the summer. All other holidays you are generally planning and marking with the rest being considered as time off in lieu of those spent above the 35 hour working week (most work at least 8-4 and usually much more!)

Seems very unfair to all the children working at home full time doing school work and all the teachers setting it and marking it. My oldest is in secondary school, he is getting 5 full lessons a day plus homework still.