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

@peppafrig
a bog standard teacher getting £40k? That’s actually hilarious 😂 - do a quick google if you want to find out the wages. (And remember most wont work in inner London!)

This thread is total parody now

If it stops the rise in prices for flights and accommodation during the summer, then it would be a good thing, however, if it's part of the "normal" we want to return to, then maybe we should think again. The summer hols were made that long for children of farming families who needed their children at home to help with the harvest. So not an excuse anymore, I don't think.Going from 12 weeks holidays per year to 10 or so days is a big shock when you leave school, I think school should be full time anyway, which working parents probably would like. Chgange can be good, lets embrace it.

The summer hols were made that long for children of farming families who needed their children at home to help with the harvest.

Oh, are people rolling out this old chestnut again?!

It’s not true, btw.

I think school should be full time anyway, which working parents probably would like. Chgange can be good, lets embrace it.

I'm not going to be "embracing" a change that would be shit on almost every level.

I’m a working parent and would absolutely despise my 4 year old child being in school full time as though she was a tiny employee of the state. What a grim, utterly joyless take on childhood that would be.

I think school should be full time anyway, which working parents probably would like.

How utterly miserable for children and parents and teachers too.

School is one part of childhood, not a place to dump kids off like free childcare.

I think school should be full time anyway, which working parents probably would like.

Why?

i’m confused. people seem to assume that once the school holidays start, life will magically be the same as before corona.
it won’t
Visiting elderly relatives is very unlikely to happen (at least not if you would lime them alive). anything non traceable outside or inside is very unlikely to happen. it won’t be an enjoyable summer break, school or no school.

@jillybeanclevertips
The harvest thing has been debunked already on this ridiculous thread.

We’re not paid for the holidays. We’re paid for 32.5 hours per week, 39 weeks per year. If you want the other 13 weeks in school it would be very expensive for the government to fund. Considering they’ve cut budgets to insanely low levels, increasing teacher pay by 6-13 weeks is a pretty unlikely scenario.

Interestingly, we already have some of the shortest summer breaks.
This website shows European holidays;
jakubmarian.com/school-holidays-by-country-in-europe-map/

Sort of debunks the hot summer thing too, when you consider Finland has average July temperatures of 13-17 degrees.

jillybeanclevertips

I think school should be full time anyway, which working parents probably would like. Chgange can be good, lets embrace it.

Firstly, not childcare.
Secondly, where will you find the extra money from. Not just teachers pay, but all pay and extra resources.
Thirdly, When will schools be able to do essential maintenance.
Forthly, If teachers are expected to be treated like every other worker then anytime a teacher is attacked then that child should be removed from the school.
Fifth. teachers and other staff will be able to take holidays whenever they like.
Sixth. You can forget the idea of any working after hours, extra curricular, weekends and other free extras that you get at the moment.

If I ask my boss for 13 weeks off a year he would laugh

@onthemoors i’m really not a defender of teachers in many cases, but they are not paid for holidays - that is a fact. so if they work, they need pay. That bit is clear.
the rest - we’ll see. a lot of things that were impossible 4 weeks ago are normality now

Teachers aren’t paid 13 weeks holiday a year.

How can you have reached adulthood, presumably be a parent and still not be aware of that?

Stop being so deliberately obtuse.

OnTheMoors

Teachers didn't ask, it came as part of the package.

@OnTheMoors

Unpaid leave is just part of a teacher’s contract. We didn’t ask, we didn’t campaign for it, it’s just the job of a teacher!

We do have awful staff retention as a profession though, so there’s always jobs. Come join us, it’s really easy and we’re literally never at work.

In all seriousness though, i wouldn’t do anything else, I love my job- (but it’s nothing to do with the holidays!! )

I think school should be full time anyway, which working parents probably would like.

Yes, forget about what's best for the children, let's just do what's convenient for working parents. I don't want my child in school for 40 hours a week and I say that as a working parent!

If I ask my boss for 13 weeks off a year he would laugh

Because presumably you're not on a term time only contract . As a member of school support staff I am on a term time only contract, so yes I get long holidays but I also do not get paid for them.

"Teachers" did not "ask" for 13 weeks "off" a year. Children do not attend for those weeks, and schools are therefore closed. However, as you very well know, a huge amount of school staff's work takes place when the children are not present, at both ends of each term-time day, and during the official holiday periods when the site is officially closed. And of course, technically, that time is not paid.
Are you only "being a parent" when you are actually in the company of your offspring? Or does the shopping, cleaning, working, DIY, life-work you do to support family life not count?

If I ask my boss for 13 weeks off a year he would laugh

What’s that got to do with anything?

If I asked my headteacher for a bonus like bankers get, he’d laugh.

If I’d wanted a bonus that much I might have become a banker. If you want 13 weeks holiday that badly, become a teacher.

I'm a working parent. I don't want schools to be full time. I think the terms are too long as they are. The kids are often flagging and massively in need of a break a week or two before they break up.

Onthemoors if you were contracted to work 195 days and were suddenly told you were losing your holiday entitlement and now had to work 30 extra days for no extra pay I think you would laugh.

FrippEnos - absolutely!

Also, teachers would need extra PPA to plan the additional lessons and mark the extra work with less time to do it! Even with 90 books to mark most days (English, Maths plus another subject) I usually to work all evening.

*usually have to work all evening.

Pay scales are easily found. £25k starting, up to £40,500 for longer servers. Those with management resps are on more.

This pay is for a quarter of the year off. So if you scale it up, roughly, for a normal year’s work (52 weeks plus statutory hols) it’s the equivalent of a starting salary of £32k up to around £50k for long servers.

Not bloody bad.

Don't think it should be bloody bad. I went to university for 5 years to enjoy a starting salary of 22k. How is that unreasonable?!

I don't know why I keep coming back to this thread.