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

@FreakStar

My wage slip each month details my hourly rate and the fact I’ve worked 32.5 hours per week. That is why I said I work 32.5 hours, 39 weeks of the year.

@littleblackdress04 Mumsnet will have a record of it. Report!

People saying ‘let’s just furlough teachers’ why? Because a few idiots are saying we don’t work for a living? They’d still spin it to say we were getting a better deal than everyone else.

To the person saying that having a job is better than not having a job and working 39 weeks makes us lucky - come join us, there’s loads of teaching positions.

@yvlamoon are you going to volunteer to work unpaid and give up some of your annual leave please?

FrippEnos of course it suits me and 1000's of other people, like my employer and my children. It would also help keeping the virus more contained because if kids are at school people travel less, they are more likely to stay within their vicinity, there is less socialising. But I know, such logic is lost on a lot of people.

teaandajammydodger - happy to do so, anything really to help out.

because if kids are at school people travel less, they are more likely to stay within their vicinity, there is less socialising.

If children are at school-the streets and roads are completely gridlocked with people getting them there and back twice a day. Hundreds of primary children will be mixing every day, hundreds of their parents will be sharing a playground twice a day, thousands of teens will be walking together/getting the bus and train with different members of the public twice a day.

It's not a serious proposition to furlough teachers, besides trying to stop my staff working is downright impossible! But it just might make someone realise quite what teachers are actually doing.
All the parents at my school have been nothing but complimentary about the efforts, time and care that the staff have shown, I can't see that they are unique ( although they are pretty special!) They are on a voluntary rota over the Easter holidays to ensure provision is in place for vulnerable and keyworker children and have been overwhelmed with treats and thanks. There ARE parents who appreciate the efforts they are making!

But I know, such logic is lost on a lot of people.

"Logic?!" It's lost on me, because it's bollocks. You don't "contain" the virus within a school, ffs. It's a veritable melting pot of disease, which is then transported out to the community at large. Plus, people assume that if it's OK to mix at school, it's OK to go out elsewhere in the evenings and at weekends.
Exponential spread of the virus.
Logic, my arse.

Ylvamoon

It would also help keeping the virus more contained because if kids are at school people travel less

By what logic do you work this out.

A school of 2000 pupils will have up to 1500 (possibly more) families.

Those families then go out to work, Spread the virus amongst their colleagues etc.

It is the one of the reasons that we are in lockdown to begin with.

@spanieleyes that’s my experience too, our parents can’t thank us enough

A positive to come out of this (if you can have positives in a global pandemic) is that teacher/ parent relationships have become even stronger.

I haven't read all this long thread so I hope I'm not just repeating what others have said.

It hasn't been a "holiday" for children stuck at home. They are supposed to be doing a certain amount of school work, and they are stuck in the house most of the time because many of their parents are working from home. Even if they are not working, people have been limited to how much time they can spend away from their homes. For children living in flats, with no access to outside space, it is even more unfair.

If all the children are on holiday, everybody should be at a similar level when they return to school. Time to get out in the fresh air, go to the park, get active, go on a few day trips - these things are as important as school work.

This virologist calls children ‘virus factories’ and says there will be a surge again when schools are back. Do you know something she doesn’t @yvlamoon ?
www.cambridgeindependent.co.uk/news/cambridge-virologist-explains-what-we-know-and-dont-know-about-covid-19-9104220/

And it's not just teachers who work in schools. There are cleaning staff and dining room staff some of whom work for minimum wage. Are these people also expected to work for free for 6 weeks?Even a TA wage is close to minimum in some areas. And these staff would need to get to work either by car or public transport which costs money, so effectively they would paying to go to work...

CallmeAngelina & teaandajammydodger - the "2nd wave" is going to happen anyway... so why not manipulate it away from the mids of winter, the height of cold & flu season & even more pressure on the NHS.
Unless you have a better suggestion? Like close schools until September, and then what? Same scenario different timeframe?

Callmeangela. Teachers are paid for the holidays. A teachers annual salary is inclusive of holiday periods and divided by 12. If you are a teacher and resign at the end of the summer term you do not work annd get paid to the last day you work in july you are entitled by your contract to be paid until the term end date 31 August.
Lots of people trying to take a view on the teachers terms and conditions, the Burgundy Book. Those conditions are set by the government and also the pay scales.
Teacher acutualbteaching time is approx 5 hours per day varies by school but included in their contract is undirected time to cover parents evening, school meetings and other things that are agreed with the headteacher.
Teachers are not paid per hour but on a percentage basis.
It is very complicated and they do a great job

Littleblackdress04

Hope you're alright. Do report.

pammy50

Teachers are paid for the holidays.

Nope try again.

@pammy50

My contract states I’m paid for 32.5 hours per week, 39 weeks per year. That is stretched.

Even if you take into account the 5.6 weeks legal annual leave we apparently get (that isn’t detailed in my contract) it still leaves us with unpaid leave or 6-7 weeks.

Our salary, if you like, Is based on us working 32.5 hours per week, 39 weeks per year, inclusive apparently of 5.6 weeks pay for annual leave. If you increased that to a salary based on 32.5 hours per week, 52 weeks per year, inclusive of 5.6 weeks pay for annual leave, it would require the government to pay us.

What would you like us to be paid? In kind? Peanuts? For you to stop telling us we don’t work hard enough!?

Callmeangela. Teachers are paid for the holidays.

No they are not. Teachers are paid in the holidays. They get paid their annual salary for the 195 days that they work (in England) and that is divided by 12 so they get paid IN but not FOR the holidays - except for the statutory holiday entitlement that other local authority employees get depending on length of service. The school holidays (in England) are 13 weeks of the year and term time is 39 weeks. If a teacher is entitled to 5 weeks paid holiday then they will be paid for 44 weeks of the year and the remaining 8 are unpaid.

Pammy50, I've been a teacher for 35 years. I know how it works, thanks, and I'm afraid you're wrong.
Once more, for those at the back, we are paid during the holidays, but not for the holidays.

www.tes.com/news/coronavirus-stop-speculation-about-schools-reopening

Teaandjammydodger. You are on an annual 52 week contract. Support staff are the ones on a term time plus holiday contract. Their contract and annual salary is pro-rata’d so they do not get the full annual salary quoted for the year.
In comparison you are quoted an annual salary which is not pro-rata’d but just divided by 12.
I think you teachers do a fab job but I do teachers payroll and so I do know a little about it.

Callmeangela. I actually work in teachers payroll and I have read all the teachers terms and conditions in the burgundy book. Please don’t assume you know everything and don’t patronise me.
I was trying to help.

pammy50

I actually work in teachers payroll

And yet you are still wrong.