School Staff. How do you feel about summer schools?

[Witchcraftandhokum]

Just watched an ex-Ofsted inspector on BBC Breakfast talk about how important summer schools will be and how they should be staffed by the same teachers students have normally.

This hasn't been mentioned in our school yet but I really don't know how it will be managed. I can't imagine a lot of staff will be happy to give up their holidays. In our school a good number of the middle leaders and TA's salaries are pro-rata'd to term time only. I've worked full-time from home so it's not like I've been on holiday since March.

How would you feel about being asked to work?

Xenia this pandemic has shown very clearly who the essential workers are. These include teachers (state teachers educating over 90% of the country's children), NHS staff along with essential retail staff, postal staff, delivery personnel, transport staff etc.

It would therefore seem sensible that we, as a country, support and tried to retain these essential workers, not suggest that they're lucky not to have had pay cuts.

Many have had pay cuts in real terms over the last decade btw and many have had extra hours forced on them.

This has been happening for years before the pandemic.

Ofsted inspectors should want to do this during the summer, weekends and evenings to help the children.

Won’t someone think of the children...

Yep. They must be desperate to get back into the classroom, seeing as they know so much about it.

Just think about all that free training they've accessed from observations over the years.

In fact, maybe that the key to increasing staffing capacity in schools in the next academic year.

They can be the ones in marquees with portaloos.

Those saying teachers should just suck it up as they are salaried what about those who aren’t, Admin and other support workers? They just have to work for free as well? Schools have been struggling to pay their current staff for many years now how will they find the extra money to pay their admin, cooks, dinner ladies, cleaners and care takers?

Schools use the 6 week break to have maintenance and essential work done that can’t be done while children are there so what happens to that work?

The unions will not allow it! I would happily volunteer as a teacher for some part of the holidays, but unfortunately I feel that the children who need this extra input will not attend. None of my vulnerable children have returned as part of my current bubble.

Government have left it too late to DBS check 'retired teachers' etc. Last minute summer schools pose a huge safeguarding risks.

There are many evidence-based programmes that are proven to help children catch-up. Government should be increasing funding to schools so they can afford extra support staff and specialist training to run proper intervention classes and provision for children from September rather than wasting money on unsafe, last-minute summer schools.

You would not believe the number of people who think teachers ‘have had 3 months off’ and should, gratis, free and for nothing, teach through the summer. Or maybe you would believe it. They’re usually the same people who think teachers work 9am to 3pm and get 13 weeks holiday a year. They probably also voted for Brexit, but that’s for another thread...

Happy to work during summer weeks.
Will need to be cash in hand and at a rate of 1.5 which is about £200 per day.

Thanks

No need for summer schools, children, parents and teachers need some time to wind down and enjoy some 'normality' after this crisis. Put all efforts into opening fully in September with a reduced curriculum and clear guidance for Y10&12 to take the pressure off those who are taking exams next year.

As a teacher, I love my job, love the amazing children and families I work with but absolutely will NOT be teaching over the summer holidays. I’ve worked throughout both in school and setting work/ marking for the children not in school from home. The only summer teaching I will be doing will be with my children and spending time with my family and getting ready for all the next academic year has to throw at us so I can do the best I can for those kids ( in term time!)

I feel like I’m on repeat with this one. Teachers are not paid for the holidays. We are paid pro-rata which means we get paid during the holidays but not for them. Teachers have not been furloughed: that means we have been working from home since the schools were closed. Teachers have already worked for free over the Easter break and May half term. They will not be doing to same over the summer holidays unless the government pay them; which they won’t. None starter.

If you are in England, you are paid a yearly salary, not pro-rata. But given there are only 195 days in which you can be directed to work when and where your employer chooses, teachers on standard conditions should not be expected to work in the summer holidays.

Well okay, I didn’t realise there was a difference but thank you!

Teachers salaries are not pro rata. You get the salary advertised with no deductions for term time only or adjusted for hours worked . Pro rata means you would not get the advertised salary - ta salaries are pro rata- so would say salary of eg £19000 but would actually be £13000 or something once the 30 hours and 39 weeks are taken into account. And then this would be spread out into twelve equal payments.

I'm knackered. I really want a break. I don't think that summer schools have been particularly effective in the past and they are very expensive.
I'd like to see some sports and social activities laid on. I think that is what kids need most at this point.

This isn't happening in my county (I am a teacher) or and others I've where I know teachers. They could not do it legally. It would have to be voluntary. The unions wouldn't allow it.

No way. Our school has been amazing throughout all this and deserve a break!

The difference is that you are expected to work an unspecified number of hours additional to the 1265, but your employer can't direct you in them.

And yes, the most vulnerable children are probably the most likely not to engage with summer schools. It's not about them. If it was, then the government would have pulled its finger out over giving them online access.

I might be interested, it depends on the pay.

I won't consider it without pay I'm afraid and would refuse to work it.

Teachers aren't machines or free babysitters. Most of them have their own lives and while we like most of your children and want the best for all of them, it doesn't come at the expense of our own. I really hope parents have a new appreciation of what teachers teach and how they get the children to do it.

if it happens and that's a big if it would have to be voluntary and teachers would need to be paid extra. As a younger teacher working in inner city schools in London I have often done summer schools but I got paid extra, and was younger pre my own kids! its a no from me most likely

Nope needs to give his head a wobble

Teachers and school staff have been working more hours, all Bank holidays and usual school holidays through this, whilst dealing with lack of staffing, stressed children and tricky government advice. It has been above and beyond through the whole ordeal.

A break is required

I am a TA and a cleaner at the school and will absolutely refuse to work in the summer holidays if asked. I have been in to work with keyworker children and am currently in till 5pm Mon - Fri in a bubble and cleaning. Already counting down the weeks 🙂

No way. I've been teaching live for 3 months. I have 7 days left. I have never been so desperate for a school year to be over.