Headteacher says I can't go on holiday

[Scuzzymummy]

Ok so this might not be a problem in a few weeks and please please believe me when I say I have done everything possible to ensure my pupils have had my attention and expertise when needed during lockdown. I have recorded lessons, marked work, given feedback etc... I know lots on MN have some very strong feelings about teachers at the moment 😬.
So I have a holiday abroad booked for the 18yh August. I have been hanging on and hanging on to see if we can go. We are so desperate for a break- who isn't- but my headteacher has emailed today and said that of quarantine measures are still in place in September then holidays at the end of August need to be cancelled. What do I do, I know I need to be back in September, god knows I want to have actually children in front of me not a bloody screen. But if we cancel we will loose hundreds and hundreds plus the holiday. We can't change the date, my husband is not able to change. Help!

A favour please. Does anyone have a link to how the Dublin flight "loophole" is being closed. I have a friend in RL who is going to try exploiting it and won't be convinced it won't work. Ta.

I’ve found reference to the Dublin Dodge being “cancelled” here www.google.ca/amp/s/simpleflying.com/uk-quarantine-rules/amp/

I'm NHS and been told any quarantine post travel needs to be booked as annual leave,which will obviously never be authorised, so is essentially a no.

I’m a teacher and have no holiday booked.

OP are you a primary or secondary teacher? As annoying as it is, I really think primary teachers need to be with their classes in September. These are children who have been off school for a while, with possible bad experiences of lockdown and I really think they need to be building that relationship with their new teacher. To have two weeks of supply at that point and then their regular teacher returning could be difficult for everyone.

Dh wouldn't be able to quarantine.

We cancelled holiday and have lost some money.

But whatever could we do? Everyone's got to make sacrifices. Head is not saying you can't go on holiday. She is saying you should not put yourself in a position where you can not return to work at the expected time.

I would imagine any employer would say the same.

Your Head is wrong and her demands won't hold up to legal scrutiny.

My only concession if quarantine rules are still in place is to offer to accept a complete reimbursement of all lost monies from the school if they feel you shouldn't go.

Sky news saying that new traffic light system to be announced from Monday and only areas classified as red would you need to quarantine upon return.
Spain, Greece and Italy are go, go, go.

The OP booked her holiday in November before this was even imaginable let alone known about it. Why should she be penalised because the government have had to put in place pandemic rules?

The OP's employer approved leave before this was even imaginable. Why should they be penalised because the government have had to put in place pandemic rules?

The issue is amplified with it being a school, meaning everyone's leave is at the same time. Imagine if half or more of the teachers are off quarantining in the first days of term? And supply teachers doing the same? The school could well end up forced to close.

OP, your boss definitely comes across as a nasty bully. They could and should be way more diplomatic about this. But I fully understand them not wanting you taking avoidable time off in term.

@Clavinova what difference does it make to you whether I volunteered or not? I simply stated at my school we have not been offered time off or pay. Quoting guidance doesn't mean it happens.If you must know I've been going in recently on my days off and will be in the future to teach year 12 and cover key workers. Need evidence of that ?Feel better for knowing ?

The thing is, there are a number of weeks available to teachers in which they can take their holidays and have time to come back for September. And they will not have been in school for months. So it doesn't seem to me that it is the school's problem if a teacher has booked a holiday at the last possible moment. It is really bad for students to not have their teachers there the first two weeks of school. It starts all of them off in a bad way. It's not fair to disrupt the education of now doubt more than 100 people for your holiday.

@Durgasarrow shewants to go on holiday DURING THE SCHOOL BREAK. When she is not contractually required to work. Not during school terms... UK terms start beginning of September.

But the OP didn't book it at the last possible minute. She booked last November, when Covid, let alone quarantine, didn't exist for us. Not only would I go, but I'd fight any attempt to force me to take quarantine as unpaid leave. This is a govt imposition, not the OP's choice.

flumposie it doesn't make a difference to them at all. Despite not being a teacher, that poster loves a teacher contract discussion where they can copy and paste things from the internet to tell teachers they're wrong about what's going on in schools. Nothing any teacher on here says or does goes in.

BBC is reporting some countries no quarantine with from 6 July, full list next week, I presume if not in these travel ban remains though wait for full announcement.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-53199089

And they will not have been in school for months.

Even if they've not been physically in school for weeks - though many teachers have been and many have been in full time too - she is likely to have been wfh throughout (in the same way lots of other employees have been) and regardless wouldn't have been allowed to just go away then or 'take as a holiday' - they had to be willing and able, and available, to return to the classroom at any time.

@Scuzzymummy It looks like Croatia will be green in the traffic like system, so no quarantine when you get back. I hope you have a fantastic holiday and a very well earned break :-)

Yes, you can go.... How do you feel?

Most employers who require employees in work are not going to be happy if they stay off for an additional 2 weeks.

Have you spoken to your insurance or credit card company to see if you can get a redund? Or spoken to your travel company to see if you can move the holiday dates or location?

It is unfortunate circumstances, but either way I dont think your employer is unreasonable to expect you not to put yourself in a position where you won't be back at work. Your problem is yours to sort out with your travel company or insurance not your employer.

Hahahaha at the thought any of the teachers are being paid for going in at Easter and May half term, including Bank Holidays. Of course they're not. Where would the money come from? School budgets are nearly all spent by this time of year.

@recededpronunciation could you tell me where you have seen Croatia will be on the green list please. I have only seen Spain, Italy, Greece, Germany etc so far. No mention of Croatia.

@AnyFucker Daily Fail, unfortunately. I do think it’s is pretty likely though, as they have had very few cases, and are on the ‘approved’ lists for lots of other European countries.

I certainly hope so (due to visit in August also, hence following this thread)

flumposie
Clavinova what difference does it make to you whether I volunteered or not? I simply stated at my school we have not been offered time off or pay. Quoting guidance doesn't mean it happens. If you must know I've been going in recently on my days off and will be in the future to teach year 12 and cover key workers.

I think it does matter - it might indicate inadequate management by your headteacher and SLT and low staff morale - which might explain why some schools have offered a poor educational experience to their students during lockdown - while other headteachers and schools have offered an excellent educational experience with good staff morale. More guidance here from a teaching union;

Holiday working -

"During the period of continued COVID-19 school closures, some schools may seek to provide childcare to priority households outside of term time (e.g. during the Easter, half-term and summer holidays)."

"The NASUWT recognises that some staff may agree voluntarily to support such provision. It is important that where teachers volunteer in this way, there is clarity on how staff will be appropriately remunerated" ...

www.nasuwt.org.uk/advice/health-safety/coronavirus-guidance/operational-advice-during-partial-school-closures.html#Holiday%20working

LolaSmiles
Despite not being a teacher, that poster loves a teacher contract discussion Nothing any teacher on here says or does goes in

The op claimed, or at least implied, that she had voluntarily worked all through the Easter and half-term holidays supporting key worker and vulnerable students in her school without any time off in lieu or extra payment - we assume that the op works in a secondary school from one of her other posts on the thread. Despite the discussion in her absence she made no further comment regarding this claim in her follow up post last night. I am inclined to believe that "looking after key worker and vulnerable students during the school holidays" has become a 'stock phrase' for some teachers, whether they have been looking after key worker and vulnerable children or not.

Of course, we have been told that some teachers and schools only send out one email a week to parents and nothing else - in which case I would say that those teachers have had plenty of time off in lieu if they are asked to look after key worker and vulnerable students on a rota.

Off topic but Croatia is absolutely stunning!

Regardless of Croatia - which is on my list to go to - what would the head do if she was contacted by the TT n T lot end of August to say she'd had contact with someone who's tested positive and she needs to Si for 14 days? Hardly her fault.