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!

The irony of the country with the highest infection rate, imposing quarantine on those who have done foreign travel - it would be funny if it wasn't tragic

I would just never do it. My work wouldn’t be covered and it would put unreason pressure on my colleagues as there would still be patients that needed looking after.. we are not living in a normal world now. Personally I would wait and if quarantine still in place cancel.

This is a real issue.

Mines booked August 20th.

I really don't like the attitude we should just lose money. If it's safe to travel it's safe.

Then we can go.

If the government is insisting we quarantine I don't see why that should affect us financially.

Impersonally don't believe if we have to self isolate in return it's safe to go in first place and we should be offered an amendment or refund.

I actually think now we aren't in height we should have to amend but there should be a limit on how much extra they can charge. Some stories I've read the cost has risen by 50% to rebook same holiday next year.

I do feel, people (in a range of jobs) in this situation need to be sensitive to the fact most people have made many sacrifices over the last few months, as a colleague said to me, 'if all we lose is a holiday then we will have to be grateful'. That said op either it will be considered safe to travel and there will be no quarantine or it wont and your insurance will likely pay (assuming a pre covid policy in place).

I hadn't thought about this.

We booked our summer holiday in January. We're due to arrive back in the UK on 1st September (day before INSET and 2 days before start of term).

Quarantine would really mess me up.

The airline cancelled our Easter flight so we should get that refunded (still wauting). We're still waiting to hear about the summer flight. Half hoping that that's going to be cancelled too.

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I am also a teacher that was sue to fly to Spain this summer. I have moved my holiday to next year as it wouldn’t be the holiday for my children that they have come to expect.

The quarantine measure would not have concerned me as I really don’t believe it’ll exist by the end of July. My second in dept is also booked for Croatia in August. She’s off! If the worst came to the worst I would ask for unpaid leave.

Enjoy your holiday - we need it after these last 12 weeks! For us we’ve booked a caravan but at least it’ll be a different view ..!

I wouldn’t cancel it. However, if quarantine is still in place then I can see why your HT is saying no. Of course you can spend your AL as you wish, but when you arrive back in the UK your quarantine would take you well into September which means you will need to be off work. I am a HCP and have been told no holidays where it would mean you need time off for quarantine. If you do that it’s in AL or unpaid leave.

Not sure if this has already been suggested but can't you move your holiday? We've shifted ours to a year later. Has only cost £100 more.

Not everyone in the NHS is except from quarantine. And max annual leave is usually 2 weeks but you can put a case in for 3 weeks for a one off special reason. 4 weeks is a total no (if you had a two week holiday and 2 weeks isolation)

Tbh, it's a total non issue in my hospital. Everyone with a holiday booked knows they can't go if quarantine is still in place unless they're free from it.

Sit and wait for air bridges to be announced, it gets reviewed every three weeks so don't panic. Some airlines are offering free changes so perhaps change to an earlier date so can quarantine if needed?

My Headteacher is going to Croatia in August! Keep your holiday. She has no right to tell you to cancel. So much can change by then. Wait and see.

You also might be able to pay for a swab at the airport on your return to avoid quarantine.

I would wait for the air bridge announcement. The quarantine- like so many other things - is a political bargaining chip, rather than an actual containment measure. If they had really wanted to keep numbers down, they'd have introduced it back in March.

Quarantine will decimate the airlines and holiday companies. Rates in most countries - unless you're planning to go to Iran- are lower than here.

My question is will the changes also apply to Scotland? Sorry should start my own thread,

My LA have said that if we are not in at the start of September due to quarantine then it has to be taken as unpaid leave.

Oh yes I heard about the swab thing. £140 per person apparently but could be an option.

Just go and call in sick for 2 weeks if you need to. My boss (head) told us that if we already had stuff booked, then to go but expect to have unpaid leave for the first 2 weeks of September.

Quarantine isn't going to be a thing by September anyway.

Go! It's out of school terms. It is not reasonable to ban you.

My daughter is desperately trying to work out how she is going to be able to work, around childcare and school, so would struggle even more if schools couldn’t open on time for next school year because of teachers quarantining!

In our area the local school has been closed since lockdown and there has been minimal (and I mean really minimal) remote learning support. Teachers not being there to start the new school year, because of holidays, would not impress most parents whose child has lost out on so much learning!

If they'll allow you to move it to next year at a low charge, I'd do that. That's what everyone I know in this situation IRL has done. If not, sit and wait until closer to the time, no benefit to cancelling now.

However, I am a bit at the number of people that think calling in sick in September to cover quarantine is ok.... The headteachers asking staff not to go abroad are probably mindful of the children who really really need to start school in September with their class teachers and have as much normality as possible

I think it’s fair of the headteacher unfortunately. They will need staff in September. I think most people will miss out on holidays this year due to various reasons and the 2 week quarantine is just one of many. Could you not shift the flights to October / next summer? Even if booked separately it’s usually possible.

Also agree calling in sick is not OK. Really unprofessional and you could get the sack. The headteacher already knows about the dates - it would be obvious!!

Slightly off topic, but is it wise to travel at all if FCO advice still says not to? Wouldn't that invalidate your travel insurance, so you wouldn't be covered in case of any illness, accident etc?

I cancelled our end of August holiday as our destination is a country with a high number of cases and a high death rate, and has explicitly been left off suggested lists of quarantine-free travel destinations. Gutted, but didn't feel right about going any way, on account of the UK's high rates of infection and the risk of exporting the virus.

We just received an email from my daughter’s school saying if anyone goes on holiday at the end of August and needs to quarantine upon return they will be marked as having an unauthorised absence and normal rules apply re fines.

Tbh the message itself feels a little heavy handed given most people will probably be prevented from travelling due to other reasons. Plus there will be people who lose their money because they choose not to take the risk of travel.

But to then threaten us with fines when our children have just missed 12 weeks of school seems a foolish position to take.