Why is the start of term always so complicated?

[Advicewouldbeappreciated]

Pandemic aside, really it's always like this. I hate it.
Why, after weeks off school, can the kids not just go back normally?
But they never can. It's half days and staggered start times for weeks, then a day off after a couple of weeks. Mornings-to get used to them. Then afternoons-to get used to them.
Its a nightmare. Literally a few weeks of complicated messing around here there and everywhere until after October half term when it starts properly.
Also, no need for teacher training days the first week of term surely? Just have a date they can go, properly all day, and stick to it.
Sat here waiting to do a second school run today for the sake of 2 hours at school before getting the other one. The others not back till next week.

AIBU?

Term should be term and all in and learning.

Ok, but holidays are holidays and teachers need to be all off and on holiday (or working at home at their own convenience).

My kids are back at school normal times, normal days, no staggered drop offs or pick ups.

@looseddaughter

Term should be term and all in and learning.

Ok, but holidays are holidays and teachers need to be all off and on holiday (or working at home at their own convenience).

Of course. I dont expect them to work for free. But just for schools to organise the term so first day means all day and until half term or and of term. Monday to Friday is always helpful...

@Advicewouldbeappreciated

I get the need for INSET days but why do they need to be included in the calender-the dates should just be about when the kids go. Im not bothered about the rest. Just tell me when to get them there, preferably normal time for all of the days-and I will get them there in full uniform etc. I do think we are setting kids up to not cope when we are messing around like this.

This is because term dates are set by the LA, but teacher training dates are set by the school and can change.

So the term dates include those extra 6 days, but the school can allocate them as they wish.
As an ex teacher, I might have been moving classrooms or schools, and that day may be the only day I have to set up my new room. Or it may be that we have our safeguarding training etc.
This year it was probably used to introduce all the new rules and systems.
As a parent, I just ignore the term dates and look for which dya the kids actually go in.

I have 3 teenagers, and apart from this year, the only time we had a staggered start was reception, and that was 2 weeks, and beginning of secondary where year 7 went in one day beofre the rest.

This year, they have staggered the secondary intake over 3 days, 1/3 school in each day to introduce them to new systems. Whole school in from Monday.

At least where I am, INSET days are included for schools that say they follow the council's school year calendar. I think it's to limit confusion and mark out the differences between the two. It's pretty common to put some of them at the start of the year, though ours listed the starting date separately in all the letters, the insets are only shown on the website calendar.

The rest of it does sound really frustrating, a nightmare for working parents. I don't know any schools doing that, even for primary. For secondary, in this very weird year, the Y7s go back a day early for their induction that they couldn't have earlier, the Y8s & Y9s are getting one half day induction to the new system, and then they're off running. No inset days until the one tacked Monday after half-term.

Schools are there to give your kids the best education. They base their inset days around when they are needed, not when you need your kids looking after. They should be published well in advance therefore giving you chance to sort childcare.

No they shouldn’t do them over holidays, how often are you forced into work during your annual leave? I give up enough time on weekends and after school that I’m not paid for so that I can do my job well to give kids the best opportunities, why should I give up my time off too? We have to do INSET days to go over vital information including new safeguarding information which is more important that you being inconvenienced, for a few kids it can be the difference between being safe or in danger.

Fair enough it’s hard as a lone parent but that doesn’t mean it should hinder the level of education your kids receive.

@Newnamenewopenme

Schools are there to give your kids the best education. They base their inset days around when they are needed, not when you need your kids looking after. They should be published well in advance therefore giving you chance to sort childcare.

No they shouldn’t do them over holidays, how often are you forced into work during your annual leave? I give up enough time on weekends and after school that I’m not paid for so that I can do my job well to give kids the best opportunities, why should I give up my time off too? We have to do INSET days to go over vital information including new safeguarding information which is more important that you being inconvenienced, for a few kids it can be the difference between being safe or in danger.

Fair enough it’s hard as a lone parent but that doesn’t mean it should hinder the level of education your kids receive.

But they are receiving half the education for 2 weeks by doing half days. That is also affecting them?

That’s not a common thing at other schools though! If you don’t trust what they are doing is for the best then move to different schools. They will have reasons for their decisions.

OP, you seem to be constantly mixing INSET days and the half days into one issue.
Inset days are prescribed by law, they come out of teachers' time and not kids face to face time. The school has the right to put them where and when they want primarily for the benefit of the school in whatever way. Most schools put some of them in Sept and July tagged on to the holidays to make it easier for parents, but some do need to happen through the year. It is part of teachers on going professional training.

The staggered start in reception is a pain and a frequent source of complaint from working parents. I think that on a previous thread someone challenged it under the law, and forced the school to take their child for full days from day 1. I think for children who have been in nursery for full days can cope with reception, but many children, especially those who are young for their year (summer birthdays) do find the transition to reception hard.
Personally I'd like to see schools offer a choice.
But the real issue is wrap around care, which is an issue well beyond these 2 weeks.

@Newnamenewopenme

That’s not a common thing at other schools though! If you don’t trust what they are doing is for the best then move to different schools. They will have reasons for their decisions.

pretty standard for most reception starters

Ds will be year 11 and doesnt even start back until tomorrow. He has an inset day in 2 weeks too.

@looseddaughter

Kids don't get a day off to rest in secondary - it'll be an INSET day and probably for teachers to get their performance related pay appraisals done at that time of year. Not something anyone wants to do - a massive pita and I for one would rather be teaching.

I have never known schools that have such complicated starts as yours has, including when mine were in primary, but I think your problem is the lack of wrap around childcare, not schools as such. You do have my sympathy because it sounds like a tremendous faff.

My kids both got time off in secondary school to rest at the end of September when the school ran their open day. They were there nine years between them. It wasn't an Inset Day.

OP I'm going to try to be really kind to you and encourage you to be kind to yourself as I'm a single parent too and I think that some (including some staff at schools) don't see the coal face of the reality of that one in the middle of a global pandemic and I've been home schooling since March.

Mine is 15. Start of term is always a hurdle, don't know if you are on a low income, I am and no matter how much I try to budget over the holidays and for new school uniform there is always something unexpected comes up.

Plus you are the main emotional support for your kids. This morning I was so emotionally drained and tired I went back to bed for an hour and then had a bath. With the door open. In a small flat with a teenager and I don't want to moan, but I can't remember the last time I had an unhurried wash or bath. Honestly it feels like the first time since March.

I've put on weight too, and really neglected myself because I've been so busy holding things together.

So I'm trying to tell myself that start of term is a load off as at least now I've got some other people i.e the school staff to manage half the day with my daughter, provide challenges, and it feels like forever since I had some time to myself.

So I do get it. It's no wonder you are feeling drained.

Single parent reality as you know is once they get back to routine things get a bit easier. This year for them and us is way more emotionally demanding than it usually is. But in a couple of hours we will have done the first day. They will be tired at the end of it and maybe get to bed at a decent hour.

You are doing really well, do try and find some time to yourself.

I need to think through improving my health here. Seperate thread...

I voted YANBU - it sounds like a logistical nightmare, @Advicewouldbeappreciated! It certainly wasn't like that when my dses were little (but as they are 23, 25 and 27, that is a bit of a while ago). If I recall correctly, they did half days for a while (maybe a week or perhaps half a term - I can't honestly remember), but from then on, it was full days from the word go, every term.

Your child may have spent 2 years in nursery, but not all children go there at all; it's not a pre-requisite for entering school. This may be the first significant time away from their main carer.

Can't you get another parent to take yours to their house when they pick their own up?

We had staggered starts at reception (in ds' case, one week of mornings, one weeks of afternoons, one week of mornings with lunch and then full-time). But that was it.

I think at secondary school it was just different start times on the first day but everything else was normal.

I suppose most INSET days would have been on Monday this week but it was a bank holiday and still August, so they were on Tuesday (and maybe yesterday) instead. DS' old primary school started back today. Just the Y7s at his secondary school went back Tuesday, I assume there was some more staggering than usual because of covid and getting different year groups in at different times.

I don’t think you’re unreasonable apart from the inset days. The buggering about at the start of reception is particularly annoying!

Personally I’d rather the inset days were at a time other than the start of the autumn term but I can understand why they might need to be then.

I like odd ones in the middle of nowhere (away from the holidays but ideally Friday or Monday) so that we can do something with them that would usually have queues!

I think for children who have been in nursery for full days can cope with reception, but many children, especially those who are young for their year (summer birthdays) do find the transition to reception hard

My son was in nursery before he went to school and I thought he'd find school easy, but he was exhausted by school! It doesn't follow that 10 hour days at nursery are harder than 6 hour days at school. I was really surprised by that as I was annoyed by all the half days too. Thank goodness he was an autumn baby and it only went on for three weeks.

I like odd ones in the middle of nowhere (away from the holidays but ideally Friday or Monday) so that we can do something with them that would usually have queues

and I am the opposite, I like it when it's a Friday or Monday either side of half term.

The places that supposedly don't have queues in term-time just have large school groups in my experience, so there is no real advantage.

I agree OP.
Our school has been crackers this year and will be having four insets for 22 days of teaching.
My children haven't been back since March and this last week has dragged somewhat.
Training away from children IS important but our years have had months away from the classroom AND school delayed reopening for eligible years by weeks so you think that they would have had time to get somethings ready such as signage. Of my three closest friends - two of them have staggered starts for non reception years meaning they have some children at home and some at school

@rosiejaune

Your child may have spent 2 years in nursery, but not all children go there at all; it's not a pre-requisite for entering school. This may be the first significant time away from their main carer.

Can't you get another parent to take yours to their house when they pick their own up?

But those children could have the option of either half days or delaying reception. My child doesn't need that. Also when you have a few children it is harder to have friends to help with them as you are never with one year group long enough to establish relationships like this. I know this is moany but my husband left me with a newborn and since then it's been bloody hard. I just feel institutions like school could give people like me a bit of an easier time.

@greengreengrass14

OP I'm going to try to be really kind to you and encourage you to be kind to yourself as I'm a single parent too and I think that some (including some staff at schools) don't see the coal face of the reality of that one in the middle of a global pandemic and I've been home schooling since March.

Mine is 15. Start of term is always a hurdle, don't know if you are on a low income, I am and no matter how much I try to budget over the holidays and for new school uniform there is always something unexpected comes up.

Plus you are the main emotional support for your kids. This morning I was so emotionally drained and tired I went back to bed for an hour and then had a bath. With the door open. In a small flat with a teenager and I don't want to moan, but I can't remember the last time I had an unhurried wash or bath. Honestly it feels like the first time since March.

I've put on weight too, and really neglected myself because I've been so busy holding things together.

So I'm trying to tell myself that start of term is a load off as at least now I've got some other people i.e the school staff to manage half the day with my daughter, provide challenges, and it feels like forever since I had some time to myself.

So I do get it. It's no wonder you are feeling drained.

Single parent reality as you know is once they get back to routine things get a bit easier. This year for them and us is way more emotionally demanding than it usually is. But in a couple of hours we will have done the first day. They will be tired at the end of it and maybe get to bed at a decent hour.

You are doing really well, do try and find some time to yourself.

I need to think through improving my health here. Seperate thread...

Thank you. I worked full time during lockdown as a keyworker. I haven't had an hour in the house to myself for six bloody months. Then they go to school-apparently- and there's still a house full. I am desperate for a day to myself. I am on annual leave this week, not like it feels like it.

@W00t

Technically those training days are still in the pupils' holidays- term time is 190 days per year. The English school year is statutory 195 days with 5 days training, 190 contact days.

From a parent's viewpoint it doesn't feel like it though because different schools have different inset days so e.g. it's impossible to get holiday childcare for them. The primary and secondary my DC are at only have 1 inset day in common so I have to use more annual leave to cover them now than when they were all at the same school.

The school isn’t going to revolve around your child and child care needs. Teachers need training days- these days will benefit your child. Other kids need more settling in sessions, all schools are different, some have 2 weeks others have none, if it was that big an issue maybe you could have chosen a different school as your first choice option.

@OverTheRainbow88

The school isn’t going to revolve around your child and child care needs. Teachers need training days- these days will benefit your child. Other kids need more settling in sessions, all schools are different, some have 2 weeks others have none, if it was that big an issue maybe you could have chosen a different school as your first choice option.

But schools need to be flexible to childcare needs when parents have to work. Also, other kids needing settling is not a reason to hold mine back for 2 weeks. The school receive funding for 30 hours not 15. It is that big an issue yes because it is consistent across schools and I have been affected by it for 11 years. It is an absolute logistical faff which is unnecessary and complex. September school starts are like an absolute rigmerole made out to be way more complicated than necessary, like a weird rite of passage. It is no different to going back after easter etc. Get them in uniform. Give them a date. Send them-all day, on the day the term starts. For inset days don't put them in the calender-they mean nothing to parents. Just put the day they start.