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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think this last minute inset day is a terrible idea!

279 replies

Gotajobthrunepotism · 09/12/2020 22:11

Please don’t think I’m teacher bashing. Because I’m really not: I think teaching must be a stressful job, and not one I would choose.

But, this last minute inset day is an awful idea:
This year has been dreadful, and stressful for most people. We home schooled during lockdown while both working full time in hectic jobs. And it was very trying.

To schedule a last minute inset day makes it so difficult for people to get childcare: not everyone has someone to look after their child (particularly if your family are shielding)

Surely this should have been announced at the start of term so parents could plan in advance ?

OP posts:
SaltyAF · 10/12/2020 13:46

Surely this should have been announced at the start of term so parents could plan in advance?

It's kind of funny that you're naive enough not to realise this is how the DFE has been operating since March. Gives you a small taste of the school experience, but our guidance is often published late in the evening before it's enacted.

RoseMartha · 10/12/2020 14:17

Dc school not doing it eithet

hopefulhalf · 10/12/2020 14:30

Just had an email from Dd's school (Kent) to say they can be online next week, if family's want to see vunerable relatives.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 10/12/2020 14:34

Had confirmation today that DS's school won't be having inset day. They basically said it's too short notice for both parents and teachers, and they don't want any more disruption for the children. The head has said she will personally take over contact tracing on Christmas eve if necessary.

Seriouslymole · 10/12/2020 14:35

Fortunately DD's school had this as one of their INSET days anyway so we were forewarned. Bit of a PITA to have DS at home as well as I'd taken the day off to spend with DD but not a major inconvenience as we knew when the dates came out in June or whenever it was.

However, the reasoning is spurious at best and a complete nonsense. I don't blame the teachers at all but it is ridiculous to bring it in so late in the day.

happydivorcee · 10/12/2020 14:39

I’m working as a supply teacher this term. I am a single parent. I will lose approx £150 if I don’t need to be in work next Friday (salaried staff will be required to work if it’s an inset day). I also won’t have childcare for my own children if I was required to be in school 🤷🏻‍♀️

Xenia · 10/12/2020 14:48

(One reason to pay school fees if you can afford them (and work in a private school as my children's father does) as there is less chance of this kind of thing happening).

ChloeDecker · 10/12/2020 15:02

@Xenia

(One reason to pay school fees if you can afford them (and work in a private school as my children's father does) as there is less chance of this kind of thing happening).
Although private schools have longer holidays so still a ball ache for childcare for working parents...
SuperSange · 10/12/2020 15:17

We're closing today and moving to a full online timetable until the 18th. Announced by our head about ten days ago.

sticksticks · 10/12/2020 16:00

@MarieG10 except for the few teachers that volunteered to come and teach the kids of key workers.

Volunteered? We were told we had to.

Welcometonowhere · 10/12/2020 16:44

In fairness chloe most people who can afford private schools don’t have to worry too much about childcare costs

CallmeAngelina · 10/12/2020 17:07

@Xenia

(One reason to pay school fees if you can afford them (and work in a private school as my children's father does) as there is less chance of this kind of thing happening).
Oh yeah, right, silly us. Why didn't we think of just enrolling? All our problems could have been solved.
mumsneedwine · 10/12/2020 17:10

@Gotajobthrunepotism inset days are not days off for school staff. They are training days and we are in school as usual. Makes no odds to me if inset or not (in our case not). Not sure where the idea that inset days are some kind of duvet day 😂

MarieG10 · 10/12/2020 17:11

*@year5teacher
*
Honestly just do one, you have absolutely no idea about the real world. While I would have volunteered anyway I didn’t have a choice about teaching over lockdown. And honestly the amount of stress we have been under this term totally eclipses that. You are a nasty person.

No idea of the real world. Laughable. I would say that many teachers haven't a clue about the real world. I am chair of governors for a large secondary school as well as having other unconnected involvement in secondary education. I see a significant minority of teachers who are utterly lazy despite having long holidays of 13 weeks a year. I hear "oh they spend huge amounts of those working". I asked one September to be shown the product of what teachers had done during the summer break including a summary of time of remote access into school systems. Absolute joke what I saw. The argument I then hear is you can't make us do this as it isn't "directed time"

What I did see during lockdown one, was those teachers who covered teaching the children of key workers who were taught by the same teachers all the time, who volunteered because their lazy colleagues couldn't be bothered. Any suggestion others come in was met with representations from "The Union"

Discussions about remote teaching...what was the argument against...safeguarding and that some children are unable to access any IT. Well isn't it better some do?

The stress teachers have been under? A typical comment from teachers who left university and seen nothing else of the real world. I think you will find doctors, nurses, police officers, retail workers have been exposed to far more risk and stress than the poor teachers whose only additional duties have been to make sure the children sit in the same place according to seating plans and supply contact details if anyone test positive.

So sorry if my informed scepticism upsets you, but it reconfirmed the righteous indignity I see far to often from teachers and "The Union"

What I do accept is that there are many hard working and conscientious teachers who are in the shadow of those I have described above

christinarossetti19 · 10/12/2020 17:13

Plenty of private schools have closed down since the beginning of the pandemic.

Receiving a letter saying that your child's school is closing for good next week/next month/ end of term might be a bit more stressful than having to juggle childcare for an extra day.

ChloeDecker · 10/12/2020 17:17

@Welcometonowhere

In fairness chloe most people who can afford private schools don’t have to worry too much about childcare costs
Not necessarily true that! Private schools have many parents who work all they can and spend what they have on the school fees leaving them not much else left over because they have decided that is important to them and go without restaurants out, holidays, cars etc.
Welcometonowhere · 10/12/2020 17:19

Well yes chloe I do hear that but just the same I think if you can afford school fees, regardless of what other sacrifices you are making in order to do so, you cannot honestly say you are poor.

Comparatively poor, yes, but poor, no.

ChloeDecker · 10/12/2020 17:19

No idea of the real world. Laughable. I would say that many teachers haven't a clue about the real world.

Is dealing with horrific family backgrounds, refugees, child abuse, child neglect, mental health etc. not enough of the real world? Most teachers will face more of the ‘real world’ than a lot of people working.

santabetterwashhishands · 10/12/2020 17:20

Our school have decided against it which is good, they thought the kids and parents have been inconvenienced enough x

ChloeDecker · 10/12/2020 17:23

@Welcometonowhere

Well yes chloe I do hear that but just the same I think if you can afford school fees, regardless of what other sacrifices you are making in order to do so, you cannot honestly say you are poor.

Comparatively poor, yes, but poor, no.

Who said poor? Projecting there no? (Although at my DH’s private school he teaches at, there are parents there who are, for example, waiters/waitresses who work every hour they can, to send their child to his private school) Sorry if I have misunderstood but many private school parents would struggle with a last minute school closure too.
Welcometonowhere · 10/12/2020 17:33

I’m not necessarily saying that they wouldn’t, which is why it’s something best avoided.

Just the same, when schools close it impacts on everybody but as with many things, the impact is disproportionately felt by those in the most precarious situations - emotional and financial.

I don’t think pretending private schools are full to bursting with single parents on zero hour contracts is strictly accurate.

LolaSmiles · 10/12/2020 17:35

I asked one September to be shown the product of what teachers had done during the summer break including a summary of time of remote access into school systems. Absolute joke what I saw
I have my planning saved on my cloud and on my hard drive. At the end of each term I plan what I need access to and ensure I have it all because you never know when school systems update.

If someone checked my record it would say almost no log ins to school systems other than a visit to site once per holiday.

I career changed into teaching and am under no illusion that there are poor teachers like any line of work, but I do find your sceptical rant to be quite insulting as you seem to be taking 'teachers at the school I am a governor of' and generalizing to the profession.

Across the schools I've worked in I've seen a full range from the crippled with workload and stress, to marrying themselves living for teaching, to the right balance of diligent and having a life, to the work to rule as much as possible, to the lazy and incompetent.

What worries me on teacher threads is that some people seem to think car in the car park or logging into emails in the holidays is the marker of decent teachers. One poster recently even suggested a teacher being off sick is a sign they are useless and lazy.

Flipflops85 · 10/12/2020 17:38

@MarieG10

Why would I need to gain remote access to my school system to do planning and displays in the holidays? I don’t need access to the school system - I have everything I need on my memory stick.

I work some of my holidays, but I spend some of my holidays not working, because they’re my holidays, and I don’t get paid for most of it!

Your post is ridiculously inflammatory and unhelpful.

ChloeDecker · 10/12/2020 17:38

I don’t think pretending private schools are full to bursting with single parents on zero hour contracts is strictly accurate.

Again, never said that. Another projection. Just as you seem to think all private school parents have lots of money, I’m just respectful that private schools are full of lots of different parents from all walks of life and I don’t assume or judge anything.

cracracatlady · 10/12/2020 17:40

It’s ridiculous. I haves booked our summer holidays and taken July inset days into account. Now they’re going to have to have unauthorised absence