To ask if schools will close on 1st Feb?

[cosied]

National teachers strike on 1st Feb so does that mean the schools are not open that day?

Has anyone received any communication from their schools relating to what impact the strikes may have?

@Swissmountains

Who will teach the next generation of health care workers? Since 2010 a third of the teaching profession has left and we now a mill of young teachers who qualify and leave within 3 years. Experience teachers like myself are becoming a rarity. We need a good mix of experienced teachers with younger teachers to pass knowledge and expertise on. Once us “oldies” leave quality of teaching will diminish.

In Scotland, so not sure if this is relevant, but the decision to close schools sat with the LA and not the actual schools themselves, some have been quicker to decide that others. It’s been blanket closures mostly, but now on a 16 day rolling strike schedule which impacts each LA once in the 16 days.

March proposals looks like 3 consecutive days per LA, with blanket closure either side of the 20 day schedule but not confirmed yet.

I wonder how they feel about the very limited holidays though, and how they feel when their job doesn't finish anything like 6pm in reality! 'Boundaried' jobs ffs tell that to a Junior doctor on half your salary doing 80 hours plus a week, every week for the whole year.

@Swissmountains Tell me where she works as I’d love to apply!

I’m 0.8 now (day off today and that’s why I’m posting) but I drop my children off at7.30 and collect them at 5 on my work days (only as out of hours club finishes then otherwise I’d have them in longer and stay longer instead of working evenings).

Swissmountains, well those who have achieved a comparative level of education to teachers are not only going to have 4 weeks holiday a year, equally they will have breaks, as far as I can see there is about 30 mins break and many teachers have that at their desk. Comparatively, other professions don't start at 8, usually 9 or flexibility with start time, I start work at 9.30 for example, by this point in the schools I work in they have been working since about 8 sometimes 7. Yes,other professions you have to sometimes get out really early so if you are a commuter but even so you don't have this onslaught of noise and you definitely will be rewarded for that more highly. My DH is a an Associate Director Architect but he does long hours with the idea of biggish rewards. He is definitely stressed as senior person but he gets perks like Private health care, client restaurant meals out, a bonus, he is not on conflict Resolution mode in the corridors as well as being an Architect. When I describe my office I have to use, he says I should refuse to work in what he terms an 'oppressive storage cupboard'. He thinks it is a disgrace that there is no decent coffee even, he thinks this as he's never been treated like that.

There will always be so many people that will love a job that ends during school hours meaning they can avoid vast childcare costs, which is now virtually impossible to find, and offers holidays for half the year.

I am not worried about teaching supply at all. Plenty of those working in harder conditions for less money and less holiday with find teaching attractive.

I don't suppose the teachers will cope in the real world of commerce when they see just how hard it is to make money, stay relevant and all on two weeks annual leave a year.

I do have vast childcare costs - my children are in out of hours before school and after. Last night I had parents evenings and I had to hire a babysitter as childcare finishes at 5 but I didn’t finish until 8.

So twice a year for parents evenings you hire a babysitter!
My heart breaks for you.

@Swissmountains I’m not bitter. I’ve just challengers you on the assertion that teachers don’t have childcare costs but have told you my children are in childcare each day and I have to pay for babysitters for evening events. I understand it’s part of my job so not bitter but I do have vast childcare costs.

Secondary - so 8, and options evening, 2 open evenings, 2 awards evenings, concert once a term, school show over 3 nights.

Again, not bitter. Just stating I do have vast childcare costs.

Anyway I need to get on with my own job. Enjoy your day off clearly you aren't working or you wouldn't be posting.

Just so you know many of us find what you are doing to be totally morally bankrupt given the state of children's mental health and the dire state of their education over the pandemic that is still continuing to this day. Many children will be triggered by the closure but what do you care?!

There is no support for this strike in real life, and honestly it is terrible to do this to the children. Families are already struggling enough as it is without this worry as well.

It is shameful.

It's not really worth engaging with you Swiss is it?

If you look at the stats noble often posts people are leaving teaching in droves (I did!) And are not returning. You know one anomaly of a teacher but need to look at the bigger picture.

So many classes are covered by TAs now that it's becoming more and more the case there isn't even a qualified teacher in the room for part of the week (around 1 in 5 days for my kids and they're at a good school )

You're a good example of not looking at the actual evidence. If teaching was so great 1/3 wouldn't be leaving and there wouldn't be a recruitment crisis.

Listen to what actual teachers on the ground tell you.

Swissmountains, what 'professions' are they then? I know lots of people in professions due to my line of work, my brother is a partner in a city law firm, my SIL an accountant, I'm just wondering where these professions are where there is no reward for qualifications and long hours put in and there are no fringe benefits?

How is entitled to expect nice working conditions, it is intrinsic motivation and is often why a fancy one with view of the river Thames for example is placed in an advert, it is to attract that level of professional? My DH is currently driving forward the updating of his office as he said it does not look like a Design led office, it is essential for staff and clients! I'm not a teacher so I don't get the holidays, I'm not sure what is entitled about wanting decent conditions. Please explain?

@Swissmountains No, it’s my day off. I’m 0.8. Why would I work on my day off?

You’re obviously doing “paid” work and posting … does your w Oliver know you’re working and dossing around on MN?

*employer

Swissmountains, your arguments are illogical, you reference your friend's school where the children are already on the back foot in terms of opportunities, if we don't have enough teachers to work in schools, how is this going to help those that are already disadvantaged. School closures due to a lack of staff are obviously going to much more of an issue for the disadvantaged members of society - no place to go that isn't home, further limiting prospects due to no/poor education, parents not being able to work, the cycle of poverty worsens without education.

I have thought the same but will this go down as unauthorised absence if the school is open? I wouldn't want this on my child's records for when he will be applying to 6th form in years time.

@Plumbear2 and @templesit I’m not sure about the absence but just to rest your mind, my children have had in the past 2 days of unauthorised absence when I finished for summer on the Friday but they didn’t finish until the Tuesday. We went on the holiday. I’ll be doing the same this year but it’ll be for 3 days as they don’t finish til the Weds after me. I’m not worried about it being on the records. Absence is only a problem if it’s long term.

but will this go down as unauthorised absence if the school is open?

DfE says yes in their guidance.

No one needs to argue with .Swiss about how hard teachers work; if someone is stupid enough to not value education (or its importance to the country and the economy) then they will never value teachers.

Interesting you went straight for the most extreme example - a junior doctor - to make your point. They're not exactly happy either now and have threatened strikes.

Lots of careers clock of at 6. It's not unusual.

swissmountains I'm afraid you've over-egged it a bit. Working those hours, and buying a house in London, and travelling for 10 weeks of the year? In state school teaching? I just don't believe you. Well, I do know people in teaching who work those hours, but they are crap teachers.

I used to work in industry. I worked fewer hours (over the course of a year) and was paid more than now. I love teaching, but not enough to stick it out in the state sector (where the hours were even longer).

The government has only recruited 17% of the physics teachers they need this year. Regardless of the experiences of your imaginary niece, teaching isn't a profession that has attractive pay and conditions.

@Swissmountains

vm.tiktok.com/ZMYJ9QTK4/

I think you need to have a watch and listen of this.

There’s no doubt teachers work hard and the state of the education system is a mess and the Tories have fucked everyone over. But these ‘boundaried’ decent paying jobs people are talking about leaving teaching for don’t exist. Clock on/off jobs are minimum wage or zero contract and many teachers earn at least double that with triple the holidays. I work in a decent paying private sector job and the expectations are high and certainly not 9-5. Or even 6 or 7. I’m not saying this is right but this is the shit capitalist tory world we currently live in.

Having an English degree I have a lot of teacher friends (!) and all of them are doing fine in terms of salary. Own their own houses, have holidays, travel far afield during the long holidays. None are working 80 hour weeks, struggling to get by like junior doctors and nurses.

And teachers DID get a payrise of between 5-9% in 2022. inflation is irrelevant because that affects everyone in every job also it’s predicted to be coming down so by next year fingers crossed won’t be a factor. If we pay higher salaries to everyone striking this will make inflation worse for every other working person.

I’d also support the strike more if it were solely about funding for the schools (which is despicable) rather than teachers own pockets

What are they asking for and what if anything have they been offered so far?
I back them 100% by the way, same as nurses And this is a ludicrous thing to say @cosied how can you support them 100% when you know nothing about it!