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?

Don't be ridiculous. They are both. Of course they're childcare by the very nature that they care for children. Sure that's secondary to teaching them but it still is a fact.

Sorry, this was in replyto pister who asked about NEU support staff who didn’t have required % of members voting.

Of course schools are not childcare and you are grasping at straws drawing the distinction that they are in that they care for children!
I'm truly sorry that some parents might struggle if schools have to shut.
But the nature of strikes is to cause disruption , why strike otherwise?
And I believe it's very much the last resort for anyone striking. To present it as a whim designed to punish you is delusional.

Sorry @drivinmecrazy but I think we'll have to agree to disagree on that one! If they're not childcare then presumably they expect parents to be at the school to look after the kids while they're being TAUGHT by the teachers, right? Oh wait no they don't. So it's childcare as well. Obviously

Oh come on. Schools are not childcare, but people take jobs in school hours because they know that children will be in school. The Jobcentre insists that parents of school age children work due to this.

I have no skin in the game because my DS is old enough to stay home alone but people saying "school is not childcare" are just ignorant.

My DS's headteacher emailed, they don't know yet if they will be closed. She said though that she did not anticipate a full closure. DS is Year 10 so I expect they would prioritise his year and Year 11 because of GCSEs.

Also @drivinmecrazy if this was aimed at me you're just making things up!

"And I believe it's very much the last resort for anyone striking. To present it as a whim designed to punish you is delusional"

I absolutely haven't anywhere suggested that it's a whim designed to punish me. All I said was that teachers should allow parents to make plans by knowing in advance whether the school will be open or shut. I support their right to strike because I value my child's education. I don't however want to have to lose up to 4 days pay just because the school might be closed.

Are you a teacher yourself? If so I'd suggest that your reading comprehension could possibly be improved. Perhaps you could practice some of the exercises you set your students?

surely teachers care about parents in this situation enough to just tell the head numbers?

At some point, teachers are allowed to put themselves first and / or to think of the long game. So many things in schools are done almost entirely on the goodwill of staff and they've had their heartstrings pulled more than once. There's only so many times you can tell someone they need to put you first before they expect it to be reciprocated. And teachers are constantly told "but it's for the good of the children", so they need to work even more hours, fill in even more paperwork, accept yet another below-inflation pay rise etc.

That said, I think the vast majority of staff will let their head teacher know (they always have in the past).

Swissmountains, I don't think any teacher posting on here was requesting better coffee, that was me who said that and I'm not a teacher. I was highlighting the fact that the conditions are not comparable to other professions, I asked you what professions have such poor fringe benefits. You have discussed junior Doctors but what other professions?

DS is Year 10 so I expect they would prioritise his year and Year 11 because of GCSEs.

I can’t imagine it will work like that.

Schools won’t suddenly rework the timetables for one day so that year 10 and 11 are taught full timetables and other children stay home. The children who have teachers who are striking, will be at home and, if the school is open, the children whose teachers aren’t striking will teach their usual classes. Non-striking teachers won’t cover striking teachers’ classes.

I am striking to have the 5% pay rise fully funded by the government. This is because teachers and TA pay rises have been taken out of existing budgets which is shameful when there is not enough money to buy basics (pencils, paper and glue sticks) for the children in my classroom. We have classes being taught long term by TAs to cover long term absence as we can’t afford to pay for supply cover. Children with EHCPs are without adequate support as adults are spread so thin and the trust said we can’t afford to replace those who are leaving. How is any of this right or fair on the children?

Feel free to stick in the boot as much as you like but you know nothing about my working conditions and seem ignorant of the issues facing schools.

@swissmountains wow you really hate teachers.

Ironically most of us became teachers because we want to contribute positively to society, to make a difference, to have the privilege of making kids' lives that but easier and more interesting.

It's never been about the lure of wealth 🤣

All we want is not to have to pay for supplies out of our own pockets, put in yet more unpaid hours because CAMHS don't have the resources to help allocate time, money and staff to kids who need it. Who do you think is picking up the pieces of a decimated system? Who is phoning home, raising concerns about mental health issues, informing safeguarding staff about self harm? Not support staff because there are none.

Do some fucking research!

You write as if teachers themselves don't have children ... in underfunded, neglected schools where teachers are quitting in droves and support staff is disappearing due to low pay and mid day supervisors are now almost impossible to recruit in some areas.

They're striking for their own children's education as well.

Great. So can you start planning for the differentiated work for the 5 SEND children in the class. And the resources for the 4 EAL children in 3 different languages. Also, a risk assessment for the child with a (too outing to specify) phobia.

I assume you're also happy to draft the letter to parents and arrange the resources needed. You'll also need to plan the time to discuss the needs for all the children beforehand.

The kids in my EBD unit support the strike. Not because, as I joked, they'd get a day of. But because, as one of them said, "Miss you put up with a ton of shit and you even have to buy the glue he just threw across the room." So we had a discussion about it and it's very clear that my lot are only too aware of the failings of the system. Lots in care, fostered. Lots of them vulnerable. Lots of them illiterate and innumerate at Ks4. Because they are the kids no-one has any money spare to spend on.

My own two kids (year 11 and 12) also fully support the strike. They've grown up their whole lives with me teaching and see me frustrated, upset, desperate to get help for some of these kids and being refused. DD worked out my average spend a year on equipment (paper, pens, glue, felt tips, biscuits and healthy snacks because the free school meal money covers fuck all in the canteen, tea, hot drinks etc) and it was damning.

Neither of them would touch teaching with a bargepole. I'm only still doing it - stuck at the same wage as I was 9 years ago because there was no money to put me on UPS in my last school and now i've moved, there's a freeze on UPS- because i've gone into a referral unit so my workload has reduced.

I want education to be supported again. To be funded again. I've said i'll continue until mine are through FE and then i'll quit. I'm the only person left standing in the cohort I trained with. True, it was in the dark ages, but since then i've mentored 8 NQT /ECT and not one is still teaching. 2 only made it through 2 years. And they were mostly good quality candidates. The ones we have foisted on us now are barely GCSE literate.

Anyway, that's why i'm striking. I don't think any of it makes me the arsehole. That would be the government.

But how would that work? My child has 5 lessons a day, what if only 2 teachers where in school. Would my child be expected to go back and forth from home to to attend the lessons. It makes far more sense to you the teachers who are in to teach specific year groups.

@Plumbear2 If that’s the case then the school would decide to close and those classes by non-striking teachers would be taught remotely (just an educated guess btw!)

If I am on strike, I'm not leaving planning or resources. No one is going to be able to be able to teach my classes on my behalf unless they plan the lesson.
Which they might do if they're prepared to break the strike. But very many of us will not do that.

It makes far more sense to you the teachers who are in to teach specific year groups

Not really. Do you want the non-striking music, psychology and business studies teacher to teach Y10 maths and science?

It is hugely unlikely that non-striking teachers will be covering for striking ones. No work will be set for them and no planning done, anyway.

You took what I said completely out of context by not posting the whole post.

I've looked back at your post and am not sure what your point was if it wasn't to suggest that specific year groups should be in school and the teachers in school should teach them?

That won't be happening because non-striking teachers will not teach pupils who should be in lessons with striking teachers, whatever year group they are in.

How is it out of context?

You want the teachers that are remaining to prioritise your child’s year group, but that won’t be happening.

Striking teachers won’t be there to teach their classes.

If the school is able to remain open, non-striking teachers will cover their own classes as usual, but won’t be covering any striking teachers’ lessons.

If there aren’t enough teachers to open the school, those with non-striking staff will probably get remote work for those lessons but no remote work will come from the striking staff as they are not being paid.

It will never be the case where your Y10 child will come in and out of school for 2 out of 5 lessons in a day.

In my original post I was replying to another poster. You have taken it way out of context

I also never they should prioritise my year 10. Get your facts right next time.

But how would that work? My child has 5 lessons a day, what if only 2 teachers where in school. Would my child be expected to go back and forth from home to to attend the lessons. It makes far more sense to you the teachers who are in to teach specific year groups.

This is your post. What was your actual point then?