To think teachers should give notice of strike closure!

[Geeds]

I know teachers need to strike, I know they don’t need to give advanced notices, I know the whole idea is to ‘cause disruption’ but surely they also understand that normal working families need notice if they can’t go to work on a certain date?

The school is emailing saying they will ‘let us know by 8am on Wednesday’ about if school will be open or closed on Wednesday. I get 5 weeks annual leave to cover 13 weeks of school holiday, I don’t want to book a day if they then end up open as this will then eventually cost me money when I have to pay childcare in the holidays as I’m out of annual leave. I also can’t really afford the unpaid leave that I’ll have to take it as, if I don’t book annual leave.

I’m not slating teachers for striking, I understand and support the reasons. But AIBU to think they should give us a bit of notice? The strikes will ‘disrupt’ either way, but not giving notice to families is only going to affect the 30 odd parents in your class who also have their own stresses and money worries.

@Create10 don't be facetious. Society is structured so children are looked after st school during the day. Dropping parents in the shit at the last minute is just so bloody shitty.

In this country provided the correct procedure is followed we have the right to strike. Schools are not supposed to ask who is striking but some do. They might put fwd an anonymous survey so they can.make plans. My school informed parents last week. It is annoying for parents. The government are not listening. Retention is dire. Pupils are being sold short. The situatio is almost at breaking point. Hope the mess is sorted

Some of the posters on here spouting absolute nonsense as truth are proof enough something in teaching needs to change 😂

Good! That's a head that cares for working parents, SEN children, fsm children and presumably the future of all children!

That's a head that wants to keep decent teachers by offering them a decent wage, paid for by the government instead of having to take money from the school budget (meant for those working parents, SEN children and fsm children).

Wouldn't it be great if all Head's were that supportive of your children's education?

Not all schools will set work.
If a teacher is in strike then they should not be providing work, in person or remotely, for anyone in their classes that day. Their labour has been withdrawn for that day.
Other non-striking teachers should not be providing work for cover for a striking teacher's class/es either.

But it is not the last minute. There was notice given. There is notice of all other dates freely available. You just clearly had too much faith in the government. Parents not wanting is decent education for their children because they are inconvenienced for four days is bloody shitty. Be a better parent and care about your child’s education.

@LorenzoVonMatterhorn I care enough to avoid this shit show and others by not using the state sector

Exactly.

I'm not striking because I'm with a different union but my dc's school is closed and setting online work. I've emailed to say I don't agree with this and think it's poor form. And I've explicitly told DC they are not to engage with online learning that day because it defeats the purpose of the strike. Shockingly, they've not complained! 😂

The unions legally have to inform the councils etc how many members they have at each school but it is up to the individual whether they want to strike. It gives the schools an idea of how many potentially will be off, the headteacher then decides what to do with that that information. Your headteacher has decided to cause trouble with it.

Their teachers are striking that's why they can't go in?

Most schools have already let parents know in my experience. I don't actually know any who haven't. Most parents in here also appear to know, though there are some who don't.

This is the HT's decision and they have decided to edge their bets. The HT could have made a decision based in what they know. They can't ask other teachers and TAs to cover them, and many supply teachers won't cover striking teachers either.

At my school we know 3 teachers are in the striking union and have chosen to strike. They decided to let the HT know in advance, though didn't have to, Their classes are open and parents have been informed. This is a third of our classes. No work will be set. It was confirmed with parents about 1.5 - 2 weeks prior to Wednesday. Before that we sent out a holding letter. This let parents know about the possibility so they could be aware and start to make back up plans. For the classes open it will be work as normal. TAs in striking classes will be supporting in non-striking classes. Families of vulnerable children in closed classes have been contacted and support offered.

The school DD is working at is closed to all pupils. Infact the whole Academy chain is. Dd isn't sure how many staff are striking. I assume the head of the chain decided to close all rather than wait to find out, Non striking staff are in work that day - they are having their that day, as well as a little additional admin/prep/monitoring time, and the staff meeting. Striking teachers are not going in and not working.

I would plan for school to be closed.
Ideally have a plan that can be cancelled last minute if you can.

If not, keep your child off anyway if you want - some of our parents aren't sending children in, in support of the strikes and are going to the march in town. They have emailed in to let the HT know, and have preempted that it will be classed as unauthorised but are willing to accept that. It's only one day anyway, so no fine here for that.

Infact we have now had several emails and a couple of letters of support from our parents. We do have many parents working at local universities, hospitals, etc though which I suspect helps.

What vote did it lose? Are you a teacher?

FFS many of these teachers are parents. Some people are …… 😬

Exactly this.

Im a teacher and a parent of a school aged child.

My kid is in a different council area than I work. My kid is primary and I’m secondary. This means that our strikes are not on the same day. We have no childcare for the days my daughters school is closed.

Oh, and added bonus - teachers can’t take annual leave either. And we can’t use unpaid leave for strikes because we had prior knowledge of the strike dates.

Stop backtracking. You said two parents which is completely untrue for significant numbers of children.

Your complaint needs to be directed at the head. He or she needs to make a decision. In my school they have looked at the likely / possible numbers of teachers and made a decision in advance. We are open for a smaller number of students and that's it. Saying they will decide on the day is spineless.

What's your backup 'childcare' plan WHEN schools close permanently because the massive teacher shortages reach a critical level then?

There are already countless schools in which exam classes are taught by non-subject-specialists because of catastrophic numbers of teachers leaving the profession and a gaping hole in recruitment. To be clear, normally exam classes are prioritised in terms of assigning experienced teachers, let alone subject specialists. You don't mind that droves of teachers have left, more are leaving each term and soon education will be provided mostly by teachers who are still training/just qualified/cover supervisors? That's cool with you, yeah?

I guess, hopefully you have a plan for 'childcare' then? Without a change, that is the reality facing your children. Better dust off that home schooling textbook, right?

Nope @Willyoujustbequiet this is what I said quoted below. If a playground full of adults (plus the other parent, grandparent, friend, neighbour, fucking great aunt Maud) can't work out how to cover 6 hours between them all while the teachers demand better resources and funding then I fucking despair. I really do.

"At least you know the dates. Just arrange a back up plan.

Honestly, the schools close and peoples brain cells just melt away. Never mind the country has gone to rat shit, little Felix couldn't possibly go play at a mates for a few hours. There's generally 2 parents, plus other relatives for each child at the school. Just put your heads together and sort something out."

Well, at risk of being pedantic, yes, every child technically has two parents. I don't think it is teachers' responsibility if one is no longer on the scene to share childcare.

My point is that with so much advance notice of the strike dates, parents (insert any responsible adult) could just get their heads together and see how they could manage this.

Groups of kids having play dates? One SAHP takes a couple of kids in return for a play date at a weekend? One school parent books the morning off and another the afternoon?

You know, use your brains and act like a community instead of waiting until the very day of the strike to make a plan. Waste time slagging teachers off online because little Rosie goes to breakfast club on a Wednesday or whatever. It's truly sad.

Ours are doing exam years in and those keyworker or vulnerable children in school same as lockdown where you apply for a place for your kid. Means both mine are in school. Much to the annoyance of one who wanted a day off. But having nearly all of lockdown one off 🤦 is why dc got a place in lockdown 3 and strike days ...to make them do some bloody work

Spoken like a true stay at home/ very part time parent, who is in with the cliques on the playground because she’s there for pick up everyday, with a lovely supportive family, with grandparents on hand ready to dote on their precious child. Ever considered that outside of your fabulous little bubble, there are parents who don’t have the luxuries that you do?

Parents who, everytime their child has a sick day, they spend the rest of the month worrying about how they’ll budget the food shop next month because they’ll be down a days pay?

I’m not slagging off teachers online, but I’m struggling to understand how not telling parents punishes anyone but the parents. It’s certainly not going to punish the people who can actually make decisions - they will have the luxury of money, and support networks to hand.

"Spoken like a true stay at home/ very part time parent, who is in with the cliques on the playground because she’s there for pick up everyday, with a lovely supportive family, with grandparents on hand ready to dote on their precious child. Ever considered that outside of your fabulous little bubble, there are parents who don’t have the luxuries that you do?"

Couldn't be more wrong 🤣 but well done for having a go.

Yes agree with this ☝️

Also, how exactly do you expect the head to tell the parents accurately without a crystal ball?