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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Just shut the bloody school!?!

279 replies

Chikeletta · 02/05/2023 07:53

1 class open in the whole primary school, NOT Year 6. For the sixth time this year, my DC has to go to school while most of the school is off. I'd much rather have an extra day with my DC.

Is it fair on the other years that one class has 6 days extra attendance and education. Equally, is it fair that my DC class have missed out on upto 6 extra days with fanily, benefitting from off-peak price days out and some extra downtime?

AIBU to think school should just offer 30 spaces for families who really need it, rather than having one class in!?
I know lots of parents are struggling for childcare, give them by DC place!

OP posts:
Bea822 · 03/05/2023 06:30

One of my dc year 11 teachers was on strike but appeared on video call. The cover teacher had her on the phone and was walking around putting the phone close to the pupils ears whilst the teacher talked on video.

Feenie · 03/05/2023 06:38

There was a local agreement with the NEU and Year 11 and 13 teachers who would have been allowed to help.

GirlsAndPenguins · 03/05/2023 06:55

I think the thing to remember here is your daughters teacher is probably not in the striking union meaning they have to go to work. Especially if they are in another union they are not allowed to cover a striking colleague (most would refuse even if not in another union) meaning they can’t just take the year 6 class. Their only real option is to teach their own class. Sounds like this could be a real asset to your child if they are already struggling with attendance

IndysMamaRex · 03/05/2023 08:25

It’s not a day off with family it’s a strike. The class will be in as that teacher might not be part of a union or that their union is not the one on strike so your “30 places for families who need it” is a bit ridiculous.

Your child also has exams coming up so you don’t want them missing 6 plus days.

sorry but your being Very unreasonable

NewNovember · 03/05/2023 10:56

IndysMamaRex · 03/05/2023 08:25

It’s not a day off with family it’s a strike. The class will be in as that teacher might not be part of a union or that their union is not the one on strike so your “30 places for families who need it” is a bit ridiculous.

Your child also has exams coming up so you don’t want them missing 6 plus days.

sorry but your being Very unreasonable

posters are not exams to benefit a child in any way whatsoever.

Whatafliberty · 03/05/2023 18:28

You really are silly aren't you?

Northernlassie1974 · 03/05/2023 19:19

Hmmm, I still am bamboozled that the people complaining about the strike don’t see the irony of their complaint. They said the strike is impacting on their child’s education, inconvenience for them child care wise. However, clearly in the same breath are saying they find teachers as vital to their child’s education and childcare convenience. Therefore, you’d think that they would be supporting teachers in making sure they get paid fairly for the job they do, meaning quality teachers choosing to go into, and stay in, education. I mean, there’s a recruitment crisis, underpinned by recruitment and retention……

And, by the way, same goes for all of these vital public services, if we all rely on them so much we should be supporting their right to strike and lobbying our government rather than listening to all of the political rhetoric making these services out to be lazy, moaning, well paid careers. I don’t see politicians striking for better pay and conditions……..

JenWillsiam · 03/05/2023 20:31

DonnaBanana · 02/05/2023 08:03

YABU thinking that a school should rearrange its classes when industrial action is taking place. However, I do think it’s a bit grim one teacher is holding out and refusing to strike. They should be supporting their coworkers.

It means they aren’t an NEU member.

Lolaandbehold · 03/05/2023 20:43

My DC’s class is the only one open. I really value education so am delighted.
Off peak theatre trips, OP? Weird priorities.

Teenagehorrorbag · 03/05/2023 22:47

I don't fully agree with your reasoning but it does seem odd to have one class in. Schools don't even know which teachers are going to strike.

Our school (secondary) has years 10, 11 and 13 in plus 'vulnerable' students. So other years are having remote learning, but those who really need to be in, can be in, on the understanding that their teachers may or may not be there (most have).

I don't know about primaries but I would have thought a similar approach would be useful. Saying that those who can keep their children home, or are not in Year 6 - can do so - and then do their best for those who do need to come in. But I'm not trying to run a school, and they will all have different priorities.

You'll be flamed by some, but actually I sort of agree with you. If you know your DC is not behind with schoolwork and won't be disadvantaged than why not offer their place to another child. But who knows how the school is trying to manage things - it must be hard enough without looking at individual cases.....

Notamumsym · 04/05/2023 02:54

Is this a serious post? I'm skeptical, sounds like it's deliberately added so it will spark angry comments.

T1Dmama · 04/05/2023 08:37

Our school is open only to all year 11’s so they revise etc

And Keyworker children that requested a space.

what year is your DC? And is it because their teacher is only one not striking?

T1Dmama · 04/05/2023 08:41

Covid shouldn’t affect attendance percentage.
and they can threaten all they they like but they won’t fine you for sickness. It’s just a generic letter that goes out to everyone below 98% or whatever the score is

AlliWantIsARoomSomewheeeere · 04/05/2023 12:55

Ummm there is a reason they keep year 6 and year 11 in, even during strikes. They are important years in school, last one before seniors and GCSE's year.
The school are doing the best they can with what they have. Blame this Sh*tshow of a government.

MyNDfamily · 04/05/2023 13:33

Nevermind31 · 02/05/2023 07:54

Strike days are not for off peak family days out. You haven’t “missed” out

😂😂😂😂😂 This ^^^

Macaronichee · 04/05/2023 15:29

And what would the teachers be teaching to a rag bag of years? This would be en masse babysitting, not educationally useful to any and a nightmare for the teacher.

Bamboozleme · 04/05/2023 15:33

Op shuffled off rather swiftly didn’t she?! 😂

Tiddler39 · 04/05/2023 20:34

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 02/05/2023 13:02

My child hasn't missed any school due to the strikes. In fact, our school has remained open for all year groups.

Should I be pissed off that he didn't also get 6 extra days off? No. Im happy he's receiving his education

But apparently that education is worse than if he wasn’t getting one at all.

Somehow.

Tiddler39 · 04/05/2023 20:37

AlliWantIsARoomSomewheeeere · 04/05/2023 12:55

Ummm there is a reason they keep year 6 and year 11 in, even during strikes. They are important years in school, last one before seniors and GCSE's year.
The school are doing the best they can with what they have. Blame this Sh*tshow of a government.

My year 11 has been in but she has supplies all day as her teachers are striking, so all she does is sit in the classroom and get told to revise. As she pointed out, she could be doing a much better job of that at home.

So no, they are not helping Y11s out by letting them come in at all.

Teachers might want to strike, but yet again, guess who suffers?

Tiddler39 · 04/05/2023 20:39

Northernlassie1974 · 03/05/2023 19:19

Hmmm, I still am bamboozled that the people complaining about the strike don’t see the irony of their complaint. They said the strike is impacting on their child’s education, inconvenience for them child care wise. However, clearly in the same breath are saying they find teachers as vital to their child’s education and childcare convenience. Therefore, you’d think that they would be supporting teachers in making sure they get paid fairly for the job they do, meaning quality teachers choosing to go into, and stay in, education. I mean, there’s a recruitment crisis, underpinned by recruitment and retention……

And, by the way, same goes for all of these vital public services, if we all rely on them so much we should be supporting their right to strike and lobbying our government rather than listening to all of the political rhetoric making these services out to be lazy, moaning, well paid careers. I don’t see politicians striking for better pay and conditions……..

You obviously don’t know what our (primary) head earns…

noblegiraffe · 04/05/2023 20:49

Teachers might want to strike, but yet again, guess who suffers?

They are suffering regardless of whether we strike or not.

And if we don't strike and don't get a decent funded pay rise for next year, the kids are even more screwed.

Northernlassie1974 · 04/05/2023 21:18

….you obviously have no idea the responsibility, workload and demands the job has. I guarantee it’s a fraction of what managers in other lines of work earn (not to mention the bonus’s). And, for the record, the majority of heads striking or ASOS are not doing so for a pay rise for themselves, they’re doing it to support their workforce, improve recruitment and retention and, most importantly, secure appropriate funding to enable schools to run, support pupils and ensure continuity of provision.

Tiddler39 · 04/05/2023 21:51

noblegiraffe · 04/05/2023 20:49

Teachers might want to strike, but yet again, guess who suffers?

They are suffering regardless of whether we strike or not.

And if we don't strike and don't get a decent funded pay rise for next year, the kids are even more screwed.

I have three DCs at critical points in their education. Don’t you think I know how much they are suffering? I also know how much they have suffered from being out of school completely in the last three years, and believe me, on a social level they are better off in school than yet again sitting at home.

I totally agree that schools need more funding, but do teachers really think strikes are the best way to go about getting that? As soon as a high enough pay offer is given they’ll be back to work.

And why the automatic entitlement to a pay rise anyway? Many, many hardworking people in the private sector, myself included, haven’t had any kind of pay rise, let alone an inflationary one, in half a decade. And we don’t get the benefits you get in the public sector. Pay erosion doesn’t just exist in the public sector you know.

And I know some will say ‘it’s not a race to the bottom’. And that’s true - we need a more even pay structure for everyone. But meanwhile children are missing their education and - most importantly - social interaction. In terms of teen mental health, more strikes is pouring fuel on an already very hot fire. And when mental health gets worse, so does behaviour.

Teachers think that people who are against the strikes don’t get the bigger picture, but actually they’re the ones over-simplifying. If you think the job is hard now, wait until you have more kids who’ve spent significant time out of school.

Feenie · 04/05/2023 22:03

Half a decade?? Try 13 years.