Just shut the bloody school!?!

[Chikeletta]

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!

Exactly this. I don’t think many parents realise how untenable the current situation is and how education as we currently know it will no longer be an option sooner than we think if something doesn’t change!

Mine haven't missed any school yet either. The whole school (secondary) has stayed open for all the strikes - a few teachers striking but the classes have been covered by non-striking staff.

Most likely because year 6 will be moving up to secondary school in September.

Wow, what it must be like to be a non-working parent of school age children - complaining because your child’s teachers AREN’T striking 🤣

I'd be interested to see how strikes have impacted different regions.
I don't know how teacher's unions work. Do teachers remain in the same union their whole career? Would they join a different one if they move to a different school, either because it's in a different area or because more teachers in their school are in a specific union?

My son's school has been open only for year 11, 13 and vulnerable children for all the strike days this academic year.
They are very short of staff anyway, but I think this is the case in across England, isn't it?

I know that Primary and Secondary manage things differently, and I believe Primary students have been less impacted (meaning they've been IN school, not OUT of school as the OP would like!).

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

Teachers can choose to move unions if and when they please - I could switch unions in the next hour if I liked.

All four of the unions are now balloting to strike in the Autumn term together, Op - something to look forward to for you 🙄

Spot the poster who believes the Daily Mail.

Keep her off then 🤣🤣

That shouldn't be happening.

One of my children is off today and I've had to take annual leave as it is a work day for my holiday childcare, the other one in primary is in today. I'd rather have saved the annual leave for another time but it is what it is!

Think OP needs to go back to school for a lesson in critical thinking

Most of MN reads the DM, don't kid yourself they don't.

2 classes open in my school. 7 closed.
Has varied each time - this is the lowest number in - due to job shares and union changes.

We stay open for the classes if the teacher isn't striking as that teacher is being paid to do their job. Those striking are not being paid.

We know that when some classes are closed and some are open, the open class may have an increase in absence - due to siblings within school, etc. We have had emails in the run up to all strike days to say some are missing in support of strike action, in addition to other absence reasons. Whilst not authorised absence our parents will also know there is no fine for one day missed.

We don't switch which classes are in and which are out. It is purely dependent on if the trader is striking or not. School does not ask other staff to cover for a different class when strike action is happening.

@ilovesooty , I agree. I thought non striking staff could not cover a striking members class ?

Only one teaching union is striking. There are other teaching unions out there. If the teacher who is in school is not in that one union then they are not allowed to strike. If they really wanted to strike they can move unions - some of our staff have. However, no one should be expected to do so.

The other unions are talking about holding new ballots so who knows what might happen next.

Oh FFS OP! You need to sort out your priorities and consider why teachers are striking at all. The strikes are there to make a point to parents and the government about the dire state the education system is in. It has zero to do with your private family life. It's your responsibility to ensure that your kids have a happy family life and can afford to entertain them in whatever way you see fit. It's also ultimately your job to ensure that your kids are educated so I do hope you're making some sort of effort to keep them utd with their school work amongst planning cheap trips to Legoland....

My daughter has been home from school on all the strike days so far, my sons class has only missed one morning due to strikes. I don't think they should just close the school and I'm glad that he isn't missing a lot of school. I am a bit worried about all the days my yr6 daughter has missed though. She has SATS coming up next week and so far nearly all of the extra sessions set aside at school for SATS practice have been cancelled due to strikes and staff absence.

YABU. Most parents would be glad their kid was in school.

I didn't refer to reading the Daily Mail. I referred to believing what they print.

Most of them are the same ones who comment on the dm, let alone read it.

The law around industrial action means that teachers can only strike if eligible, I.e. the union received a high enough percentage of votes to strike from a majority of members. Teachers in unions which didn’t meet the ballot criteria must work as usual.

Teachers not eligible to strike cannot be compelled to cover for striking colleagues.

Not happy that your child had to go to school on a school day?

Do you feel your DC teachers are not doing a good job?

Yes there's quite a few teachers who have taken this position. They really go the extra mile for kids anyway. I really appreciate their efforts. My kids are at school today.

Teaching isn’t childcare! It’s education.DC’s class are being educated, not merely looked after or supervised.

Unfair on the teacher to be potentially responsible for children ranging from primary ages 3-11 with your proposed offering spaces to families who need it.