in thinking that they could use a church hall or council offices rather than a school as a polling station so the school didn't have to shut?

[CountessDracula]

seems ridiculous

It can be very expensive to use community centres and sports centres though, even if they are community run. They have to reimburse for lost revenue on the days, as well as paying the standard rental.

Is that right Hamster - I didn't think it was? Something about the head not knowing if there will be an election, when the dates for inset days are set.

We don't do it! Schools don't ask to be closed, they are told. And it is a right pain in the arse!

Re using other buildings, there are very stingent rules on the size of the property that is used, distance of the polling booths from the desk, canvassers from the polling booths etc

More expensive than paying all those teachers to do nothing all day? How do you measure the cost of a lost day's education and if you say it's negligible, why do they do to school at all?

I suspect the teachers aren't doing nothing all day

Some info here

and before someone posts the inevitable. INSET days have always been days holiday for the kids. They have taken the days from the teachers already

(it always crops up in this discussion, I thought I'd get in early his time )

Yes that's what I tought, the head can add it on to the term, but I don't think they do here. My Ds's school is used, but they still get the same hols as other schools in the area. The teachers may put (some) of their day off to good use, but it's still an extra day off.

Yes inset day have always neen hols, but polling days are extra.

You're right. I hadn't read the LEA paragraph properly - "If schools have to close completely, then this day should be taken as an inset day, but if there are no more inset days to be taken, then the school will close and the children will lose a day?s education".

We spent a term in USA when an election was in progress, local one including school boards.Not only was the primary school open but the children had election related lessons and spellings like democracy.

I was all excited after reading this about the prospect of a bonus day off for dd - was planning all sorts of great things we could do. Rang the school to confirm that they are used as an polling station, and was told that the school will still be open but the hall will be sealed off from the rest of the school.
Oh well...
Can see how frustrating it must be if you have to make alternative childcare arrangements.

Why not having the elections on Sundays like some European countries. It drives me mad as we have just heard that our daughter's school will be closed on the 06th May... we only have a week to find childcare!!! I think it is totally unfair!!!!!

There are all kinds of regs about what can and can't be used as a polling station - distance from people's homes, disabled access etc. Not all church halls meet these criteria. School halls are often the nearest and most suitable and most accessible buildings.

Interesting stuff on
disabled access to polling stations here