What would you do?

[Whatwouldyousayto]

I got a new job in January as an SEN support in school, term time only. When I accepted the job (which I love , and I love the kids and people there) I had a few - 4 - holidays in there term time. The schools round us all have similar but slightly different term times and holidays so my children have a few weeks that differ to the holidays this school has.

When I accepted the job I told them about 3 of the holidays ( holiday one is 1 day, another 4 days and the other a week 5 days ) and that was absolutely fine. They said no problem, they’d honour them
as booked before I started and going forward to only book there holidays which I absolutely will and agree with:

The final holiday number 4 I didn’t mention as I knew I could ring up and move to match the schools holiday a week later: however on ringing up the holiday company it’s £1500 more expensive. We can’t afford/ justify that. It requires 3 days off work. I’m not entitled to parental Leave as I wouldn’t have worked there a year. Bar , saying im sick which I’m reluctant to do as I hate lying and I love where I work and the people , what would you advise to do? Problem is if I ask them and they say no then I can’t go off sick, I morally feel in a conundrum as I can’t lie and wouldn’t want to. I didn’t want to mention holiday 4 as I didn’t want them to think i was taking the mick and I knew I could move it .

December

not really- they were booked before I took the job on - it’s only 10 days in total I’m off in there term time . No biggie

You 'knew' you could move it so you either have to move it and take the financial hit it or ask the school. If they say yes, then fine, but if they say no, then you will, again, have to take the financial hit or lie about being sick and take the consequences of that.
Only you can decide

Ok babe 😘

I would just fess up ‘I had a further holiday booked but I thought I can move it but it turns out I cant. Here’s the email confirmation showing I did have it booked. How can we proceed’. Either be willing to pay the £1500 or demand the days off. don’t pull a sicky as they will know. Can you offer to take it unpaid?

We are close to the border of the next county. I know of teachers who've had jobs in different counties who have had this much difference in holiday dates. Also schools have the freedom to chose their INSET days. One year my grandson's school did all their INSET days as twilight sessions so they had an extra week on to May half terms and no odd days off for the children.

It doesn't surprise me that the OP and her children have different holiday dates although it surprises me a bit how many holidays she's had and that she was surprised that the price goes up in school holidays.

4 holidays is a lot. You’re probably going to have to take the hit on this one and either not go or pay to move it, unless the school are very generous and agree to the time off.

Actually I have 7 holidays this year! The others match there term time. We love our
holidays ❤️❤️❤️

Which is fine, but 4 in school term time that you need time off for is a lot to ask of your new job. You may be lucky and they agree though so no harm in asking as long as you’re prepared to change it or not go if they decline.

I didn’t mention state schools?

Who is going on the holiday? Can they go and you join them on a later flight?

Term time jobs that you love are like gold dust. I wouldn't be risking this job. If you lie and you are found out you are very likely to be dismissed as you don't have the protection of having been there two years. Even if you had worked for the two years you would probably receive a warning letter at the very least and all trust would be gone.
You took a risk not disclosing this 4th holiday because you wanted the job and felt (probably rightly) that you were pushing it with three booked holidays and unlikely to get the job with four.
If you ask for the time off now you will inevitably loose some of their trust because from their point of view you were dishonest when you applied. They may even not believe you and think you've booked the holiday since.
If you can't do anything at all to recoup some of this money, in this scenario, I would be inclined to lose the money.
You have a job many people hope to get, you haven't been there long, the job market is dire and they would have absolutely no difficulty recruiting someone else if they decided you were too flakey or dishonest.

I think you need to take the hit and move it, paying the difference. You didn't mention it to them, you can actually move it but it would just cost you.
If you have 7 holidays this year....you can afford to move it.
If you didn't think it was a biggie you would have mentioned it but with a I'll look at moving it and let you know comment.

No I don’t consider it to be a biggie/ I will have to have parental leave when needed when I’ve done a year there and may have more time of than that if my kids holidays don’t match up. It’s more a moral thing as when you work in schools you don’t want to let them down, you work in a team and they need you there. But it’s life - work life and home life

I wouldn't go off sick - I knew a TA who did that to go for a job interview and she got fired.

I think they'll argue if you can afford 7 holidays a year you can afford the extra to.move it.

She’s not wrong though. Babe.

And your update that you didn’t mention state schools… do you work in a private school or are your kids in private school? If the latter you’re going to get eyerolls when you can’t afford the cost of moving your fourth holiday.

How do you know we can afford to move it? Have you seen my bank account? Would
love to know the answer!

Because you have 7 holidays planned....its not like you are struggling with that many holidays planned. Either sacrifice one or take the hit.

You asked a question, if you don't like the answers then don't follow the advice. Only you know how you work will react - which considering you opted to move it than tell them about it means they probably wont take it well.

You could drop holiday number 6 or 7, as one idea.

How do you all know who’s paying for these holidays?! Mind is blown - so many presumptions!

Do you mean to come across how are?
Cos some (all?) of your posts haven't come across that great