Two independent schools to defer summer term until June - August

[BoardingSchoolMater]

I sincerely hope my DC's schools do the same.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8238469/Schools-summer.html

I can't imagine attendance would be cracking in a term covering August when the reasonable expectation is early to mid-July to beginning of September is an appropriate time to book holidays.

@motherrunner

I am a teacher and I am teaching live lessons via Teams to Yr 10 and Yr 12. I teach in a state school. My friends in other schools
(Again state) are doing the same

That's lovely but not all schools are doing this. I emailed the school head 3 weeks ago to ask about online lessons and was told they were looking into it but were concerned with child protection issues and so far nothing has happened. My child is still trying to learn everything from powerpoint presentations and Seneca and it's not bloody fair. I'm not blaming the school but with some private schools creating a term where state won't be able to and a disparity between those with online learning/kids with access to the internet or a laptop etc etc it's not equal. I know it never is but it's even less so now.

It’s a bit late now to take the moral high ground @DBML.

You should have thought about that before you told everyone about your 12 thousand pound holiday.

However, the trade off is that they must be prepared to do their bit when the public requires them to do so. A generous package such as the public provides for teachers does not come at no cost

Thats why there is a recruitment crisis!
Clearly!

It’s a bit late now to take the moral high ground @DBML.

You should have thought about that before you told everyone about your 12 thousand pound holiday.
*
I think you are being goady now to suit your own narrative against teachers.

The cost is arbitrary. It could be any value but the point is any holidays cancelled currently , people are having some sort of refund. (Eventually)Teachers would not if they randomly changed them.

This and the other issues of key workers kids etc which you have failed to think of.

As a parent I want my kids to have some time outside in the summer if its safer.*

for when flowers aren't enough

@EYProvider

I don’t have to actually explain myself to anyone. If I want an expensive holiday I reserve the right to have one.

Secondly, our holiday is probably lost, but what would happen if it went ahead? If I was called to work instead? That’s a lot of money to just ‘sacrifice’ so people can work.

My ‘sacrifice’ wouldn’t be to support the NHS or save lives.
It wouldn’t be to help all businesses, because a lot of businesses require the summer holidays to go ahead...child care clubs, zoos, theme parks, holiday destinations etc
It wouldn’t be to help the kids as quite frankly they deserve the holiday.

So what exactly if this big sacrifice in aid of?

And just as an aside, if I could have taken the damn holiday in term time, it would have cost a third of what it’s costing. I’m stuck to the summer holiday, hence why I have an expensive holiday booked then. I suspect many people will be in my position.

DBML

DBML

There is no need to explain yourself.

EYP is just baiting you.

Thank you 😔 xx

@DBML

You do not have to justify yourself.

Agreed DBML, the argument against you is today, inflammatory and deliberately obtuse. Your holiday could be in Florida or at the bottom of your road, the point is that you've saved for it and you (and your children) are allowed it, you know.

🍨🍬🍭🍫🍧 this is for the children that are missing out on their education, the ones that are missing their friends and their normal routine. And all the year 11 & 13 Students that have been abounded by their Schools Government
🍦🍩🍰🍪🍔🍟

Our independent school is following a full timetable. I have one child and about 4 laptops in the house. No excuse for my child not to connect.

However, what about families with 4 children and just one laptop? It's not fair that those children should be disadvantaged.

If this goes on for much longer, it would be fairer to ask everyone to redo a year, from reception to A levels

So I’m guessing if the gov did decide to open schools during the summer all parents would be happy to give up their holidays too to ensure their dc has every bit of schooling they could. At the very least I’m guessing they’d be happy to pay up term time holiday fees should they go ahead.

I think many parents will want their kids to finally have some freedom and exercise.

I think you could probably put something optional in place, sure. Some teachers will be happy to teach over the summer (if they get paid...), some kids will be desperate to get back & see their mates, some parents will need childcare as they go back to work in a difficult employment market.

Summer day camps with a focus on say education in the morning, then sports in the afternoon, for those it would suit, sounds like a good idea. You would have to work around maintenance & deep cleaning if using school premises, but I'm sure it's feasible.

What you can't do is expect teachers to give up their holidays a) for nowt &/or b) without them 'buying in' to the idea & being happy to go along with it.

& the reason doesn't have very much to do with the (toothless) teaching unions or whatever, it's basic market forces.

Teachers in the U.K. are a dwindling resource. I taught in the U.K. for 15 years then buggered off to a fancy international school overseas for twice the money & half the workload. It's great. U.K. teacher retention is appalling...with good reason.

If the government decided to expect state school teachers to work over the summer, on anything other than a 'the option is there & quite well paid if you fancy it' basis, the already unsustainable level of buggering off - elsewhere or just out of the profession - would increase exponentially.

& then you'd be screwed for September, when you expect things to be heading in the direction of normal, & suddenly there aren't the qualified warm bodies in the classrooms to teach anyone's kids.

Oh I hope not!! My DC have been going to school as I'm a key worker. They are not happy about this, but would be even more unhappy to have no break over summer!!! Ahhhh! Plus, I've been working really hard of late! I also need a little holiday in the summer! Would be nice if the holiday clubs open in summer though!

Riverviews

However, what about families with 4 children and just one laptop? It's not fair that those children should be disadvantaged.

I actually really agree with this concern although - and I'm sorry if I'm misinterpreting your post and you don't mean this at all! - I don't think the way to deal with this is by opening schools over the holidays.

I mentioned in my previous post that the inequalities that closing schools compound need to be largely addressed by looking at the root cause of what's highlighted such inequalities, which is educational and social policy.

For example, our school has worked hard to ensure all disadvantaged students have access to a laptop. But some other schools, which are academised and accountable to nobody, may not have used the extra funding they get for these students on laptops.

I'm not saying local authority control was perfect or the be all and end all, but would have likely helped to coordinate a more centralised response to better support disadvantaged students out of school during this time. I know our pastoral team are also worried about the inability to refer to CAMHS and social services, which due to cuts have become increasingly difficult to access over the years, but are especially inaccessible at a time like this.

suburban

I was not clear. Sorry. I absolutely disagree with schools opening over the summer. I don't think it would do anyone any good

I don't see why summer holidays have to be so regimented and stuck to specific dates.

I do say this on all the related threads: just be flexible with the holidays, have a shorter summer and longer half term/ Christmas break. Everyone will still have a break and our children can move on with their education. As it stands, there won't be much holiday/ travel anyway.

Europe looks like being shut down until end of August for all large public gatherings and international travel. I think the UK will follow suit. Having schools open during the summer will help the economy recover a bit better and a bit quicker.

I do have to agree that the talks of your £12,000 holiday to Florida is pretty revolting given front life staff have had to give up all booker annual leave and are literally dying, whilst most of the working population have also faced lost jobs, reduced wages or furlough. £12,000 will be more than lots of carers and supermarket workers make in a year, I think you need to get some perspective on that ‘issue’

People who have had to give up leave at the moment will have their holiday costs returned. People who give up their holiday at the point where taking holidays is possible will not have their holiday costs returned.

I said in another thread, it seems people will not be happy until teachers are dying in their thousands because that will somehow even up the score for what other people are going through. What the actual fuck?

Ylvamoon

If the schools are open what happens to the nurseries, childcare centres, childminders, summer clubs, sports clubs.

Because if we are able to open the schools we should also be able to open these.

Or do they just not open again, do they count towards the economy?

@MarginalGain

All those people with cancelled leave won’t lose their holidays-they will be postponed to a later date. This can’t happen with teachers, as has been explained countless times.

Where did you get this idea? There are a lot of businesses that will simply fold if they get up and running again and employees take their holiday.

this explains Teachers won't be able to carry over any leave.