Why can't they change the school term?

[onedayinthefuture]

No one is willing to make a case for a pretty obvious solution. Schools close, bring down infections significantly and get the vaccinations ramped up. The winter was always going to be bad, keep the schools closed throughout January and February. That's 7 weeks that then needs to be made up later in the year. There are MORE than enough weeks in the spring and summer to do this. Cancel exams, the current cohort have had too much disruption this year and last but ensure a fair and proper accountability for exam grades awarded by teachers / exam boards.

I work in a school and don't want to lose my summer holidays but surely this makes sense? Have the kids in school in the warmer months where the virus will be less of a threat. No teachers will need to teach throughout this shutdown. ALL learning will be resumed in the classroom. The online provision causes even more of a gap between rich and poor.

Teachers working to supervise key worker children to be paid extra. Working parents (especially mothers are stuffed I admit, but aren't we anyway).

Socialisation I would argue is more important than education (which can be made up) that's the main issue for kids of all ages. That's my sticking point but in the main most kids are with loving families.

Can anyone tell me what I am missing?

@TheSultanofPingu

God, some people really dislike teachers don't they! Some of the posters on here make me sick. Since this pandemic began, the vast majority of schools/ staff have done an amazing job at a very difficult time.

Expecting schools to take their six week break in January/ February in the middle of a lockdown just shows how spiteful some of you are. Would you seriously rather that than online learning?

Are those the two options though? My DD is one of those that got a load of Twinkl sheets once a fortnight and nothing else.

There is no chance of teachers accepting this change to their terms and conditions. I cannot imagine that anyone really would. Most people have a choice of when they take their holidays; teachers do not. It is hardly likely that they would be prepared to take their holidays in the middle of winter when they are locked down and unable to travel or see any of their friends and family! If we said to the whole country, no more annual leave for you. You can take it now as the economy is slow and work throughout the summer. I am sure everyone would be perfectly happy to accommodate this??

But who covers schools during this 6wk winter lockdown? I really don’t think they’ll get enough staff willing to do it when it’s effectively becoming their annual leave.

As an aside, what have all of you been doing thst is above and beyond for you companies since March?

I'm p/t but have worked every single working day since Sept and some weekends, some unpaid, some paid. This was to catch up on work when we were 100% wfh & because Sept is our busiest time but colleagues were ill, shielding, self isolating, childcare issues. During lockdown I had to work around trying to educate the dc.
DH in a similar position & had only 1 day off this Christmas & worked late xmas eve & NYE. He can claim overtime but it's capped at 20 hours a month, he's done double that.

Many parents rely on summer sport camps, activity clubs etc. to allow them to work throughout the summer. Schools won’t be providing ‘childcare’ if they close completely. So who will look after them?

That’s why it’s too late to do now. Ideally all the childcare would need to open now - just swap the times around, so there are winter sport camps etc.

I would very much sooner quit that lose my summer after 18 months of this crap. No.

What you’ll have is many teachers handing in their notice. Then everyone will be up shits creek without a paddle. Teachers are already leaving in their droves. It’s already a crisis. Do you want your children taught or just free childcare? Essentially, do you want good teachers who choose a job because they feel valued and are therefore willing to work hard, or would you prefer teachers who would rather be anywhere else but haven’t found a new career yet and are a bit shit because they’ve given up and aren’t willing to put in the hours of overtime for free?

Teachers are just like the rest of the population: if you currently work 4 days, would you be willing to work 5 for the rest of the year, maybe without extra pay? Some will, some won't. This.

That second option would be me by the way.

@lulad, you say during lockdown you had to work whilst home educating. You do know teachers had to do this too? Do you also know that many p/t teachers also covered for colleagues who were sick or isolating? Teaching wasn’t immune to this. I’m not a teacher but have close family members and friends who are.

@NellyJames

But who covers schools during this 6wk winter lockdown? I really don’t think they’ll get enough staff willing to do it when it’s effectively becoming their annual leave.

We're talking a lockdown though, not childcare. Who will look after the kids if we go to online learning?

@onedayinthefuture, ok so schools won’t stay open for children of key workers nor for vulnerable children? Families where both parents are medics won’t be able to go to work then?

onedayinthefuture
What role do you have in school?

If we go to online learning staff would do it but not if it was being counted as their annual leave.

@CheckMyLeftPhalange

What you’ll have is many teachers handing in their notice. Then everyone will be up shits creek without a paddle. Teachers are already leaving in their droves. It’s already a crisis. Do you want your children taught or just free childcare? Essentially, do you want good teachers who choose a job because they feel valued and are therefore willing to work hard, or would you prefer teachers who would rather be anywhere else but haven’t found a new career yet and are a bit shit because they’ve given up and aren’t willing to put in the hours of overtime for free?

We are in a National emergency with thousands of people dying a day. Teachers worried sick that they'll catch it. This isn't just some little idea to make life difficult for teachers, it's to bring infection rates right down, get more vulnerable people vaccinated and so that underprivileged kids don't lose out even more. If teachers are unhappy then you have my full sympathy but it will be doing your bit for the greater good.

@NellyJames where did I say otherwise? I was responding to a specific point.

As it is I know teachers with small dc who were not required to do work or had workload scaled back because they had young dc. My sibling is a deputy head & I'm fully aware how hard he has worked.

I think you'd find exams would have to be cancelled too as school teachers won't be setting work or working out predicted grades etc during this enforced 'holiday' during lockdown.

Boils down to money. Something could be sorted if the government agreed to pay for it. You’d likely get enough teachers and support staff to agree to work some of the 6 week period, if they were paid for the additional hours at their usual rate. KW and V in January and Feb, “normal” school in July and august. Teachers are still like everyone else, saving to buy a house / car / holiday / retire / whatever, and paid overtime would be taken up by some.

The government won’t even give the schools extra budget for hand sanitiser. So the whole idea is a non starter.

OP I have just seen from your last post that you are not a teacher which explains everything I needed to know.

@NellyJames

If we go to online learning staff would do it but not if it was being counted as their annual leave.

If you read my first post, no teacher will be required to provide any online learning, it isn't fair at all to disadvantaged families or parents with young children who can't leave them alone. School fully resumes once January and February are out the way.

I strongly agree that any teachers/support staff who did extra work should be paid. Incidentally the secondary my DB works at already does revision classes/sat schools pre Covid & pay £30-£40 an hour so it can be done.

Do you want your children taught or just free childcare?

I think I know the answer to this one.
Not everyone but many.
My BIL and SIL have become very ‘concerned’ about their DC’s Edu-cay-shun since March. Which is funny because it was worth Fk all before lockdown. ‘School is a waste of time’ parents. ‘I didn’t work at school and now look at me’. Poor attendance, no homework...

@ElizabethG81
Teachers are screaming for schools to be closed,

Any evidence for this?

@cansu

OP I have just seen from your last post that you are not a teacher which explains everything I needed to know.

I was a teacher before having children and do still work in a school albeit in a different role. My holidays would be stuffed too with this plan (not all though). There are many teachers on this thread actually saying they would be in favour, it's a one off for this year. Japan did it in 2020.

would you prefer teachers who would rather be anywhere else but haven’t found a new career yet and are a bit shit because they’ve given up and aren’t willing to put in the hours of overtime for free?

This is becoming me. I don't care any more. I know the public think we're lazy, workshy wastrels. Behaviour in school is entitled - some refuse to wear masks and there's nothing we can do about it. Performance Management continues unchanged, as if all is well with the world. MNers post as if our mental health is worthless.

I want to leave and don't like my job any more. I'm not leaving though because I can't afford to. Society has created a situation in which many school staff just aren't interested any more. I certainly won't be volunteering my unpaid services if it's just assumed I'll be sitting on my arse through any lockdown anyway.