Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Education

Join the discussion on our Education forum.

Original poster

Teachers - are you allowed time off to see your childrens' christmas shows?

57 replies

puddle · 12/12/2006 16:42

A bit of a rant really.

This is the second year that dp (a teacher) hasn't been allowed to have a couple of hours off so that he can see ds performing in his christmas show.

many teachers would say that the thing that makes the difference with children is parental support at school. It makes me so cross that dp who spends his time supporting and teaching other children, isn't allowed to support his own child once a year. DS is very sad he can't make it this year - he has a speaking part.

Are you allowed time off? Is it pretty much the norm that all teachers miss this sort of thing in their childrens'lives?

OP posts:
julienetmum · 12/12/2006 16:51

No. dh isn't allowed time off for this although it is OK as there is also an evening performance.

Dd's friends mum is a primary school teacher and had to miss the harvest festival (again she went to the evening nativity and gave my mum her spare ticket for the afternoon)so it isn;t just a male thing.

MrsMaloryTowers · 12/12/2006 16:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ParanoidSurreyHousewife · 12/12/2006 16:56

Not sure how it would work though - what happens if the school does the plays at the same time - wouldn't he have to be with his class rater than at antoehr school. It would be a bit barmy at this time of year, especially if they had 3 or more children.Nice if it does work out though like for Malory.

Original poster
puddle · 12/12/2006 17:14

Dp isn't allowed to use his ppa time. He could work it so that a colleague covered but they won't even discuss it.

It is a Rule.

If we had three kids I would expect that he would explain to them they had to take it in turns and he wouldn't be able to get to them all - but at the moment it's none at all.

OP posts:
DINOsaurmummykissingsantaclaus · 12/12/2006 17:15

Um...but the rest of us have to take the time as holiday. Or tell big fat whopping lies . Am I missing something here?

Original poster
puddle · 12/12/2006 17:18

yes but dp's hols are not really flexible. So he wouldn't be able to say ok I will work for half a day at half term and take that half a day to see my ds.

Although he does work in the holidays.and in the evenings. So it's not so simple.

I don't know, am I being unreasonable?

OP posts:
DINOsaurmummykissingsantaclaus · 12/12/2006 17:19

Take your point about lack of flexibility. Is dp a teacher in ds's school?

Original poster
puddle · 12/12/2006 17:19

I am really wondering whether most teachers have this issue - ie is it the norm or are other schools more accomodating?

OP posts:
Original poster
puddle · 12/12/2006 17:22

No not in the same school. Wouldn't be an issue if he was as they perform to the whole school at some point.

Am just feeling sad for ds really. Daddy never sees him do anything at school. Thankfully my job is extremely flexible - pity the kids whose parents are both teachers.

OP posts:
cece · 12/12/2006 17:22

It depends IME;

on

the Head/SMT
what else is going on in your own school
whether you work in the same school as your DC
whether cover can be arranged.

This year I have been lucky and am going tomorrow morning

But at times I have missed things. Sometimes I am lucky and it is on my days off as I only work part time.

auntyquated · 12/12/2006 17:23

pretty much up to the head i think.

it is a no-go at my school ... but i do know some schools are very accomodating. maybe it depends on whether the head has small children?????

cece · 12/12/2006 17:25

And as I only work half day on Weds I have been told not to bother coming in for an hour

I have never had this before! A new school.... plus I don't have a whole class....

sonta · 12/12/2006 17:26

not sure but i think some authorities allow a certain number of 'personal' days off per year. I know its four at my school, they are usually used for moving houseor attending family weddings but it might be worth asking the LEA. I know at my school they are given at the head's discretion. Buy the head some good booze before asking?

cece · 12/12/2006 17:27

or phone in sick?

Original poster
puddle · 12/12/2006 17:28

Auntyquad would you say there was a contradiction between what your school they expect from parents (ie to turn up and be interested in their child) and what they enable their employees to do for their own kids?

OP posts:
Pinkchampagne · 12/12/2006 17:30

I am a TA & I have never been given time off to see my DS's Christmas shows. With DS1 now, I kind of get to glance over & watch him, as he is at the same school as the one I work in, but I don't sit with all the other parents. I am very much seeing to the children in our class.
With DS2 (who is still at nursery) I don't get extra time off to watch him, but luckily his performance is on my afternoon off this year!
If I couldn't be there I would always make sure someone was there to watch him, preferably with a video recorder!

MoreEggnogAnyone · 12/12/2006 17:34

My HT is good and I get away. However I am a DHT and so only teach in the morning. I miss my management time and have to catch it up later. As a member of SMT I ouwld always try to accomodate staff to let them away.

Original poster
puddle · 12/12/2006 17:36

He wouldn't phone in sick - not fair on the kids or colleagues

OP posts:
Yorkiegirl · 12/12/2006 17:39

Message withdrawn

Judy1234 · 12/12/2006 17:40

I've got five. That has been a lot of shows over the years. Sometimes they just have to realise a business meeting is more important but we did usually manage to get to them. One advantage of my son getting a place at the school his father taught at was he was on site for all that stuff. Always try to teach at the same school (particularly if virtually free school fees are thrown in...)

blackandwhitecat · 12/12/2006 18:01

I'm a teacher and have just missed dd2's Christmas play this afternoon. However I will go to DD1's Christmas play but only because I am going to go to work, set my class up with a timed essay, race to see play (literally - I will run) and race back in time to finish off the timed essays. The school is 10 mins away, the play lasts 30 mins, the essay lasts 1 hr 15 mins and I would have been setting it anyway. I wouldn't even ask my Principal for time off for play tbh because I know that I wouldn't be happy if my dds' teachers left them to go and see their childrens' plays and my own students have exams in January.

Original poster
puddle · 12/12/2006 18:04

You see B and W cat I wouldn't mind my childrens' teachers having time off within reasonable limits (ie a couple of times a year) as long as it was planned and there were good cover arrangements.

It seems a lot of schools do manage this then.

OP posts:
nutcracker · 12/12/2006 18:17

Dd2's friends mum works in a school office and they insist that she goes to all workshops, plays, sports days etc etc for both of her children, she is very lucky.

aderyn · 12/12/2006 19:12

Dh had to miss it last year but this year he breaks up a few days earlier than the day of DD's concert so he will be able to attend.

But to answer your question, no, I doubt he would be granted time off to watch a Christmas concert.

chocolateshoes · 12/12/2006 19:18

Am pretty sure there's no way I'd be allowed. DS is too young still so haven't asked but most of my colleagues have got kids & I don't remember them ever having been allowed. I can think of a couple who've managed to get to graduations.