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Original poster

Termdates.co.uk - word of caution

157 replies

cittigirl · 02/09/2016 18:49

Check and double check before believing their verified dates. I've booked a holiday after looking at their published dates and it turns out they were incorrect. They've not had the courtesy of replying to my calls or emails either!

I'm not expecting any replies, this is just a word of warning.

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NNChangeAgain · 03/09/2016 11:37

citti In Jason's case, all publicity is good publicity.

You have either inadvertently or deliberately significantly increased Jason's advertising revenue this month. Well done.

Original poster
cittigirl · 03/09/2016 11:56

Sirzy sorry, but I've not lived in this country for a good few years. We returned in the UK summer holidays. The school wasn't open and I couldn't access the school site, so shoot me for looking at verified term dates on a website!!

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Original poster
cittigirl · 03/09/2016 11:58

Yes maybe all publicity is good but I bet Jason has a little headache now Wink

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Original poster
cittigirl · 03/09/2016 12:05

I suspect Jason is ignoring me as I won't send him the screenshots that I have!!

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tiokiko · 03/09/2016 12:10

Wrong for us too - start date an impressive 2 weeks out! Yet apparently LEA verified.

We're in Scotland - looks like all their hard work on checking Scottish school dates has been less than effective.

JudyCoolibar · 03/09/2016 12:12

We do not reply to parents and never have done

Great. So he expects OP and others to reply to his messages asking them to send details of the inaccuracies, but he's not going to bother to respond or even thank them. That would really make me want to go out of my way to contact him to improve his website.

MyWineTime · 03/09/2016 12:14

I think it's fair to say that it is an intentionally bad website. Make it SO bad that it gets people talking about it and check their schools to laugh at how inaccurate it is.
The advertising gain will be VERY short-lived
Maybe Jason made an effort with a few schools, then realised it was too much like hard work and guessed all of the rest!

maddiesparks · 03/09/2016 12:15

North Tyneside here and dates for our schools are wrong - in fact 4 days out in one case. I just look at the local authority website anyway for termdates, can't imagine why I would need to use another website? Is it because it has teacher training days on?

Number4OnTheWay · 03/09/2016 12:55

What I don't understand is, if it's a service for parents, why don't they respond to parents??? Surely they want parents to come back again and again so keeping them happy would be top priority! Or am I missing something?!

Brokenbiscuit · 03/09/2016 13:05

I don't believe that a website that was genuinely trying to provide a service would be quite so bad. Therefore, I'm going with NN's theory that he doesn't care about the accuracy just as long as he gets the hits.

Clutterbugsmum · 03/09/2016 13:14

Jason would be better to actually find out how school work.

All schools need to have a website it's part of Ofsted requirement, as they have to by law have to publish certain policies and procedures.

Secondly all schools have to confirm school holidays (set by government) and inset days (which you seem to ignore) by april/may time.

I would suggest the best place to confirm school holidays is either direct with the school or your local council.

Original poster
cittigirl · 03/09/2016 18:32

Thanks. Still no satisfactory response! Poor show!

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Original poster
cittigirl · 08/09/2016 10:02

I'm bumping this thread to make more people aware. The matter is in hand, though no thanks to term dates (if you're reading this Jason)

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Original poster
cittigirl · 08/09/2016 10:29

Oh and also check ( or don't Wink)
realwire As they're the same group promoting the same thing..

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Original poster
cittigirl · 08/09/2016 10:41

.

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BeacauseImAnElf · 08/09/2016 10:44

I've just checked the 2 schools my dc go to one is right and one is wrong. Don't most schools still send out the term dates at the end of the school year? Or put them on their individual websites?

NNChangeAgain · 08/09/2016 10:48

Well done elf you've contributed a little bit more to their income from advertising revenue Hmm

Don't feed the troll people, and hopefully, HQ will be along soon.

NotCitrus · 08/09/2016 10:49

I just googled for our dates (council take forever to decide, then just copy the rest of London) - this site was the top hit but for next summer they were 4 days out for the start (clearly 2 inset days plus weekend), and the council haven't decided when the 2017/18 year starts so the return date can't be trusted either (yes, it probably is no earlier than Monday 2nd Sept, but still...)

Why Lambeth can't copy the rest of London and decide nearly a year in advance, I don't know. actually, why can't all schools fix dates two years in advance unless building works are planned - it's not like they don't know they need to provide 190 days of schooling and the expected distribution of terms!

Original poster
cittigirl · 08/09/2016 10:49

Yes I'm sure they do but if someone like me, who was unable to access the school site, assumes verified information on a website aimed at parents would be corre,t they may trip up like I did. It's wrong and they know it!

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Original poster
cittigirl · 08/09/2016 10:51

Who is a troll nnchange ? I can assure you I'm not a troll. Hq can easily confirm that!

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Tanith · 08/09/2016 11:00

Perhaps it's worth contacting the advertisers and pointing out the bad publicity their product is getting.

I once did this with an advertiser and they were horrified, the advert was removed.

Paulat2112 · 08/09/2016 11:03

Jason, your site is shite

Jungfraujoch · 08/09/2016 13:53

Shocking customer service Jason! Cittigirl is still waiting for a decent response. Come on!

Number4OnTheWay · 08/09/2016 14:35

Nnchangeagain posts on this thread have been reported to mnhq for sock puppetry, I reported a post and how got back to be to confirm and then deleted posts. If they thought citti was a troll they would have sorted it then. I've seen citti around loads and really dont think shes a troll!

Original poster
cittigirl · 08/09/2016 14:48

I've been on Mn for 12 years, not that I should have to justify. I just happen to not use my original NN

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