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Original poster

Sooo, is your child's school striking on the 30th November?

95 replies

Appuskidu · 14/11/2011 20:25

Have they told you yet if the school will be closed? My DD's school shut for the most part last time, but I can't remember when they let us know!

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girliefriend · 14/11/2011 20:27

No they haven't confirmed but I am assuming they will as they did last time!!!

I didn't mind too much last time as it fell on my day off but this time I am at work so am a but more annoyed!!!

Waswondering · 14/11/2011 20:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Machakos · 14/11/2011 20:30

I don't think all the teaching unions' ballots have been counted yet. I think schools should know by the end of this week.

DownbytheRiverside · 14/11/2011 20:43

Final day for deciding is the 17th I think.

Original poster
Appuskidu · 14/11/2011 20:51

Final day for deciding is the 17th I think.

Is that the final day for the unions to decide OR for the teachers to opt in or our OR the schools to make their decisions?

Lots of decisions!

OP posts:
Feenie · 14/11/2011 20:52

The NASUWT, which are the largest union, don't close their ballot until 17th November. The result will be made known on the 18th.

RedHotPokers · 14/11/2011 20:53

Our school has confirmed it will be closed, unless the Unions negotiate with the Govt before then. I am also striking, so will be available to look after DD luckily.

Hulababy · 14/11/2011 20:53

No news from DD's school as yet. They were fully open last time.

School I work at hasn't told parents yet. Last time if teachers were in then the class was open, if teacher was striking then the class was shut. If strikes go ahead this time I think something more will need to be done as there are potentially far more staff affected, including support staff such as the caretaker who is responsible for opening the school to start with.

snowball3 · 14/11/2011 20:54

If I recall, union reps need to tell Heads a week in advance how many staff in their union will be on strike but not which ones! ( Mind you, as Heads are striking too, this might mean more schools have to close!)

DownbytheRiverside · 14/11/2011 20:55

It is a courtesy to everyone involved to tell the school if you are going to strike, but you don't have to until the very last minute if you don't want to.
Some schools may wait until they have all the info, some may decide earlier on what they know already.

mrz · 14/11/2011 21:02

If the caretakers strike the schools must close if the heads strike they can open Hmm

mrz · 14/11/2011 21:09

You don't have to inform the school you intend to strike although most people would out of courtesy

Elibean · 14/11/2011 22:54

Don't know yet...

blackeyedsusan · 14/11/2011 23:01

don't know.

SenseofEntitlement · 14/11/2011 23:03

If DD1s school doesn't close, can we not send her anyway? Well, no child of mine will cross a picket line if it is at all possible to avoid.

twinklytroll · 14/11/2011 23:09

Non striking staff cannot do the work of striking staff. So if the caretaker is responsible for physically opening the school in the morning the school cannot open.

abbierhodes · 14/11/2011 23:10

Senseofentitlement, picket lines are unlikely. We're protesting against the government, not our own schools, so most of us will not picket. No one did aat my school last time...we had to close to pupils due to insufficient staff but those who were not in the union had to go in.

abbierhodes · 14/11/2011 23:12

I do wonder though, morally, should I send my children to school that day if their teachers choose not to strike? It seems wrong to withdraw my own services but then expect to make use of theirs, iyswim?

twinklytroll · 14/11/2011 23:12

As abbierhodes said there should not be picketing at schools. Strikers will gather somewhere else to protest and raise their cause.

IMO if you strike you should be involved in some kind of action rather than just sat at home.

SenseofEntitlement · 14/11/2011 23:19

I may well keep her off anyway.

abbierhodes · 14/11/2011 23:26

Twinklytroll, I'll probably spend the day marking Grin . Don't tell the government, will you?

CardyMow · 14/11/2011 23:31

I have no idea if the school will close or not yet. Last time, I was in the odd position where DS1's teacher was on strike so he couldn't go to school, but DS2's teacher didn't strike, so he had to attend school. Which actually cost me twice as much in bus fare as I had to pay for 4 journeys for DS1 instead of 2. Which is unfair when it is costing me £10 a day to get them to school as it is, and I'm on benefits - it cost me an extra £3. They have different teachers this year, I hope either both of the teachers are on strike, or neither.

DD's school didn't tell us until the DAY BEFORE. If that happens again I shall be most miffed - totally not enough notice.

I think I will check both websites to see if they have mentioned anything.

CardyMow · 14/11/2011 23:33

Thinking about it - I'm going to mark my place on this thread. I was right last time that DS2's Y2 teacher wouldn't be striking - she has only been qualified for a few years, was the older teachers that went on strike.

Places a bet now that DS1's teacher this year won't strike, but DS2's will. Will come back to tell you if I am right on the day. Grin.

abbierhodes · 14/11/2011 23:38

Huntycat, teachers don't have to give notice so they may not be able to give much notice as they don't have all the information.

As an aside, do you not have a bus pass for your DS? However much they cost I'd imagine it works out less than £10 per day. If you're on benefits you may well be entitled to a free one.

abbierhodes · 14/11/2011 23:39

It'll be based on what union they're in, nothing else.