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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

22/5 School Closed for Polling Day.

41 replies

Feelingbettertoday · 01/04/2014 14:35

I'm a bit peeved as the school is closing on this day. My son is at a state community school. I know it's not the schools fault so that's not where I'm going. But couldn't LA's use libraries, council offices, even space at leisure centres and only use the school premises in the evenings. This way thousands of children like mine can still go to school. It's not about child care as I am home on that day anyway - but I genuinely think that it is possible to find other premises. Does anyone know if there is any discussion on this outside of mumsnet, and if not is it worth opening up the debate?

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BiscuitMillionaire · 02/04/2014 22:27

Well this is interesting as my DD's infant school is to be used as polling station whereas DS's junior school across the road is not. So I'm going to have one very jealous DS when his sister gets a day off. It'll be interesting to see if they have the same term days and INSET days otherwise. So far they have.

It is kind of ironic, that if we take an unauthorised day off then we're damaging our children's education and can be fined. But if the authorities shut the school then that's fine, no harm done to anyone's education

tiggytape · 02/04/2014 22:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

EduCated · 02/04/2014 22:33

Does it have to be a public building? In my old ward they recently swapped from using a school to using a private tennis club.

clam · 02/04/2014 22:45

"Non polling schools do not get an extra day at all."

We get an occasional day every year. Do "polling schools" get one also?

Breezy1985 · 02/04/2014 22:59

Ours is closed for polling, and the infant school next door is closing for 'security' issues even though it's 2 completely separate buildings, they just share a car park

saltlakecity · 03/04/2014 06:24

Clam. I've taught at three different schools over about 10 years. I've never heard of or had an ' occasional day'. Two of my schools were polling schools and one wasn't.

Sirzy · 03/04/2014 06:30

The thing bugging me this time is the fact that the polling day is the Thursday, then in the Friday then they break up for whit! Would have rather another inset day was moved just to make the holidays flow but I assume they wasn't possible. School are expecting a lot off on that Friday though!

TheDoctrineOfSnatch · 03/04/2014 06:58

My school has put the INSET day on the friday!

clam · 03/04/2014 07:01

So, saltlake, you make a blanket statement that "schools do not get an extra day off," when you mean that one school you taught at in the last 10 years didn't, to your knowledge.

I can tell you quite categorically that, for every one for the last 27 years of my teaching career, all the schools in my LA, do have one. And other Counties too, if the threads on here about them are anything to go by.

Just because you're not aware of them, does not mean thy don't exist.

OhYouBadBadKitten · 03/04/2014 07:38

Schools are free for them to use though. If they have to use a private building then that has to come out of your taxes.

MiaowTheCat · 03/04/2014 08:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PastSellByDate · 03/04/2014 10:22

I don't mind that public buildings or churches are being used as polling stations - as I do support the principle of elections in a democracy.

However, and maybe this is just our school, what I do mind is that the school always warns parents well in advance (as much as a year in advance) of potential election dates, but so far (and it's been nearly 7 years) the school has NEVER planned an Teacher's INSET day on the election day.

So at our school at least, the DCs lose 1 or 2 days a year of education because the teachers rather fancy the day off. Now I'm sure teachers will argue they use the day for preparation/ admin - and who wouldn't like an extra day to catch up with the backlog

but.....

If you're fining parents for taking children out of school during term time is the LEA going to fine schools for not effectively using election days as training days?

£60 x 420 pupils = £25,200 (it would buy a lot of school books or repair a roof).

saltlakecity · 03/04/2014 17:35

Clam. No need to be rude. The majority of my friends and family are also teachers and they don't get an occasional day either. It must be your LEA.

TheDoctrineOfSnatch · 03/04/2014 18:04

There aren't usually 1-2 elections per year, are there?

clam · 03/04/2014 18:12

I think you were rude. "Not true in the slightest."
Nearly 600 schools in Hertfordshire will tell you differently, for a start.
And I believe Ealing has them, possibly Devon too.

saltlakecity · 03/04/2014 19:15

Wow 1 county then and 2 possibles. I must be completely wrong then.

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