Holiday booking

[cherrypiepie]

I want to book a holiday for next year on the basis that my day off will be the same (so I want to Leave on Friday which has been my day off for the past three years since I stayed and that "like/try to keep it the same each year").

I won't find out if my day has changed until June/July. Would you book?

I can ask and offer to take unpaid leave if the day of changes,
but could be rejected in which case I'd have to wait.

Any insight on the position- moral/ethics/ legal/contractual?

If talk to the staff member who is planning next year's timetable-
They might already have an idea of which days off they are planning for people.

Generally our time table planner prefers to keep days off the same so everyone knows where they stand.

Explain your rationale for asking and also ask the staff member who is in charge of unpaid leave where you stand. This kind of thing (for us) is up to the head.
They'll understand that you need to make plans.

Are you primary or secondary? In my last job nothing was the same year on year, I was lucky to have a full day off on a 0.5 timetable. In my current job I can pretty much say what day off I’d like and it’s been the same for the last 5 years.

I wouldn’t book without knowing or would make sure it was a flexible booking.

It really depends on your contract. If it doesn't state days of work, just hours, then they don't legally have to follow the established patten as their priorities will be the running of the school. That said, if you speak now and explain you're booking it maybe better received if you find you're working Fridays next year.

Are you primary or secondary? This is only based on my experience, and my contract, but I wouldn't. Lots of our staff are part-time (including me), and we don't have specific days in our contract. Days can a do change regularly from year to year, and tbh if I gave the person who's doing the timetable another constraint, when it seems a difficult enough job (in secondary at least), I don't think they'd be very happy. It's different if you're constrained by something like childcare, but for a one off holiday, I would leave the booking if that until July.

All great points and glad I asked. I'll have a think. I've ruled out just booking it.

If I wait till July then there is a chance day off changes and I no longer have Friday off (or a Monday) means I won't be able book it.

If I ask now there is a chance they will be accommodating or just say no in which case I have most nothing.

Some heads would say "go ahead and assume Friday, and if we have to change it then you can take that particular Friday as unpaid leave".