Working on Saturday?!

[DogsAndGin]

Hi all, we’ve been asked to come into work on a Saturday to help at a school fete (I work in an ordinary primary academy - Monday to Friday). I have no idea why they don’t just put the fete on a weekday.

It’s worded as, ‘you don’t have to attend, but we need one member of staff from each yeargroup’… so, of course, that means that in reality, some staff do have to attend. It feels like we’re stating the obvious to say it’s against our contracted hours, so presumably the head doesn’t care about that. The heads of year feel they are obliged to go.

We’ve already had staff signed off from stress, so we’re understaffed with several supply teachers in. One of the heads of year is stretched too far - I’m worried about her. This feels like bullying. It’s such a total lack of respect.

Anyone had this happen? How was it dealt with?

[LadyOfTheCanyon]

I mean I assume the fête is open to the public and that’s why it’s at the weekend -that seems perfectly normal to me. Is it charity related? I’m going back some years now but my school regularly had various fêtes and teachers were expected to attend and supervise the kids running stalls and activities, but it was always a fun time and a chance for kids and teachers to bond a bit more in a relaxed way.
I appreciate this eats into your time off but it seems excessively work-to-rule to not accept that some extra curricular activities are expected of you from time to time. Do you not want to spend time with the kids in a more relaxed setting?

[DogsAndGin]

@LadyOfTheCanyon

I mean I assume the fête is open to the public and that’s why it’s at the weekend -that seems perfectly normal to me. Is it charity related? I’m going back some years now but my school regularly had various fêtes and teachers were expected to attend and supervise the kids running stalls and activities, but it was always a fun time and a chance for kids and teachers to bond a bit more in a relaxed way.
I appreciate this eats into your time off but it seems excessively work-to-rule to not accept that some extra curricular activities are expected of you from time to time. Do you not want to spend time with the kids in a more relaxed setting?

No I absolutely do not! I much prefer spending time with my own family and friends!

[Popfan]

Our school fete is always on a weekend and when I was a child they were too. It's not a new thing. Staff attend if they can and help out, most do. Governors come and help and the PTA put in loads of work. It's a real community event, once a year and raises lots for the school. The children love seeing us there.

Don't attend if you don't want to, your choice. It is a nice thing to do though.

[DogsAndGin]

Must just be me then. My school as a kid held it on a weekday. Up til now the PTA have run it, but there aren’t enough members anymore 🤷🏼‍♀️ I think staff well-being comes first

[Popfan]

Sounds like you just don't like your school. I love mine and our head is wonderful. If you liked it you'd probably want to do it!

[DogsAndGin]

@Popfan

Sounds like you just don't like your school. I love mine and our head is wonderful. If you liked it you'd probably want to do it!

That’s not fair. I like my job and I like the school, but it’s a job. I love my life - living it matters to me.

[MrsHamlet]

I like my school. Do I want to give up my own time, commute to work and work at the weekend? No.

[Popfan]

It's a once a year thing, hardly stopping you living your life!

[DogsAndGin]

@MrsHamlet

I like my school. Do I want to give up my own time, commute to work and work at the weekend? No.

Glad to see I’m not the only one!

[DogsAndGin]

@Popfan

It's a once a year thing, hardly stopping you living your life!

Who said it’s once a year? There’s several of these things throughout the year

[Takeachance18]

We benefit so much from the money raised at things like the fete - every year we submit a list of "extras" we would like from the money raised. No fete, no extras - so the staff benefit from helping once or twice a year.

[MrsHamlet]

@Takeachance18

We benefit so much from the money raised at things like the fete - every year we submit a list of "extras" we would like from the money raised. No fete, no extras - so the staff benefit from helping once or twice a year.

And that's fine if you're happy to do it.
But unless it's directed time - and in a maintained school it can't be - staff can't be expected you go.

[LadyOfTheCanyon]

Presumably you want your own children to benefit from these kind of events - fun, morale raising, community minded etc? Extrapolating from your view you only want to benefit from these things if someone else does the hard yard. Or have I misunderstood you?
So you’d be happy to have no more fetes, no after school clubs, no field trips, no DofE and so on because asking people to donate some free time to benefit the children/school is beyond your remit?

[MrsHamlet]

So you’d be happy to have no more fetes, no after school clubs, no field trips, no DofE and so on because asking people to donate some free time to benefit the children/school is beyond your remit?

Yes. I'm happy to volunteer to do things in my own time.
Being guilt tripped or told to do things that are not party of my directed time is beyond my remit. I simply don't do them. I don't belong to my employer. I fulfil my contractual obligations. Anything beyond that is optional.

[TeenPlusCat]

I spent years on PTA committees.
Although we loved to have staff helping, as the children liked it (and teachers are quite sensible responsible people), we absolutely viewed any help as optional and highly appreciated. We viewed it was the PTAs/parents job to run stalls, and if we couldn't find people we just ran fewer stalls.
No way should teachers be 'expected' to attend on their weekend. Money is raised not 'for the teachers' but to enhance experiences of the children.

[TeenPlusCat]

(oh sorry, hadn't noticed this was in The Staffroom)

[MrsHamlet]

Thank you @TeenPlusCat

[HamCob]

They should have tagged it on to the end of a school day if they wanted staff to help out, otherwise it should be organised by the PTA.
School fetes at my children's schools have always been held on Friday evenings.
You are not unreasonable at all in not going. To the posters suggesting she should go in - it hardly sounds like a nice place to work if staff are off with stress. I imagine OP already gives up enough of her own time to planning, assessment and all the other relentless crap we're expected to do outside of the classroom these days!

[cansu]

I think that there is little recognition of how unfamily friendly teaching is. It is impossible to take time off for kids events at other schools etc so yes people do feel rightly that their time off contract is just that- time off. I also think that this can be the start and heads will try one thing then pretty soon there is another similar event. This fete will become a regular event. I think what you can do is push back politely by saying 'it sounds lovely. If I am able to I will drop in but I cannot guarantee I will be there as I have another commitment that day'. Then don't drop in. Be breezy and marginally regretful as if you have been invited to a party that you can't make. It is voluntary.

[Magicandspiders]

This is standard. Always attended summer fete and Christmas fete, the same as parent evenings are late and residentials are overnight.

[HamCob]

@Magicandspiders

This is standard. Always attended summer fete and Christmas fete, the same as parent evenings are late and residentials are overnight.

Oh give over.
Parents evenings are tagged on to the end of working days as are most fetes etc.
Residential rely on staff goodwill and staff are given the option to go in them. Again they run during the week at most schools.
It is absolutely not 'standard' unless you are in the independent sector.

[LyndaLaHughes]

This is why we have such an issue with work- life balance in school- because there are always the martyrs who act like those who don't want to give up their evenings and weekends are being unreasonable. When people are working to breaking point during the week as it is, then being expected to go in on a weekend is not on- for any reason. Your school should be putting pressure on parents - not staff. The message home should be that if there are not enough PARENT volunteers to run such events, then they will not take place as is THEIR children who benefit from the fundraising.

[Lwg87]

I think it's awful that you're expected to help on a weekend. It's nice if you want to but you shouldn't be made to feel bad. I probably wouldn't if I could get away with it. I would however help at my children's school fetes etc as part of the PTA but I wouldn't expect my children's teachers to give up time on the weekend to help when they've been working hard all week for the good of our children.

[spirit20]

Unless it's directed time, you cannot be forced to do it. Email back and say unfortunately you are unable to do it that day.

Ignore the posters on here claiming that it's an expected part of a teachers job. It might be an expected part of the SLT's role, but not of classroom teachers and SLT shouldn't organise an event if they cannot staff it. Teachers need to demand more respect for the profession or the constant eroding of conditions will never stop.

[Barbie222]

I can see why you feel that way, but an attitude like that does change the culture of a workplace. At our school we used to see the summer fete as a bit of a laugh. It was in the diary a year in advance and really made the community sing. Then one person like you started working at the school and within 2 years they stopped altogether. Life is give and take.