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Anger over college newsletter on student holidays - HAVE YOUR SAY
For a number of years I have advocated the removal of teacher training days from the school calendar, especially those days that are added on to half term breaks, bank holidays and weekends.
It is, in my opinion, a means for teachers to extend their leave entitlement and has nothing to do with training whatsoever.
It is possible that teachers do actually train on these additional days off but they are added to the curriculum so that the extensive and over generous leave already allocated to teachers is not impinged upon.
However, it would appear that someone, somewhere has seen sense and the teacher training days have been removed from the school calendar.
Excellent, well done LEA and teachers, you have listened and taken positive action.
Your positive, progressive thinking means parents do not have to use up their annual leave entitlement to look after their children for those additional days.
It also means parents do not have to pay for extra child minding services.
A welcome relief in the present economic environment.
But wait a minute, I take that all back.
I have just received a newsletter from Whitby Community College.
There are two articles in the newsletter that caught my eye and are relevant to the emotive subject of school holidays.
The first, covering two pages of the newsletter, refers to student leave of absence and is endorsed by both Whitby middle schools as well as the College.
It details the reasons why students should not be removed from school during term time, unless it is absolutely essential, as this would cause disruption to the students continuity of education.
It also states the three headteachers have decided that in future, any absence for holidays during school time will be refused and will be recorded as unauthorised absence.
The article suggests the headteachers regret this may cause difficulties for some families and further informs us that our support in this matter would be welcomed.
Fantastic Messrs Hewitt, Taylor and Prytherch.
Have you even considered that parents may not have any other choice but to take their children on holiday during school term?
Those same parents do not have the flexibility of leave that is afforded to you and your staff.
The second article is a list of key dates.
The list informs me the College will close on Friday 17 July 2009 for the summer, reopening on Monday 7 September 2009.
Have you counted the number of weeks that the schools in Whitby will be closed for summer?
Let me save you the trouble, it is seven.
Yes, that's right, seven.
Where does the extra week come from?
You guessed it, the teacher training days have all been lumped together and added to the traditional six-week summer break.
Now all is becoming clear.
There has been no positive thinking or consideration for parents and child minding during additional school closures.
There has been no reduction in the number of days that teachers are absent from the school.
I would refer to the first article I mentioned.
Is it possible that teachers are concerned about student absence during term time because not only does it disrupt the students education continuity but it also places additional pressure on the teachers to do their jobs in a curriculum that is already reduced by one week for teacher training?
I have another question for the teachers.
When school is closed and your child or children are off school, who looks after them – member of your family or a paid child minder perhaps? Or is it you?
Let’s face it, in most cases you have the same time off as your child or children.
What about your support to the parents in this matter? Non-existent.
I suggest your prime concern is that any days set aside for teacher training are not allowed to interfere with obscene amount of leave already allocated to you throughout school year, which is a total of 12 weeks if my calculations are correct, or three months per year if you prefer.
Teachers, please, before you reply to the criticisms levelled against you in this letter, do not suggest that you often have to work outside normal school hours to teach extra-curricular activities or have to mark work, or attend after school clubs or parent/teacher evenings.
That’s what you get paid very handsomely for.
And you are also handsomely rewarded in the number of days you have away from school.
If the additional training days cannot be undertaken at any other time other than pinning them to planned term breaks or long weekends then fine, I can accept that but then reduce the number of days you have as holidays by the number of training days taken during school term.
If that was to happen I’m sure that there would be cries of outrage from the teaching bodies.
In fact I do not think it will ever happen.
I am not unsympathetic with the teachers’ lot but when you defend the addition of the training days to the statutory school breaks or weekends then my sympathy is sorely tested.
I suggest it is probably the same for many parents.
I think the message is clear and I’m sure my sentiments will be echoed by the majority of the community in which you teach.
However, to make absolutely sure the message is not missed, stop using teacher training days as an excuse to prolong school holidays and train your teachers during the 12 weeks of holidays you have.
Paul Walker, Saxon Road, Whitby
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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