I've heard it all now

The school will be closed for 5 training days and 5 occassional days each year no matter what. The school staying open isn't an option, all that can change is the date that they are closed, not the amount of days. I do agree with the bit about parents being fined for keeping their kids off school for a naff reason but it seems like the school has been sensible choosing a date of low attendance. Those dates are flexible on purpose so that the schools can choose what works best for them and their catchment area.

 

And what about the working parents of these children? Expected to take holidays/find childcare at the drop of a hat?

 

Yes but why allow the kids/parents to rule the roost?

Which is what is happening here.

Teachings gone soft.

 

Yes but why allow the kids/parents to rule the roost?

Which is what is happening here.

Teachings gone soft.

 

As has been stated numerous times in this thread, these days have always been school holidays, the only difference between these and the others is that schools are allowed to choose their own days for 10 of the holidays (5 for INSET, 5 occassional days) - the rest have to be in line with the rest of the local authority. Every state school gets the exact same amount of days in school and the same amount of days holiday, the only thing that differs from school to school is which day they land on. School term/holiday dates are always published before the end of the previous year so it is hardly at the drop of a hat, they don't just say 'by the way, tomorrow is an occasional day, soz'.

 

thats why you grew up into a violent soccer lout

that day still shakes me to my bones.

:nails:

 

I doubt the school cares which exact 10 days they choose so why not go with what appears to make sense for their community for 1 of the 10 days they get to choose the date of? I know some schools that put them all together to give families a cheap date to go away, some that try and combat low attendance (e.g. for Eid, Black Friday, local festival days etc.), some that have a coupe of occassional days around Christmas (to allow teachers to do a bit of shopping), some that put them on Fridays/Mondays to create a long weekend. The school is allowed to choose any 10 days that they like so normally either the Head chooses random days, the vote is put to staff or in some schools a vote is put to parents (although this normally causes complaints from those who didn't get what they want so schools normally just choose whatever suits them or their staff).

 

What the he'll is Black Friday?

 

10.25 Grand Central train out of Donny arriving 11.56 is still advertising at £20. Will be cheaper with rail card

Return trains 19.30 Virgin Trains £23.50; 19.48 Hull trains £22.50 Again cheaper with rail card

These prices are single adult fares

 

My wife is a head teacher. I asked her about these occasional days. She's never heard of them. They have 5 training days per year, no others.

 

Which district is she a Head teacher in? Is she a Head of a state school?

Here is the information relating to Bradford as that is the local area in which I have always worked. Not sure why they get different amounts each year as I'd heard it was always 5, at a guess I would say that the local authority has specified the other dates and is allowed to decide how many occasional days the school gets to choose dates for. In your wife's school the local authority must give no leeway and choose all the dates themselves.

https://bso.bradford.gov.uk/content/holiday-calendar

 

This one for Bury is a bit more informative: http://www.bury.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=10412

Either way, whether the authority gives the school permission to choose thier own dates or not, the school will still be shut for the exact same amount of days so the kids at Fired's school haven't been given an extra day which working parents have to cover for.

 

Barnsley. They have 5 training days, which they can choose. No other days. At all.

 

https://www.barnsley.gov.uk/service...hools-and-learning/school-terms-and-holidays/

5 days. Never heard of occasional days before.

 

Thanks for that, as I'd seen it in a few local authorities I presumed that all of them gave some days as free choice to the schools. I think it makes sense as the school would hopefully know what was best for the staff and pupils but I guess this way people with children at different schools in Barnsley will always have the same days to find childcare for. As I say, all schools get the same amount of days off, it's just that some get to pick their own dates for a few of them. It may not feel like Barnsley doesn't get the extra days but they must break up earlier than schools that do have a choice, or start back later, children must be in school exactly 190 days in England (although schools never seem to cover snow days or other emergency closures).

 

(to allow teachers to do a bit of shopping),
Try Saturday's and Sunday's .

 

I ask again what is Black Friday?

 

I ask again what is Black Friday?
It's when the pubs close early!

 

Well yes obviously, but as the school is going to be shut for the same amount of days anyway it doesn't hurt anyone does it? Ours were always used as a full week at Spring Bank to make it a two week holiday as reports were due in the days after the holidays. Some years I did the reports during that week, some years I went away for the fortnight to take advantage of cheaper flights and stayed up until past midnight every night the week before we broke up to get them done instead.