Can i, should i claim back childcare costs for next weeks Teachers strike ?

pinkpig08

I work in a school and we haven't even been told whether we're open or not on Thursday. I do know that letters have been circulating telling other union members not to cover those on strike.

i_wanna_save_money!

I got a letter home with dd today saying school will be opened on the 24th april and for all to attend and I wondered what they meant - is that the day of the strike?

sticher

My eldest in secondary is off - brought home a letter today. That is after telling them that they will not authorise any holiday during term time at all!

Don't know about youngest two yet as they don't go back until Tuesday anyway.

Zziggi

At my DS's school there are 9 classes and 8 are going to be closed due to the teacher being a mmber of the NUT. I have been told that the LEA does indeed have a duty to provide education for your child BUT if you turned up at the school on the day of the strike, I am not sure what would happen and I have not been able to get an answer from my LEA as to exactly what they are required to provide. I am sorely tempted to send my DS to school on thursday the 24th. This is mainly because we are going on holiday on friday 25th to sunday 27th and I asked the Head if she would allow DS to have friday 25th off school rather than us have to set off at 3pm when school finishes. The Head said no. I am gobsmacked. They can close the school on the 24th for one day and then refuse ONE day holiday (child has 98% attendance & never had a day off for a holiday before).

rachnbri

When I phoned my child's school on Wednesday to ask them about the strike they told me that no the school wasn't going to be affected and all children were to attend school. Today my child brought a letter home saying that 2 classes (one of which being his) were not running and I was not to send him to school. It's now too late for me to book the day off work :mad::mad::mad:

aimee21j

The industrial action isn't the head teachers decision. They will do all they can to keep school open but they physically aren't allowed to use other staff or indeed buy in cover staff to cover for those striking. It hasn't got anything to do with holidays and if the head's decision is that term time holidays aren't allowed then that matter is seperate from industrial action.
Our school sent a letter out with all students that the school will be closed to some year groups and that he would follow up with a letter confirming a definate decision early next week. My suspects are that they will get in the year 9's who have SATs soon and Year 11's who have GCSE exams soon. Cue one very unhappy year 11 tutor group that day :mad:

sweetmoneysaver

i_wanna_save_money! wrote: »

I got a letter home with dd today saying school will be opened on the 24th april and for all to attend and I wondered what they meant - is that the day of the strike?

Yes Thursday 24th. MY DS's class is cut although some of the other years are allowed to go in. Nice to be having a day off with DS but it means more cr&p to deal when I get back to work. It's funy how they make such a fuss if you need to take your child out of school.

Zziggi

aimee21j wrote: »

The industrial action isn't the head teachers decision. They will do all they can to keep school open but they physically aren't allowed to use other staff or indeed buy in cover staff to cover for those striking. It hasn't got anything to do with holidays and if the head's decision is that term time holidays aren't allowed then that matter is seperate from industrial action.

Yes I realise this. The Head is something close to piggy-in-the-middle. They can't bring in non-NUT staff as its like blacklegging (is that the right word?). However as a parent it feels a little like double-standards. Pity the NUT couldn't have decided to strike on a friday!

curtlyb

aimee21j wrote: »

My suspects are that they will get in the year 9's who have SATs soon and Year 11's who have GCSE exams soon. Cue one very unhappy year 11 tutor group that day :mad:

Hold on, is it just coincidence that the Year 9's & 11's teachers are not in the NUT or are you insinuating that teachers will be allocated to these children as a priority ??????

rachnbri wrote: »

When I phoned my child's school on Wednesday to ask them about the strike they told me that no the school wasn't going to be affected and all children were to attend school. Today my child brought a letter home saying that 2 classes (one of which being his) were not running and I was not to send him to school. It's now too late for me to book the day off work :mad::mad::mad:

That seems to be par for the course, total disorganisation and the timescale is what is cheesing me off because I too am now too late to book time off school.
I still suggest a one-day parents strike in May for all people who can plan ahead childcare which won't inconvenience the parents.... maybe just the year 9 & 11's

scrimpingbadger

Pity the NUT couldn't have decided to strike on a friday!
(sorry - I don't know how to do the quote thing)

I agree - and I'm striking. Not happy about losing a day's pay over it though.


Please be assured that both non NUT staff and NUT staff will probably spend the day catching up with paperwork.