East Lancashire snow: Monday school closures (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Most of them from Darwen schools were out causing criminal damage today around the town. Time we had CCTV in key areas.

I do think that the Headteachers could have a bit more consideration for the parents who work and notify the press sooner if they are to shut tomorrow.
We waited until nearly 8am on Monday and Today to be notified by Lancashire Radio. Last minute child care arrangements have to be considered.

ST THOMAS SCHOOL?
THEY DONT CARE ABOUT LIMITED EMERGENCY SERVICE. NOR CARE ABOUT CHILDREN SAFETY
CAN BE KEPT SCHOOL CLOSED FOR OVER 2 WEEKS FOR XMAS BUT CANNOT CLOSE SCHOOL FOR 2 DAYS FOR THE WEATHER WE HAVENT SEEN SINCE 1991

Hill Billy Bob wrote:
I do think that the Headteachers could have a bit more consideration for the parents who work and notify the press sooner if they are to shut tomorrow. We waited until nearly 8am on Monday and Today to be notified by Lancashire Radio. Last minute child care arrangements have to be considered.

Completley Agree


BTW Davidoff
are you a professional grouch??. Is snowballing realt criminal damage???

The Edctn Dptmnt shld cntrlse the clsure announcement deadline !
eg. ALL schls notify by 15.00 hrs Y/N.
BBC RL cud thn b advsd & trnsmt @
frqnt intvls !
Obvs Y may trn 2 N if wthr wrsns !


Dos nybdy knw if Dwn Vl HS is opn
Wdnsdy ?

As a teacher myself I know that school closures are a decision that are always made as a last resort and under extremely unfortunate circumstances. This morning, at 7:15am, the snow was falling lightly so the decision was made to continue to open my school, however only half an hour later the conditions had worsened considerably and most of the staff (including our keyholders!) were unable to get to school. A decision had to be made quickly to close, in order allow parents know through radio stations etc.
Unfortunately it isn't as clear cut as some people think - yes, it's an inconvenience when schools shut at short notice, but from my experience every effort is made to keep schools open where possible, rather than shutting them willy nilly...

It would have been helpful if the Telegraph had used elementary punctuation in producing that list.

Stealer, was your school closed all your lifetime?

Ee by gum, why don't ya all get ya wellies on and av a bit of fun

Hill Billy Bob wrote:
I do think that the Headteachers could have a bit more consideration for the parents who work and notify the press sooner if they are to shut tomorrow. We waited until nearly 8am on Monday and Today to be notified by Lancashire Radio. Last minute child care arrangements have to be considered.

The person responsible for publicising closures at Lancashire Radio had to go home and was no-one else was able to update the list! An early decision to close does not necessarily result in an early announcement, the radio station makes announcements as and when they see fit.

Personally both my childrens' school and preschool have remained open, I don't feel the respective heads are putting the children at risk by opening. They are educating my children. The preschool staff all live within walking distance, so short of utilities failure it always opens! And the school will always try to open whilst there are enough staff to give a good safe service.
As parents if we don't get to work we don't get paid... that is the ethos I want my children to have, be it work or education.

And finally I can fully understand the need to make the decision early in the morning in our case it was 6am. It is up to us as parents to make emergency arrangements with a childminder or family member to look after the children at short notice, school is not a childcare faciliy!!! It is an education establishment!

Why is it that in certain areas of Blackburn one primary school is open and its neighbour closed? A different kind of snow? Or a different attitude and ethos? In an urban area like Blackburn almost all schools should be open tomorrow - Thursday. We haven't had snow for two consecutive days and the staff should now have worked out a contigency plan as to how to get into work. Parents of closed schools should be asking serious quetions of heads and governors as to why the prolonged closure. Buses are running on main routes and the trains haven't stopped at all. What's wrong with teachers' attitudes these days?

well said Noticer. Why is it that teachers are always the first to be off work when it is cold/snows etc? Doctors, nurses and other public sector employees do all they can to get into work. Private sector staff manage it too! It is a bit of a joke.

I think it’s more of an issue for larger secondary schools such as Ribblesdale and St Augustine’s. Pupils in those schools tend to come from places like Brownhill, Padiham, Gt Harwood, and Clitheroe with teachers living further afield.
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If there aren’t enough staff on site or if catering supplies can’t get through etc, they’d have to close and send the lot home anyway, which I imagine could be a real nightmare to try and co-ordinate!
A limited school bus service was available for some schools today but it couldn’t be guaranteed so most took the decision late yesterday to remain closed today, instead of faffing about and risking it.
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I’m not the biggest fan of teachers in all honesty; they are mard-arses most of the time but I’m with them on this one!

why is it the teachers' fault? it's the heads and governing bodies who close schools. so why slam teachers? i think that you should try teaching kids in today's society-you would soon know what hard work is.
what the hell do you do anyway? r u in charge of the roads?

Although we haven't had snow, the predicted freeze tonight will make all areas very dangerous. Mix that in with 200+ excitable children in a relatively small space and you have a recipe for disaster. It doesn't take a genius to work out that a doctor or nurse will care for one adult at once whereas teachers look after 30 children at a time - it is very different.

Why would anyone want to risk theirs and others safety by trying to get into work if they live in remote or undriveable areas.Fair enough if they can walk then get up an hour earlier. But spare a thought all you moaners...it may be difficult to get to work for some but those who are self-employed may not have a choice whether to work or not in these conditions, especially those like me who are friggin driving instructors!!

page last updated at 4.20pm it`s now 8.06pm...please update or have you all gone home?

according to radio lancs there is only 1 school closed tomorow, so they are NOT up to date, I cannot understand why the head at witton park has decided to open when most neighbouring schools are closed due to health and safety. Also even the bus drivers wont know till the morning whether they are running due to the freeze tonight, so therefore the school is open but might not be the school bus to get you there, and walking is dangerous.

The global warming mythologists have been quiet recently. Next they'll be telling us the ice caps are melting.

jack russell wrote:
according to radio lancs there is only 1 school closed tomorow, so they are NOT up to date, I cannot understand why the head at witton park has decided to open when most neighbouring schools are closed due to health and safety. Also even the bus drivers wont know till the morning whether they are running due to the freeze tonight, so therefore the school is open but might not be the school bus to get you there, and walking is dangerous.

their website has been saying that all-day long

looks like the LET list is correct then, a gritter has just gone flying up our rd, way too fast to be gritting it, so will be stuck in again tomorow.

jack russell wrote:
looks like the LET list is correct then, a gritter has just gone flying up our rd, way too fast to be gritting it, so will be stuck in again tomorow.

where is that? because i live near the old B.R.I and not seen 1 at all and i have a grit bin near my gate that as never been filled up once

Alixet wrote:
well said Noticer. Why is it that teachers are always the first to be off work when it is cold/snows etc? Doctors, nurses and other public sector employees do all they can to get into work. Private sector staff manage it too! It is a bit of a joke.

I have lost count of the number of hospital bosses I have seen on television today saying that large numbers of staff are staying in temporary accommodation on site: sleeping on the floor in unused wards etc. Are you suggesting that teachers should bed down in the hall each night in case the weather is bad the following morning?
I walked past my daughter's school this morning: yes, the snow stopped yesterday, but the main road is not snow free despite regular gritting and the roads around the school can best be described as ice rinks. How much education are those children who fall over and break arms, wrists etc going to get?

Noticier, did you not see the scenes on the news of the situation in the Pennines today? Staff don't live around the corner anymore, they have to travel: sometimes they have an hour's commute. As for public transport, the buses have been intermittent to say the least today and trains are only useful if you live within reasonable walking distance of an appropriate station. What happens if the trains at your local station don't come to Blackburn?
The weather is bad; worse than I can remember in the last twenty years: next year it will be back to normal. Just enjoy if you can and stop using it as an excuse to bad mouth the teaching profession! They don''t treat it as an excuse for a day off; they are too busy trying to make the best decision for their pupils.

blackburn with darwen council is a disgrace. the people in charge need to sort themselves out because it's obvious that they don't know what they are doing. just look at the stupid, pathetic road system. you'd think they'd get it right-but what do you expect with that blagger straw representing the good people of blackburn? we deserve much, much better than this shower in charge!
The voice of reason...

Noiticer wrote:
Why is it that in certain areas of Blackburn one primary school is open and its neighbour closed? A different kind of snow? Or a different attitude and ethos? In an urban area like Blackburn almost all schools should be open tomorrow - Thursday. We haven't had snow for two consecutive days and the staff should now have worked out a contigency plan as to how to get into work. Parents of closed schools should be asking serious quetions of heads and governors as to why the prolonged closure. Buses are running on main routes and the trains haven't stopped at all. What's wrong with teachers' attitudes these days?

Mike Costa says:

What a complete idiot you are.
My wife is a teacher and she had to be in school at 7.30 on Wednesday and Today to man the phone to inform parents that the school would be closed.
And why is the school closed? Its not because the teachers want a day off. In fact they will mostly be doing the prep work that they would normally spend most nights working on while you and your ilk have your feet up in front of the fire watching your TVs. No, they are closed because the schools are afraid of getting a load of claims for injuries thrown at them by the sad element of society that seeks every opportunity to make a bit of easy money. I wouldn't be at all suprised if you were one of them

For the 3rd day running I have been notified, by text at 0715 that Darwen Academy is closed. Why??The deputy headboy was posting on his facebook page that school was closed at 1900 last night. I am a nurse at RBH and I have made it in to work! I understand there are H+S issues but the weather forecast was for heavy frost and it was obvious as I cleared my car at 2200 last night this was the case. Yet school leave it until 0718 to notify parents and as I write this The Academy is not one of the closed schools on the Telegaph list. I have therefore looked at the weather forecast for tonight and tomorrow and made the executive decision not to send my children to school tomorrow.

To Mike Costa and others who offer lame excuses as to why some schools are closed I would ask them to consider why others are open in the same neighbourhoods and in other European countries where its even colder.. They will have teachers who have travelled distances and icy playgrounds. On TV last night we had clips of schools on the hills above Halifax open as usual.As an age group children are the least likely to have accidents on icy pavements as they are more flexible and supple than adults. I doubt litigation against a school for opening in these wintry conditions would succeed.
Again, I say it's all about ethos and attitude and heads and governors need to be challenged as to why their schools are still closed.

Noiticer wrote:
To Mike Costa and others who offer lame excuses as to why some schools are closed I would ask them to consider why others are open in the same neighbourhoods and in other European countries where its even colder.. They will have teachers who have travelled distances and icy playgrounds. On TV last night we had clips of schools on the hills above Halifax open as usual.As an age group children are the least likely to have accidents on icy pavements as they are more flexible and supple than adults. I doubt litigation against a school for opening in these wintry conditions would succeed. Again, I say it's all about ethos and attitude and heads and governors need to be challenged as to why their schools are still closed.

I saw the same report about the school near Halifax. All staff who were on the premises lived within walking distance. The Head even said that with the wather expected last night, today was likely to be a different story.

When the Police and other emergency services are telling people not to drive unless it is an emergency, what right do you have to talk about ethos: the Heads etc are following official advice. Again, I say that the roads around my daughters school were like ice rinks. Yes children may be supple and unlikely to suffer breaks, but what about their parents and carers? What about the cars that slide on the road running along side the schools and mount the pavement?
Get down off your high horse and stop using freak weather as an excuse to have a go at education.

I agree with the point made about late notification: but the other side of the argument is that Heads want to make sure they have made the right decision on the day: mainly to stop comments like those coming from Noticier. I'm betting the head boy was making an educated guess and you need to consider the time taken to make around one thousand text messages: I bet even multiple systems would take a while dealing with that lot, to say nothing of the fact that the time sent and the time received don't necessarily match.

ladysal wrote:

Noiticer wrote: To Mike Costa and others who offer lame excuses as to why some schools are closed I would ask them to consider why others are open in the same neighbourhoods and in other European countries where its even colder.. They will have teachers who have travelled distances and icy playgrounds. On TV last night we had clips of schools on the hills above Halifax open as usual.As an age group children are the least likely to have accidents on icy pavements as they are more flexible and supple than adults. I doubt litigation against a school for opening in these wintry conditions would succeed. Again, I say it's all about ethos and attitude and heads and governors need to be challenged as to why their schools are still closed.

I saw the same report about the school near Halifax. All staff who were on the premises lived within walking distance. The Head even said that with the wather expected last night, today was likely to be a different story. When the Police and other emergency services are telling people not to drive unless it is an emergency, what right do you have to talk about ethos: the Heads etc are following official advice. Again, I say that the roads around my daughters school were like ice rinks. Yes children may be supple and unlikely to suffer breaks, but what about their parents and carers? What about the cars that slide on the road running along side the schools and mount the pavement? Get down off your high horse and stop using freak weather as an excuse to have a go at education. I agree with the point made about late notification: but the other side of the argument is that Heads want to make sure they have made the right decision on the day: mainly to stop comments like those coming from Noticier. I'm betting the head boy was making an educated guess and you need to consider the time taken to make around one thousand text messages: I bet even multiple systems would take a while dealing with that lot, to say nothing of the fact that the time sent and the time received don't necessarily match.

Mike Costa says:

Well said. I suspect your words are wasted on a person like Noticer whose only goal appears to have a cheap shot at the education system and teachers in particular. Wonder what he does for a living?
Further details on the advice given to Headteachers by the DCSF is to be found on Teachernet. I suggest he reads that. In the meantime, he could try putting himself in the position of the Head and make decisions that could either result in severe injury or death of a parent or child. or a heavy damages claim from an injured party. Would he, with that possibility hanging over him, make a snap judgement on whether to open or not?

totally agree-'the noticer' should get down to schools and help dig up all the ice and snow which lays on the roads and pavements arond some schools. i went into blackuburn earlier and the state of the roads is disgusting. even the pathways into the precinct are thick with sludge and snow. surely the council could brush off the snow and throw some grit or salt down to make a safe passage. also montague st and all roads off it (including babs castle way - the 'ring road'!) are very icy. he could help clear them as well. come on and take 'notice'-get your wellies and shovel out!

Parly wrote:
I think it’s more of an issue for larger secondary schools such as Ribblesdale and St Augustine’s. Pupils in those schools tend to come from places like Brownhill, Padiham, Gt Harwood, and Clitheroe with teachers living further afield. . If there aren’t enough staff on site or if catering supplies can’t get through etc, they’d have to close and send the lot home anyway, which I imagine could be a real nightmare to try and co-ordinate! A limited school bus service was available for some schools today but it couldn’t be guaranteed so most took the decision late yesterday to remain closed today, instead of faffing about and risking it. . I’m not the biggest fan of teachers in all honesty; they are mard-arses most of the time but I’m with them on this one!

To you and to NOTICER - what exactly do you do? I am a teacher and I and EVERY other teacher I know works bl**dy hard, day after day and evenings and weekends. I don't know of any teacher who doesnt work hard and who wants a 'day off'. The heads make the decisions based on guidance from the government and all the red tape that surrounds schools these days. Get your facts straight before you start beating the teachers.

So how long will the schools stay closed? What will happen if this weather lasts another week or month? Will the schools remain closed throughout? Again, I ask those whose blood pressure is hitting new heights because of my comments, why are some schools in the same neighbourhoods open whilst others are closed? Those that are open presumably believe that their role is to provide the necessary service to the public and they must have read the same government guidelines regarding closure.

I think the Lancashire Telegraph should write to Blackburn with Darwen BC education department and enquire using the Freedom of Information Act how many teachers live in Blackburn / Darwen and work in a school in the borough but couldn't be bothered to get into work.

If you live and work in borough there should be no excuse of getting to work (walk if you have to!)

CAG1 wrote:
I think the Lancashire Telegraph should write to Blackburn with Darwen BC education department and enquire using the Freedom of Information Act how many teachers live in Blackburn / Darwen and work in a school in the borough but couldn't be bothered to get into work. If you live and work in borough there should be no excuse of getting to work (walk if you have to!)

this is very amusing! i know teachers who have been in school every day even though the school are closed. in fact i was on blackburn train station the other day and it was packed full of workers going home because of the weather.
also, teachers will be working from home doing all sorts of beaurocratic mumbo jumbo which they would normally have to do on week nights or weekends. do you know that when a police officer arrests someone they have to fill loads of forms in - including how the arrest was made and evaluations? why don't they do this in their own time like teachers have to? they would be up in arms!

oh well - one other thing. teachers are their to educate children and not childmind and babysit them. people who work in retail etc are working for companies to make them money and teachers are there to educate. once again, because schools are closed does not mean that teachers have a day off - they can work from home like many other people.
keep the faith!

Noiticer wrote:
So how long will the schools stay closed? What will happen if this weather lasts another week or month? Will the schools remain closed throughout? Again, I ask those whose blood pressure is hitting new heights because of my comments, why are some schools in the same neighbourhoods open whilst others are closed? Those that are open presumably believe that their role is to provide the necessary service to the public and they must have read the same government guidelines regarding closure.

I have tried to write a response to you, but I can't do it. The LET would probably pull it due to it being abusive. All I have to say is, what did the edcation system do to you to make you so bitter. You don't even attempt to respond to reasoned argument, you just keep trotting out the same old rubbish.
Why do different schools in the same neighbourhood react differently to the weather?
Because they have different pupils, different teachers and different conditions!! A school with an entrance on to Preston New Road may be able to open wheh the a school with an entrance on Leamington Road can't even if they share the same back wall!!

ignore what 'The Noticer' (i really don't know waht he notices!) says. he's no idea!!! he's totally ignorant! don't get wound up by him go and make a snowman instead! i have. i've been home for 2 days and have just finished all my APP! maths and english! yipee! now i'm going to start getting my groups ready for SATs revision. It's going to take ages; working out what every child needs a boost on! it's such fun! Lol!
Remember - give your snowman a grumpy face, and call him 'The Noti...' hee hee!
oh bugger - i'm already well behind on my teaching work (at least i have an excuse!).

I'm not having a go at the schools for not opening. I fully understand why they're closed and in the litigious state we currently live in I fully support the reasons the schools are closed.
My point is. I could've predicted yesterday after a quick glance at the weather forecast yesterday(and the day before!) that school would have been closed unfortunately the headteacher/Governor
s or whoever makes these decisions left it until this morning to send out texts to parents, The school's own website could've publicised the fact or informed other media of the fact yesterday.
It is interesting to note, however, that after i emailed the Headteacher this morning expressing my frustration texts have been sent out this afternoon at 15:54 advising parents that the Academy is closed tomorrow (08/01/2010).
Result!!! ;-)

personally I'm not having a dig at the teachers, they do work hard. The reasons I don't want my child to go to school in this weather is a. my child would have a 2 mile walk mostly down hill to school, I have walked less than that to work and it's pretty scary at the moment. b. secondly my child says a lot of the children are frightened to go because the older ones throw ice balls at them which is very dangerous. They would also hve to endure this on the way home.
Personally I think all the schools should stay closed till there is a thaw on the way.

at last St Thomas primary school has come to its sense
and closed the school
however this sense of closing school shoud've had come earlier

ATTENTION TO ALL PARENTS of children going to St Thomas School
next time this failing happens stand up for it
dont send your child to school let the
school open without pupils and it would then be closed
i have noticed that 80% of pupils stayed at home
why troubling the teachers, pupils and parents for the sake of few pupils
from KIA Monster

Have you all forgotten what it was like to be a kid and be told that school's closed and that you can play out in the snow all day? Woo-hoo!

Absolute p*ss take by many headteachers, disgusted at the attitude of them. I travel the roads of east lancashire and have done so all week, why then cant teachers be ar*ed to get to work.

Forget H&S thats just bullsh*t

Why dont you all stop moaning and spend some extra time with your children,have fun and play in the snow with them,after all there all that matter,(ENJOY THEM WHILE YOU CAN)they will soon be adults.

golazzo wrote:
Absolute p*ss take by many headteachers, disgusted at the attitude of them. I travel the roads of east lancashire and have done so all week, why then cant teachers be ar*ed to get to work. Forget H&S thats just bullsh*t

wow! you are correct-us teachers really can't be bothered! i agree that some workers (not just teachers) stay off for stupid reasons. what job do you do? i bet you don't reveal. you probably drive round on main roads and stop and eat bacon butties and drink coffee and try to sell people things they don't need and drive a mondeo (or is it an audi?). never mind. i actually look forward to going back to school after a well earned break-it is very rewarding. the 2 things which ruin our job are stupid government initiatives and ignorant parents-who have no idea what happens in schools.
have a nice day 'golazzo'-put some brown sauce on today-go on live dangerously!
scorchio!

golazzo wrote:
Absolute p*ss take by many headteachers, disgusted at the attitude of them. I travel the roads of east lancashire and have done so all week, why then cant teachers be ar*ed to get to work. Forget H&S thats just bullsh*t

Mike Costa says:

Its a pity that you didn't get an education when you were younger, coming out with the ill informed drivel that you have done here.

just seen golazzo go down my street (main road-sorry!) with his Hercules and his cart. get out quick and you can get some manure for your roses! rag and bone rag and bone!
those were the days when mum yelled:
"get out quick wit shovel before someone else gets it for their garden!"

(i have just had a 5 minute break to make a brew and give my grey cells a rest - this assessment is boring! is that ok- am i allowed?)

NOTICER! I once lived in Rochdale, years ago, and was delivering my child to a Primary school in conditions such as these now. The father of a teacher had driven his daughter to work ( because the Head thought he was a hero as his school was open when others were sensible and shut ). The father did not want his daughter driving on the snow. This father slipped on the path from the gates to the building. I was there. I comforted him and stayed with him until the ambulance arrived. He broke a leg. He never walked again. He died later that year ( other health issues ). The HUGE guilt felt by daughter, Head, teachers and even other parents stayed with that school for YEARS. It closed after bad weather from that day onwards, every time.
.
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It's not just me, Noticer, others think your attitude towards teachers is bitter and, simply, not normal. You are a bully with no care for others.
.
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Did someone say elsewhere that you were a Head once? Can anyone back this up?

Looks like the leader of Manchester City Council and the Mayor of London share my views so I can't be far off the mark with my comments.

I am disgusted by a couple of ignorant people's comments on this blog. As I have already written, teachers are the hardest working people I know and I honestly don't think Noticer and Golazzo have a CLUE what goes on in schools. In fact they probably view teaching in terms of those stupid adverts on TV where children sit quietly around whilst you teach them fun science lessons outside. You won't have a clue about day to day (and evening to evening!) life of a teacher who works **** hard to make sure their children are progressing at a rate applicable to their ability (and to government targets) I once had a colleague who had a parent come in with similar attitudes to what you have on here. She invited said parent to spend the day in her class. After seeing the hard work she soon changed her mind. I defy anyone on here saying such ridiculous things about teachers to spend a day in a classroom then come back on here. Try APP, AfL and all the sorts - all things we do to make sure our children are the best they can be. There is no way on God's earth that you can be a teacher and be lazy - it's just not possible - you would soo be sacked! Please know your facts before you sprout such useless (and damging) drivvel.

Did you not read my story, Noticer, or are you just fighting your little crusade?

And I've just read your recednt 'report' - if you get your facts straight (again I'm repeating myself...') they are not commenting on indiviual teachers but schools as a whole. Now, if you talk to any head, you will know what lengths they have to go to to say a school is closed - in fact it's harder work being closed than open - staff still have to go in in order to inform parents, and at a local school today, even to clear the school yards. Just a thought, but if people like you actually tried to help in doing this, maybe schools could be open sooner?

golazzo wrote:
Absolute p*ss take by many headteachers, disgusted at the attitude of them. I travel the roads of east lancashire and have done so all week, why then cant teachers be ar*ed to get to work.

Forget H&S thats just bullsh*t

Yeah, that's right - headteachers are all taking the p*iss (a bit like your limited vocabulary?)

Would you like to try getting 30 staff and over 200 pupils into one small building at the exact same time, to be picked up at the exact same time, not to getting paths around your grounds gritted to try to halt slips and falls - or claims for compensation...

Headteachers are in a no-win situation. One headteacher I know decided to open on Thursday after closure on Tuesday and Wednesday, and, as a result got nothing but complaints from parents because they had to bring their children to school when it was clearly unsuitable. Needless to say the school is closed on Friday.

Noiticer wrote:
Looks like the leader of Manchester City Council and the Mayor of London share my views so I can't be far off the mark with my comments.

having another 5 minute break noticer - is that ok?

ah yes, the mayors and other government nitwits will put their ignorant views forward. they don't have a clue either!

who gives a toss what 'The Noticer who never notices' and others think anyway. i laugh it off now. i know that i do a very demanding job to the best of my ability. i sleep very well at night.

ktteaching is spot on. what a load off cobblers the adverts for teaching are! try teaching 30+ children who are brought up to think that they can do anything, say anything and act however they want to-it's just a little bit different than the advert! and when i got told off at school (many moons ago) i daren't tell my parents when i got home-i'd get double punishment. what happens now? parents come in and have a go at you for correcting their children! what good progress we've made. it's no wonder we have chavs and layabouts sponging off the state in towns all over this blessed (broken) country of ours. what great role models some parents are today!
key word: progress?

come on noticer and golazzo, what do you do? lets rip your profession to shreds and see how you like it.

Noiticer wrote:
Looks like the leader of Manchester City Council and the Mayor of London share my views so I can't be far off the mark with my comments.

Mike Costa says:

Putting yourself alongside Richard Leese and Boris Johnson is hardly doing your 'argument' any favours is it? 2 more obnoxious, self opinionated and very wrong persons would be hard to find.

He! He!

Stop the teacher bashing!
Lots of those moaning are only doing so because they've had to spend a week with their little darlings and the school baby sitting service isn't running. Sorry that you can't sit on your backside watching Jeremy Kyle all day.

viewfromthehill wrote:
Stop the teacher bashing! Lots of those moaning are only doing so because they've had to spend a week with their little darlings and the school baby sitting service isn't running. Sorry that you can't sit on your backside watching Jeremy Kyle all day.

Personally I have nothing but praise for teachers: I also know what it is like to teach these days: I am the only member of my family not to teach, and I also work in education. I have seen how the work these people do has changed over the decades and having watched my husband put in a full twelve hour day at his school and then come home to work until 2 or 3 in the morning trying to keep up with beaurocracy (if I spelt it wrong I apologise: I can't make it look right!), lesson planning, report writing, etc, the one thing I can guarantee is that they won't be sitting around watching television: they are probably glued to computers trying desperately to get ahead, if they haven't been called into school themselves that is.
Seeing as you claim to be so knowledgeable Noticer, how many of these "lazy teachers" are acutally at home? From what I can tell, in a lot of cases, it is only the children that have had time off.
Got to go now, need to do something about the sledging bruises.....

I do beleive teachers work very hard. However, this is starting to get very irritating I work in the NHS and do wonder what would happen if we didnt get there!! Most professionals travel long distances to work and we HAVE to make it (with the exception of those who have children to look after who arent at school). Especially in this weather as all the little darlings have more injuries and create more work for us whilst sledging etc in the snow so its more work with less staff. Not being grumpy but I do wonder how some schools decided to close for the whole week on Wednesday.

I do find it annoying when I see comments all over facebook by the 15+ friends I have that are teachers saying whoooo whoo snow day, no school for rest of the week etc, or the 2 male teachers making plans to spend the day in the pub citing it has, food, beer, tv, pool & music. I work in NHS & live 6 miles away from work & on tue walked to work then worked & day & most of the nite without a break & stayed there in an oncall room for a few hours sleep before continuing another shift + a few hrs. I managed to get home that night using public transport & have been in work every day since using public transport as main roads are clear. The main excuses for schools being closed are h&s well teachers get up there clearing paths around the school as be realistic the kids are not playing out at break times! I'll only agree with closing if the heating is effected. Don't give me this talk of teachers living out of area coz I know drs & nurses living in Preston, Bolton & Manchester who have all made it to work. Community nurses are still managing majority of community visits, using public transport. Emergency services don't get a choice if it's snowing we all pull together, our shifts thrown out the window as we just try to provide a service. Surely if the schools are open then it's the parents choice to send the kids in or not. It's ok shouting from the rooftops how important education is, don't take your kids out of school for holidays etc, but some snow drops & school closes! Any chance of half term being cancelled to make up on the lost education the children have missed this week? Prob not eh?

Oh my goodness, you still don't get it! The teachers don't all get together and decide 'Well, we need a day off today. Let's close the school...!' Teachers have NOTHING to do with schools closing. Let me repeat that. NOTHING TO DO WITH IT!! It's not because the teachers 'can't get in' - ie you think they can't be bothered making the effort to get in. The whole decision is made by the headteacher. This in turn is made by the Local Authority and wider government. So, if you are going to blame anyone, blame the government who make the documentation and decisions. Please make sure you are well informed before you begin to 'bash' the people who are only trying to do their jobs. If you work in the NHS and the 'head' of your hospital was told by the government to close, would you be expected to be held responsible for not going in? I thought not. Think what you say before you write it down

Friend of mine has a daughter who is a Primary teacher in Greater Manchester. Lives in Blackburn. Closed Tues, Wed and Thursday. The community was informed school to be open Friday. It opened today and only 83 ofthe 276 pupils turned up. It serves the (very) local area - no transportation problems. ALL the brilliant teachers were there - THEY WERE THERE YESTERDAY TOO, SHOVELLING!!! So who are lazy? Teachers or parents????? These are record-breaking conditions. STOP IT !!! Teachers are a cog in the greater wheel - leave them alone.

I'll say it again for those who didn't get it: just because the school is shut, it doesn't mean the teachers aren't working!! A relative's school shut to children on Tuesday afternoon. She has been in work every day since, as have all her colleagues.
Cutthebull: would YOU clear the streets around your hospital if that was the only way to get the patients in? What about those routine outpatient clinics that were cancelled? I can guess it wasn't your hospital, but why aren't you complaining about the staff who couldn't get in and make sure the clinics ran? Surely they are essential services?
Community nurses making visits in your area on public transport? I guess you don't live in Blackburn then; it would take them a month!! Or in the Ribble Valley where the essential visits are being made by two nurses who happen to own four wheel drives.
The teacher's don't make the decision, it is either the Head or the local council and it is a difficult decision to make: stop using the freak weather as an excuse for teacher bashing: do you really not have anything better to do?
I am acutely aware of the importance of education thank you very much: if my daughter's school was open she would be there without question: she has a 100% record over the last two years.

Why are there so many people complaining about schools closing. I think the childrens safety is paramount. I was walking along to school with my daughter and a car careered out of control missing us by a fraction. There is a lot to consider children being cold in schools , slipping and falling and teachers having to deal with masses of injured children, feeding them if supplies cant get through, journey to and from school, the risk of more snow and children being trapped at school and parents not being able to collect them. I think this weather is extreme and wont last forever. Enjoy spending time with your children or Im sure their grandparents will love having them.

cutthebull wrote:
I do find it annoying when I see comments all over facebook by the 15+ friends I have that are teachers saying whoooo whoo snow day, no school for rest of the week etc, or the 2 male teachers making plans to spend the day in the pub citing it has, food, beer, tv, pool & music. I work in NHS & live 6 miles away from work & on tue walked to work then worked & day & most of the nite without a break & stayed there in an oncall room for a few hours sleep before continuing another shift + a few hrs. I managed to get home that night using public transport & have been in work every day since using public transport as main roads are clear. The main excuses for schools being closed are h&s well teachers get up there clearing paths around the school as be realistic the kids are not playing out at break times! I'll only agree with closing if the heating is effected. Don't give me this talk of teachers living out of area coz I know drs & nurses living in Preston, Bolton & Manchester who have all made it to work. Community nurses are still managing majority of community visits, using public transport. Emergency services don't get a choice if it's snowing we all pull together, our shifts thrown out the window as we just try to provide a service. Surely if the schools are open then it's the parents choice to send the kids in or not. It's ok shouting from the rooftops how important education is, don't take your kids out of school for holidays etc, but some snow drops & school closes! Any chance of half term being cancelled to make up on the lost education the children have missed this week? Prob not eh?

Has it occurred to you that your facebook friends may be winding you up? You know, getting a rise out of saying that they've got an extra day off or so?
The reality is that headteachers have given teachers plenty of work to do at home (on top of the work they already take home with them...)
Hell, if you think it sounds so brilliant why don't you quit your oh-so difficult job and train to teach yourself then you'll get all of these so-called perks that us teachers appear to be getting.
As for us clearing paths around the school, we are highly trained professionals, not manual workers - this isn't what we should be deployed for; however I'm pleased to say that on more than one occasion this week myself and my colleagues have cleared paths around my school, unfortunately exposing lethal sheet ice underneath that grit alone cannot handle.

How come the private schools in the area managed to open on Friday and Thursday (in some cases) when in general the pupils come from a much larger catchment area than the state schools that have remained closed.

Will the Head Teachers be threatened with court action for not allowing the children to go to school, as parents would be if they took their children away from school during term time?

DougFlo wrote:
How come the private schools in the area managed to open on Friday and Thursday (in some cases) when in general the pupils come from a much larger catchment area than the state schools that have remained closed.

Will the Head Teachers be threatened with court action for not allowing the children to go to school, as parents would be if they took their children away from school during term time?

Maybe there is a money issue here? A closed private school may mean loss in fees?
Before somebody beats me up because of this point let me say that it's only a suggestion! Maybe they have the resources to grit and clear their own areas? Many primary school budgets are very tight and unseen expense such as buying rock salt to grit surrounding areas cannot be honoured. Perhaps all the teacher bashers should petition their council to grit surrounding areas of all schools!

I've read all your comments with great interest and most of you seem to understand the problem, and are right when saying that it's not the teachers that are making the decision to close. It is out of their control. Should we not be looking at the real problem here, if the local councils/government had been properly prepared then maybe it wouldn't have been such a disaster!! Not enough grit, why not???? If the roads had been gritted (and I don't just mean the main roads) then maybe more people would have been able to get to work in the first place. It's not the teachers fault, they only do what they are told by the powers that be. I myself made an effort to get to work on Monday, cleared the snow off my car on Sunday Evening so that it would be easier on Monday after freezing temperatures on Sunday, only to find on Monday morning that one of my wheels was stuck in the snow, when I eventually got out (a kind gentleman towed me) that my breaks were frozen solid and wheels not turning!! (Going nowhere) Stayed off work through no fault of my own (unpaid). Was up earlier than normal the next day to check whether college was open, decision was made to close due to heavy snow, same thing again on Wednesday, the desicion was made on the day. Informed that college would be open to staff only on Thursday & Friday. So, as you can see, I and probably most of the staff that work in the same college as me were up and ready for work earlier than normal every day this week, the desicion was not ours to make!!! I also know of people that travelled into work on Tuesday as they didn't get the message in time, and it took them 3 hours!! Another point I would like to make is that most staff did take work home with them because even though college was closed or no students were in we still have more than enough work to do. Even though I took two weeks holiday entitlement over the Christmas Break, I was working for part of it. Also, two days of that the college decided to offically close before Christmas because of the severe weather warning, I don't get those holidays back. For those of you that are blaming the teachers, if you want to make changes then I suggest that you go and train in a speacialist subject then get a job either in a school or college trying to educate children that sometimes don't have the correct values instilled in them from the start by their ignorant, layabout, complaining parents who think that school is a place where you send your children for a rest!!! No doubt, I will be up early on Monday morning to check my email and see if I need to go into work. (That's if the weather report is correct and we have heavy snow fall on Sunday) Otherwise, I and many other hard working teachers will turn up as usual to a classroom of 30ish young people, who are all either 'high' or 'grumpy' because of the weather!!!!

DougFlo wrote:
How come the private schools in the area managed to open on Friday and Thursday (in some cases) when in general the pupils come from a much larger catchment area than the state schools that have remained closed.

Will the Head Teachers be threatened with court action for not allowing the children to go to school, as parents would be if they took their children away from school during term time?

One of the more barmy posts on this forum I believe... - headteachers and governing bodies are more likely to be threatened with court action for ALLOWING children into school under such conditions. After all it only takes someone's little darling to slip when the parents see pound signs flashing and a no-win-no-fee claim for them to get their grasping hands on. Believe me - I've seen it happen.
As for the court action that is taken when parents take children out of school during term-time, well any responsible parent I know wouldn't take their child away from their education unless under extreme circumstances. As has been reminded of us, schools are already closed for 13 weeks during the year, offering plenty of opportunity for family holidays etc.

Truepadihamer....I don't think I have ever agreed more with someone's sentiments.

Rational wrote:
Why are there so many people complaining about schools closing. I think the childrens safety is paramount. I was walking along to school with my daughter and a car careered out of control missing us by a fraction. There is a lot to consider children being cold in schools , slipping and falling and teachers having to deal with masses of injured children, feeding them if supplies cant get through, journey to and from school, the risk of more snow and children being trapped at school and parents not being able to collect them. I think this weather is extreme and wont last forever. Enjoy spending time with your children or Im sure their grandparents will love having them.

I think your post is excellent and makes sense, this is exactley how I feel about my child having to go in in this weather.
thanks

I am amazed at the comments, especially when they are made by people who tell us they work in other "professional" organisations.

I would guess that there are lots of teachers who would love to forfit the long journeys to work everyday, and enjoy the luxury of being able to live closer to their place of work. Unfortunately it is not always possible or sensible. I'm sure I don't have to explain the reasons why.

People who work in other organisations/profes
sions are normally responsible for their own safety and maybe a few others. Teachers have a "duty of care" for many more.

I must have been fortunate in that, although not highly paid, I have managed to survive in a situation where we were able to look after our own children if or when the need arose.

The problem is, today, its easier to have a pop at the system or anybody else rather than to take responsibility for our own situations. If my children missed a day of school, I would ensure that they used the time constructively.

Whilst you have been whinging and rebuking the teachers, have you checked if there is something your offspring could be doing.

It has been said before, but it doesn't seem to resonate, Schools should be there for education not just childcare.

So tell me, all you teacher critics (and by the way, I am not one) I appreciate how inconvenient this situation is, but how interested are you in your childs education when they are in school (go on be honest with yourself?).

so even thought the pavements/roads are still treacherous and there's more snow expected, the children, according to the LET have to go back to school on monday! I'll make my own mind up as to whether I feel it's safe enough for my child to go back to school!

woodyads wrote:

DougFlo wrote: How come the private schools in the area managed to open on Friday and Thursday (in some cases) when in general the pupils come from a much larger catchment area than the state schools that have remained closed. Will the Head Teachers be threatened with court action for not allowing the children to go to school, as parents would be if they took their children away from school during term time?

One of the more barmy posts on this forum I believe... - headteachers and governing bodies are more likely to be threatened with court action for ALLOWING children into school under such conditions. After all it only takes someone's little darling to slip when the parents see pound signs flashing and a no-win-no-fee claim for them to get their grasping hands on. Believe me - I've seen it happen. As for the court action that is taken when parents take children out of school during term-time, well any responsible parent I know wouldn't take their child away from their education unless under extreme circumstances. As has been reminded of us, schools are already closed for 13 weeks during the year, offering plenty of opportunity for family holidays etc. Truepadihamer....I don't think I have ever agreed more with someone's sentiments.

You didn't spot the tongue firnly in my cheek then?

Oh well

Did anyone else see the report on the TV news the other night which said that the government delayed informing councils that they could increase stockpiles of salt/sand until the begining of December? If the report is correct, then the goverment, not the councils should be blamed.

Oh for goodness sake! I've sat here, it's Sunday, I've read your comments in the short bit of time I have before going on to plan my maths for this week (and countless other things I have to do IN MY OWN TIME) and I am completely agog! The comments on here from the narrow minded wingers, who seem to hate education and all concerned with it, are seemingly the people who are turning, or at least helping, this country into the shambles that it is fast becoming. Is it any wonder that our children have no respect for teachers and their education when they have people like you bringing them up? I bet you are the parents who say "Youre too busy to do your homework, that should be done in school." (Yes you do exist and don't deny it!) I did not go through four years at uni just to go through forty years of teaching to pray I get the odd 'snow day' off! On Tuesday I travelled to work FROM BLACKPOOL to get there and be told that school would be closed. I couldn't get back home! I ended up staying at a colleagues house in the same town but I STILL WALKED TO SCHOOL EACH MORNING unless informed otherwise. Never let it be said that I do not make the effort, I love my car and even more so when you have to traipse across town with a laptop under your arm and a briefcase slung over your shoulder, walking through six inches of snow to satisfy people like YOU! I'll gladly invite you to spend the day with me and see if it's such an easy job to do. Now you must excuse me... I'm off to do my 'snow dance' in the hope of another 'snow day'!!

I would just like to say that teachers (or those working in schools) are NOT lazy!!!! Even though school was closed, I (and most other teachers throughout the country) was still working, from home. I spent Monday to Thursday planning, marking assessments, making targets for the children in writing, reading and maths, and completing course work.

On Friday, the majority of the staff (teachers and other staff) actually went to school (armed with spades, shovels and bags of grit) and dug a path around the whole school, chipping the ice away and spreading grit on the cleared path, in the hope that we will be able to get into school on Monday and open it for pupils!

So don't have a go at teachers...we do our utmost best to get into school (and keep it open) but you need to remember, we cannot control the weather nor can we dictate to the councils where they should be gritting!

Well said sister Wendy!

How can children be expected to respect their teachers when obviously many of the parents dont?
Stop having a go at teachers for circumstances that are obviously beyond their control.
Those that are so worried about their childs education should have spent the time off teaching their child on a 'one-to-one' basis. What could be better.
I would much rather my child goes back to school when it is safe for them to do so, rather than being forced to open because a group of parents are throwing a paddy because their babysitting service has closed for a few days!

so, it's snowing again now, we haven't heard from the school whether they are open or not tomorow, what happens now? Do I wait till 8.am in the morning to see if I get a txt?

Just a note for Darwen Vale pupils Vales web site says only open for years 10 and 11 Monday and Tuesday the rest return Wednesday unless the weather significantly improves.

Noiticer wrote:
To Mike Costa and others who offer lame excuses as to why some schools are closed I would ask them to consider why others are open in the same neighbourhoods and in other European countries where its even colder.. They will have teachers who have travelled distances and icy playgrounds. On TV last night we had clips of schools on the hills above Halifax open as usual.As an age group children are the least likely to have accidents on icy pavements as they are more flexible and supple than adults. I doubt litigation against a school for opening in these wintry conditions would succeed. Again, I say it's all about ethos and attitude and heads and governors need to be challenged as to why their schools are still closed.

I'm genuinly shocked by some of the comments about the teachers. I'm currently studying on my PGCE and have heard nothing but annoyance by staff at my school. Many of the teacher (including myself) are on strict deadlines to enable our pupils to pass their GCSE's. This week has been a nightmare for me and many other teachers as it has shorted the time considerably.
As for 'attitudes' of teachers; I am living over 40 miles from the school im placed in and on a normal day would take me at least an hour to get to the school. However, myself and numerous teacher i have spoken to are more than willing to leave early (5am for me due to the hour taken to get out of the town i am living in) just to get to the school on time, on 2 occassions getting to the school to find it has been closed or recieving a text to tell me they have had to close due to safety of pupils, parents and staff (some of which are elderly)
I have certainly enjoyed my 'days off'; especially the marking, schemes of work, lesson planning, creating resources, research project, 2 essays and an additional full day teaching event that i must plan, ect.....all of which is usually done in my OWN TIME on top of the 5 day week that all teachers are required to do. working the regular 9-5 seems like the life of riley in comparison.

ladysal wrote:
I'll say it again for those who didn't get it: just because the school is shut, it doesn't mean the teachers aren't working!! A relative's school shut to children on Tuesday afternoon. She has been in work every day since, as have all her colleagues.
Cutthebull: would YOU clear the streets around your hospital if that was the only way to get the patients in? What about those routine outpatient clinics that were cancelled? I can guess it wasn't your hospital, but why aren't you complaining about the staff who couldn't get in and make sure the clinics ran? Surely they are essential services?
Community nurses making visits in your area on public transport? I guess you don't live in Blackburn then; it would take them a month!! Or in the Ribble Valley where the essential visits are being made by two nurses who happen to own four wheel drives.
The teacher's don't make the decision, it is either the Head or the local council and it is a difficult decision to make: stop using the freak weather as an excuse for teacher bashing: do you really not have anything better to do?
I am acutely aware of the importance of education thank you very much: if my daughter's school was open she would be there without question: she has a 100% record over the last two years.

Community services are running with the help of mountain rescue & members of staff with 4x4s to provide a limited service, but a service none the less & yes we did help clear the grounds around the hospital so people had access even though it wasn't my job, but hey Ho! But yeah your right I do have better things to do like doing my job, providing a service to the community which I'm paid to do.

woodyads wrote:

cutthebull wrote:
I do find it annoying when I see comments all over facebook by the 15+ friends I have that are teachers saying whoooo whoo snow day, no school for rest of the week etc, or the 2 male teachers making plans to spend the day in the pub citing it has, food, beer, tv, pool & music. I work in NHS & live 6 miles away from work & on tue walked to work then worked & day & most of the nite without a break & stayed there in an oncall room for a few hours sleep before continuing another shift + a few hrs. I managed to get home that night using public transport & have been in work every day since using public transport as main roads are clear. The main excuses for schools being closed are h&s well teachers get up there clearing paths around the school as be realistic the kids are not playing out at break times! I'll only agree with closing if the heating is effected. Don't give me this talk of teachers living out of area coz I know drs & nurses living in Preston, Bolton & Manchester who have all made it to work. Community nurses are still managing majority of community visits, using public transport. Emergency services don't get a choice if it's snowing we all pull together, our shifts thrown out the window as we just try to provide a service. Surely if the schools are open then it's the parents choice to send the kids in or not. It's ok shouting from the rooftops how important education is, don't take your kids out of school for holidays etc, but some snow drops & school closes! Any chance of half term being cancelled to make up on the lost education the children have missed this week? Prob not eh?

Has it occurred to you that your facebook friends may be winding you up? You know, getting a rise out of saying that they've got an extra day off or so?
The reality is that headteachers have given teachers plenty of work to do at home (on top of the work they already take home with them...)
Hell, if you think it sounds so brilliant why don't you quit your oh-so difficult job and train to teach yourself then you'll get all of these so-called perks that us teachers appear to be getting.
As for us clearing paths around the school, we are highly trained professionals, not manual workers - this isn't what we should be deployed for; however I'm pleased to say that on more than one occasion this week myself and my colleagues have cleared paths around my school, unfortunately exposing lethal sheet ice underneath that grit alone cannot handle.

The conversation was between the teachers making the plans on facebook of how they'll meet each other in the pub so it had nothing to do with me. But the countless snowmen, sledging & snow angel pics seem to say a thousand words to me. So it looks like your the only one working really hard on your homework from the headteacher. I think you right maybe a change of career is in order, less chance of being assaulted by a drug /+ drink fuelled person making threats to kill you etc PGCE here I come, do they still have a nice golden handshake for qualifying in certain subjects? Biology teacher it is then at least I'll be on more money than my fellow nurses!

cutthebull wrote:

woodyads wrote:

cutthebull wrote: I do find it annoying when I see comments all over facebook by the 15+ friends I have that are teachers saying whoooo whoo snow day, no school for rest of the week etc, or the 2 male teachers making plans to spend the day in the pub citing it has, food, beer, tv, pool & music. I work in NHS & live 6 miles away from work & on tue walked to work then worked & day & most of the nite without a break & stayed there in an oncall room for a few hours sleep before continuing another shift + a few hrs. I managed to get home that night using public transport & have been in work every day since using public transport as main roads are clear. The main excuses for schools being closed are h&s well teachers get up there clearing paths around the school as be realistic the kids are not playing out at break times! I'll only agree with closing if the heating is effected. Don't give me this talk of teachers living out of area coz I know drs & nurses living in Preston, Bolton & Manchester who have all made it to work. Community nurses are still managing majority of community visits, using public transport. Emergency services don't get a choice if it's snowing we all pull together, our shifts thrown out the window as we just try to provide a service. Surely if the schools are open then it's the parents choice to send the kids in or not. It's ok shouting from the rooftops how important education is, don't take your kids out of school for holidays etc, but some snow drops & school closes! Any chance of half term being cancelled to make up on the lost education the children have missed this week? Prob not eh?

Has it occurred to you that your facebook friends may be winding you up? You know, getting a rise out of saying that they've got an extra day off or so? The reality is that headteachers have given teachers plenty of work to do at home (on top of the work they already take home with them...) Hell, if you think it sounds so brilliant why don't you quit your oh-so difficult job and train to teach yourself then you'll get all of these so-called perks that us teachers appear to be getting. As for us clearing paths around the school, we are highly trained professionals, not manual workers - this isn't what we should be deployed for; however I'm pleased to say that on more than one occasion this week myself and my colleagues have cleared paths around my school, unfortunately exposing lethal sheet ice underneath that grit alone cannot handle.

The conversation was between the teachers making the plans on facebook of how they'll meet each other in the pub so it had nothing to do with me. But the countless snowmen, sledging & snow angel pics seem to say a thousand words to me. So it looks like your the only one working really hard on your homework from the headteacher. I think you right maybe a change of career is in order, less chance of being assaulted by a drug /+ drink fuelled person making threats to kill you etc PGCE here I come, do they still have a nice golden handshake for qualifying in certain subjects? Biology teacher it is then at least I'll be on more money than my fellow nurses!

It would be assumed then if a higher authority closed down your place of work for an unavoidable reason you would be outside in protest to have it re-opened? It is not the teachers fault that the school has been closed and if they are up to date with all there work (that that most likely spent doing over the christmas holidays like myself) then why can't they enjoy the day off?
It has been said countless times that teacher want the schools open and are doing everything they can to help. Stop blaming the teachers!
Nurses and teachers are in their job as a vocation they both study and work extremely hard (with long hours) and become very attached to the pupils or patients. We want to see our pupils pass and want to be in the school so we can do this.

cutthebull,

In my opinion you compromise your supposed professionalism through your blatant arrogance and condecending ideas about the teaching profession. You assume that because (no doubt) you have been successful in your own career, you could simply take your PGCE and thats it "Job Done".

I hope that for some reason your current career doesn't come to an end and you are forced to the realisation that life isnt quite so simple.

I am not a teacher so I have no professionalism to compromise, I do respect the work they do and that I personally see the work they do as complimentary to the education my children receive at home.

I do know of a few examples of "professional" career parents in professions such as yours, who are the first to take their children out of school so that they can go on that "Less" expensive holiday.

By the way I'm sure you will have to do a good few years in teaching before you get the sort of salary you are receiving now.

cutthebull,

In my opinion you compromise your supposed professionalism through your blatant arrogance and condecending ideas about the teaching profession. You assume that because (no doubt) you have been successful in your own career, you could simply take your PGCE and thats it "Job Done".

I hope that for some reason your current career doesn't come to an end and you are forced to the realisation that life isnt quite so simple.

I am not a teacher so I have no professionalism to compromise, I do respect the work they do and that I personally see the work they do as complimentary to the education my children receive at home.

I do know of a few examples of "professional" career parents in professions such as yours, who are the first to take their children out of school so that they can go on that "Less" expensive holiday.

By the way I'm sure you will have to do a good few years in teaching before you get the sort of salary you are receiving now.

cutthebull,

By the way, you quoted your source of information as conversations between "teachers on facebook". I'm assuming they were your friends. There's a biblical saying "if thine eye offends thee, pluck it out" I would suggest you remove these people from your list, clearly they are upsetting you.

Is it me or is this becoming one giant b*tching session and as we are on the topic of Facebook (yeah I'm on it and yeah I said 'wahooo snow day') we have digressed slightly! Get back to the point. If headteachers don't follow government guidelines (because that's what they are), they open school and a child gets hurt then the school/LEA could be libel. I'll be in work tomorrow, so will the children but you can guarentee that even though the conditions around school will have improved, there'll still be some children missing. Why? Their parents can't be bothered! As for teachers wanting to be the first to take their children out of school for cheap holidays, how silly is that when we get at least 13 weeks paid leave a year. Teaching isn't as well paid as you think, I'm not missing out on pay so I can take my family to foreign shores!!

mjs87

I suggest you spend the time off working on your spelling and grammar if you are expecting to be a teacher. Genuinely has an e in it, Occasions has only one s in the middle and receive is e before i. Plus your comment contains numerous grammatical errors. No wonder our children are leaving school without basic spelling and grammar capabilities if this is the example they are set.

Looks like the "I will sue them" parents have shot themselves in the foot to me.
Which school with any sense is going to open and risk getting taken to court, when little Johnny has an accident.?
The school is far wiser to let the parents look after them, and then they can send them out on their toboggan (minus any head protection), and have an injury away from school.
Also it keeps the council tax down, if schools don't have to pay everybody for damages, or for gritting the playground.

Alixet wrote:
mjs87

I suggest you spend the time off working on your spelling and grammar if you are expecting to be a teacher. Genuinely has an e in it, Occasions has only one s in the middle and receive is e before i. Plus your comment contains numerous grammatical errors. No wonder our children are leaving school without basic spelling and grammar capabilities if this is the example they are set.

Thank you for your constructive insult towards my post. The work I provide for my pupil's is much more thorough and I spend much more time looking over my spelling (a difficult task for people who suffer from dyslexia).
I would advice looking over the subject of the post and sticking to the subject at hand; rather than attempting to insult.

whata all this rubbish about year10/11 pupils going in but not the others cant a child of 11 to 14 make it in unlike the others
audley st stephens opening at ten o clock when its pupils live in the local areas its a joke get it sorted

mjs87 wrote:

Alixet wrote: mjs87 I suggest you spend the time off working on your spelling and grammar if you are expecting to be a teacher. Genuinely has an e in it, Occasions has only one s in the middle and receive is e before i. Plus your comment contains numerous grammatical errors. No wonder our children are leaving school without basic spelling and grammar capabilities if this is the example they are set.

Thank you for your constructive insult towards my post. The work I provide for my pupil's is much more thorough and I spend much more time looking over my spelling (a difficult task for people who suffer from dyslexia). I would advice looking over the subject of the post and sticking to the subject at hand; rather than attempting to insult.

I was not attempting to insult you. I was simply stating that if prospective teachers cannot spell and do not understand the basics of English grammar then they cannot teach children to do it correctly. Whatever the reason for it, the fact remains.