WHINGING teachers have taken to social media to complain the “extra” inset day they have been given for Christmas is “not a proper break”.
Schools Minister Nick Gibb announced the move yesterday so that teachers could be free of their test-and-trace requirements in time for Christmas Eve.
However, many heads have complained that an inset day does not count as a real day off.
Some complained they would now need to arrange their own childcare – while others said inset days require a “lot of planning.”
One headteacher, posting under the name “Jules,” tweeted: “Since when has being forced to work during your annual leave, doing a job another agency has been paid billions to do and still failed miserably at, been considered ‘a proper break’ Piss off DfE.”
“Mrs O,” Executive Head Teacher of Ashdown Primary school said: “First, inset days are not a day off. They are precious cpd.
“Second, you want me on track and trace duty til 23rd? Pay me.”
Teachers had been expected to be available for the first six days of the school holidays to help with contact tracing and informing families if they need to isolate – which would see them “effectively on call” on December 24.
But cutting term short by a day would see them freed up for Christmas Eve.
Mr Gibb yesterday told MPs: “We want there to be a clear six days so that by the time we reach Christmas Eve staff can have a proper break without having to engage in the track and trace issues.”
‘PROPER BREAK’
But the move has been met with fury by teachers across the country.
Principal Sam Strickland described the days off as “high level training events requiring a lot of planning.”
He wrote: “INSET days are not some magical duvet day where the profession gets to watch Netflix for the day.
“Just politely putting it out there for those uncertain about what they are. They’re high level training events requiring a lot of planning.”
Another head said: “It’s beginning to look a lot like christmas.
“A very cr***y Christmas!!”
And a deputy head teacher named Amber branded the inset day a “token gesture.”
She added: “[It’s] not really a gesture at all.”
Mrs Butler, a school governor and teacher said: “INSET is professional training for staff.
“It takes many months of careful planning to get the delivery right. If you intend for staff to finish a day early then say so, INSET is NOT a day off work.”
Another teacher took to social media to beg for “recognition of exhaustion of leaders [and] staff.
“Mrs SBM” branded the move a “backhanded gesture,” writing: “Taking away an inset day later in the year just so your conscience is clear that staff have Christmas Eve off !!! What a joke !”
One teacher insisted the school at lunch on Friday so teachers could go home and work on their PPA – planning, preparation and assessment time that can be used for marking books and putting together worksheets.
But some users disagreed, posting: “As if they haven’t already had enough time off” and “What an insult to nhs and emergency workers, when do they get a ‘proper break’.”
Another hacked off user said: “Wow teachers moan again and the government jump but come our frontline NHS who actually deal with Covid day in day out, well b****r them eh?
“What about everyone who has worked through this Pandemic be awarded the same? Sickening.”
It follows a dispute earlier in the year after schools were closed during the first national lockdown.
Teachers’ unions blasted the Government for putting staff at risk from coronavirus when kids were told to go back to school over the summer.
And when England was plunged into a second lockdown last month, there was push-back from staff and unions as it was revealed classrooms would stay open.
But it was revealed two weeks ago that extended time away from school has seen some kids regressing.
In one shocking case, some younger children had even forgotten how to use cutlery or were back in nappies.
Rachel Beech, who runs a business which collaborates with teachers told Trending In The News Online: “[The inset day] is not being seen by teachers as sufficient reward for the year they have had, and is simultaneously upsetting those who feel that other key workers are more deserving of a day off.”
One user – a former teacher – blasted the days as a “waste of time,” writing: “They’re mostly a complete waste of time anyway, in my experience.
“Listening to managers telling us about school policy and lecturing us about this and that.”
Others piled in claiming the Government “hates us” and urged Nick Gibb to “just listen to me and my colleagues”.
Caroline Spalding, an assistant head, replied to the news that there was “nowt like giving schools time to plan and parents time to arrange childcare.”
Another teacher posting under the pseudonym “The Primary Head” wrote: “Dear
@educationgovuk, your recent advice for schools in the run up to the holidays is beyond useless. I genuinely don’t know why you bother.”
Ina follow up tweet he added: “Christmas holiday plans: spend first 6 days on high alert for reported confirmed cases of COVID followed [by] a small glass of sherry and a turkey sandwich.
“Spend the rest of the holiday on high alert for staff confirmed cases of COVID in order to arrange supply cover in January”
Other heads took to Twitter to say they will ignore the advice completely and just operate the final day of term as a normal school day.
Trending In The News has contacted teachers’ union NASUWT for comment.
