Why do schools close for teacher training during term time when they have long holidays for this purpose?

Answer 1

Just so that you know. Schoolchildren's total holidays have remained unchanged since before the introduction of staff development days. Teachers' holidays were reduced by 5 days when these days were introduced by Education Secretary Kenneth Baker in the 1980s. So these training days are in the school holidays.

Answer 2

I have worked in a school and the reason for this is that teachers don't get loads of holidays! I am friends with many teachers and know they spend holidays marking, doing reports etc. They also often go into school during the holidays to get jobs done and the class ready for the new term. Ignorant peoeple really should stop thinking that teachers have it easy, would they like to be at work at 8 in the morning and still be marking or doing lesson plans at 10 at night? A lot of schools try to have training of an evening, meaning teachers are up later doing their endless paper work, but sometimes a full day is required.
Maybe you parents would prefer that schools don't offer up to date training to ensure your offspring get a decent education! I wish people would teachers a break, I was a teaching assistant and the teachers I supported work damn hard.

Answer 3

OK I guess someone has to step in and defend teachers here. My partner teaches (part time), earning under 13k a year for that privilege. With preparation, marking, `extra admin' parents evenings etc. she still works a 40 hour week, I wonder how many of you lot would be willing to go through the hassle of teaching for those hours and for that pay rate?

Many full time teachers work a 60 or 72 hour week, so frankly they EARN their 13 weeks holiday.

As for why do training in term time, that was started back in the late 80's. Some training has to be done for whole schools at one go (as opposed to letting teachers out one at a time), it's more efficient to shut the school and tell parents that there will be a training day. Alternative is to let the teachers out one at a time and have to find lots of cover. Very expensive.

Answer 4

Good question! Why cant they give teachers the extra training that's needed to keep up with standards say for 1 week when the schools close for summer or a couple of days either side of Easter and October school holidays, after all teachers get paid during these periods and it would not impact on the children's lessons or families having to arrange time off or other people having to look after their children if the parent works.
This is a question that should be put to MP's and Government.

Is there any teachers or school heads out there that can explain why it is necessary to take time away from pupils during the school terms and not arrange teacher training days, say immediately after the school stops for holidays?

Answer 5

They don't have long holidays for this purpose. Couple of reasons. First, all teaching staff have a duty to ensure pupils are attaining the right levels. What that means is they check all work, which involves checking it against last years achievements. This enables staff to plan for the year ahead, so pupils are not held back by going over the same work or topics. Secondly, staff must follow the curriculum laid down by ministers, which intern will be overlooked by the head. The Head must further pass this information down to teaching staff who are directly involved with making sure all their pupils can reach the desired target. A lot of planning, pre-planning and individual profiles of each pupil must be addressed. All teaching staff must be able to differentiate the range of pupils ability in the given classroom. And all sorts of problems can arise simply by a new pupil being admitted at the start of a new year.
Last, teaching staff don't like the long holidays because its the costliest of the year......I could have gone on......

Answer 6

5 days were taken off the school holidays for the purpose of teacher training. Therefore children's holidays are the same, teachers' holidays are shorter.

I am not a teacher, but know lots. They work long into the night planning lessons, making resources, often buying resources out of their own money, marking, assessing etc. All this after 5 hours of dealing with young people who are often abusive to them
Parents. Try spending 5 hours with your child and 29 of their friends, encouraging them to do things they do't want to do. Then say teachers are lazy.
teachers are people with feelings. Walk in their shoes for a day.

Answer 7

Holidays are for everyone even teachers must enjoy holidays so in holidays no training.
But in school terms they have days off so teachers can train and children home... so it's fair right

Answer 8

Because in my experience, teachers are a bunch of inadequate, lazy fockers who moan and moan about the hours they put in. They should try working at say a call centre or even worse a B.T. call centre, and they would soon be rushing back to their desks. Oh and they're almost to a man/woman rice planting bores that thank God only kids have to listen to. Poor kids - they need the long holidays to get some air.

Answer 9

I cant beliieve a teacher hasent ans this question they are piad pro rata for the hours they do and i can assure you, ther working day or term does not end when your encumbrance comes home to you, it is a rewarding but altogeather becoming more difficult job too do, the teachers dont make the rules, i bet they would rather teach than spend day doing teacher training on political correcetness rubbish ect ect............................................

Answer 10

Aaahh - so much of 'grown up' life seems to revolve around parents blaming teachers and teachers blaming parents....

I say - get thee down the school and peer through the windows and see what EXACTLY goes on during those 'inset' days as I strongly suspect its something akin to wife-swapping.

Or, perhaps they really do discuss the Government's latest policy in relation to education??