Trivial things you don't understand/mildly annoy you

[donkey]

Support staff don't. Some support staff have to work all year round.

Not only do support staff only get 25 (or whatever) days a year, they have to take them in the school holidays, with the cost rises.

Also, the teacher training day at the start of this term is part of the normal course of events.  Schools have teach 190 days, the training days are not part of the 190.  There are also (usually) two days before the start of the autumn term, and sometimes two on the Monday and Tuesday at the start of the summer holidays.

[Reg Smeeton]

Not only do support staff only get 25 (or whatever) days a year, they have to take them in the school holidays, with the cost rises.

Also, the teacher training day at the start of this term is part of the normal course of events.  Schools have teach 190 days, the training days are not part of the 190.  There are also (usually) two days before the start of the autumn term, and sometimes two on the Monday and Tuesday at the start of the summer holidays.

The training days, were stripped from the teachers' holiday allocation by Kenneth Baker, the Thatcherite education secretary...he who was portrayed as a slug on Spitting Images.

Sadly in our me-me society too many parents regard the education system as little more than, a state supplied source of child care, so that they can opt out of the responsibility for their breeding activities.

[Munichred]

I'm worried about a previously unheard, intermittent rattling noise emanating from my washing machine.

[pauld]

Also, the teacher training day at the start of this term is part of the normal course of events.

I know they're normal, but it's still a pain in the arse, why not have them in the holidays?

Sadly in our me-me society too many parents regard the education system as little more than, a state supplied source of child care, so that they can opt out of the responsibility for their breeding activities.

Like most families these days, we both work. Which means, in practical terms, that when the schools decide to have extra days off, we need to take time off to look after the kids. That's just a practical truism, and it's bloody inconvenient. It doesn't mean we don't value education, of course we do, just that it seems stupid not to have these extra days during the school holidays. Not everyone still lives in the 1950s with wifey waiting at home for the kids to get out of school you know.

[pauld]

I'm worried about a previously unheard, intermittent rattling noise emanating from my washing machine.

Honkytonk's been storing his rats in there.

[Reg Smeeton]

I'm worried about a previously unheard, intermittent rattling noise emanating from my washing machine.

When washing machines blow it can be quite spectacular...

[donkey]

I know they're normal, but it's still a pain in the arse, why not have them in the holidays?

They are, that day is the last day of the holidays for the students, but not staff.  It would only be taking them in teaching time rather than the holidays if the school then only had 189 teaching days instead of the required 190.  The same for the start of the autumn term.  Teachers are back on the Tuesday (after bank holiday Monday in August), students back on the Thursday (at least in Leicester).

[Reg Smeeton]

I know they're normal, but it's still a pain in the arse, why not have them in the holidays?
Like most families these days, we both work. Which means, in practical terms, that when the schools decide to have extra days off, we need to take time off to look after the kids. That's just a practical truism, and it's bloody inconvenient. It doesn't mean we don't value education, of course we do, just that it seems stupid not to have these extra days during the school holidays. Not everyone still lives in the 1950s with wifey waiting at home for the kids to get out of school you know.

Nowt wrong with 1950's values...doesn't have to be wifey, in this day and age, can be daddy. Case of priorities really...

[pauld]

Nowt wrong with 1950's values...doesn't have to be wifey, in this day and age, can be daddy.

Not if you're both working it can't

[pauld]

They are, that day is the last day of the holidays for the students, but not staff.  It would only be taking them in teaching time rather than the holidays if the school then only had 189 teaching days instead of the required 190.  The same for the start of the autumn term.  Teachers are back on the Tuesday (after bank holiday Monday in August), students back on the Thursday (at least in Leicester).

Sorry but that's splitting hairs. It's an extra day tacked on the end (or sometimes start) of the school holidays so that Teachers can do training - our schools communicate it as a "TD day" or "Inset Day" not as "School holiday". So why can't this training take place during the "ample" half terms, Christmas holidays, Easter breaks, and summer holidays rather than elongating the holidays and so requiring yet more time off work for parents? If the holidays are "more than sufficient" for parents to go on holiday without taking kids away during term time (and they are, I agree) then why aren't they sufficient to fit in half a dozen training/admin days? Sauce for the goose and all that...

[pauld]

Tesco have Easter eggs on sale already.

[woolster]

Tesco have Easter eggs on sale already.

Saw them in asda day after Boxing Day

[Reg Smeeton]

Not if you're both working it can't

I can only speak personally, but it always seemed to me a fairly high priority, that the kids should have one parent at home...to be there for them when needed....the flash motor, expensive foreign holiday etc, could wait. Had this not been possible financially then there would have been no kids.

[donkey]

Sorry but that's splitting hairs. It's an extra day tacked on the end (or sometimes start) of the school holidays so that Teachers can do training - our schools communicate it as a "TD day" or "Inset Day" not as "School holiday". So why can't this training take place during the "ample" half terms, Christmas holidays, Easter breaks, and summer holidays rather than elongating the holidays and so requiring yet more time off work for parents? If the holidays are "more than sufficient" for parents to go on holiday without taking kids away during term time (and they are, I agree) then why aren't they sufficient to fit in half a dozen training/admin days? Sauce for the goose and all that...

Looks like we're not getting an agreement on this. All I will say, is that the school has a requirement to teach 190 days. Now, you may have a point that they could organise the 190 better.

[horlock07]

I really do have the upmost sympathy with all the people affected by the flooding, but it doesn't just affect people in low lying areas.

I live on a hill and with all the flooding round me our place is fucking swarming with rats who have fled the farms to find dry ground. I shot fourteen in the hen run last night and there are still tons. I'm gonna have to buy some kind of repeating rifle at this rate, I can't reload quick enough.

Worst of all, they've got into the house, and even worse, the cupboard where we store the tea. So when I went to refill the caddy this morning I pulled out a box of PG tips to find only the front half remained. The fuckers had eaten all the teabags.

There where other perfectly edible things in the cupboard, why oh why did you eat the fucking teabags?!?!?

I cannot be the only one who had the deliverance music start in his head when reading this!