Holidays - Can you take them during term time?

[leonard.powers]

Hi All,

 

I've tried to persuade the head to let me take my holidays during term time as we have so much work on this year. He's said no.

 

Just wanted to know how many full time IT people get to take their holiday during term time, thus freeing them up to do the ICT Projects during schools holidays.

 

Is my school way behind the time. I suspect it is.

 

Thanks

 

Leonard Powers

ICT Technical Manager

Ousedale School

[john]

I think I can apply to take a few days of my annual leave in term time but i've got to ask the head for it not just have it given. But I do understand exactly what you mean, being able to take say a week in term time instead of the holidays would be much better for a lot of us in some ways allowing for a good spell in the summer period for extended projects.

[NeoPlosive]

Work all term - Work all holiday.

 

Contracted for term time only but expected to work the holiday where needed (overtime claimed).

 

P.S. It's usually needed.

[kmount]

I can take my holiday when it suits me (as long as I've taken adequate precaution with the workload on my team).

 

I'm hoping to be off next week.

[beeswax]

The three of us (all full time) can take holidays during term time, and do. SLT know that school holidays are/can be busy periods for IT techies. The only stipulation is that we don't leave the school without any IT cover when we book our holidays.

[laserblazer]

Have to take mine during school holidays, which is a real pain because flights are so much more expensive.

[WithoutMotive]

I have 26 days holiday a year to be taken during school holidays only. If I don't use them all, I can carry 5 over to the next year.

[jimmckenna]

School Holidays only at present. Although I have been "chipping away" at line management and I think it may be an option very soon to take a few days during term time.

[powdarrmonkey]

In my old job it was written into my contract that I couldn't take term-time leave other than in exceptional circumstances. Now I have an NM above me we can do, provided it's not ridiculous.

[NikChillin]

The three of us (all full time) can take holidays during term time, and do. SLT know that school holidays are/can be busy periods for IT techies. The only stipulation is that we don't leave the school without any IT cover when we book our holidays.

 

Same here, no problems as long as there is cover.

[jcollings]

We're allowed to take 5 days per year in term time.

[localzuk]

No. Only 1 of me here, so no chance of term-time holiday.

 

It's bad enough if I'm off ill, or on a course for a day...

[Jiser]

all school holidays here. One or two days can be moved around to work in holidays if important I am sure. The others work normal hours/times and have holidays in term time.

 

 

O btw:

I was going to make a post about this.

 

Anyone seen and clicked the advert on this website? Jeees...

 

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2009 calendar

[AWicher]

I have just come back from a 2 week holiday in Mexico taken the 2 weeks school came back after Christmas. All i had to do was give a letter to the head and one for the governors, leave for a few months and get a nice letter back approving the time off. But there is a chance you could get a no. as said a few post back, you need to work out cover.

[Nedders]

The issue here is you are probably employed under the same terms as teachers whonormally have to take leave during the holiday period with occasional special exceptions. Any leave taken during term time is normally processed as unpaid. To allow you, under the same contract, to take leave could set a precedent they don't want despite your position and responsibilities demanding different committments and responsibilities. Plus you are so important and critical to the day to day running of the school you can never possibly be allowed time off when they are there. If issues arise during holiday periods staff are not affected - your problem you sort it out before they return

[AWicher]

I have just come back from a 2 week holiday in Mexico taken the 2 weeks school came back after Christmas. All i had to do was give a letter to the head and one for the governors, leave for a few months and get a nice letter back approving the time off. But there is a chance you could get a no. as said a few post back, you need to work out cover.

 

I'll also add that the time i was off was paid holiday.

[teejay]

If you are on a Full Time contract rather than term time + x days then the school is not allowed to impose limits to when you can take your holidays. They can refuse a holiday request if there are extremely good reasons why you can't at that time, a blanket 'no holidays in term time' is not allowed.

[HarryMonkey]

If you are on a Full Time contract rather than term time + x days then the school is not allowed to impose limits to when you can take your holidays. They can refuse a holiday request if there are extremely good reasons why you can't at that time, a blanket 'no holidays in term time' is not allowed.

 

Sorry, but yes they can. The school (or any employer) can dictate when you are and aren't allowed to take holidays.

 

The basics of holiday rights

There is a minimum right to paid holiday, but your employer may offer more than this. The main things you should know about holiday rights are:

 

you are entitled to a minimum of 4.8 weeks times your usual working week (from 1 October 2007)

the entitlement will increase to 5.6 weeks from 1 April 2009

those working part-time are entitled to the same level of holiday pro rata (so currently 4.8 times your usual working week)

 

you start building up holiday as soon as you start work

your employer can control when you take your holiday

you get paid your normal pay for your holiday

when you finish a job, you get paid for any holiday you’ve not taken

bank and public holidays can be included in your minimum entitlement

you continue to be entitled to your holiday leave throughout your ordinary and additional maternity leave and paternity and adoption leave

 

Taken from

Holiday entitlements: the basics : Directgov - Employment

 

At my last school we were term time only until I explained that the system would be taken down for two weeks when I was away as the backups wouldn't be done, and the fact that there would be no-one to supervise the major projects so they wouldn't be happening. In the end they agreed to change my contract to allow me to take my holidays at any time.

 

The school closure times are often the busiest periods for IT support nad to expect you to take your annual leave during your busiest time is crazy.

[ninjabeaver]

I've got a week booked off during Term Time. As long as my two techs don't mind. That also means I'm in over the holidays when I'm really at my busiest. That's also how SMT see it. They also know how much I appreciate them allowing me time off during term times.

[sister_annex]

well looking at it I think my holidays are not that bad...

 

we have just been allowed to take two non consecutive weeks during term time to allow us to catch up on the work that we cannot do during term time.

 

I am full time and there are 5 of us on the office and we are all the same.

[RabbieBurns]

I can take mine any time I like, as long as proper notice is given and they are not at the same time as my boss.

 

In fact, today is my first day back from a 10 day snowboarding trip in europe

[forcryingoutloud]

I'm pretty flexible with my two tekkies as long as nothing major is comming up then I don't have a problem. However in the almost two years I've been here I've had the grand total of 18 days holiday (out of 44!!) and that includes chrimbo !!!

 

Thing is most of our work gets done when the 'little darlings' and the kids aren't in so you can't really win. As I said to my MicroManager (sorry line managerish) you either let us have time off in term time or we'll all be off over the holidays and nothing will get done! Scholl management need to be reminded that us tech staff are human too!

 

PS RabbieBurns you jammy jammy g*t !! How was the snow and where'd you go?

[RabbieBurns]

 

PS RabbieBurns you jammy jammy g*t !! How was the snow and where'd you go?

 

Switzerland

 

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/general-chat/18072-snowboarding-advice-needed-2.html#post283245

[Abcos]

lucky for some of you.

 

Im fuming about this at the moment.

 

Booked off the last week of the summer holiday. my network manager cancelled it as there was crap loads of work to be done. I didnt kick off, and accecpted it to help out the school. Said that im happy with it on the basis that i was allowed a week off in term time to compensate for it, and it had to be pretty soon as i had a holiday booked and would have to put it back.

 

SO.. i ask for the next week off.. the week beggining the 7th sept... cause i was bein nice, AGAIN, and said that i wouldnt ask for the frist week of term off, as it would be busy.

 

Today (friday, as in the last day im suppsoed to be in b4 hols) I get told by the I.T HOF that the head kicked off and its not gonna happen. Becase guidelens say that we are NOT ALLOWED ANY TIME in the term.

 

Even tho im gonna loose money for the holiday i have booked, they dont give a toss.

 

Any one got ideas?

[steve]

@Abcos - Put in a bill for the holiday. I'd write explaining the situation to the governors and say you expect them to compensate you for the holiday and the time you have worked outside your contract. Also I'd state that in future you will not cancel holidays once booked, unless you get in writing, confirmation of compensation or the permission to take leave in term time.