about to qualify as a teacher.....

[luke]

this is the problem exactly! i have just heard there is a programme called 'Teach first' which my current mentor works on that gives you qts and guarantees you a NQT post! i wish i had done it because we get no such deal with Edgehill Uni! keeping my fingers crossed for the ones im waiting on and applied to two in St Helens last night.

I trained at Edge Hill too. A less helpful place would be hard to come across! (Not my mentors, the place in general)!

We operate on a two week timetable in our school and on one of the Mondays I have 3 PPA slots for the first 3 classes of the day (secondary I am) so I hope it's the Monday after we get back (can't bring myself to check yet in case it's not )

 

[CAROLINE4]

I trained at Edge Hill too. A less helpful place would be hard to come across! (Not my mentors, the place in general)!

We operate on a two week timetable in our school and on one of the Mondays I have 3 PPA slots for the first 3 classes of the day (secondary I am) so I hope it's the Monday after we get back (can't bring myself to check yet in case it's not )

fingers crossed its the right week! my sons secondary school works like that he finishes every other wednesday at 2:30 and i never get the week right! hahaha x

 

[Kath2003]

fingers crossed its the right week! my sons secondary school works like that he finishes every other wednesday at 2:30 and i never get the week right! hahaha x

That sounds amazing, why do they do that?
We have a two week timetable but for me it makes very little difference.

 

[CAROLINE4]

That sounds amazing, why do they do that?
We have a two week timetable but for me it makes very little difference.

i have no idea! i will ask at parents evening! hahaha

 

[luke]

fingers crossed its the right week! my sons secondary school works like that he finishes every other wednesday at 2:30 and i never get the week right! hahaha x

Does your son go to the school I work in?
We finish then every other Wednesday...

 

[CAROLINE4]

Does your son go to the school I work in?
We finish then every other Wednesday...

if you work at Maricourt then yes he is in yr 8 xx

 

[Kath2003]

Does your son go to the school I work in?
We finish then every other Wednesday...

Out of interest, why?

 

[luke]

Out of interest, why?

Basically whole school staff training. We have whole school meetings or training talks/workshops.
It's also the day when we have any parents evenings and the like, which start round 4:30 so the extra hour allows for preparation.

It's counted in our week's PPA though so it's not like we get an extra free out of it

 

[luke]

if you work at Maricourt then yes he is in yr 8 xx

Missed that!
Ha close but not quite, I work at Maghull High

 

[saddler andy]

I'm in my second (academic) year of teaching now and was going to wait until August 2014 but suddenly the opportunity to go this October for the one week over half term came up and eventually I decided to just go for it!
We fly Sat27thOct and get back the morning of Sun4thNov ready for school the next day. Having always worked through the holidays just to keep my head above the mass of work, this time I've just decided to work my socks off before I go and actually (shock horror) have a whole week off!
Of course only time will tell but having just watched a video for the Food and Wine Festival I'm currently very pleased with my decision and very excited!
I'm sure as with any job though only you are able to decide what is best for you and your family. My vote is to go for it though!

I am NOT jealous of you on the Monday back to work!

We always fly out on a Thursday so we can recover on the weekend!

 

[LauraDaveCharlie]

Hi. I am a DH in a school and we have often gone in school holidays - half terms, Easter, Summer and Christmas.

We generally find the last two weeks in August the best time to go - best deals and quietest out there so this would really be my preference. We don't struggle with the heat as everywhere is air conditioned and it's not really an outdoor holiday is it?

Before we had children, we went to the US every Feb HT as I always found it helped to get over the Jan blues. We have done Washington DC, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Diego like that - flying out on the Sat and returning the Sun am before going to school on the Monday. Also went for two weeks at Easter once so did the Sat to Sun am thing then too. I find the jet lag is bad whenever you get back and I just keep active and go right through it. Definitely think it's worth it!

For the first time we are going Oct HT in a few weeks! Largely because my husband has a big birthday this Sat and HT is the nearest holiday to that. We have had a minor disaster with our return flight when Delta decided to cancel the flight that would have got us back on the Sun am and we are now coming back the Mon morning, coming back from the airport and I am going to school!! Never done this before but will just cope with it by keeping active and drinking red bull!!

The other posters are right that it may be the workload you struggle with. But I do think that most NQTs are very tempted to work through their first HT thinking they will get ahead and then return to work in Nov already exhausted for the new HT. At least if you go then, you will be relaxed after a lovely holiday!!

 

[MichelinMan]

I have the perfect solution for teachers - move to Scotland! You get 2 weeks off in October!

 

[Cyrano]

I have the perfect solution for teachers - move to Scotland! You get 2 weeks off in October!

Only in some areas
The schools in the north are off for 2 week "tattie" holidays but our niece in Glasgow only gets 1 week in October. However the extra week in the summer is an e compensation

 

[CAROLINE4]

I have the perfect solution for teachers - move to Scotland! You get 2 weeks off in October!

that would be lovely!! i vote one week less in the summer and one week more in october!!!

 

[CAROLINE4]

For the first time we are going Oct HT in a few weeks! Largely because my husband has a big birthday this Sat and HT is the nearest holiday to that. We have had a minor disaster with our return flight when Delta decided to cancel the flight that would have got us back on the Sun am and we are now coming back the Mon morning, coming back from the airport and I am going to school!! Never done this before but will just cope with it by keeping active and drinking red bull!!

you will need lots of to get through that day!! have a great time i love october!! xx