This one's for the teachers, teaching assistants, school librarians, caretakers, office worker........

No, unfortunately I haven't been to Brighton. It's been many years and a tall tale since I went there...............I'll save that for another day. It's about staycations...................p.s they suck!

It's the end of my summer half term week and I would like to anounce that one of the most horrid things about being a teacher is having 12 weeks off work and not being able to have a holiday as that's the most expensive time to have one! It doesn't just affect teachers. Think of the dinner ladies, the office workers, the caretakers, the cleaners, the teaching assistants, the people in reprographics who earn a pittance, who can't ever afford a holiday. Holiday companies sell more holidays in the school holidays and the hotels and campsites will be full to capacity and yet they still charge three times more than May or September. I could go on holiday at Christmas or half-term or Easter...........but they spin the price out of my range then too!

The kids, and their parents have a holiday when they like. They submit a form and we feel sorry for them, knowing if they didn't go when it was cheap that they wouldn't have one at all!!!! For Father's sake......what the fathering hell do they think teachers do? Well, on the one hand I have sunbathed in the garden, given the house a deep degunk and I have caught up with sleep. But Holiday............ I have not. I have read, browsed around charity shops, baked and I have had a nice time. Caught up with mum and my brother, who I really only see once every Preston Guild but I would like a holiday. You know the sort.CLICK HERE > (Cue Peter Kay sketch) One of those 'last minute' cheapies.................booked it!...........packed it........f****d off! (enjoy a bit of Pete!)

When I get back on Monday, there will be the stoical conversations about tents...........getting away from the marking and the phone; but the reality will mask cold tents on the moors! One day, just one day.........I'll go back to the staff room with a tan! It will probably be when I've retired and got a cheapie in term time to Turkey and met a few students on the plane! Nonetheless; I am sick and tired of not having a holiday because they (tour operators, camp sites, ferries, plane companies etc) more than treble the price in school holidays so teachers, who can not have term time holidays, who need a holiday once in a while.............can't have one! When you look at your child's teacher and they have a nervous tick; just remember.............they haven' t had a holiday since they were at college and they won't have one until they retire!