The Age reports today on the possibility of more pupil-free days in Victorian schools. Victorian teachers may attempt to follow their NSW counterparts by increasing the number of pupil-free days from 5 to 8 per year. Negotiations on the employment agreement for Victorian government school teachers will begin next year.
The article points out that, “Since the Victorian agreement was signed in 2022, the profession has had to deal with significant changes, including to the maths curriculum for prep to year 10 students and the introduction of a structured phonics method to teach prep to grade 2 students to read.”
Our CEO Gail McHardy is quoted in the article:
Parents Victoria chief executive Gail McHardy said if Victoria was to follow NSW and increase the number of pupil-free days in a future bargaining agreement, parents would need to be clear on why there had been a change.
“If it’s clear that it’s being increased to assist workforce issues and families will be given advance notice … that would be a positive step,” she said.
Among parents’ main gripes surrounding schools’ pupil-free days are poor communication and a lack of advance warning.
McHardy said schools needed to show respect to families and give them notice to enable them to plan for a change in routine.
Parents with multiple children at a number of schools faced the added challenge of juggling different pupil-free days, she said.
“The challenge increases if the pupil-free days are different. So where school networks can collaborate, that’s helpful.”
Read the full article
Gail’s media comments in full
Here are Gail McHardy’s comments on this issue in full, as supplied to the Age.
On the question of whether the existing 5 pupil-free days are a burden on parents:
Everything in life is not always ideal, of course pupil days can be a challenge for families as they are for schools managing workforce shortages. It’s about giving families advanced notice so they can plan. If the days are agreed on early and scheduled on the school calendar and promoted that’s a great help. The solutions are not always challenge-free but it’s about planning and collaborating to make solutions work.
On the question of whether low-income families are disproportionately impacted:
Possibly – families are resourceful and will find ways to help each other from both within and outside the family (friends and school families helping each other and sharing the load). Again, being able to plan ahead (for everyone’s benefit) is key.
Don’t forget teachers are often parents too, so they will be juggling child supervision as well on these days.
On the question of whether parents contact PV with concerns about pupil-free days:
When pupil free days are organised at short notice, yes parents do raise that with us – giving no time for families to plan is unhelpful but over the years this doesn’t happen often now.
What they do find most difficult is if they have multiple children at a number of schools, the challenge increases if the pupil free days are different. so where school networks can collaborate, that’s helpful.
Also, it is useful for schools to share with their school communities the “why” certain days work better and the purpose of the day.
If future teacher agreements (EBA’s) are going to impact schools like they do i.e. Time in Lieu arrangements then governments of the day also need to support school management on how to have that conversation with the community.
When the Department of Education (Government employer) supports schools on the messaging that all helps to inform and educate the whole school community why things have changed or are different.
PV acknowledges school staff are juggling before and after school meetings with parents and carers that is not often visible to the wider community; they view the school day as 8:45/9 to 3/3:30pm (PS & SC schools) mostly.
For example, there are students who have student support group (SSG) meetings numerous times a year and multiply that by the number of students in each school needing them. That’s a stack of meetings to schedule to meet teacher and parent schedules.
On the question of what the likely reaction would be if Victoria follows NSW in increasing the number of pupil-free days:
If the narrative is clear and transparent to communities – to that point that it’s being increased to assist workforce issues and families will be given advance notice to enable planning – that would be a positive step. It’s showing respect to families and their challenges.
What’s the saying “You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time”.
The Age reports today on the possibility of more pupil-free days in Victorian schools. Victorian teachers may attempt to follow their NSW counterparts by increasing the number of pupil-free days from 5 to 8 per year. Negotiations on the employment agreement for Victorian government school teachers will begin next year.
The article points out that, “Since the Victorian agreement was signed in 2022, the profession has had to deal with significant changes, including to the maths curriculum for prep to year 10 students and the introduction of a structured phonics method to teach prep to grade 2 students to read.”
Our CEO Gail McHardy is quoted in the article:
Read the full article
Gail’s media comments in full
Here are Gail McHardy’s comments on this issue in full, as supplied to the Age.
On the question of whether the existing 5 pupil-free days are a burden on parents:
Everything in life is not always ideal, of course pupil days can be a challenge for families as they are for schools managing workforce shortages. It’s about giving families advanced notice so they can plan. If the days are agreed on early and scheduled on the school calendar and promoted that’s a great help. The solutions are not always challenge-free but it’s about planning and collaborating to make solutions work.
On the question of whether low-income families are disproportionately impacted:
Possibly – families are resourceful and will find ways to help each other from both within and outside the family (friends and school families helping each other and sharing the load). Again, being able to plan ahead (for everyone’s benefit) is key.
Don’t forget teachers are often parents too, so they will be juggling child supervision as well on these days.
On the question of whether parents contact PV with concerns about pupil-free days:
When pupil free days are organised at short notice, yes parents do raise that with us – giving no time for families to plan is unhelpful but over the years this doesn’t happen often now.
What they do find most difficult is if they have multiple children at a number of schools, the challenge increases if the pupil free days are different. so where school networks can collaborate, that’s helpful.
Also, it is useful for schools to share with their school communities the “why” certain days work better and the purpose of the day.
If future teacher agreements (EBA’s) are going to impact schools like they do i.e. Time in Lieu arrangements then governments of the day also need to support school management on how to have that conversation with the community.
When the Department of Education (Government employer) supports schools on the messaging that all helps to inform and educate the whole school community why things have changed or are different.
PV acknowledges school staff are juggling before and after school meetings with parents and carers that is not often visible to the wider community; they view the school day as 8:45/9 to 3/3:30pm (PS & SC schools) mostly.
For example, there are students who have student support group (SSG) meetings numerous times a year and multiply that by the number of students in each school needing them. That’s a stack of meetings to schedule to meet teacher and parent schedules.
On the question of what the likely reaction would be if Victoria follows NSW in increasing the number of pupil-free days:
If the narrative is clear and transparent to communities – to that point that it’s being increased to assist workforce issues and families will be given advance notice to enable planning – that would be a positive step. It’s showing respect to families and their challenges.
What’s the saying “You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time”.
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