Leicester headmaster goes to World Cup

[foxoffderby]

A school has defended its staff leave policies after its headmaster was reportedly granted a fortnight off to follow England at the World Cup in Brazil.

Stafford Leys Community Primary in Leicester refused to reveal the reason for the absence of Ed McGovern but said its leave procedures aimed to "achieve a balance between work and leisure" for employees.

Parents with children at the school have accused Stafford Leys, in Leicester Forest East, of double standards because pupils' parents can be fined for taking holiday during term-time.

The Sun reported that Mr McGovern, 55, was granted unpaid leave with the help of his union after his initial request was rejected.

In a statement confirming that Mr McGovern had been granted leave by governors, the school said: "Requests for leave of absence for personal reasons can be made by staff in line with our school policy.

"Our leave of absence policy states that the Governors 'will endeavour to facilitate requests for leave' and will wherever possible seek to achieve for our employees a balance between home, work and leisure as part of our commitment to being an employer of choice."

The school statement continued: "The request was for unpaid leave of absence for personal reasons which has been approved by the governing body after careful consideration.

"We have made provision to ensure that, during the period of this absence, strong cover for leadership of the school is in place and standards of teaching and learning will remain high.

"Our headteacher has led the school with distinction for the past 10 years. During that time the school has improved from being judged by Ofsted as having serious weaknesses to our most recent inspection earlier this year which showed that all aspects were at least good.

"His attendance record over this period has been exemplary and he has never previously made a request for leave of absence."

Speaking outside the school gates, a mother-of-two who did not want to be named said: "It doesn't bother me that he's taking time out of school as it's not affecting the children."

She said letters had been sent to the parents to inform them Mr McGovern had taken leave for personal reasons.

"I was surprised because he's quite strict on the children being taken out of school but I've no concerns for my children and their education. It's a brilliant school and the deputy head is in place," she said.

Another parent, who also did not want to be named, said she was not concerned about the headteacher taking the time off as it was unpaid.

She said: "I haven't got a problem with this. It's unpaid leave and it's not affecting our children. What he does in his personal life is his business.

"Stafford Leys do not currently charge us for taking our children out of school during term time, it goes down as unauthorised absence.

"The two weeks he (Mr McGovern) has taken is unpaid leave. During that time there won't be any impact on our children's education. The deputy head is in place.

"If it is for football then that is his hobby. What's the problem? He's entitled to personal time off."

The National Association of Head Teachers declined to comment on where Mr McGovern was but said he had been granted the time off after "years of distinguished service".

In a statement, the NAHT, said: "Mr McGovern applied for an unpaid leave of absence and was granted the time off by his governing body after many years of distinguished service.

"We represented our member during the appeal as we would all members on personnel issues. Ultimately, the decision belongs to the governing body, which appears to have acted in line with its own policies and at no cost to the public purse."

[Dr The Singh]

Good, next World Cup, my kids can get 2 weeks off then, at no cost of the tax payer!

[AKCJ]

Don't they fine parents if your kid doesn't go to school?

 

 

Bit out of order really.

[cambridgefox]

I think he has been punished enough!

[BoyJones]

Children can't get permission to go to family funerals or their parents marriage, but football matches are ok.

Nothing more to be said, (that's polite)

[Finnaldo]

Stafford Leys I went there for a bit, up until about Year 3.

But in response to the story, it's a bit ridiculous really.

[Guest]

This isn't even news and people's reactions are idiotic.

 

Children aren't allowed absence in term time for holidays because it will affect their education and futures and their families should be putting that first.

Staff can have leave in term time because they have already been educated and it isn't affecting their future.

It's all quite simple.

[FoxesAreBlue]

Also, as that article states, that school does not fine parents if their kids are off.

[potter3]

How is this news? I'm sure the school can manage without him for two weeks, and he's forfeiting any wages he would have been entitled to during the time off...

 

"Parents with children at the school have accused Stafford Leys, in Leicester Forest East, of double standards because pupils' parents can be fined for taking holiday during term-time."

 

But the only quotes from parents in the article are supportive of the decision.

 

Children can't get permission to go to family funerals or their parents marriage, but football matches are ok.

Nothing more to be said, (that's polite)

 

They aren't allowing children to skip school for football, an employee is taking unpaid leave in order to watch football.

 

Also never known a school not allow absence due to a funeral, so long as they were notified beforehand, so that's probably an exaggeration. 

[Maybes]

Fair play to the guy. If you can do it, why not.

[foxfanazer]

What teachers have lifes outside of school? Non story!

[MPH]

This isn't even news and people's reactions are idiotic.

 

Children aren't allowed absence in term time for holidays because it will affect their education and futures and their families should be putting that first.

Staff can have leave in term time because they have already been educated and it isn't affecting their future.

It's all quite simple.

So a whole kids education depends on a one week vacation being outside of term time? The whole world comes crashing down does it?

[RedSoxUK]

Just want to say - as I've known the guy since I was a little boy!

 

He's a huge LCFC supporter and has had a season ticket down the Walkers since 03, and Filbert Street way before that.

I can see how some parents / people may react badly to a headteacher going to Brazil for the WC - but it's the World Cup and he was given the time off.

It was for personal reasons agreed upon, and he fully deserved to go to Brazil with his friends, my friends even - at an age where a future warm and affordable world cup seems out of reach.

 

Just take a minute to think about what you would do if you were in the same situation.. I would go to the World Cup.

[SOCCERROO FOX]

Can't see why this is a story if he is entitled to leave.

[Captain...]

So a whole kids education depends on a one week vacation being outside of term time? The whole world comes crashing down does it?

The point is parents are not allowed to take their kids on unauthorised vacations during term time. Not that one week could affect his whole education. Most requests by most parents will be granted, as they will from teachers, the point is to get prior approval from the school to discuss it and not just book it and tell the school that little Chardonnay won't be in school for the next 2 weeks.

This is a bullshit story over nothing, schools will show flexibility for teachers and pupils because they understand that we are all human and life doesn't always fit around the school timetable.

[Strokes]

The point is parents are not allowed to take their kids on unauthorised vacations during term time. Not that one week could affect his whole education. Most requests by most parents will be granted, as they will from teachers, the point is to get prior approval from the school to discuss it and not just book it and tell the school that little Chardonnay won't be in school for the next 2 weeks.

This is a bullshit story over nothing, schools will show flexibility for teachers and pupils because they understand that we are all human and life doesn't always fit around the school timetable.

Most requests won't be granted at all, no requests for children to take holidays will be granted. The fine is £60 per day, per child, hitting families that can least afford it. Little Taquin, privately educated will be unaffected though, so its all good.

[Captain...]

Most requests won't be granted at all, no requests for children to take holidays will be granted. The fine is £60 per day, per child, hitting families that can least afford it. Little Taquin, privately educated will be unaffected though, so its all good.

Missed out the word reasonable, most reasonable requests will be granted, and it is at the school's discretion. To say things like none at all is wrong, likewise someone saying that they aren't allowed time off for a funeral.

If this particular school applies the same rule for teachers as pupils, as the article implies that they do permit kids to go in holiday, then there is no story here.

[Strokes]

Missed out the word reasonable, most reasonable requests will be granted, and it is at the school's discretion. To say things like none at all is wrong, likewise someone saying that they aren't allowed time off for a funeral.

If this particular school applies the same rule for teachers as pupils, as the article implies that they do permit kids to go in holiday, then there is no story here.

From 2015 it isn't at the schools discretion.

[stevelcfc]

I hate people. Over-reaction, non-story. At the end of the day, it wasn't him who brought in the fining system. 

[Matt]

I had this argument with a teacher the other day.

She was moaning that she didn't think she would be granted time off to go away and I made the point well tbh you have a lot of holiday time as it is and the main issue I have with her moan/gripe is that if a parent wants to take a kid away they get fined.

Her response, her defence, her reasoning was "yeah but I'm not there for my education" no, no you are not, you are there for their education, being paid by their parents was my response.

I then bought the subject of strikes up and that was fair on the poor kids who are their for their educations, don't really care for them and their education then do they?

In the end she didn't really have any responses to give, she couldn't answer back, she was desperate to move onto another subject so much so that she was ignoring what I was saying and started speaking to someone else about holiday she doesn't think she'll be granted.

Her career choice, I just find it bad parents are fined to take their kids out of school. What goes around comes around, fairs fair and all that bullshit.

[MooseBreath]

If him not being there for two weeks has no negative impact on kids educations, fine, let's look at how many more weeks head teachers don't need to be there for and reduce their contracted hours and salary accordingly. Maybe we can do without them altogether.

[Vlad the Fox]

The report massively fails without any outraged parents to quote.