[R94N]

Someone hit me on the back of the knee with a badminton racket earlier, and then justified it by saying that I had hit them with a shuttlecock. They don't really compare.

Also sports day. Worst Thursday ever. Basically it seems to mean 2 periods of football where I just sit around because I'm not 'good enough' i.e. I'm not obsessive.

[Ilovematt]

Fecking twatting NS&I

Felt like I was talking to a wall !

[Yudster]

Are you sure you aren't?

[Ilovematt]

Are you sure you aren't?

Now you say that .......

[bmstinton93]

* hell. I thought the whole saga involving my transfer at work was all over but apparently not. I initially enquired about a dual store to my HR department back in May where I was told that I had to do it all myself so I rang up the store that is about half a mile away from me in Bristol and they told me that I had to speak to my HR manager. So I then went back to my HR manager, who of course didn't work any of the same hours as me so I had to speak to her through my manager. She then sent an email to the store and I just kept getting told that she hadn't had anything back. I eventually got really pissed off with this so I then took more action and started emailing her myself in about July where she eventually got a reply from this store saying they would keep me on file. She then sent another 2 emails to a couple of different stores about 3 miles away. One said no and the other never replied after an email from her, my manager, both of my team leaders and one phone call. I then gave up for a while and then in the middle of August I decided to ring up a Sainsburys Local store about 4 miles away from the Uni who said they would take me and I would just have to come and see them for hours when I got there. I told my HR Manager about this and she didn't authorise it or do anything and the other HR woman was oblivious to this when she got back from her holiday last week, the day before I was due to leave so she had to then try and push through the transfer but then the manager in the local store was also on holiday so the person she spoke to knew nothing about this. I then spoke to somebody on Saturday about this who said that the only hours they were likely to be able to give me would be 7 - 11 PM and one of them would be a Saturday and as I'm relying on public transport I said that wouldn't be possible, as it would not be cost effective for me to get a taxi either. Also, in the middle of August somebody who I know who works at the store right by my Uni had put in a word for me and was told they were recruiting so I phoned up and was told differently. And I have since heard that they have just employed 10 - 20 people on a dual store contract so I went back in today and asked and they are going to check hours and see if they can fit me in, but its not looking promising and I also have to ring the other store who offered me shit hours on Wednesday when I get my schedule at Uni as there is a chance that they may have some hours in the week, but again I'm not hopeful about it. So I am probably just going to have to phone up my home store later in the week and terminate my contract which will then piss them off. Should I be complaining or speaking to a Union or anything? I feel like more could have been done.

[Yudster]

You could try talking to a trades union, even if you aren't a member they would be happy to advise you. And next time, join one!

[bmstinton93]

I actually did get asked to join one at one point but I thought that as its only a part time job then it wasn't really worth it. I'm not really sure I have a case though either on this one.

[Yudster]

Its worth running it by them though, they won't charge. Crap HR people REALLY annoy me. Thankfully our one here is good.

[bmstinton93]

OK Thanks. I'll give it a go later in the week I think then.

[Nicola_Red]

Ours are pretty rubbish too. I've had no help since my arthritis diagnosis, despite asking twice for a risk assessment. They basically just exist to make people's lives more difficult rather than easier.

Also Ryan, I totally empathise with your hatred of school sports! I was always terrible at all sports and hated every second of it. When I was 14 my orthopaedic consultant gave me a letter excusing me from all PE lessons, and it was one of the best days of my life

[DevilsDuck]

Trade Unions are a waste of space nowadays

[Senninha25]

Today's back to school day! Should be a good thing as I've finished Secondary School a year ago (that's equivalent to college in britain), but it's gutting to see many of your friends enter University and you be the one who has to wait yet another year to have a go at a better average mark. Too much free time, specially now when it's harder than ever to find a job.

[MK Chris]

We have secondary schools, colleges come after that.

[Senninha25]

We have secondary schools, colleges come after that.

Oh really? I'll correct myself then, it's 12 years of school (last 3 years are Secondary school), after the 12th year is done you can have a go at entering an University (national exams are also needed to be able to enter, and that's where I failed).

[Munki Bhoy]

Just to complicate matters, schooling varies depending on where you are in the UK.

In Scotland, it's 7 years at Primary School and 6 years at Secondary School. You have the options of leaving at 16 which usually (but not always) coincides with the end of 4th year at secondary.

In England, as far as I'm aware, it's 6 years at Primary School, and 7 years at Secondary, with the bizarre term of lower and upper sixth for the final two years in secondary. I dunno why they didn't just call it sixth and seventh year. As far as I know, Wales does the same.

In Northern Ireland, there seems to be an extra year as they do the 7 at Primary School that Scotland does, but the 7 at Secondary that England does.

And just to confuse matters further, Scotland does 4 years at Uni, where England does 3. I have no idea why, since I'm sure it's the same qualification at the end of it.

[Yudster]

In England, as far as I'm aware, it's 6 years at Primary School, and 7 years at Secondary, with the bizarre term of lower and upper sixth for the final two years in secondary. I dunno why they didn't just call it sixth and seventh year. As far as I know, Wales does the same.

Ok, you've all got it wrong - in England its actually 7 years at Primary (from Reception, through years 1 - 6) Secondary school is years 7, 8, 9,10 and 11 which takes you to GCSE level, and at which point you can leave. Sixth Form is years 12 and 13 which takes you through As and A2 level (previously just A level). University comes after this if you like. Or more to the point if you can afford it.

[dimtimjim]

So, today is the day. Its gonna be a lovely atmosphere in office today..... Who's going in the 30% staff redundancies is announced today. Will be nice to get the whole process over and done with, found out who is following me and my fellow contractors out the door.

Me? I'm doing ok, have so far got a few interviews arranged. On the plus side, after my initial fears of having to take a pay cut, it seems I may not have to. One position i've applied for is offering £60k.... On the negative side, it does seem my optimism for finding work a little nearer to home (less than 100 miles away) will not actually come about. Humph.

[MK Chris]

In England, as far as I'm aware, it's 6 years at Primary School, and 7 years at Secondary, with the bizarre term of lower and upper sixth for the final two years in secondary. I dunno why they didn't just call it sixth and seventh year. As far as I know, Wales does the same.

Ok, you've all got it wrong - in England its actually 7 years at Primary (from Reception, through years 1 - 6) Secondary school is years 7, 8, 9,10 and 11 which takes you to GCSE level, and at which point you can leave. Sixth Form is years 12 and 13 which takes you through As and A2 level (previously just A level). University comes after this if you like. Or more to the point if you can afford it.

Not round here - first school is Reception and then years 1-3, middle school is years 4-7 and secondary school is years 8-11, plus sixth form. Although I think actually they've switched it since I went to school so that middle school is years 3-6 and secondary school is years 7-11.

[Nicola_Red]

Not round here - first school is Reception and then years 1-3, middle school is years 4-7 and secondary school is years 8-11, plus sixth form. Although I think actually they've switched it since I went to school so that middle school is years 3-6 and secondary school is years 7-11.

Yeah, there are no middle schools in certain parts of England, particularly the North West. I'd never even heard of such a thing til I was at college and met people who'd been to them! Also I've been told off here for referring to being at 'high school' rather than secondary ("what, are you American?") - my school was, and still is, called Lostock Hall High School.

[DevilsDuck]

What is all that middle school rubbish

Its Pre-School, Primary, Secondary, 6th form then Uni

I hate northerners...they make things so complicated

[Munki Bhoy]

I could throw in the curve ball that I only spent 6 years at Primary School, but this is clearly complex enough as it is without me being a smart arse.

[Yudster]

In England, as far as I'm aware, it's 6 years at Primary School, and 7 years at Secondary, with the bizarre term of lower and upper sixth for the final two years in secondary. I dunno why they didn't just call it sixth and seventh year. As far as I know, Wales does the same.

Ok, you've all got it wrong - in England its actually 7 years at Primary (from Reception, through years 1 - 6) Secondary school is years 7, 8, 9,10 and 11 which takes you to GCSE level, and at which point you can leave. Sixth Form is years 12 and 13 which takes you through As and A2 level (previously just A level). University comes after this if you like. Or more to the point if you can afford it.

Not round here - first school is Reception and then years 1-3, middle school is years 4-7 and secondary school is years 8-11, plus sixth form. Although I think actually they've switched it since I went to school so that middle school is years 3-6 and secondary school is years 7-11.

Its just semantics - Key Stages 1 and 2 (Reception to Year 6) comprise Primary Education - you get Infant schools, Junior Schools, Middle Schools - call them what you will, YR - Y6 = KS1/2 = Primary School.

[Boboff]

Yuds is right.

She summed it up perfectly.

I am a school Governor, so I know!

[Yudster]

"Middle School" and "Infant School" and stuff like that is just the name of the school, not a description of the provision.

[MK Chris]

Yeah, but what it also does is mark out which ones require you to go to two schools and which three - I always thought it was normal to have three different schools if you live in the same place from when you start to when you finish school with the exception of a few combined schools, but apparently it's not.