To think the Welsh Government are brilliant for doing this

[Newenglandinthefall]

Common sense prevails in Wales over term time holidays.

www.walesonline.co.uk/news/education/parents-can-take-children-holiday-10727130

[scarlets]

I guess they realised that the previous policy was doing nothing for the genuinely vulnerable children whose parents don't care whether they attend school or not. It was just posturing.

[Newenglandinthefall]

And it means families who rely on the tourist industry for their income can legitimately take a family holiday. Hooray!

[Newenglandinthefall]

Off to book a holiday now....

[GoblinLittleOwl]

And Wales' education results are very poor.

[Newenglandinthefall]

That's to do with the money spent per head on each child surely? Not the opportunity to spend time with their family which surely creates a happier child all round.

[SquinkiesRule]

If my child wasn't keeping up I wouldn't do it, but two years ago I did a term time holiday. one week, visiting family abroad.
I'd do it again, if I couldn't get time off in the holidays. Last year I got lucky and had two weeks off in the summer holidays. Many years I can't as others book ahead of me.

[Anotherusername1]

The law is the same in England, so maybe headteachers will start using common sense again and allow absence in exceptional circumstances (but not because someone wants a cheaper holiday). I couldn't quite understand why they were saying no all the time, I hadn't realised that councils were telling them there was no discretion.

I'm glad it's been cleared up and hope councils in England will review their guidance.

[DisappointedOne]

Erm, there's been no change in policy. Local authorities haven't interpreted the existing policy correctly. (The authority I live in had, and leftmost up to schools to decide what to do. Ours opted to allow HT to authorise.)

[DisappointedOne]

And it's not the same law as in England. We have our own regulation on it!

[Fizzielove]

I took our DC on holiday at the end of November, Principal told me he couldn't approve but that there was nothing he could do, and because of our family situation of the past year he understood. He then went on and said he couldn't tell me to have a good time ( whilst he winked at me and grinned!! ) schools in NI aren't run by the council but by the Local Education Authority, and I hope it stays that way going by what is happening in England!

[didofido]

How sensible! More years ago than I care to remember my family asked for a 'holiday form' from school every year. And every year we spent the last week of June in a caravan at the seaside. I still passed 11+

[mummymeister]

this is now ridiculous. Scotland allow holidays in term time and so do Wales. yet again England is out of step.

this should be about giving power back to the head teachers. they are well qualified and well paid individuals able to look at each pupil individually and decide if time off should or should not be allowed. the talk is off maintaining 95% attendance and this is so much more sensible than the "100% is all that is good enough" attitude from LEA's.

we live in England. I am writing to my MP now to ask why there is this discrepancy and what is he going to do about it. it would be great if others who agreed with me did the same.

this blanket ban has NEVER been about improving educational standards. it is only about the stats - making them look good.

lets hope that this is the beginning of the end of Gove's ridiculous rule.

[DisappointedOne]

Not sure all heads want to be able to make decisions about term time absence. I imagine many are concerned about aggressive parents/taking the flack for saying no.

[Knitmyshickers10]

My DC's secondary school (In Wales) will authorise up to 10 days leave a year as long as their results are good and their previous attendance is also in the green category.

They have always done this, the headmaster is a very sensible and understanding chap and our school is top of the league tables. Most people I know don't take advantage but its very nice to know its there if you need it.

[WoodliceCollection]

Would rather they funded schools and the NHS properly tbh. I don't see how being 'allowed' term time holidays (as if a holiday is some kind of right anyway) is better than getting adequate healthcare and improved school standards like the rest of the UK.

[jorahmormont]

So many families in Wales rely on the tourist industry for work that taking a week in the summer holidays just isn't an option. Plus I don't think it was quite working out how they wanted as most schools were finding that half the pupils were "sick" for the last week in July because they were off to the Royal Welsh

[BeyondCBA]

Our headteacher allowed them anyway, though they had to be officially 'unauthorised' she blatently said that she has no problem with holidays.

So we had ours booked ages ago
🏝☀️👙🕶🌴🍍✈️
annoying list of emojis!!

[seafoodeatit]

Having booked our summer holiday last night this makes me very bitter! it's the first year we've had to book a holiday during school holidays the hike in cost made me want to cry.

[Shakey15000]

So pleased about this. We're in Wales and we made the decision to take a term time holiday (beginning of term) last year. The head also said that she couldn't authorise it, but also "couldn't stop us". I had requested permission and outlined circumstances but it was denied. We received a letter from the LEA telling us we were on a warning (or some such)

[BeyondCBA]

I'm always tempted when hearing of warnings to send a letter back saying "my genius child is going to raise your league table place. Now if you want me to take him out, homeschool and lose you his %, thats hunky dory by me"

That pribably sounds a bit arseholish though

[Notso]

I didn't realise term time holidays had stopped being authorised in Wales. They certainly were still being allowed in my DC's schools.

[Andrewofgg]

Does this apply to teachers' children too?

That would really benefit their pupils' education, wouldn't it?

It's absurd. It's teaching children to place a higher value on leisure than on work.

[DisappointedOne]

As long as the teachers aren't going with them, yes!

[DisappointedOne]

m.huffpost.com/us/entry/7990530

[DisappointedOne]

It's not absurd (and I say that as the child of teachers).