Thinking that school is unfair and has double standards

[BITCAT]

We have had a letter stating that term time holidays will not be allowed. I and my children have not had a holiday for 12/13yrs and i have never taken them out of school for a holiday. But was planning one for next year with 4 kids of my own and a stepson who will be joining us we simply cannot afford to go during school holidays. Now what annoys me is the very next day after this letter, we had 1 telling us that our children now have a mth of for xmas this year because of moving to new school and the school are taking 40 children on a non educational trip to france for 4 days. Now as the reasons for no holidays is claimed that too much learning time is lost, how can they be allowed to take theses children out of school, when we cannot take our children for 1 weeks holiday..and why cant they set up an annex for the xmas period so the children dont miss school. One rule for them and another for us..not fair.

[BITCAT]

these.not theses

[kittywalker]

If you feel this strongly (and I can see why you can) why not write a letter to the chair of governors and/or the headteacher?

[kittywalker]

sorry - I can see why you do

[natwebb79]

Did the letter actually state that the trip to France would be purely non-educational?? As a head of French at a secondary school I have run a few trips to France and find it hard to believe that the staff won't be encouraging practice of the French language, cultural knowledge etc. A bit rubbish if it is as you say though!

[RustyBear]

There's a big difference between a single child going off on holiday and therefore missing the lessons which are going on while they are away, and a whole class or whole school activity - they are not missing any lessons, which will be planned around the outing or closure.

There would be massive costs associated with setting up an 'annexe' for what would presumably effectively be two weeks, if you would normally have a two week Christmas holiday.

[UniS]

Lots of schools will be having a 2.5 week christmas holiday this coming year . Breaking up on Dec 16 and not returning till Jan 3 or 4 . Shutting for 4 weeks over a move seems about the only way to do it. Your not going to get anything delivered, fixed or moved between dec 22 and Jan 3 as half the country is on holiday.

If your desperate to take the kids on holiday why not do it during the extended Winter break from school.

[Dozer]

What can they actually do if you do take the holiday?

[BITCAT]

cant afford a holiday that close 2 xmas..tbh im not allowed to use cost as a reason for why i want to take my kids on hols in term time so why should the school be allowed to. They wanna bang on about time lost..they are breaking up on the 9th dec and not returning till 9th jan. And yes it was the assistant head that told me it was non educational trip..and they keep sending letters home asking for money for trips etc with very little notice. I expect some consideration..especially as my kids have been through a tough time the last couple of years and so have i, so a weeks holiday is well overdue. They say they will repot meand i will get fined!! They rarely have any time off and are always at school on time.

[munstersmum]

There was a man from the LEA on our local news last night. What he basically said was policy is everyone should be in school. However, council does not fine everyone it is notified about if a very reasonable one-off case is made. So the discretion has moved from the school head to the education welfare dept. Maybe try a chat with them explaining your circumstances?

[cookcleanerchaufferetc]

Just go! If it is a first offence generally you will if very unlucky get a call from lea asking if kids are ok and blah blah blah. As long as they aren't missing beginning, end of term or sats, then just go.

I am taking my kids our for a few days with a reason. One school said under dcsf guidelines the absence would be authorised. The other said under dcsf guidelines the absence would be unauthorised!! What a load of bollocks!

Go bok it now!

Waits for flaming!

[scurryfunge]

Just go...if the attendance is normally good, there will not be any issues. Try to go just before a school break because they do very little in that last week before breaking up for a long holiday anyway.

[BITCAT]

thanx...im glad im not alone in thinking that LEA can be unfair at times. I feel im being punished for ppl that take the micky, i know several that take there kids out twice a yr for holidays. All i want is 1 week, to have a break from normality and have fun with my kids and partner and give the kids summat to look back on as they get older. I never had a family holiday and i feel i lost out and i have no memories of any fun or good times at all but that also has a lot to do with an abusive mother also..we dont speak now and i havent for 17yrs...no atempt made to see her grandkids despite being given many chances. Think i may speak to education welfare as suggested and see what they say...im not asking for much.

[Cookster]

Book it and keep a very careful note of how much teaching and learning takes place in the last two weeks of the summer term and remind them of that if they have a problem. Also remind them that they seem to have decided to strike when they fancy it at present so what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. They can't have it both ways and shoudl have thought about it a bit more carefully before stitching up full time working families IMO so stuff the lot of them.

[BITCAT]

this is very true Cookster. Lots of strikes going on atm.

[Funkmeister]

Good old double standards! My ten year old told me yesterday that they havent had a maths lesson all week as they're too busy rehearsing a play they're performing for the school at the end of term :-|. Unbelievable.

[RustyBear]

Why is that double standards, Funkmeister? - presumably the teachers have ensured that the maths curriculum will be covered over the course of the year. but they have simply decided to have the rehearsals for the play concentrated over a short space of time rather than spread out over a longer period.

[Cookster]

Very valid point RustyB, providing of course the school scores more than 90% across the board for its SATs each year.

[Rosebud05]

TBH, if I really needed a holiday (and it sounds like you do), I'd explore all avenues of negotiation, then ask how much the fine will be and add it to the cost of a holiday.

[Kayteee]

Go...please just go :) Who the feck do these people think they are?? Your life, your family. .