holidays in term time arrrgggghhhhhh!!!!!!!

[happymerryberries]

I have 5, count them, five students missing course work next week to go on holiday. This is 20% of their GCSE. They are missing c/w in all three sciences.

Never mind, I dare say they will have a nice, 'educational' holiday in the Costas

ARRGGHHHHHHH!

And they ask if I will set them up an after school catch up, ie, please miss will you give up your free time so my family can go on holiday in term time.

Flaming cheek!

[tarantula]

what a bloody cheek Where do these people get off? And then they wonder why their kids arent living up to their potential at school.

[coppertop]

Cheeky so-and-so's!

[skeptic]

It's not so bad if it's one of the litter rotters, but sadly, Murphy's Law says "no".

[happymerryberries]

5 out of 72. These are not all families who cannot afford a holidays any other time. They are not going for a great cultural experience. They are just getting so cut price sun at the expence of their kids education. they are taking the piss!

[Blu]

Parents think hols are more important even in GCSE years?

You have my sympathy, hmb, you really do.

[FIMAC1]

God you really do wonder about some people, don't you? What an example to set to them as well..... No wonder we are breeding a nation of underachievers - well mass over-simplification, but wouldn't you think they 'might' put their kids exams before 2 weeks of cheap booze and sun...

Teachers have my greatest admiration, really - I would be forced to say something to the parents

[hercules]

a 1/4 of our year 7's are not coming in for the last week as they are on holiday.

[nutcracker]

I would actually take my kids out of school for a holiday but not when they had important things to do like coursework and exams.

[Pinotmum]

I can't take term time holiday even if I wanted to as I am a Pre-School worker. I'm not well paid either but unless it was a once in a life time thing I wouldn't interrupt their school work and then expect the teacher to put his/herself out.

[happymerryberries]

But lots of parents just don't give a toss when they take their kids out. It is their right you see

Good at rights, crap at responsibility some people

[FIMAC1]

HMB

Yep - and they wonder why kids are turning out the way they are -

[Hulababy]

Really hate it when kids have time off for holidays in their GCSE and exam years. nightmare

We were not allowed to do after school catch up sessions in these circumstances.

[swedishmum]

I fully understand how frustrating this is - had a boy in my tutor group whose parents took him away DURING his GCSEs - he was devastated.

On the other hand I have no qualms about taking my own kids out at primary level. Having taught them at home during our recent trip abroad I KNOW they learn more while away with me. However we do tend to do the cultural thing. I'm sure it would irritate me as a teacher but as my daughter is doing so little at the moment and the Y6 class have been given absolutely NO homework all term I couldn't care less.

[JulieF]

I'd happily take my children out duting priamry school or to avoid SATS if I had to but GCSE coursework is another matter entirely!!!!

We had several missing today from our dress rehearsal.. The parents have paid a LOT of money to send their children to us, you'd think they'd turn up each week.

[Pixiefish]

hmb I so agree. This was a real bugbear of mine. Kids in all years taking time off for flippin hols. Even in non exam years they missed important work which meant that they couldn't carry on with tasks etc or they'd missed an assessment task (we monitored constantly using 6 different marks per term for the end of term assessment)

[mumeeee]

We used to take the chidren out for holidays during the school term when they were younger. But don't do it now and cetainly wouldn't take them out during GCSE years. Also my eldest DD was very god at catching up, but DD3 is dyspraxic and would find this very dificult.

[happymerryberries]

TBH it was the 'can you set up an after school so I can catch up?' that realy got my goat!

She is a very nice child but somehow she thinks that I have nothing better to do with my time at the end of a ong working day than to spend more time in school with her so that she can make up for a holiday.

I've told het she can do the work at lunch times and break times. I have my own kids to sort out at 3!

[beatie]

I wonder how these parents would react if they brought their kids into school one day to be faced with a substitute because their teacher has decided to take a term-time holiday?!