Would you allow your year 6 child, miss the last two days of school, to go on a fab holiday ?

[JennyTals]

I feel so bad at the thought of dc missing the last 2 days
Esp as dc will be leaving the school

Depends. It wouldn't have bothered me as I hated school from day one and had no friends.

My dc is a completely different kettle of fish and I imagine she absolutely wouldn't want to miss something like this.

I would ask the child

I worked in year 6 for a few years and that last day is really important to them. They sign shirts and yearbooks, do a few little pranks on the head, have a picnic lunch on the field. We had one child miss it for a holiday last year and he was really upset about it. If your DC doesn't mind, then go for it, but otherwise I definitely wouldn't.

If it were any other time I wouldn't hesitate but the last day of primary is a nig deal. There will be loads of photos and your dc won't be inthem.

Oh no. Leaving juniors was one of the saddest days ever but I wouldn't have wanted to miss it.

Personally something happened in my life in those summer holidays which was like an axe cutting through my life. I call that last day the last day of my childhood.
Saying goodbye to the lovely teachers.

Really?

It’s not the education but the last few days of primary are memorable. Dd2 was a covid era year 6 er and was sad to not get to do the play / disco / leavers assembly. You’ve got all summer and the rest of your lives to go on random holidays

Exactly.

Is it really only possible that you can go on that date? Surely it can be booked for a couple of days later? Or just go for 1 week as you've mentioned.

No, I wouldn't. I don't even remember my last day at primary school but, as others have said, it was a massive deal for DD who is 27 now. She still has the scribbled on shirt.

Asking a child if they want to miss something when they probably don't appreciate the potential magnitude, plus will sense that you favour the alternative, is placing too much of a burden on them.

Yeah. And the teachers will be thrilled too

I would, DS and a whole year of children missed their last few days of primary school due to Covid and it wasn’t seen as fair enough back then. As far as I can tell, he hasn’t been affected by it!

I wouldn't because once it's booked he can't change his mind. He might feel differently about the last few days of year 6 as it gets closer but by then there'll be nothing you can do.

It's a rite of passage; I would prioritise it over something more commonplace such as a holiday.

I think that there are people on here who have LT remorse over missing theirs shows you probably shouldn't.

I would let the child decide in this instance.

I have no issue taking out of school for a holiday. I’ve done this for the last 3yrs. Week before ht in may

but

I wouldn’t take out and miss last 2days or school in any year , let alone last year

I still remember my last day at primary school. Still have the shirt all signed By friends and teachers ans water fights and picnics and that’s 40yrs ago

depending where cruise is on 3rd day could you fly there and get on cruise late where it docks that day ?

if not then plenty of other cruises

You know your child and their school best. Personally, my DC's primary school put very little focus on the last day to help control emotions! They had a picnic 3 or 4 days before after school with all the teachers. There were no year books, photos, jumpers etc. The kids were split to go on to over 6 or 7 secondary schools so had already formed friendship groups with those that they were going to secondary with so taking a DC out of school wouldn't have resulted them missing much.

I have taken my children out at the end of term for a couple of days a couple of times
However I specifically did not do this at the end of Y6 as those final days are special and an important part of saying a good goodbye to the friends and place where they had been very happy over the years.

No, because the end of primary is a rite of passage and it would be such a shame for him to miss out. My DD didn’t leave Y6 properly because of lockdown and even now, in Y11, she talks about how sad that was. She wasn’t alone though, whereas your DS might feel so left out as the only one.

It's very unlikely I would book it, I think those are special days of school I remember very fondly and clearly.

Work out the price differences doing it differently then decide if the cost is worth it? I'd talk to child as well, maybe they won't be fussed.

Funnily enough even school staff sometimes have a day or two off at either end of term to go on holidays(usually unpaid if no TOIL accrued). I've known TAs, teachers and even SENCOs that did this. It happens. It's not the end of the world.

Yes, of course.

I work in a primary and I don't think they realise yet how much they will be missing out on.

I really think they won't want to go when the time comes and you'll be stuck dragging them on holiday and although you aren't forcing them to miss the goodbye now, you really might have to when it comes to it.

Recently? I have never, ever heard of this happening except someone who missed two insets due to holiday and got a disciplinary.

Please tell me you're not this sanctimonious in RL?

Teachers who think that students should never be off seem to think it's fine for them to take part in strikes though. It's one rule for them...

@JennyTals talk to your child and see how they feel. If they're not particularly bothered, it's all good. Just let the teacher know so of there's anything like gifts, tshirt signing, photo books etc being handed out in the last two days they can sort it out for your child if they want and to say a proper goodbye.

Sounds like an amazing holiday and opportunity.