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

Also, during Covid my friend who was a TA said that the almighty teachers only had to come in for 2 days a week, whilst she was expected to be there every single day.

She thought this was unfair. So do I...

Yes, because holidays are educational too. When schools arrange trips abroad paid for by us, are they teaching them the normal curriculum? No, so why can they make that decision for our children but we can't

What a load of rubbish! The teachers are getting paid to be there, they chose the job! OP i would ask the child if it would bother them and if it wouldn't i absolutely would book the holiday.

For any other year I would but not year 6. Had this same dilemma myself . The last day is a big thing at my sons school so I just didn't want him to miss it

@Sugargliderwombat yes. Two instances in this school year. Obviously I can't give specific details as it would be identifying, but it happens. They were all discussed/approved in advance , so no need for a disciplinary. I assume that wasn't the case in the situation you mentioned?

That's a bizarrely narcissistic reason.

Like you op, my main worry would be if they miss out on any major goodbyes. But some people arent fussed by that anyway. I missed my own graduation to go on an awesome holiday and I don't regret it!

Awww, at our school the Leavers assembly was brilliant.

Will your Dc be going to secondary with their closet friends?

Yes I would definitely. My adult daughter who is 30 can't remember her last day at primary. They did have a year 6 performance, not an assembly for parents but that was the week before.

Yes that was the same in our primary. The TAs were in all the time. The teachers did two days a week in the school. They didn't do any teaching online or send any work or even ring the children to check on them or message them, but we did yet a lovely newsletter every week about how they were enjoying doing all sorts of lovely hobbies and activities with all their free time.

Absolutely would. I’ve got 2 small children and I’ve got holidays planned several years into the future (specific activity that needs a lot of saving up). Where I think I’ll use school days I’ve made sure they fall when it’s least important. That includes the DVD days at the end of year. I’m not guaranteed to use those days at the end of year 6 - I’m nostalgic and remember signing shirts etc, but if the kids don’t mind missing that then we will go for it.

Sorry but it's definitely not the teachers job to get kids to sign a t-shirt for a child who's not at school.

The memories are made getting friends to sign it not have one handed to you. And at what point does the child collect it? After the holidays the kid will be in a different school.

I don't have an issue with kids not going to school the couple of days, academically they do very little but it's a time for making special memories in the last days of primary school

I'd ask him. He might not be bothered about missing this stuff and it won't mean anywhere near as much to every child as it does to some.

It wasn't a big deal at all when I left. Parents didn't come in for any special assembly or anything. We hung around doing shirt signing for a bit then just went home. I'd thrown the shirt away by the end of the summer. Didn't know what I was meant to do with it.

Our school does year books now, not particularly looking forward to all that nonsense.

@Needspaceforlego where did I say it was the teacher's job? When we had something like this, we simply let the kid have their tshirt signed on their "last" day. The teachers might want to try and accommodate the situation (we always did), they might not. It's not a requirement or an expectation, but it's nice if they know so they can do something about it if they want.

No. I was taken on a cruise in Greece at age 11 and found it pretty boring, being on the ship all the time.

Not worth missing the last day of primary for.

I've taken my kids out every year for the last 2/3 days. But year 6? That was a no. Even though she wasn't leaving the school (it's a 3-18), the last few days were full of events and fun activities. And the last day itself was shirt signing and photographs with those who were leaving. My eldest missed out on all of this due to Covid, and so was totally envious of her sister. I think the child will regret missing it when they hear all about it from their friends.

That's not the way it reads

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.

Yes the teacher can hand out gifts and photo book early but t-shirt signing?
That's a last day thing, kids signing each other's at the same time.

You lost me at cruise. Cruises are awful they are destroying so many lovely places. 1000s of people descend on a city for a very short space of time. Go and see all the main sites and ruin it for everyone else including the town's inhabitants. Spend little money as accommodation is on the ship and often food too. It's rubbish for the people on the cruise because you're always seeing cities when they are full like sheep.
So no don't do it!

Yes but take my kids out almost every year for a holiday.

I’d ask your DC. And maybe ask some parents of previous year 6s at that school to find out what they’d be missing (obviously nothing academic but whatever fun they have planned).

But I bet you your DC won’t be the only one! At our school, there are always children absent on the last couple of days of every term.

The last few days are the most fun- games, clean up, getting art together etc!

Yes 100% I would never care

I wouldn’t I’m year 6. I still remember my last day at primary and I’m 42. So many dc missed out on their last day in covid and it was one of those big moments that affected them. I’m not one for taking out in secondary but I’d rather do 2 days in year 7 than miss the end of year 6.

Is DC going to secondary school with all his friends?

If it was any other year I would not do it, but I think you need to speak to DC and see how they feel. Mine all had a whole ceremony and signing the shirts, getting autograph books signed, etc

No, last days in primary school are more important than a Med cruise. And I am not particularly against missing school for holidays, but I wouldn't do it for the last days of primary school

I don’t remember my last day of primary school. I do remember bits of fab holidays we had at the same time.

100% I would choose the holiday, as long as the child was also ok with it. There will be no missed learning at all.