To think billboard adverts threatening parents about removing their children for a holiday in term time are a bit well, pathetic.

[BurningBuntingFlipFlop]

Haven't the government got bigger concerns?

Sure a couple of weeks of a child experiencing a different culture once a year during term time isn't that bad?

My children aren't old enough but if they were i probably wouldn't pull them out in term time personally. But i'm shocked that this is apparently a major concern in the education sector right now? What about the parents who just don't give a shit if their kids ever go to school? Or the cuts that are happening?

I can't find a link, they're in Manchester anyway.

Why don't we stop pretending and just admit that this is only a problem for the children of parents who don't care about their childrens education? Children of parents who take an active interest go schoolwork and are intelligent enough to teach their kids themselves aren't going to miss anything if they're out of school for one week in a year. And parents can always make sure the kids catch up.
This weird stalinist view of "but school always knows best, you know" only works for clueless parents, not all parents.

Riven, I don't think it got answered because this thread is not about SEN's, and if you brought them into every thread, OP would never be answered.

I agree with what you are saying, you have a good point and are completely right, providing children with special needs with a good education is far more important than whether parents take their children out of school for holiday or not. But I think that issue would be for a whole new thread.

As an ex teacher I would say take your kids on holiday in term time if it works better for you! The benefits often outweigh the time missed in school.

School is not the law... and they would soon be in a mess if they tried to enforce strict rules on every family.

Empty threats.

Well ssid curly- just what I was thinking.

Lequeen do you mean 'league' as in SAT results? If so it's a classic example of how they mean diddly squat when it comes to showing how children are encouraged to progress...hence the reason so many schools boycotted them last year.

I take mine out, for a week every year (although I will stop this as GCSE's approach). I contact the schools to discuss first so they don't miss any exams etc (last year I took them out while half of DS1's year group were on residential course - he didn't want to go). I take them out to experience different cultures for a fortnight and we tag a week out of school onto the whitsun week. we wouldn't go in summer holidays as it's too hot for my white haired, pale skinned little ones and also the price is ridiculous.

whoever said it's only from the time they're 5-15 wasnt thinking. mine, as many others, are 11, 7 and 1 , that's 20 years of fitting hols around school!

I think it's personal choice but being fined is ridiculous!

I intend to take the dds out of school for 2 weeks this year.Luckily our county starts summer holidays a week earlier than elsewhere,so we can often get a cheaper week.We are lucky again in that we are in a very agricultural area and the HT knows that many families can only take time out after drilling but before lambing,after haymaking but before harvest,and is normally fine authorizing holidays.

We haven't taken term time holidays for 2 years,but have in the past and the dds have taken books to read,filled in scrap books,visited museums,art galleries,historical sites and improved their Spanish.I'd imagine that they have learnt more than they would in the last weeks of school,watching DVDs and reading the deadly dull Biff and Chip books.

I called my son's school about this yesterday as we are about to book a holiday during May and taking 5 days within term time.

The school's main concerns were whether we'd be affecting its attendance stats (we weren't) and whether we clashed with SATS testing (we didn't).

Pernickity many kids don't live near "day trip" places,city kids need to experience the country and vice versa.

Petrol costs a small fortune now,hopping in the car for a "day trip" is not a cheap option.

Families do live far away,often in tiny houses and getting together is valuable time.

Not everything in the past was ideal. I did travel as a kid(in June as my parents could only afford France then)it was totally valuable. It made mw want to learn French,try it out and marvel at a different culture.

Sorry but no way are my kids missing out on that,we live in an ever increasing global world,they need to get out there and experience it-all kids,not just a few. A week in Benadorm wouldn't be my cup of tea but experiencing travel on a plane etc gives kids something to aspire to(ie getting a job to pay for a holiday) at the very least.

As a family who camps in the school hols I have to say this is being squeezed. Sites are getting fuller and more pricey in the hols,decent camping kit(wet camping isn't fun) isn't cheap either. Soon even camping is going to be too pricey for many in the school hols.

Hello, I used to work in travel and get incredibly innoyed for the poor family sat in front of me being penalised simply for having children. That's the main issue here. I don't believe parents would feel the need to remove them term time if costs stayed in line with the rest of the year. Luckily my son's school has now changed some of the holiday times. For example we get two weeks off in October. Great if your going abroad but pretty chilly if you plan to stay in the uk.
I personally believe everyone need a little holiday from time to time, especially families.

Blimey, you turn your back for 5 mins!
Curlymama I refuse to prepare work for a child to do during family holidays. When they get back I will happily provide a photocopy of my plans so that they can see what has been missed and play catch up at home. That is entirely at the discretion of the parents and will not be marked by me either.

As a teacher I know all too well how disruptive 2 weeks out of school can be to a pupil (not talking about very young children here- more juniors and secondary pupils.)This is especially a problem when the holiday is taken in September after the children have just had a long time off school or in the middle of a term (especially the spring term where I always find the most progress is made.)

But it's crazy that schools refuse an authorised absence for taking the last day of term off (as flights can be significantly cheaper on a Friday than a Saturday)especially when:

a) They have a half day.
b) All they do is watch films and play games.

And that's my point lequeen the SATS results don't reflect the fact the school appear to take more notice of the parents opinions than what's right for the children.

So a child scores level 2 in the SATS...what if that child was well on course to score a 3, but the teachers couldn't be arsed giving them the extra help? That doesn't reflect how good/bad the school is does it?

If that class was better for her then that's where she should be...who runs the school, the staff or the parents?

Some schools that allow the 10 days term-time absence are ranked as outstanding by Ofsted. However that's because not all parents take the piss time off. If everyone did then the % would be less than 95% on holiday absence alone and it would be goodbye 'Outstanding'.

As someone pointed out further down though - this is really only an issue for children who take the 10 days and have poor attendance, or are unlucky enough to have parents who don't give a shit about education. There are plenty of them around.

The Head at my DS's school wil not authorise any holidays for term time - except where a parents employers makes them take specific dates for their anual leave.

I totally agree with this. Education is far more important than 2 weeks spent by a pool in Spain. If you can't afford a holiday outside of term time, then tough! Holidays are not a god given right.

The biggest issue at my DS's school is the parents who take their kids out for 4 weeks during term time to visit family abroad. If they want to se family they have got 5 weeks in July/August to do this.

I am amazed at how many parents who do not feel that missing 2 weeks of education every year is no big deal. Totally irresponsible attitude.

My son had a week off with shingles in November and he struggled to catch up with what everyone else had been learning. He is a bright kid, but was really upset that he missed the lessons that covered their first attempts at adding tens and units. I got the stuff from the teacher and spent time with him at home. He also missed some of the practices for the school nativity and didn't want to do it as he said he didn't feel confident with some of the songs.

We are going to Thailand this year for our holiday (not in term time I might add) and I will ensure this holiday has some educational content, but we went to Mallorca for a week last August and there was nothing educaitonal about this. It was 2 weeks by the pool and on the beach.

Some parents need to get a grip and be thankful that our children receive an education inthis country (regardless of whether parents work and pay tax or not). Try living in a country where parents have to pay from a meagre income and their kids have to walk 6 miles to school every day.

Also you should think about what you are teaching your children. You will soon be complaining when your kids get to their teenage years and start missing school (wagging it as we call it up North). But then, you have pulled them out of school for no good reason, so why should they have a good attitude towards education.

My parents never had much money for holidays (certainally, never went abroad as a child), but they never took us out of school for holidays. They scrimped and saved and we had a very cheap caravan holiday in S.Wales every other year.

As you can probably tell, I am very passionate about this subject!

dockate - the main reason that private parents dont need to do it is that ironically as they get longer hols than state they get the cheap weeks - ie the travel companies dont count private holiday weeks as holidays iyswim.

For example in October theres a 2 week half term for private - one of the weeks at Centerparcs costs 999 and the other 379. It works at the start of the summer holidays as well and at Easter mostly.

Why can precious family time ONLY happen out of the home? Why not take a two weeks off work in the school holidays and do things in your hometown?

I don't have a huge problem with it at primary age, although wouldn't do it myself, but I don't get this argument that you can only have family time in a foreign country.

I would (and will) stick to the rule unless for a wedding/funeral etc. I went during term time as a child and I hated feeling left out of things when I returned.

Fwiw though, holiday can be very educational - I used to be dragged taken round museums, castles etc, experiencing other cultures, I learned a lot.

The price differences are a real PITA but I'll just have to shop around for good deals.

Lucy88-Thailand and Majorca in the school hols -I rest my case.

If I had the money I'd do the same as would pretty much every parent who resorts to termtime hols.Sadly my kids have never even been on a plane,sneer at 2 weeks by a pool if you will but it does have value otherwise you wouldn't go.

I don't live in the Uk so perhaps thats why I am struggling with this, but, Billboards? Refused permission from head teachers? I don't understand.
I took my son out of school last year for a week to go to France on holiday. I didn't ask anyones permission, and nobody said a word to me about it, because its none of their business, and they know that. Its really not difficult for the school to differentiate between the likes of my neighbour who rarely sends her children to school because in her own words "I can't be arsed getting up that early" and the likes of us that only miss school for sickness or family holidays.

My child(ren) has a good attitude towards school and I'm sure will continue to do so, he also can tell the difference between time off for good reason and for not good reason. Its not as diffcult as some of you are making out.
They are my children and I will decide whether a holiday in term time is in their best interests or not, end of story.

Oh I wish I could afford 2 weeks abroad even in term time!

sadly we are having 5 days at Centre Parcs in Feb - week AFTER half term - saving £800

The Monday and Tuesday of that week are INSET days so they are missing 3 days of the first week back - they are in years 2 and 3

School has no problem with it as they have great attendance records and are both very able students

Angrypixie good for you! that was the response I was hoping for!

oh and if your kid is distraught about missing a week of adding 10+10 when they've had a great holiday..you've got way bigger problems than missing school!