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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think its unfair that its 'term time' holidays or no holidays for alot of familes?

153 replies

TotorosOcarina · 08/03/2011 14:08

So they can either run the risk of getting a fine and a bollocking or them, and their kids get no holiday at all?

I'm talking about myself here Grin

We don't do holidays abroad, we don't even do nice cottage holidays.

The last few years we have gone to Haven for 4 nights ina caravan. And the kids bloody love it.

2 years ago we just had DS1 in nursery so went in term time.

Last year we only had DS in school, in reception, so he had 5 days off 'sick' and we went in term time.

This year we have 2 kids in school and I don't think we can risk taking them both out.

If we went in a few weeks time, term time, it would be £99 for 4 nights in a 'superior' caravan.

If we go in either the easter holidays or anytime from june onwards its nearer to £500.

I just think its unfair.

I'm not sure WHO i am saying is being unfair. The schools for having a blanket policy on no holidays (my kids never have time off, i can see them not allowing families who continually have time off for their kids) or the holiday companies who increase the prices 5 fold when school closes.

I just feel sad.

My kids don't really do much. We live in Manchester, have no car, don't have spare money very often and when we do its £1 cinema and a 2 for 1 pub lunch that we go for.

These little holidays really are the highlight of the year for them and I don't think we can do it this year.

OP posts:
BuzzLiteBeer · 08/03/2011 20:29

Row, you don't need their permission to take a four year old anywhere.

littlebillie · 08/03/2011 20:32

I submitted a note today requesting one day off before the easter holidays. I think we will get the knock back on it as it is very strict school. However, my partner and I have both been ill and we paid for this last year. So I may use this if I have too as genuine reason, but I am not submitting this on the initial application.

I think kids change when you go away together. I am not torn by a million jobs and we all relax together. I am sorry this is not recognised as being important. Also we keep hearing about a "broken society" give familys a chance to get together.

TheSecondComing · 08/03/2011 20:34

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itsalarf · 08/03/2011 20:40

Joolyjoo, you should not be only having one bank holiday in April, because there is the extra wedding one this year. Secondly, pupils have a fixed number of days in school, 195. Schools cannot change this. Inservice days have nothing to do with that figure.
If you are annoyed about the holiday issue, you need to take it up with LA's or Ofsted, or the Government. They are the ones pushing the "results culture". Don't always believe your children - many teachers (secondary), never show any videos, ever. In fact could you all please ask your children not to constantly nag for videos for three weeks in the summer term. It is very annoying, and refusal often offends! Smile
As to the holiday issue. As long as they are not going to ask for work to take with them, want a catch up session when they come back, sit for two weeks afterwards saying they don't understand because they missed bits, and are not going to complain about their GCSE results if they go away for 2 weeks in May, then I think there is absolutely no harm done to go in term time occasionally.

Spinkle · 08/03/2011 20:41

Can I just go back to this suggestion that 'Golden Time' spans an entire day or even afternoon.

  1. rarely does a teacher get everything done in a week. There's always something to finish off. Therefore a large chunk of time devoted to goldeness is rare. Not weekly.
  1. When asked about what your little dears have been doing they will, of course, chirp up about Golden Time. Because it sticks in their minds because they like it.
  1. If a teacher is using a bit of Golden Time to catch up with a bit of marking, then why not? You'd soon be complaining if they didn't do it and maybe, just maybe, Miss Smith doesn't fancy spending all weekend doing it.
  1. Holiday or not holiday, you decide. In this county no-one has yet been fined for going in term time... Lucky you to be able to afford it.
altinkum · 08/03/2011 21:02

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VJ1983 · 08/03/2011 21:11

I'm a teacher (primary). I don't do golden time, nor do any of the other teachers in my school. My BIL is a teacher and his school don't do it either. I'm not sure where the idea that most/all schools have golden time comes from. My class are allowed to watch a video on the last day of school only. My marking is done during my lunch break or at home after school or at the weekend.

I have to take my holidays outside of term time. Yes, I knew this when I became a teacher, but parents also know that their children need to attend school during term. My DD will probably not get an expensive holiday for a long time, but we can go camping or on day trips for minimal expense (and we do not live in such an exciting place as Manchester).

It is extremely difficult to catch some children up when they are away on holiday. For instance, if you are introducing a new concept, such as division, and a child misses this, they will be behind when the topic is revisited. The other children will be ready to move on to larger numbers/ more complicated concepts and the child who was on holiday won't. Then parents ask for 'holiday packs' which require sourcing/copying/explaining during my own time.

Joolyjoolyjoo · 08/03/2011 21:17

Oooh- when is the extra Royal Wedding holiday?? I've just checked the local council school holidays, and I don't see it! Are we Scots not getting it? Well, if there is an extra holiday that will be another day they will be off. I don't know if we will get it- hasn't been mentioned. DH won't even get Easter Monday this year (RN), so not everyone gets bank holidays. And in our work, if we do, it gets taken out of holiday allowance, meaning even less time to spend with the children

(are the violins limbering up yet?? Grin)

Spinkle · 08/03/2011 21:17

There are so many guidelines about time spent doing PE, Literacy, RE, Numeracy, ICT etc etc then doing all of those adequately usually means that, inevitably, something has to be missed out or not covered in exactly the way it should be. That is a fact.

TA time? HAAAAAAAAAA HAAAAAAAAAA! I get 1 TA for an hour a day, for a named child. Yeah, I'd like to allocate her time better but there's no money to.

No, the teacher's time should not be put above a child's education, absolutely not, you are correct.

I could spend all weekend marking and planning.

But I have my own children to worry about too.

itsalarf · 08/03/2011 21:21

You are getting your full 5.6 weeks of leave though I hope? Remember, apart from May Day, the other Bank Hols generally fall inside school hols anyway. They aren't additional.

BaroqueAroundTheClock · 08/03/2011 21:25

Jooly - I just checked the Edinburgh Council website for term dates and they're closed for it......... ('tis the 29th April)

altinkum · 08/03/2011 21:26

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Joolyjoolyjoo · 08/03/2011 21:28

What??? I'm not RN! We get 3wks + some Bank holidays (which is a shitty deal for me, as I don't work Mondays!)

I'm really not having a go at teachers here, honestly. My mum was a teacher all her life, and I saw how hard she worked, and how much time she put into preparation/ marking after hours, so I don't begrudge teachers their holidays at all.

I was just trying to point out that many many parents have jobs where they simply can't take their holidays to match the school holidays, and can find getting childcare for all the apparent extras (and yes, I can see that children still spend the same amount of days in school etc) It's just that with schools being so inflexible about it, it makes things very difficult to ever get a holiday, cost aside.

And yet, I'd never be brave enough to take my kids out of school during term-time Blush I am a scaredy cat when it comes to authority, and would (rightly or wrongly) feel guilty about it.

Joolyjoolyjoo · 08/03/2011 21:29

Aah pooh- 29th April, that's a Friday isn't it? Definitely not getting it then, as it's my last official day in my current job!

hissymissy · 08/03/2011 21:32

As a TA on a very low income (LP) I find it difficult to be sympathetic to all those poor parents deprived of a trip away (you DO get a holiday btw, just because you don't go away somewhere).

DS and I haven't been away now, let me think, well... ever on a proper holiday. The farthest we have been is Surrey and Chelmsford to stay with relatives (we live in Devon).

I accepted that not only as part of my job, but also as part and parcel of being a parent. Kids can lose a lot of ground in a very short time. Taking them out of school for a week or more is irresponsible and selfish IMHO.

tyler80 · 08/03/2011 21:35

"you DO get a holiday btw, just because you don't go away somewhere"

Not necessarily, some people don't have a choice of when to take their holidays, so they have time off when the children are in school and then have to pay for childcare during holidays.

hissymissy · 08/03/2011 21:41

How many people honestly aren't allowed even a week or two in at least one of the holidays every year? Hardly any. I certainly haven't ever heard of anyone who is unable to take some time off in one or more of the holidays, if not the summer, there's Christmas and Easter, plus 3 half-terms. Sorry, that isn't a valid excuse!

Glubs · 08/03/2011 21:43

We had to sign an agreement when we accepted the place at DD's school to say that we would not take any holidays during term time. If we didn't like it, we couldn't take the place. It's a very sought after school and places are hard to get so we signed.

It means that holidays we take are of course hugely expensive but that is what we've accepted and we do lots of camping in the Summer to keep the cost down.

It's what we accept we have to do whilst we have a child at school. I've got friends with children at other schools who can take up to 10 days which sounds amazing, but we can't so there it is.

We make huge sacrifices for our children and this is another thing we have to do.

I have to say, I've never heard of 'DVD Fridays' which you all describe. I know teachers have it tough, but no tougher than many other professions. At least teachers are guaranteed time with their children during school holidays. It breaks my heart to send DD to holiday club because I can't take leave from work during all school holidays, but again, there it is. We do what we do and we all do the best we can.

altinkum · 08/03/2011 21:44

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hissymissy · 08/03/2011 21:45

Altinku,m, so you are saying you can never take any holidays dring school holidays? What do you do?

hissymissy · 08/03/2011 21:46

during no dring!

Panzee · 08/03/2011 21:50

My parents never had holidays in the school holidays, that was their busiest time at work. So we never went on holiday. It was honestly no big deal. Why does everyone get so obsessed?

BaroqueAroundTheClock · 08/03/2011 21:54

I wonder if it depends on how much they're able to do stuff at the weekends on a regular basis. I think if I were able to fill the majority of weekends with trips out, fun stuff, visiting places then the "need" for a holiday wouldn't feel so strong.

Holidays just feel like one long hellish weekend to me...........................

NonnoMum · 08/03/2011 21:56

What's your job, OP?

altinkum · 08/03/2011 21:59

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