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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Primary School Children and Holidays

65 replies

curiousgeorgie · 21/03/2012 12:21

AIBU to think that most people take young DC's out of school for a term time family holiday? (cheaper, less busy etc)

My daughter isn't even in nursery yet, but after having a skim of the school attendance thread (Anything about schools fascinates me haha) and knowing that my neices and nephews, and some friends DC's are usually taken out of school for two weeks every year for holidays, I'm wondering how they get away with it!?

For example, my cousin (DC's 6 & 9) asked us to bring our DD to Florida with thewm, and that they would be going in October, because there will be hardly any queues...

Do you all do this?

OP posts:
Original poster
curiousgeorgie · 21/03/2012 12:22

(And does it really do them any harm?)

OP posts:
tantrumsandballoons · 21/03/2012 12:24

I have actually never done this for an actual holiday but I asked my DCs secondary school for permission to take them out of school a week before the end of term to go to a funeral in Jamaica and they said no. I took them anyway

kenhallroad · 21/03/2012 12:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Pozzled · 21/03/2012 12:29

As a primary school teacher, I would say that you are wrong. The majority of the children I have taught only have time off for illness. The ones that do take holidays tend to be those with relatives overseas, and they usually take a week or two before an existing holiday to get as much time as possible with their family. Or some might need a couple of days for a family wedding or similar.

I have hardly ever seen a child take time off school for a week's holiday just to save the parents money.

I realize it might be different in different areas or types of school, but this is my experience.

kenhallroad · 21/03/2012 12:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Bramshott · 21/03/2012 12:31

No, I don't.

kenhallroad · 21/03/2012 12:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
curiousgeorgie · 21/03/2012 12:33

Pozzled - but how do you know for sure what they're doing?

I've heard my brother say 'It's fine, the kids will have chickenpox that week.'

Or, 'We'll say its for a wedding'.

OP posts:
OutragedAtThePriceOfFreddos · 21/03/2012 12:34

The majority of children in the school I work in do not have time off for holidays, nor o my own children. I don't agree with parents who do this at all.

Llanbobl · 21/03/2012 12:36

No I don't, what message are you giving your children about the importance of education?

Primary is preparing them for life at secondary level which in turn equips them for the real world. If your employer said you couldn't have a holiday at a certain time, would you go anyway - no you wouldn't. Why is the attitude to compulsory education any different?

If you chose to have a family, suck it up.

redskyatnight · 21/03/2012 12:36

In a "average" area - I would say the majority do not except for possibly taking the odd day or 2 at the end of term to tag onto the school holiday.

Exceptions - the odd child who has a parent who can't get leave in school holidays; and the children how make extended trips to visit family overseas.

olgaga · 21/03/2012 12:40

It only ever happens in my daughter's school when families visit relatives abroad. My daughter has friends who have visited family in Hong Kong, Australia and South Africa but the trips always incorporate school holidays. They tend to go one or two weeks early and/or return a little later. Also they certainly don't do it every single year.

It would not be authorised simply for two cheap weeks in the sun in the middle of term.

mummymeister · 21/03/2012 12:45

We have taken ours out of school for the odd day for a family occasion and we took all 3 out for 7 days before the Christmas holidays because we wanted to go on a big family holiday having not had more than the odd day for the last 9 years. we are self employed, our jobs mean we cant go in school holidays and therefore we and the school saw this very much as a one off. my dc's are 14,11 and 9. they missed a couple of pieces of work only (lots of christmas quizzes and dvd's going on rather than work) and caught up with these before returning to school. What they did get out of the holiday was more valuable imo - kennedy space centre and a long discussion with staff and managers at the various theme parks on business studies type stuff. sorry outraged but i dont remember the teachers asking me for permission to close the school for a day and go on strike or doesnt that count? just as teachers have to go on hols during school hols some of us can only go at other times and it is about a sensible approach. i will be interested to see if the new academy schools take a different line including varying the dates of hols from the national ones. that would interesting.

CharlotteBronteSaurus · 21/03/2012 12:46

lots of dd1's friends have had term time holidays. not one has had permission granted though.

TBH i don't think a week out of term is the end of the world. we don't do it though, as we need all of our precious annual leave to cover the school holidays. taking a holiday in term time would just increase our holiday childcare headache, not to mention costs.

WorraLiberty · 21/03/2012 12:49

If you can't afford to go in the school holidays, book a cheaper holiday or spend longer saving for it.

I don't understand why parents with school age kids, browse the term time holidays and work out the cost...then complain it's so much cheaper.

If I only had enough money to buy a Ford car, I wouldn't be looking at the prices of a Ferrari and then moaning I can't afford one.

Every child and every school is individual so there is no 'catch all' reply to this OP.

FamiliesShareGerms · 21/03/2012 12:54

Happens fairly regularly in my DS's school (and we are about to do it for the first time - he's in Yr 1). But only up to one week, not often that people take more than that, authorised or otherwise.

soverylucky · 21/03/2012 12:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ZeldaUpNorth · 21/03/2012 12:55

This is the 1st year i am taking dd out of school for a holiday. I purposely booked for 7th may which is a bank holiday so she will only miss 4 days. She has 100% attendance up to now and in the top 5 of her class so i am not worried in the slightest 4 days off is going to make her a dole claimant for the rest of her life. I have the reasons why i am going then and i know the school will not authorise it, however i have not decided whether to call in sick or just tell them we are going. Dd is 8 btw. (also have dd2 in nursery)

DeWe · 21/03/2012 12:56

If he tells the school they all simultaniously have come out in chicken pox, reutrn to school a week (or fortnight) later scar free talking about going to Disney... I suspect the school will rumble him. I take it he doesn't have a high regard for teachers' intelligence.

soverylucky · 21/03/2012 12:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

redskyatnight · 21/03/2012 13:00

If you're happy to take your children out of school during term time, why would you lie about them being ill Confused ? Nice messages you're giving them ...

WorraLiberty · 21/03/2012 13:12

Zelda I think you should have the courage of your convictions and tell them you are going to ignore the school and take your child on holiday regardless of their rules.

My reasoning is, it's out of order to teach your child to lie to teachers and friends because of your decision to flout the school rules.

That was your choice...not your child's and I feel sorry for any kid who's bursting to tell the class about their holiday, only to have to pretend they were sick.

Original poster
curiousgeorgie · 21/03/2012 13:30

redskyatnight - Just to clarify, I have never done this. My DD is 17 months old! I'm just asking a question...

OP posts:
aldiwhore · 21/03/2012 13:33

I do it. My school has no problem with it. My children haven't suffered for it and neither have their peers. Apart from the cost, DH happens to work away a lot and his biggest contracts always seem to land in school holidays. Our school are very understanding, but we meet them half way and make sure our children are bang up to do date on any school work.

aldiwhore · 21/03/2012 13:34

Agree with worra I wouldn't put my child in the position of lying.

Our headteacher always gives parent their requested 10 days of authorised absence. If she didn't, it wouldn't stop us to be honest, and we'd be honest about it, and, if it came to it, would pay any fine incurred.