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AIBU?

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Original poster

To take our kids on hol in term-time

461 replies

zozzle · 25/05/2012 09:49

We are taking our kids out of primary school to go abroad in term-time (end of June) and have been surprised at the slightly shocked/negative reactions I have had from other friends (mums in the playground). DCs are 4 (Reception) and 8 (yr 3).

My friends seem to tow the line more than me though, and admit they don't like breaking the rules. Breaking the rules has never bothered me though if I think the rules are unreasonable!

It will be the first time we will have been abroad as a family since DC were born and it's also partly to celebrate my 40th. We have holiday'd in the Uk for the last 8 years and fancied a change this year.

We can't afford to go abroad in the school holidays and the possible £100 fine we will incur from taking the kids out of school (although DC 2 is only 4 and doesn't legally have to be in school yet - so fine will prob only be applied to DC1) will still make the hol much cheaper than going in the school holidays.

Won't the hol be an educational experience in itself for the DCs? Wouldn't do it in SATs years or exam years. It is a v. middle class school with quietly pushy parents.

I just don't get what the big deal is!

OP posts:
oopsi · 25/05/2012 16:03

..any change of environment is educational.And in any case holidays are about spending quality time together as a family.Education can be caught up on at any time, children are only children once and can't be recaptured at a later date.

Hopefullyrecovering · 25/05/2012 16:05

Where does it stop though? I personally think that the rule about not being able to shoplift is a PITA. My bank balance would be signficantly improved if I could just do a trolley dash around Sainsbury's each week and emerge unscathed without paying. How convenient would that be?

Those rules about not drinking and driving. How inconvenient are they? If I want to go and get pissed and drive myself home after a bender, surely that's up to me. Anybody letting their young children out at midnight or in fact driving themselves around at that time should expect the odd drunk driver.

And so it goes on... slippery slope. First it's low-level disruption of school routines, then a bit of vandalism, a bit of light shop-lifting and before you know it the OP's in prison and her children are in care.

valiumredhead · 25/05/2012 16:07

That is such a ridiculous comparison! For starters you are talking about breaking the law. TAking a child out of school for a family holiday is not breaking the law.

Hopefullyrecovering · 25/05/2012 16:11

Actually, you are wrong about that.

If you want to take extended leave or a term-time holiday, you should not ?t book any flights or holidays before getting permission from your child?s school. By law, you must have permission in advance; if you go without permission you are breaking the law and could be issued with a penalty notice or even be taken to court.

You do not have an automatic right to take your child out of school for a holiday and schools will only grant leave of absence for more than two weeks in exceptional circumstances

These don't sound like exceptional circumstances to me. Do they to you?

AThingInYourLife · 25/05/2012 16:18

"Why are other parents so concerned with your actions, its nowt to do with them."

You say that, and yet most parents prefer to send their children to schools with a good attendance record.

Ineedalife · 25/05/2012 16:18

We go in term time for a week most years. I can educate my kids wherever i want to.

A parent governor from the school down the road from me has taken her kids to florida for three weeks!!

I rest my caseGrin

Hope you have a lovely family holiday OP Smile

Midgetm · 25/05/2012 16:20

Blimey. YANBU for doing what you are doing, it's a one off, of course you can make it a cultural and learning experience for them although will you really or lay by a pool? and it is seriously unlikely to have a negative impact on your DC's education if you are doing it once.

YABU to expect other people to agree with you though. People who pay the extra get all judgey. They will never agree that you are justified.

Go have a nice holiday, just don't make a habit of it but really it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. Hope you have a lovely time.

valiumredhead · 25/05/2012 16:21

Well as far as our situation goes they ARE exceptional circumstances as it's only because of the olympics that dh can't take time off, so I will fully expect permission and if I don't get it I will happily go to court over it if they take me, which they won't because it's scare tactics. I don't see why we should miss out on a long over due holiday just because of the bloody olympics. Grin

fuckarama · 25/05/2012 16:24

So, the actual law doesn't matter?

My flabber is well and truly ghasted.

I'm off for a wee jolly down the local tescos and I'll just saunter out without paying coz sure the only laws that apply to me are the ones I pick and choose.

valiumredhead · 25/05/2012 16:27

Oh stop using that example - it's utterly ridiculous.

fuckarama · 25/05/2012 16:29

Ok then. I'll take my child out of school half an hour early when it suits me because it fits better with other pick ups I've to do.

After all, it's the last half hour, they're only packing up and finishing off it won't hurt if she misses it.

valiumredhead · 25/05/2012 16:32

The law does not say children cannot be taken on holiday in term time, permission should be granted and quite often is for very good reason - to cover situations like mine.

Now, unknot your knickers! Wink

bogeyface · 25/05/2012 16:32

EXactly Fuck glad you have finally got the message :)

fuckarama · 25/05/2012 16:33

As I said, if you ask and get permission - fine.

But the op hasn't had permission.

And it's still disruptive for the teacher and the other kids in the class.

valiumredhead · 25/05/2012 16:35

Yes it's disruptive when the school is closed for strikes/teacher training/half days etc. Dear God last April the kids were home more than at school what with all the bank holidays - I doubt very much anyone's future suffered.

fuckarama · 25/05/2012 16:37

Strikes ? So you don't think teachers should be allowed to exercise their right to strike?

Don't you get notice of teacher training days that allows you to plan accordingly?

And how many kids have been off on jolly holidays in comparison to strikes by teachers?

valiumredhead · 25/05/2012 16:40

I'm bored of discussing it now - holidays are important and anyone who doesn't think so is daft!

One more thing fuck - what are your views on homework?

fuckarama · 25/05/2012 16:42

I've never said holidays aren't important.

They are.

But they shouldn't be taken during term time, unless with thenheadteacher's permission and in exceptional circumstances.

Homework should always be done to the best of the child's ability and it should be their own work and effort with guidance from the parent, but not the parent doing it.

Why is that even relevant?

Hopefullyrecovering · 25/05/2012 16:45

Would it actually make life simpler if this 2-week permission thing just didn't exist? Because look at the sense of entitlement to it on this thread alone.

I shall disappear from the thread and nip to Sainsburys. Somewhat conventionally, I will pay for my shopping, despite it being jolly inconvenient for me.

fuckarama · 25/05/2012 16:46

Obviously, I'm doing something wrong in valuing education and putting it high on my list of priorities. I've encouraged all my children in their efforts at school, and always got them to try their best. And not to be shirkers or skivers.

narmada · 25/05/2012 16:47

Good grief. If there is no space in a child's life for the occasional term-time holiday, then we truly live in a ridiculous age. These children are 4 and 8 for heaven's sake! It is not going to make one iota of difference to a child's long-term educational success if they have a week off outside holidays every year.

People really do get their knickers in a knot about education these days - It is extremely important and I will do everything to support my children's but honestly....

Now, I do hate to make generalisations out of one experience, but...ahhh, I'm going to break my own rule. My parents were only able to take me on holiday during term-time as a child (every year we went for a week, occasionally two), and, shock horror, I came out of school with 4 A-graded 'A' Levels and went on to obtain a first class degree. And to think, my parents had such a feckless disregard for my education!

Our primary has a very sensible policy of saying that children may with the school's agreement be taken out of school for up to 10 days each school year. Holidays are cited as one of the circumstances where leave may be granted, if it is not possible to take them at other times of year.

Having said all this, there are plenty of places you can go in peak school-holiday time that don't cost the earth - think rynanir to the less well-trodden parts of europe and booking your own accomodation outside major resorts.

MarySA · 25/05/2012 16:49

I can't see what the big fuss is about. My kids are hardly ever off school because of illness. Some children are off for a week if they sneeze so miss a lot more schooling through this than going on holiday during term time. Or even if they have a lesson they don't like that day. So as usual it's people obeying the rules who suffer. Lots of people keep their children off school for reasons I wouldn't.

usualsuspect · 25/05/2012 16:50

YANBU

LeQueen · 25/05/2012 16:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ComposHat · 25/05/2012 17:03

I'd lice to see the op's reaction if her kids teacher suddenly decided 'fuck it, u fancy a cheap fortnight in Magaluf, so I'm not coming intowork for a couple of weeks.'

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