To take our kids on hol in term-time

[zozzle]

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!

YABU. There is no excuse for taking children out of school, and it is setting a bad example to your children.

Look at it this way - what if your child's teacher took a couple of weeks off during the term. How would you feel about that?????

Shanghai, I would agree that they sound educational, but sitting by a pool is unlikely to be.

So based on the blanket ban system, people like us will not get a holiday until the youngest child has left school, so atleast 17 years for us?

My Ds in reception will miss one day - we are going in half - term but Mon to Mon. The same holiday flying out on Sat was £600.00 more? I believe in full attendance and was very reluctant to take him out but one day doesn't seem to bad and the school have sanstioned it. He has only missed two days due to illness all year.
One of his reception class mates has separated parents and both Mum and Dad are taking her away for two weeks in term time. Four weeks in total and the school won't authorise this and Parents are not happy

YABU, simply for thinking rules don't apply to you if you deem them 'silly'.

Bogey can't you go at Easter, in October half term?

My mum was a teacher. We never got holidays outside term time.

That's the job your partner has, that's the downside. Every job has downsides, your partner's is lack of holidays in the summer.

I would most certainly take my child out for a week in term-time. A holiday can a valuable educational experience.

And it's "toe the line" ffs.

I love the English sense of entitlement to a sun holiday abroad every year. It totally cracks me up :o

The way people lose their shit if people who work for an airline go on strike, and try to pretend that a week in the Costa Brava is all about making scrapbooks and learning about culcha.

Apparently you can't have proper fun or make good memories in England :o

I spent my childhood having wonderful, memorable holidays in Ireland during the summer holidays because we couldn't afford to go abroad.

I don't really give a shiney shite if people whose children are in school most of the summer want to take them out to go on holidays, but the whinging about holidays being more expensive in peak season and the pretence that missing school is educational are ridiculous.

I think you're kidding youself that the hol is educational, although as you don't specify where you are going and what you are doing it's hard to say.

However I also think it's completely ridiculous for people to pretend that a week or so of schooling is of vital importance for an 8 yo. When I was at school I was taken out for a week every May to turn a half term hol into a 2 week main summer family hol. It was cheaper and less hot and crowded where they went. Loads of people did the same in Feb to go skiing. My parents didn't do it for the 4 years of GCEs and A-levels but other than that it was a regular occurence for lots of people and the school didn't mind at all as long as permission was requested.

(It was one of the top independent schools and it didn't seem to stop people getting extremely good exam results and going to top universities).

IMO some people are too scared to break (unreasonable) rules but then resent others who aren't. I wouldn't pay attention to the criticism. Likewise the snobbish faux moralising 'if you can't afford peak times you shouldn't have holidays'.

I love the English sense of entitlement to a sun holiday abroad every year

Nah, we go to my wife's home country. It's educational for our 4 yr old because he's bilingual and he gets to experience his maternal language and culture.

Sorry, typo - 5. He's only Reception, so it's less important at that age. I wouldn't take him out once Secondary age.

I love the way people try to argue that a term time holiday can be educational.

Errrr yes...so can the same holiday in non term time.

Don't know if it has been mentioned but you are actually allowed 10 days off if your children have good attendance. I got permission for my DD to have time off to go on holiday during term time. HTH

Name no you're not.

It's totally and completely down to the individual school and their policy.

Ffs

OP we are off on our hols next week before half term. We are not breaking any rules as the head teacher states at the start if the year in term holiday requests will be considered and are at discretion of the school. They actually stated the school would prefer they were before or after a school holiday.

With 99% attendance and all homework completed every week twice a week, school work up to date etc our request was approved. My ds is in year 1. I would not take him out if it was his SATs year or when he is older. I think so elf my school gate friends quietly disapprove but then their kids have been off and don't think they would get approval, I'm not sure, but I dont care really, I'm inline with the school rules.

Our primary has a similar demographic to yours. I've heard disapproving comments about parents who forget non uniform day etc or homework repeatedly so there is probably comments re holidays.

I'm not sure I would take him out if it went against school policy.

The OP's situation is not comparable to a teacher taking hol in term time. The teacher is paid to do what she does. The family is paying for the teacher's services (either through fees or taxes) and the child's absence only affects the child.

Yes and what serene an said, it's about being reasonable.

We have good strict attitudes towards education in this house so one week doesn't hurt no it doesn't.

Me thinks there's a lot of jealousy.

There is so much group work and partner work in schools now that the child's absence does not only affect the child on holiday.

Fuckerama

FFS! What part of NOT IN THE SCHOOL HOLIDAYS are you failing to understand? No, not at Easter, or halfterms. He works somewhere the is heaving on a daily basis during school holidays and is NOT. ALLOWED. TO. TAKE. TIME. OFF. THEN.

We had to threaten legal action when his boss tried to refuse his paternity leave as it was over May halfterm.

So, no holidays ever then? Nice.

Once you sign up to send your child to school you sign up to the rules of the state education system.

And those rules say you don't take holidays in term time.

If you don't like the rules, find an alternative way to educate your child.

And really, that argument could be applied to a teacher or anyone else who has a job that won't let them take time off in a flexible way.

That's the rules of the job. If you don't like it, you should consider finding another job that doesn't have those restrictions. (and I know jobs are hard to get, but thems the breaks)

Ok Worra, thought it was usual policy. Apologies.

YABU taking your DC to school is a legal obligation. Having a holiday is not-I think that when it comes to the law the same rules do apply to everyone. Go camping in France in the hols-that won't break the bank.

But surely you and your DP know those are the rules of his job Bogey?

Fuckarama you wrong it's up to individual school.

Teachers don't try to take hols during school term time end of.