To think why are these children not at school?

[Pigsmummy]

I am on holiday in a lovely British coastal resort, the weather is lovely so mid morning we took a walk along the beach and around the town, there are loads of british families out with school age children, ages ranging from 5 - 13 ish. It's term time so I am wondering why they are not in school?

I know that it's none of my business but we are intrigued, especially as it seems so difficult to take children out of school (our DD isn't yet in school but the impression that I get is that schools frown upon mid term holidays and impose fines too).

I haven't heard an Irish or Scottish accent from the families, they all sounded English (without strong accent), we have seen lots of teens that have likely finished exams and chilling out, so not including them in our observations.

If it was an inset day then it must have been both primary and secondary schools, not all in the area as we saw a primary school spilling out and children in school blazers (secondary school age) at the local chip shop at school end time.

There are a lot of home educators out there, many more than you would realise. We're always seeing other children in the supermarket and generally out and about and an awful lot of them are home ed children. We know this because we either know them or we get talking!

DD2 can often go out with a huge group of friends, all home educated, and sometimes we all meet up as families in the park or beach. We have a thriving group locally so it has not been unknown for 50 families to get together on one stretch of beach or in one park. You would certainly wonder why all those families and children weren't in school!

not all scottish schols finish at the same time and no theres no penalty in the region I love in for taking your child out of school.

For the first time in ages we were asked why dd wasn't in school. The assistant in Supermarket was shocked as she thought they were having "yet another holiday" People don't usually bother, there are always so many dc about.

Schools in angus come off june 28th but dds is 2 days earlier for moving school stuff to the new building.

If there were loads of dc i'd say inset day/local holiday, if you're nosy enough like me i'd check the areas council website and look at term dates but i really am a nosy sod and hate not knowing things

Many private schools have probably just finished. Many younger classes will have been taken to the beach/coast for days out, with many parent minders with them. Many teens will have finished their exams and off timetable. Afterschool clubs will take children out, children in care????? A hundred reasons probably.

Otherwise, the truant police will have got them mwahahahaha

It's cheaper, for some friends who have ft care of their gs I booked an apartment in Spain around last half term/bit of school for less than £200pw. Tried again for school summer hols and the same apartment was nearly £1,200pw. Out of theirs and many others price range. We worked out that if a few were willing/able to pay those prices then it was worth the prices for the owners as they would have to employ less staff and supply fewer services than with fuller occupancy at lower prices. Even if the gp got fined up to £100 for taking off school time it would be far cheaper and the difference between having a holiday or not having one. Or maybe they should be in the fields harvesting?

We've been away to our local coast this week (ive had to leave early due to work commitments) but I thought it was relatively quiet tbh.

There were a few families who appeared to be "holidaying" but given the inexpensive prices I'm not surprised and more families with toddlers than older children.

We know a few families who have little choice in their holiday dates - they are given their holiday dates by work (non negotiable) and tbh it has made me more aware that not everyone can chose to take a family holiday outside of term time even if they wanted to.

Plenty of English people and people with English accents go to Scottish schools. Some secondary level pupils are sitting exams and then finish and are free to start holiday.

Homeschoolers, private school pupils, term time holidays, expats.

I've always taken my two out of school for holidays. We just can't afford to go any other time. The schools have always been fine with it. They both have 100 % attendence and are hard workers so I suppose that helps time off to be granted.

If you'd have been in Weston-super-Mare in May you'd have seen my children off school

We probably got lots of odd looks last year - 2 obviously school age boys with very English accents on holiday in the UK during term time.

We're expats and our schools were on holiday. Have to say I loved the emptiness of Legoland!

Not to say that every child you saw was an expat family, but those plus home educated children plus teacher-only days plus exams finished plus the odd free lesson plus a whole variety of other valid reasons adds up to a fair number of children with completely legitimate reasons to be out of school.

Alternatively they might be on an unauthorised family break /shrug. Their parents choice presumably.

Edinburgh school's are in until next week. Does it really matter why they aren't in school?

my children's school breaks up next Thursday, some schools mainly French or Catholic broke up last week

this is in the ME. And we'll be back in England the day after to escape the heat

Last year when out shopping in early July I had to explain this to a jobs worth PCSO who despite my children's International school accent (mixture of RP and CSI New York) suntans and production of UAE identity cards was insistent they were truanting.

if im going on holiday with my kids i will always take them out of school term time , im not being ripped off with the summer holiday prices , one holiday i looked at was a thousand pound more in the school holidays .

We've been known to have the odd day out in the nice weather during term time. The summer holidays are always so wet these days that you have to grab your chance whilst you can sometimes. We can't afford a holiday, so day trips are what we do. The dcs have never fallen behind and it does them good to get out in the fresh air and sunshine.

We've never been stopped by truany officers, though the DCs have tried
They always walk past police officers in town, grinning wildly. None of them have ever asked why they aren't in school. I'm guessing there must be quite a few children around.

it is DD last day tomorrow she is off on a school trip for a week then they finish the day they come back I think that is the 27th ? off for 8 fuckings weeks here this year

It could have been our family you sneered wondered at.

We could afford to have a family holiday in school holidays, but we're unable to.

My DH doesn't do 9-5, he doesn't get annual leave, he's self employed and makes hay whilst the sun shines, if we get a window of opportunity to have a family holiday (and visit grandparents) we take it.

We don't do it without serious thought, we have conversations with teachers, the headteacher is wonderful, but we'd do it anyway. It is family time that is extremely important and extremely rare.

In addition we don't much like crowds so it suits us.

We don't live by a normal timetable, we pay our taxes, we takes our children's education seriously and also believe the state isn't the only form of valid education, although we completely respect the state school our children attend.

YABU.

When we're only holiday, our children SHOULD be with us, we should all be together, we should all enjoy each other's company. And we do.

My kids are at a faith school that has different holidays from regular state schools.

They had a day off school and I took them to the cinema and was questioned by staff there why they werent at school! I said the school was closed and more questions - then they apologised and said they had to ask!

Most schools in NI finish next week. Most years we, and probably thousands of others, head straight over to England for a holiday before the English schools break up and the prices jump up. And then we spend the week explaining to people that school has actually finished at home, and no, the DC shouldn't be at school.

I agree with the op.

I live in a beachy area. And ever since the week after half term I've seen children who were definitely schooll aged on the beach.

However, some of it especially with the infant aged kids particulary those with younger preschool aged siblings the parents take them out of school as the cost is dramatically reduced.

Also at that age i think life experiences especially family holiday memories are possibly more important than lessons learnt in the classroom.

Eight weeks? Bloody hell

I know right I think it was 7 last year not sure why it is 8 maybe go back on a wednesday or something ( i havnt checked yet)