holidays in term time

[ruledbyheart]

Yes probably am being unreasonable but I am looking at booking our first family holiday next year only to a haven holiday camp but thought it would be nice for the DC to have a holiday and for me it would be the first since I was 16, But 2 of my 4 dc will be in full time school only reception and yr1 and I have found out I cannot take them out in term time.

I have looked into the prices and to go term time it would only cost us £150 but if we stuck to the school holidays the price quickly jumps to £450.

I think its disgusting as a family on an extremely low income (less than 12000PA) we cannot afford to go on holiday, factoring all our costs I need to save about 100pm to be able to afford to go in term time which will be very tight and impossible to save enough to go during school holidays.

WIBU to just take the children out of school for one week its not like at the ages of 4 and 5yrs they would miss much or do I not risk it (Ive heard rumours you can be fined?) and have to wait a lot longer for a holiday?

Well on occasional years we may get lucky and dp may get leave, but five days once a year when children have otherwise good attendance and are excelling at school seems fine. Or are families who have leave restrictions not supposed to have a family break ever? That would mean no holidays from when ds1 started school to when dd leave school if thus and enforced that rule. With five kids ranging in age from13 down to two we have a lot to school years to do. Thankfully the headteachers are understanding that dp works long hours, irregulae and anti social shifts so often doesn't see the kids for days on end. He only gets one weekend in a month off so family time is limited. Leave restrictions are not unusual and heads can be accomodating and bloody well should be. We are going to Whitby for a week ffs, not like I am doing it to save money or going on some fabulous far flung trip, its about spending time together as a family.

I would look around though op and see if you can get better than havan holiday camp and please rigorously trawl through trip advisor to make sure you are going to get the best value for your money.

Have you thought about getting a tent?! NOt ideal I know but I am looking at 70 per night three night break with two DC, the same holiday would be significantly cheaper if we camped. Camping per night would only be £6 quid or something.

I am not fond of camping, but I am going to look at things that might make the experience more enjoyable bearable because I do love going away.

So much truancy and problems with attendance and failing schools. I do not understand this obsession with penalising poor people who cannot afford to go away in term time.

Time and resources really do need to be directed away from us and into the trauant families.

No I'm not saying they may think a family should never have a holiday...just perhaps not every single year if it involves taking time off school (Whitby or Mauritius makes no difference to attendance).

Bit this not even about doing away this about spensogn time together and with their dad who they often don't get to see much at all.

I don't think five days once a year is a massive issue if they are doing well and attemdemce is otherwise OK.

We did it every year as my dad was in the RAF. And forces families are also could ted in exceptional circumstances. However its not only forces peronsel who have jobs with leave restrictions.

£100 per child is not a small fine if you have four kids!

Yep we have four at school and out can be per parent, per child, so £60 x four for me and the same for dp. Not something we could easily afford.

I dont think camping will be a possibility as I will have a 6mth old baby and 3 children under 6yrs I don't think tents are escape proof enough. Plus the practicalities of toileting/showering etc.

Worra obviously taking days off for random crap like Xmas shopping is a possibility but surely that should be for the common sense of a parent to decide not the government/schools to decide, if you have a child, raise that child and pay for that child why should someone else be allowed to decide what they think is best for that child and go against that child's parent?

Yes I have a baby too. People do camp with little ones. Its a huge reduction in over night costs.

There are ways and means round what you want to do.

Lots of parents don't want what is best for the child though.

Worra obviously taking days off for random crap like Xmas shopping is a possibility but surely that should be for the common sense of a parent to decide not the government/schools to decide, if you have a child, raise that child and pay for that child why should someone else be allowed to decide what they think is best for that child and go against that child's parent?

I'll tell you why.

Because some parents are woefully irresponsible and refuse to put their child's welfare above stupid things like shopping, or the cat having kittens etc.

If they were allowed to pick and choose when their child attended school, some kids would be barely able to read, write and add up at the end of their school life.

Unless the already overworked teachers are supposed to put in hour upon hour of extra time, to help them catch up?

If you don't want the Government or your child's school going against the child's parent...don't take advantage of the free education system.

Home school if you have the time and the knowledge.

We have to take holidays around dps work and now ds1s work as well. Luckily we only have 1 of the 4 in education at the moment.

I want a holiday damn it I feel having to save for almost a year for a term time one is bad enough

Blimey! I can almost see the petulantly stamped foot!
You do realise that many households haven't had a holiday for years, even though they want one?

If its so high up your list of priorities, then cut back on other non-essentials and sell off some of your belongings so you've got the money when you want it.

worra is right - the irresponsible actions of other parents means that free, state education has rules associated with it. If you prefer the freedom of autonomous parenting then homeschooling is probably the best option for you.

It is hard when you have a pre-schooler as well. I've done mix of things over the years but I found it easier when I had both of mine in school as I could use the savings I made from reduced childcare costs to offset the extra holiday cost.

We ended up booked aaaaages in advance for Travelodges near the sea, the number of nights we booked depended on the bank balance at the time!

I completely disagree that they won't miss much. In fact that attitude pisses me off. The early years are in fact some of the most important school years. Basic skills. Learning new sounds, learning to read and write. Learning new numbers. Learning to socialise and make friends etc.

The holiday companies are shits for the massive price hikes but your attitude that they won't miss much because they are only 4-5 is shit too.

I actually don't see the issue with being "told" when I may take my DC on holiday.
My employer tells me when I can take holiday. Do I (or any other employee) stamp my feet and say that I'm an adult and should be allowed to do what's best for me/my family and take holiday when I want? No.

I think its a bit rich that we are dictated to by a bunch of millionaires who have no clue and lets face it do not CARE about people on lower wages. Is it fair that I should say to my children that you can't have a holiday even though there dad works really really hard but doesn't bring a great deal of cash in.

Surely the real anger here should be directed at the holiday companies. They should not be able to raise prices so significantly in the school holidays. Obviously, as a teacher, my holidays always cost more, DH wanted to go on a slightly different holiday but we went with what we could afford.
Having said that I missed 1 week of what would now be Year 4 so that my family could go on holiday for two weeks. This was pre-NC (just) so my teacher just asked me to write a project about my holiday.

If you don't take them out in term time you will sit back and watch, bitterly, whilst half of the rest of the class go on term time holidays. Just do it, like loads of others do.

It is annoying that the travel companies are allowed to charge so much during the holidays.
But, a whole lot of families find it a struggle to pay the inflated price and have to forgo a holiday straight away and save a bit longer.
If you take them out of school, you may or may not be fined.
It's a risk you take. But to be honest if you can afford to just go and pay the fine, you can afford to save up a bit longer and go on holiday in the school holidays.
And, personally I wouldn't go down the route of taking them and saying they are sick, at that age it is fun to tell everyone all about your holiday. It's not fair to ask them to pretend it never happened.

I can see why 5mad would be allowed to go because it is an exceptional circumstances if it is literally impossible to go any other time because of work schedules and the employer will provide a letter staying this.
It's not exceptional to want a holiday and not be able to afford one.
everyone with children hates the way the prices are so much more expensive during the holidays and I would imagine this is why schools are not allowed to authorize it, who would really want to pay triple the price?

Can I just correct the comment about being allowed one period off per school career? That's not true - it's up to 10 days per year IF the Head agrees. That can be in 2 x 1-week blocks or in 10 single days, it doesn't matter how the time is taken.

The early years are in fact some of the most important school years. Basic skills. Learning new sounds, learning to read and write. Learning new numbers. Learning to socialise and make friends etc.

All of which can be done on holiday too by any sensible parent. "Oh look, our hotel room is number is 12 - what do you think the next hotel room number is?" etc. As for socialising, they have the whole rest of the school year to learn to socialise! A week off will make no difference whatsoever - we don't worry that they aren't being socialized on weekends and a week's holiday is no different. Beside they may meet new friends and that will teach them to socialise with new people.

Camping is an option with a young family, it's when they are teenagers they don't want to go! We took our family several times when they were younger, this year we will be going again as we can't afford anything more luxurious. My 4yo is over the moon - it will be a huge adventure to her, but the 15 yo isn't so keen! evil ! We are going to the Isle of Wight, £400 for 2 weeks including the ferry. We'll take a BBQ with us to keep catering costs low. No point in saving a fortune on accommodation if you are going to eat out every day. Tesco vouchers can also save loads of money, either off a holiday (I think Haven accept them) or on day trips while you away. 4x face value.

Oops, I take it back. I just read the new guildelines and the reference to 10 days has been removed. That's actually better for us as our Head is great at authorising term-time leave so we can now take more than 10 days :)

Personally I think every school should set a 2 week window where parents are allowed to take their children out if they so wish. Have a relaxed "teaching" week, so children who don't go anywhere don't miss anything too fundamental. Our local schools already have a "curriculun enrichment week" where children have lots of very expensive day trips, sporting activities, school camps etc, but we are not allowed to keep the children home/ take them away instead, I really don't see why. IMHO it would be the ideal time to have a family holiday.

Don't phone in saying they're sick. Small children cannot keep secrets. A little boy at school said to me yesterday, "I'm going on holiday to XXX next week but I'm not supposed to tell anyone."

Passthetwiglets more than 10 days.? Per year? Sorry but that's not what the op is talking about at all, that's just bloody irresponsible.