To book a holiday this week and hope the first day of term is an inset day?

[JulietBravoJuliet]

Looking at when the kids go back to school after the summer this year, it appears ours are going back on Friday 5th September, but the county council term dates thing states: "We advise schools book this day as an inset day".

Now, looking at booking a holiday (only a cheapo thing in the uk) and that week is a couple of hundred pounds cheaper than the other weeks. We can afford to go this week but can't afford any other. Would you take the risk that the school may not decide to have the Friday as an inset day? We'd only be able to go Monday to Friday anyway so would be a shame to have to come home early, although I guess this would be an option. School will not confirm yet whether or not they are booking it as an inset, and it need to book the holiday as it's on a special offer price that I can actually afford!

To be honest, it's incredibly rare that schools don't have an inset the first day back in sep anyway, the time is needed to get all the staff together, set off on the right foot for the new year, and ensure that any important training is done (we usually have something like safeguarding training).

With the first day back being a Friday, it would be madness for the school not to take that as an inset! It's bad enough having the children back on a weds or thurs, they don't get chance to get back into the swing of it.

So personally, I'd go ahead!

Ask them.They'll probably already know.

Most likely inset, nearly always is. But as previous poster said, ask, they probably already know anyway.

I've asked them and they won't confirm :)

OP said school won't confirm.

I would book.

Book!!!
We have 2 INSET days in September.

I think I will; it's the difference between a holiday or no holiday and I can't cope with the thought of having nothing to look forward to!

Book, it'll be inset.

Just do it! It's one day. It's 99% certain to be an INSET and if it turns out to be a school day, oh well, take the full week's holiday anyway. And I speak as a teacher!

Book it!

If, nearer the time, they decide its not an inset day just write to the head stating that you didn't have this information at the time of booking and ask that it be given as approved time off, it's only one day, etc.

I'm going to book! It's only 5 days at bloody Pontins, but can get it, meals included, for £132 if I book this week, whereas it's well over £350 normally and I just can't stretch to that, nor would I pay that for Pontins! I was going to do one of the Sun holidays, but school have stated that they will only grant any term time leave for these type of holidays to parents of children who qualify for free school meals, and, despite being on a breadline income, we don't qualify so I don't want to risk booking one of those in case we only get offered term time and can't go.

Oh gosh book it, your DC will gain so much from going on a family holiday than 1 day of school. If there isn't an inset day then tell them closer to the time or phone in and say their unwell for that day

The date by which I had to tell the LA our inset days was 31 Dec 13 (compulsory) so I should imagine your school has set theirs already - ring up and ask!! people ring me anonymously all the time asking that sort of question. OR ask if they have the most recent holiday list sorted yet? In my million many years at school I have NEVER known us go back on a Friday and we ALWAYS have Inset days before we go back in September. So I think you will probably be ok X

I have asked them and they won't confirm!

Is it primary or secondary? We as a primary tend to follow the secondary school we feed into iyswim. That may give you some idea! Although if I was you I'd just book it - lifes too short!!!

I would be amazed if you are going back as late as the 5th, nearly every state school in England (Scotland and Ireland go back even earlier, don't know about Wales) will officially go back on the 1/9, the Monday. Most schools will have one or two inset days with the students returning on Tuesday 2 or Wednesday 3, that is why the holiday is so cheap, you will be missing the whole first week of term.

As a teacher schools usually go back around the 3rd onwards. I've never gone back as early as the 1st September.

My school starts back Thursday 4th (unsure of inset dates)

Another teacher - first day (at least) has always been INSET in the years I've been teaching. I've never heard of a school that doesn't have INSET - usually that is when the review of the previous year is carried out, along with the vision for the new year.

I wouldn't worry about one day, unless they were starting a new secondary school.

I'm sure that you might find that your dc's might have picked up a bug and not be fit to travel home ready for the Friday......wouldn't that be unlucky.......

Our state school starts Monday 8th Sept. I would book it, highly unlikely that children would go back on a Friday

Our school has gone back on a Friday the last 2 years (secondary). Actually, the year 7s started on Thursday & everyone else on the Friday.

We genuinely are going back on the 5th - I've checked :)

I'm thinking of booking ours so DS2 misses the last 2 days of the year. It will save hundreds of pounds, I can't see what he will miss. He will have already done his AS exams, and I honestly don't care what the HT thinks.

DH has done 4 months away, missing Christmas, DS2 is having surgery next week and will out of action for at least 4 months. I am having hospital treatment, so in my view a holiday is quite important for our family.