To wonder why it's deemed acceptable to take children out of school for cheap holidays?

[shrunkenhead]

Am I the only one who thinks it's not on to make your child miss school for the sake of a cheap holiday???

[FunnyFoot]

My husband works shifts and does not get holidays which he can choose when to take. Instead he gets 18 days off every 7 weeks. Some years this works well and he is off during holiday time other years like this one mean he was only off work 4 days over Easter break, and 3 days (together) at Christmas. He also works 4 days over 7 so doesn't get many weekends off.

We request 7 school days off and given the circumstances the HT agrees. We ensure these do not fall during STATS and such but without taking this time off we would not have a family holiday. Family time is important too and any work missed is caught upon return.

I think it is the choice of the parents and HT tbh. Some of my happiest memories are of family holidays, funny enough very few about school.

When my parents pass away it will be photographs of family time I will gaze upon with fond memories not my school pictures.

[revealall]

Yes gorionine

I value education which is why I'm not worried about taking the last day of term off.

It's a complete fallacy to say that children are sent the wrong message if you take them out during term time. You can still get them to school early everyday, make sure they do their reading, get their homework in on time, do times tables with them etc etc etc. they don't stop being interested in learning because they've been off a few days.

[SuburbanRhonda]

It's a complete fallacy to say that children are sent the wrong message if you take them out during term time.

So, it's not sending them the wrong message to say, "Yes, there are rules, and no, the absence hasn't been authorised, but we're going anyway?"

[revealall]

And where does it end? One of the boys in class has been off for two weeks after an accident because he pursues a dangerous sport. He also needs another operation in the near future.
Perhaps dangerous hobbies need banning too in term time?

[thebodylovesspring]

Well in our case a few years who it wasn't the case of a cheap holiday if was the fact of having a family holiday or not.

We took ours out for 2 weeks every year out of GCSE time because with a dh who worked away for months in end it was do that it not have the family time together.

I work in a school and fairly amazed at the hours spent in non academic study.

Older 2 have degrees so think they survived.

[morethanpotatoprints]

You sign up to school and you do so agreeing to their terms, if you don't like them, take them out and H.ed
Nobody is "entitled" to a holiday, my dc never went on holiday when they were little as we either couldn't afford it or dhs busy time was the school hols. It never crossed my mind to take them out for a holiday, I'd feel ashamed and sorry for the others who couldn't go.
I think its a really selfish attitude, but the world seems to be like this now.

[thebodylovesspring]

I think the judgy views are usually from people who can afford to go away on holiday during the school holidays.

Lucky you.

There are more important things in life than school record attendance.

[revealall]

SuburbanRhonda. Of course it's not. Because actually the law says you have to ensure your child attends school on a regular basis. This is what I tell my child and which he understands very well.

Children see other children off ill and other children who bunk off. They realise that life is more complicated than "unauthorised". Especially as this rule changes arbitrarily.

[gorionine]

Wrong morethanpotatoprints when I signed my children up for school the rule wad different, parents were allowed up to 10 days term time with no question asked. I wasn't asked if I agreed to a change.

[SuburbanRhonda]

There are more important things in life than school record attendance

Bit obvious, that one, but as PP have said, if you don't agree with school rules, take them out and HE them. No-one is forcing you to send them to school.

[morethanpotatoprints]

There is a huge saving tbh, we are going to Rome in a couple of weeks. It would have been 1k dearer at least during school hols and not much fun as really crowded then.

thebody

I can't afford school hol prices either. But I agree that you should follow the rules or count yourself out as we did.

[thebodylovesspring]

Why is it selfish?

Schools do very very little academic work the week before summer and Christmas holidays generally anyway.

They can miss word searches and tidying out the art cupboard.

[ICanSeeTheSun]

What weekends and evenings do you speak of.

DH is on a rota, it's days, nights, afternoon and weekends. Even though DH lives here I sometimes go 5 days without seeing him. The same goes for the DC.

[SuburbanRhonda]

Because actually the law says you have to ensure your child attends school on a regular basis.

No, what the law says is this:

You must make sure your child gets a full-time education that meets their needs (eg if they have special educational needs). You can send your child to school or educate them yourself.

[LaurieFairyCake]

Massive saving everlong

Last time I went to Cyprus (10 years ago) - it was 500 quid for 5 star all inclusive of alcohol - a week later in school holidays it was 1258 each.

God knows what it is now

[thebodylovesspring]

Totally respect your views but in our case as dh worked away so much we felt the time spent together was absolutist vital.

It turned out to be right.

[revealall]

And I 'd love to know what all the "rules are rules" brigade said to their children LAST year. You know when heads were allowed to authorise it.
Did you explain that holidays weren't for term time and that the head teacher was wrong to authorise it?

[SuburbanRhonda]

Schools do very very little academic work the week before summer and Christmas holidays generally anyway.

Which school does this?

DS has lessons right until the last minute. You must be talking about primary, surely, in which case it is rarely the whole week (I work in primary) and you should say that's what you mean.

[revealall]

Right but if you chose to send them to school they must attend on a regular basis. That's it. Not every single day you note.

[SuburbanRhonda]

And I 'd love to know what all the "rules are rules" brigade said to their children LAST year. You know when heads were allowed to authorise it.
Did you explain that holidays weren't for term time and that the head teacher was wrong to authorise it?

I've never taken my DCs out of school during term time, but if I had, I would have explained that the government changed the rules. Not that hard, surely?

[SuburbanRhonda]

It doesn't say "on a regular basis".

[thebodylovesspring]

I think if you are both working fairly normal hours and in the same country then you probably do connect as a family regularly so you wouldn't understand.

[SuburbanRhonda]

Rarely see DH as he works abroad so much, but I still wouldn't take them out in term-time.

[gorionine]

Schools do very very little academic work the week before summer and Christmas holidays generally anyway.
Definitely not the case in the school I work up until the very last afternoon where the children then get a little party/movie. I still believe that it is the parents responsibility if they are confident their child learning will not be affected to allow a few days off when the situation requires it. Be it for financial, family or quite plainly logistic reasons.