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???

[sunshinecity17]

For my family for a bog standard fortnight in Majorca in self catering accommodation , the price for June is £2800 and for August is £5300

[CharlesRyder]

Don't know why people are saying 'not SATs week'. SATs week would be perfect. No learning that week, no benefit to the child.

[SuburbanRhonda]

If you can afford nearly £3k for a family holiday, why don't you go somewhere cheaper during any of the 13 weeks school holidays?

[babybythesea]

I was very against taking kids out, until I married someone from New Zealand. Now, we are taking DD out of school for a month in January to go and see his family. She will be Year 1. We looked at going in the school holidays. Easter this year, summer... None of them coincide with much of a break for the NZ kids, which mean we would go all that way and hardly see the family as they would all be in school. And we wouldn't expect the six nieces and nephews to all take time off school to spend it with their cousin. So we are going in January when she can actually see her cousins and aunts and uncles.
We spoke to school and first, we will make an effort to take her to see things over there (which we want to do anyway, as her dad wants her to understand his country), and get her to write a bit about it. And second, the school will email us summaries of what they are doing each week (learning 3d shapes or whatever) and we will do it with her so she's not too far behind. Obviously it's not perfect but it's better than not really getting to know her family.

[thebodylovesspring]

I work in primary too and yes you know as well as I do that it's shut down week prior to long holidays.

I am not saying GCSE year but even then we all buy the course books and tutor our kids at home too so it's not that vital.

My ds tutored dd at home for science GCSE. She was failing at a G and he got her to a B in 3 weeks.

I don't see schools as wholly responsible for the grades and full attendance does not guarantee success.

Of course weeks and weeks off is ridiculous but 10 days a year for a family to touch base and enjoy each other that's fine by me.

Each to own though.

[SuburbanRhonda]

What you're describing, baby, is not the same as two weeks "bog standard" holiday in the sun, though.

[sunshinecity17]

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

That isn't true everywhere.At both our primary and secondary schools it is business as usual until the last day.

[HermioneWeasley]

At my DS's school they watch DVDs for the last week before summer. IMO bring abroad, speaking a different language, visiting museum etc is far more educational.

[sunshinecity17]

Rules are for the obedience of fools and the guidance of wise men

[SuburbanRhonda]

Rules are for the obedience of fools and the guidance of wise men

Oh, please. So I presume you home educate?

[Andrewofgg]

Wise what sunshine city17?

[SuburbanRhonda]

At my DS's school they watch DVDs for the last week before summer. IMO bring abroad, speaking a different language, visiting museum etc is far more educational.

How handy that fits with what I'm guessing is your view about taking holidays in term-time!

[shrunkenhead]

We are not rich so whenever we choose to holiday is always a big consideration, we don't have thousands to spend on beach holidays abroad so choose to stay with friends in this country, or family friendly camping festivals. Even if we had the money, your child's education is important and we wouldn't put our selfish desires above that. Is mostly parents that have their kids in every before/after school club going that guilt trip themselves into thinking they need time together on a family Holiday that they can't afford so go in school time to compensate......clearly missing the point!

[clam]

"IMO bring abroad, speaking a different language"

Yeah, right. Cos the average British kid at the Beach Club in Majorca is gabbing away in Spanish all day!

[intheenddotcom]

Work here till the very last hour of the very last day - word searches, movies and parties are forbidden.

If you don't like the rules then no one is forcing you to take up the offer of a free state education.

[chesterberry]

I don't think it's reasonable to suggest that if somebody doesn't like certain aspects of state education then the solution is to home educate your children. Unfortunately the rules imposed on the state education system are not imposed following discussion with teachers, parents or students but usually on the whim of a government who have little understanding of the state school education system or of what life is like for everyday working families. It's unsurprising that some of the rules imposed do not fit with family life for all people and that when rules are changed some people are going to want to demonstrate their disagreement with the new rules and protest by ignoring them. I think that in a democracy that is a healthy route for people to take - if enough people highlight that the new rules regarding term-time holidays are unreasonable through taking the time off anyway then theoretically that might say to future governments that the new rules were too tight. It seems many families think the period 10-day rule was fairer and allowed for those holidays which cannot be taken in school holidays for one reason or another.

I think if families disagree with a huge number of the rules and expectations surrounding state education then yes, they should perhaps consider looking for alternatives (although if you can't afford private education and can't afford to have one parent at home educating your children instead of working I don't know what the alternative is?) but if there is just one rule that you disagree with, and breaking it does not really effect the other pupils in your child's class then I think it is reasonable to break that rule as a form of protest against it. I would feel comfortable teaching my DD that if you disagree with a rule, and breaking it will not harm yourself or anybody else, then it is okay to break that rule so long as you are willing to accept the consequences (eg: a fine).

[thebodylovesspring]

Ok not in my experience of both my own schools and in a total of 7 schools, first, middle and high and 4 kids 2 now post uni all the week before summer break was doss week.

And at the school I currently work at its parties/talent shows/DVDs etc in both pre Christmas and pre summer holiday breaks.

[thebodylovesspring]

Funny it's usually those who can afford to holiday in the school breaks who are the most judgy.

Ignore.

[thebodylovesspring]

agent we went to Wales. Holidays in the UK are bloody expensive for some of us too you know.

[DownstairsMixUp]

It's usually the people that can afford holidays in the peak times that are judgy pants about this. I hate this whole nanny state, being dictated what we can and can't do, we are terrible parents if we choose to go on a family break. :S (wtaf) FWIW for the person to who said they only go 39 weeks to school a year er hellooo?! Not everybody gets time off in the school holidays! :S There's a team of 20 where I work, most of us are mothers so it's a lottery anyway trying to book any time off in the half terms. I have never in my two years worked in this company and had a term time annual leave holiday requested granted (and I've booked 10 months in advance before) I want to spend time with my son and DP for a week so tough titty. Still works out cheaper for me to go in the half term with the fines.

[Thurlow]

When did holidays become a right, not just a nice thing to do if you can?

What about families with teachers who can only go on holiday during the school holidays?

What about families with parents working jobs where getting a whole week off is rare as hen's teeth?

What about families who can't afford any sort of holiday?

Sure, it's no one else's business. But I utterly fail to understand this quite recent mentality that a week in the sun every year has become a right.

[sunshinecity17]

Wise what sunshine city17?

It is a quote

[sunshinecity17]

which applies equally to woman of course