To take kids out of school in term time?

[AtSea1979]

I know this has probably been done to death but couldn't find it.
2 DC, yr 1 & 5.
Want to take them out for a week in November, offer came up for holiday, not exceptional circumstance. Not available in half term.

Couldn't find it? Yes, it has been done to death. Personally I think if you just want to take them out for a cheap holiday YABU.

I'm sure people will soon be along to offer an alternative opinion.

You'll get opinions from both sides. I think it is unacceptable. Children shouldn't be encouraged to think of school as optional and it is very disruptive for the children and the teacher if they miss a whole week. You'll get plenty of other people who come along and tell you to go for it though, so really you'll have to make up your own mind.

November? Dont be ridiculous! School will have just gone back and they will be getting into the new school year.

Yanbu.
Have a great time!

How did this offer 'come up'?

Is it lapland? With The not available comment?
We're taking the kids out for 4 days first week of December to go. I can't wait.

If you are willing to have a fine then go for it, but if you do get a fine don't moan about it.

I suspect the fine will be trifling compared to your "offer" savings and you'll go ahead and do it anyway.

I have sympathy for exceptional circumstances but I think there needs to be an effective deterrent in place to discourage parents from sending the message to their children that school is an optional activity.

Personally I think unless there is really no other option children should be in school during term time.

It you are happy to go though go, just be prepared to pay the fine which you may get.

YABU.

Bloody hell your youngest has only just started their school life and you want to take him/her out. And in the first term after a long summer holiday.

It won't have a significant effect on your DC's education or their attitude to it. Whether you are engaged and supportive of their education the rest of the time will have a far greater effect on that.

However, it will cause some issues for the teacher who has to make sure they catch up with important bits of the curriculum and headteacher's attendance figures and you may well receive a fine.

You don't get dragged through the courts if you pay the fine.

I have NCd for this so I won't get sacked.

In 30+ years of teaching, with one exception, all the students whose parents took them out of school in term time underachieved. Most of them were doing so before they took them out. All, without exception did not hand in homework on time/ at all. All, without exception, were poor in completing class work.

Just puts aside £240 for the fine £60 per parent per child and have a lovely time.

A week is a long time in term time for a year 5 and they could easily miss an important new concept or theory like long division.

So fine, take them out as long as you can pay the fine and not expect the school to put themselves out to make up the deficiency.

I think they underachieve too and would never take a school aged child out in term time.

Nobody gets taken to court if they pay the fine.

Exceptional circumstances such as family illness and bereavement or being prevented by employers from booking outside term time are one thing. Cavalier attitudes like the OP's are quite another. Clearly the fines and consequences aren't enough to discourage this.

YANBU, but you will probably be fined. If that still makes it worthwhile then do it as once child is in year 6 and high school I would say not to take term time hols. I would run out of annual leave to cover school hols if I took term time hols but that's the only thing that stopped me up to year 5. And loads of parents did then before the fines!

YABU

You are sending a poor message to your children about the importance of school.

Term time is for school and the holidays are for holidays.

Next!

enjoy. The state dont own your children. There is no way it should be illegal to take children out of school here and there.

YABU

As a teacher this really infuriates me! A week is a long time and we get a lot covered.

These children then come back and haven't a clue where we are up to as they missed a week and parents often want us to go out of our way to help their dc catch up during a very busy school day.

Just save up and go at another time.

Perhaps the fines for those who just want a cheap holiday need to address the length of the holiday. As soverylucky said a week is very different from a day tagged onto the end of a school holiday.

If parents had to pay per child per parent per day for their cheap break they might think again.

A week is a LONG time for children, it's not fair to make them miss do much school. Aside from rudeness & poor attitude towards their school. Nothing warrants skiving, other than a funeral or medical needs.