day off school for family day out

[ghostspirit]

would you let your children have a day of school for a day out?

If it was the last week of the Christmas/Summer term then I might. Or the week of may day bank hol as my DS' school only go in the Tues and Wed that week due to bank hol mon, elections Thurs and Inset Fri. They usually have trips and activity days planned for the Tues and Wed.

Hell yeah I've done it.
It's not something I'd make a habit of. Not even once a year but my kids' attendance is otherwise spotless, their attainment is excellent and I don't see the very occasional day out of school as likely to harm their career prospects.

Imagine a thread called "AIBU to send my DC to school tomorrow? It's the last day of term and he's been throwing up all night and says he feels fine and wants to go to school. I know technically it would risk passing a bug to everyone else just before the holidays - but what if tomorrow is that crucial day during which he learns something that leads to him passing an A level?!"

Most MNers would be conflicted enough to explode.

Yes! Missing one day of school does not ruin your education. Please also remind me how many mums reading this have good qualifications and working jobs that are beneath them!

Yes, she's my child, and only I know the background and circumstances.

No! Unless I had distant relatives coming over from abroad for one day only!

This. We went to Australia a few years ago and cousins took their kids out of school for a day to come and meet us in Sydney.

i would defo do it again

Life is about learning, schools will never teach your most precious assets all of what they need to know about living. Take them out of school to visit other countries, experience their culture, understand why people respond in different ways - a far more useful life experience than watching a DVD at school in the last few weeks of term. Assuming your children have regular attendance at school, unless they are doing exams, the likelihood is that the experience will be far more valuable in life than what they are learning at school. As a college lecturer, I see students who have no concept of the world they live in. The antiquated opinions of Michael Government need to be challenged, only Ofsted is about ticking boxes, not real life.

Bloody predictive text, should've written Michael Gove, not Government!

Yes I am teacher. I can do it as I work part time. I wouldn't make a habit of it.

Mum21 your post makes it sound as though children are in school 24/7, 52 weeks a year. They're not. As someone upthread sai, children are not in school for 170 days a year. Can you explain why the amazing life lessons, non-school experiences and memories you and others rave on about can't happen in those 170 days? And please don't go on about cost, everyone knows that the price of stuff goes through the roof in the holidays, unless they live under a rock, so why on earth people don't factor that in I can't think.

Have done it a few times, for relatives visiting from abroad and for visiting those relatives and once for an overseas party... We have very good attendance and i did take that into account. I haven't asked the kids to lie and have been honest with the school and on every ocassion it is authorised. We haven't insulted the staff, we are supportive if the school but we are not slaves to the machine - education and attendence are important to us but other things are too.

Not for Chessington. I mean if you were taking them to a Museum or something educational; like a farm or sightseeing then I would say yes. But Chessington is a definite no. That's what the School Holidays are for; they have to be able to distinguish Education from Holiday. There is nothing better than a fun day out with the Family and learning new things at the same time; Museum etc..If you feel you need the Family time.

"unless they live under a rock, so why on earth people don't factor that in I can't think."

Here's a novel idea: because they can't afford to factor it in. Shocking, I know - but some people need to save for quite a while to manage the reduced cost or have seasonal jobs or otherwise can't manage to take these days at other times of the year.

My mother has recently retired after a long career in teaching children who were seriously disadvantaged. She actively encouraged parents to do this kind of thing because she knew they wouldn't manage the cost in the Summer months.

It just isn't that big a deal in most other countries. My son's end of year party was on Friday (he officially finishes school this Wednesday) because the teacher fully expects few people to show up tomorrow. There have been children saying goodbye as they set off on holidays since Monday of last week. No one seems to be suffering huge ill effects from this different cultural attitude to holidays.

Shocking, I know - but some people need to save for quite a while to manage the reduced cost
I would never in a million years be able to afford one of those package holidays I think they are expensive in fact.

I save literally under a fiver a week, for weeks and months to save up for a small break. 3 or 4 nights.

My mother has recently retired after a long career in teaching children who were seriously disadvantaged. She actively encouraged parents to do this kind of thing because she knew they wouldn't manage the cost in the Summer months

That is so heartening to hear, its so sad with all the other disadgantages being poor has, now even a cheap break has bee ripped away from them, but will not in any way shape or form affect rich people.

I take my daughter out of school occasionally... I work weekends so miss her then. I do it maybe once a term.

If you are taking them out somewhere rather than just sitting in watching dvd's all day then they are still getting an education anyway....just not a narrow school version. We begin Home Ed from September this year and it has opened my eyes to the value of learning outside of school. Kids are sponges, if you let them they'll learn from most of the experiences they have. Take that day out, you'll all love it.

Hope you had a good day OP

Christ, its hardly Crime of the Century.

rachel we did thank you. :)

The whole reason why fines were brought in was because of the kinds of attitudes from some parents on here - 'it's only one day', 'it's educational' 'what difference does it make'.

Those Parents who really do have a good reason to want to take their children out of school for a day, now worry like mad that it won't be allowed or they will get fined. All parents are now being treated the same (fines) for those irresponsible ones who just take their kids out on a whim. We wouldn't have fines in the first place if people didn't take the piss.

It sends completely the wrong message out to a child that it's ok to just bunk off school to go to a theme park.

What about Inset Days plonked on beginning of term ? Day's learning out the window or is that one ok ?

Teachers may have had 2 weeks off too (if Easter eg) but STILL school could be closed for 2 Inset Days!

Talking of Inset Days we never ever had or heard of them when I was at school ..

RachelRagged, are you being deliberately goady? Inset days aren't extra hols for teachers. They are essential training days. Would you do extra work training during your annual leave?

Also, you say you didn't have them when you were at school. Before 1988 I presume? Teachers gave up a week of their holiday to facilitate them. So historically they have already been taken from teachers hols.

They are often arranged in groups where 5 or 6 schools may all visit another school to attend a workshop or similar. They are sometimes set by county. Some parents prefer them at the beginning of term, others at the end. Others would like them mid term. Schools can't please everyone.