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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Term time holiday

31 replies

deblet · 11/02/2017 16:28

Any teaching staff to help my case here please? I have a very difficult mother who stated today she wants to go away for a couple of weeks over Christmas/New Year to Florida and we should all go to. Cue much cheering from kids etc. However my son will be in year 11. She is adamant that he can be off a week or so either side of the school christmas holiday does anyone know what impact it could have? Or am I just being unreasonable in saying I don't think we should go? Thanks

OP posts:
LIZS · 11/02/2017 16:30

When are his mocks? Can you go for part of the time during the holiday?

leccybill · 11/02/2017 16:31

Mocks are either just before or just after Christmas. Best to find out.

Wolfiefan · 11/02/2017 16:31

You're the parent. You decide.
I would guess he would have mocks about that time. I wouldn't take a child out of Y11.

Original poster
deblet · 11/02/2017 16:36

So mocks are in December and January? I will decide but don't want to be mean for the sake of it.

OP posts:
ReggaeShark · 11/02/2017 16:38

No way would I take a Year 11 child out of school. Mocks are likely to be after Christmas and he'll need all the holiday to revise. Jet lag in January is the last thing he needs. Your MIL is a controlling selfish arse.

catcatcatcat · 11/02/2017 16:39

I don't think it's being mean for the sake of it. If I had a year 11 student off for a week on holiday I would think it was a very bad decision on his parents part.

Wolfiefan · 11/02/2017 16:40

Mean for the sake of it?!?!
Missing crucial schooling at GCSE stage is hardly mean for the sake of it. Confused
Check out the school calendar but I really wouldn't take a student out of Y11.

whateverandever · 11/02/2017 16:42

I usually come on these threads (even as a teacher) to say, go for it, a week seeing new things won't impact on their schooling so long as rest of attendance is good. But mock time in year 11 - absolutely not!!!

Itchyandscratchy · 11/02/2017 16:43

Why can't you go for the Christmas hols and miss no school? The Christmas break is 2 weeks.
But yes, the mocks are going to be just before or just after.

whateverandever · 11/02/2017 16:43

And it's not just mocks. At that stage in year 11 there are likely to be courseworks due and being done in lessons which are a massive pain in the arse for kids and staff to try to catch up if missed.

ilovesooty · 11/02/2017 16:44

It's the OP's mother, not her mother in law who appears to have taken leave of her senses.

Vanillamanilla1 · 11/02/2017 16:44

I would say yes to any year but not year 11
I have a child in year 11 and its so so important

Itchyandscratchy · 11/02/2017 16:45

Won't be much in the way of coursework any more but there'll be lots of revising to be done. Nearly all of the exams in 2018 will be terminal exam only so the mocks will be.

Allthebestnamesareused · 11/02/2017 16:48

At the school I invigilate at they had some mocks before Christmas. ( practicals, language orals and listening) and the rest after Christmas. They also don't necessarily timetable them until close to the time as they are not nationwide etc. Personally I would purposely let my child miss school during year 11 at all but esch to their own.

If his mocks are after I assume he will have to revise on holiday and lug all his work too.

If so take in hand luggage in case suitcase goes missing!!

budgiegirl · 11/02/2017 16:55

Why would he have to miss any school? Most schools have two weeks off at Christmas

PatriciaHolm · 11/02/2017 16:59

A week in year 11 is a bad idea, pretty much the worst year to take any time off.

Why would you want to go away with someone with this attitude anyway? Doesn't sound as if you get on well. Your mother doesn't get to tell you what to do now you are a grown up.

TeenAndTween · 11/02/2017 17:02

My DD1 did GCSEs 2 years ago. She spent all bar 5 days of the Christmas holidays revising for mocks early January.
In my opinion no way should you be considering taking out of school at all in y11, and to be honest, unless mocks are in December I wouldn't go away for the whole of the Xmas period either.

SalmonFajitas · 11/02/2017 17:04

I wouldn't even want to take him away at that time without missing school, he'll have no time to revise and do coursework and will come back horribly jet lagged. Couldn't you go away in the summer after his GCSEs (and before other schools break up to save cash).

Original poster
deblet · 11/02/2017 17:06

Ok thanks. The extra week would come in because the parks are mental around christmas so she wants a week when it will be quieter before school breaks up. I will tell the kids it's a no and arrange to go another time.

OP posts:
lanbro · 11/02/2017 17:07

I will happily take my young children out of school during primary but I think secondary, especially yr 9 onwards, would have to be for something pretty once in a lifetime, which I don't think Florida I'd I'm afraid

Ragwort · 11/02/2017 17:07

I wouldn't dream of taking my Y11 DS out of school - and why are you pandering to your mother's wishes regardng a holiday? Hmm - You are an adult, just thank her (if she is offering to pay) and say that you are not prepared to take the children out of school. End of discussion.

And agree with others, a full two week holiday at Christmas in Y11 is just not a good idea.

Anothermoomin · 11/02/2017 17:09

Year 11 - NO WAY do you take him out of school for a week. End of discussion.

SmileEachDay · 11/02/2017 17:12

Teacher of y11 here.

No. Absolutely not. He'll miss important bits of the curriculum and there WILL NOT be time to catch him up in class.

If you go, accept that you could affect his gcse grades.

MaisyPops · 11/02/2017 17:13

I would be less than happy about students missing school in y11 for anything other than exceptional circumstances. I think youre totally right to not go OP.

At the ridiculous end if the scale i had a student few years back who had 2.5 weeks off in september (controlled assessment which is basically an internally conducted exam was in october) and home wanted to know what i was doing in terms of 1-1 catchup to ensure his assessment was going to be good and that he 'wouldnt be disadvantaged'. I politely pointed out that he has access to the same support as any other y11 and nothing more (other than copying notes up from a friend). If she didnt want him disadvantaged then perhaps missing a chunk of y11 when the dates were given a year in advance should have been avoided.

yeOldeTrout · 11/02/2017 17:31

The Disney parks are mental year round. Xmas break is just an extra level of torture.

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