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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

How are schools allowed to take pupils on holiday in term time?

105 replies

Cab65 · 05/05/2017 22:27

Last year my DD was fined for taking her DS out of school on holiday for three days during term time. This year the school is taking him and his class on holiday to the Isle of Wight for a week during term time. How can this be allowed. I have never seen a better example of don't do as I do do as I tell you. Why aren't more parents fighting this injustice.

OP posts:
PurpleDaisies · 05/05/2017 22:27

It's an educational trip. It's not the same as a holiday.

nuttyknitter · 05/05/2017 22:30

I really have heard it all now. They're going on an educational trip - it'll be highly planned and much of their work on return to school will be based on their experiences.

hazeydays14 · 05/05/2017 22:30

If the majority of the kids go then they don't miss out on lessons and have to play catch up when they come back.

Xmasbaby11 · 05/05/2017 22:31

It's an educational trip.

Also if they go in the holidays, who would go with them? Teachers would be off.

TheMysteriousJackelope · 05/05/2017 22:32

The last trip my DC went on they learned about organic farming, physical geography formations, and re-enacted the Underground Railroad for slaves escaping to Canada. Another trip the school organizes is for them to learn about various marine environments, the biology of squid and plankton.

The only one that seems vaguely 'holiday' is the band trip where they'll be visiting the St Louis Gateway Arch, the museum of Jazz and Blues, the City Museum, and playing in the Festival in the Parks band competition. There is a sudden detour into them visiting Six Flags St. Louis and the Hard Rock Café, but that will be on a Saturday so I can't really complain about that. The band teacher chooses the locations for the band trips based on which roller coasters he wants to ride on that year.

mumtomaxwell · 05/05/2017 22:33

Really???

NameyMcNamechangechange · 05/05/2017 22:34

Why aren't more parents fighting this injustice? Maybe it's something exciting for their children, which benefits their education, which has a organised and supervised for them? There are 13 weeks when you can go to the Isle of Wight if you like!

LindyHemming · 05/05/2017 22:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Anasnake · 05/05/2017 22:35

Let's fight the injustice of teachers taking our kids on organised educational visits - how dare they ??!!!
Troll post.

CatsInKilts · 05/05/2017 22:37

Those awful teachers.

Giving up 3 days and nights to take other people's children on a trip.

How do they live with themselves?

Fight against this terrible injustice! That'll show 'em! Hmm

LornaD40 · 05/05/2017 22:40

🙄

IcanMooCanYou · 05/05/2017 22:41

Not this again. One child out = child misses all of the learning that week. Pain to catch up on return. E.g. week one (holiday week) class planned a piece of writing; week two (child back) class are writing up. Cue child X: 'Miss, I wasn't here... I don't know what to do.' See also, week 1: learn to use protractor, week two: shape problem solving, etc, etc x30 children taking holidays on different weeks throughout the year.

Whole class trip: all children out, no one misses anything, no one has to catch up, all children still learning skills/gaining knowledge outside the classroom, disadvantaged children getting experiences that they would never have otherwise.

Please apply above response next time you wish to moan about snow days and INSET days.

Auspiciouspanda · 05/05/2017 22:44

Because grandma there is a difference between a residential trip and a holiday l.

brownpurse · 05/05/2017 22:47

Too stupid for words.

Unhurried · 05/05/2017 22:47

Talk sense will you

Wolfiefan · 05/05/2017 22:47

How fuckimg dare those teachers take a week away from their own families, enjoy endure 24/7 with coach loads of over excited primary school kids or hormonal teenagers for no extra pay.
Bastards!
I'm taking my kids out of school to Magaluf for a week to protest.

BasketOfDeplorables · 05/05/2017 22:47

I don't have any school aged dc - how does it work with the non-educational trips?

When I was at school I went on the couple of nights outdoorsy trip, but couldn't afford the skiing trip. Most kids did go skiing but it was more of a 2/3 deal than it just being me sitting in the head's office all week. All lessons were cancelled for our year as most were out. Would you get fined for taking your kid out for that week now?

DontBeASalmon · 05/05/2017 23:00

In my kids schools, all the non-educational trips are scheduled during the normal half term and holiday breaks, they never clash with lessons. At worst, they come back the night before going back to class, which is not ideal but not the end of the world.

BasketOfDeplorables · 05/05/2017 23:12

Well that sounds sensible, Salmon. I wondered if it had changed following the fines as that week was a bit pointless for anyone who couldn't go so would have imagined parents might be annoyed.

This was back at the turn of the century though.

DanyellasDonkey · 05/05/2017 23:12

How dare those workshy teachers who only work from 9 to 3 for 190 days a year spend a week taking 24 hour responsibility for other people's kids. A disgrace.

When our school did a residential last year the parents had it all on FB "Well that's us got rid of the kids - off to Asda to stock up on the booze for the party" Hmm

skyzumarubble · 05/05/2017 23:16

Seriously? Can you not see the difference?

DontBeASalmon · 05/05/2017 23:16

basket I would be delighted if my kids were going away during term time, allowing me to take a cheap holiday with my husband whilst they are away Grin

DontTouchTheMoustache · 05/05/2017 23:18

I hope the teachers get compensated appropriately

PurpleDaisies · 05/05/2017 23:21

Of course they don't Donttouch. No extra pay or time off. School trips are great but utterly exhausting.

PickAChew · 05/05/2017 23:22

Skiing trips aren't purely non-educational, though. Skiing itself can be regarded as PE, then there's opportunities for geography, local history, science, PHSE....