To think children shouldn't be taken out of school for holidays?

[MidiMitch]

Just that really. An article today says four million school days a year are being lost by parents removing children for holidays. I am a teacher so probably rather biased on this but I think it's dreadful that children are taken out of school because of a cheap holiday. I definitely think that more needs to be done to stop the hiking up of prices in holiday time but I don't think the answer is to disrupt a child's education.

rhonda do you not talk to other parents at the school gate? It's not that hard to believe

suburban If that is directed at me then your sceptical face isn't needed. I know it as fact as it is the response I get every time I take my child out. Although mine are authorised.

@Nicknacky thank you! And who decides whether there should be a fine and what criteria is that based in? Is that subjective to the school, ie some schools are relaxed about it and some aren't? Oh and how much is the fine?? It sounds like I'm planning to take my children on holiday in term time, I'm really not, but this has been puzzling me...

I’m staff, not a parent at our school.

I’m sceptical when someone posts that their own personal conversations with the head about attendance are equivalent to a school-wide policy about authorising absence for holidays.

pippi I'm in Scotland so we don't have the fine system here.

suburban Clearly I can speak for every single holiday request but my personal experience shows our head has no issue generally. I imagine if there was general poor attendance that would be a different situation.

MelanieSmooter

I suspect that most teachers feel exactly the same way about your choice to take your children out of school.

Its not about school-gate conversations though.

It’s about claiming that the school policy is to welcome every unauthorised absence and wave the family off with a cheery “enjoy”!

nicky

Do you know your school’s overall attendance? Most schools publish theirs. The government’s national target is 96%.

@Beetle76 don’t worry, I pay for my DD’s education, I’m not expecting tax payers to fund a place for her.

DD’s school are very vocal that education doesn’t just happen in school so really the argument of undermining the value of education isn’t valid unless you’re suggesting that the only place to be educated is in a classroom with a teacher?

suburban No idea, never looked and have no interest in doing so.

Grrr in my previous post i obviously meant I can't speak for every request, not I can!

@pheonix - I have no idea of the cost of one week. Do you know? The OP mentions millions of days lost. That must cost something.

@nicknacky - I’m sorry I have no idea how to find your original post. I don’t know how I would handle your situation.

Quite frankly, my comments are aimed at those who do this purely to save money from their own pocket without considering the greater cost to everyone else.

We have taken dc out of school for "holidays", usually for family occasions such as weddings as my dh is from UK and we live in aus. The distance and jet lag means short trips are not doable and our long summer holidays don't line up with when occasions have happened. For us it is not because of cheap holidays. both dc are primary age and doing well academically, we discuss with teachers beforehand.

I haven’t done it before but will be next year. I have 5 children and with some companies insisting any child over 12 is an adult, the difference for us is nearly £3000.

By doing this, you are undermining the value of a formal education in your child’s mind. You are saying that “fun times” are more important than school. I find the attitude of parents who do this incredibly disrespectful

Absolutely I am. I don't believe a formal education is as important enjoying time with your family and seeing the world. All the best people I know would agree with me.

My family live on in different countries, 100% they get more from a week with their family on another continent than a week sat on the tablet at school.

If you won't let children go on holidays in term time you are saying poor kids don't get to go on holidays. I think that'll do more damage to their education and self-esteem than a week off school will.

The UK isn't in a position to regulate foreign holiday prices, and staggering breaks between schools causes problems for families with children at more than one school.

The decision should be put back in the hands of teachers and heads IMHO. They know their pupils, they know who can take a week off no problem and who will struggle to catch up.

suburban No idea, never looked and have no interest in doing so.

I just thought you might be interested after your comment that the situation would be different if the attendance was low. You probably have no idea how hard schools work to push up attendance to meet government-imposed targets.

Though I think more parents would sit up and take notice if their DC’s school went into special measures because of poor attendance levels.

Another one here whose DH works away a lot overseas. My DC had a week out of school last year because it was either that or they wouldn’t see their Dad for 4 months.

I was honest with the school, and I make a lot of effort to support my kids’ education meaning that they are achieving just fine. The school approved our absence because, as they said, such a long absence impacts on children’s ability to focus on their work and can lead to disruptive behaviour. It was 1 week for children who the school knew would be well supported at home to catch up. We have not needed to repeat this so far.

Obviously it’s a balance to be struck, but I do want to make the point that it’s not always about cheap holidays.

Upthread someone said if schools didn't issue fines (they don’t, the LA does), it would lead to better relationships with parents. When you read comments like this one, it’s clear that there are parents who aren’t in the slightest interested in having a good relationship with schools. They’re the ones who fuck it up for other, more reasonable parents.

No, that's just parenting. I don't give a shit what anyone else thinks of my parenting. If you aren't abusing your children and they are getting an education, everyone else can fuck off.

beetle If I knew why would I ask? You made out like it cost loads but actually you have no idea!

I wouldn’t mind in the slightest if:

1 - teachers could also take holidays in term time. Why should we not be allowed to travel when it’s cheaper

2 - teachers should have no accountability for results.

If those two things were in place I would be all for it. After all, education is either important or it’s not, for ALL.

I'm much more concerned about raising some little Englander than I am that my child won't learn their alphabet. They will. We all did, and it was much more relaxed when we were young.

You probably have no idea how hard schools work to push up attendance to meet government-imposed targets.

Then the targets are the issue not the parents who don't comply with silly targets.