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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Taking kids out of school for last few days of summer term

56 replies

toomuchpopcorn · 10/06/2018 16:03

Kids have been offered the opportunity to visit friends in San Francisco where they will learn how to surf, climb hills, camp etc but to co-ordinate with US school holidays and to make flying across the world worthwhile they would probably need to take the last few days off school otherwise they'd only have one week.
They are in Year 10 and they have missed very little school, maybe one of them has missed half a day, they work hard and do pretty well. During this last week I'm not even sure the school schedule lessons - they do an enterprise thing and life skills days and between 15-20 kids in their year will be abroad on school trips.
It will be their first trip abroad independently (they have travelled a lot with us) and I think that would be really good for them.

OP posts:

TheZeppo · 10/06/2018 16:31

As a teacher, I say go for it. How exciting for them!

Narnia72 · 10/06/2018 16:36

Do it. They learn NOTHING in the last few days of term - it's taking stuff off walls and watching dvds

Sounds amazing!

TeaAndNoSympathy · 10/06/2018 16:40

I work in education and I say do it. They’re not going to learn anything vital in the last week of term.

LoniceraJaponica · 10/06/2018 16:44

When DD was in year 10 they had started the new academic year. They worked up until the penultimate day. Not all secondary schools do nothing the last week of term

Having said that I would do it.

sadeyedladyofthelowlands63 · 10/06/2018 17:07

Send them (I'm a teacher)!

IlikemyTeahot · 10/06/2018 17:09

I would go for it

Uchafi · 10/06/2018 17:11

Send them 100%. They'll gain a lot from this that school can't match In the last few days. They can catch up on missed work if need be.

Pengggwn · 10/06/2018 17:29

In Y10 our students would be on work experience, and directly before that they would be well into their examined content for Y11 - no wasted lessons here.

That said, if they have really got virtually full attendance over their entire time at secondary school, this does sound like an opportunity too good to pass over, so I would do it.

BottleOfJameson · 10/06/2018 17:32

Of course they should go. They can easily catch up on work over the holiday.

Pengggwn · 10/06/2018 17:33

Just to sound a word of warning though, I wouldn't be putting together any missed work for them. I'd suggest they asked their friends for notes or missed homework, but wouldn't do extra work to compensate for them deciding to go on holiday myself.

Original poster

toomuchpopcorn · 10/06/2018 17:38

I don't want to lie to the school - or worse I don't want the kids to have to lie to the school - I know they won't be able to give permission but I hope they'll at least give a very vaguely positive nod.
Our kids are not the most naturally confident types, they are the quiet kids who tend to grow in confidence through life experiences, which is why we believe this will give them a real boost.

OP posts:

Original poster

toomuchpopcorn · 10/06/2018 17:42

Not too concerned about them catching up if there are scheduled lessons, they are both very conscientious. Normally they wouldn't be happy about missing school at all!

OP posts:

Sparklingbrook · 10/06/2018 17:43

We couldn't have done it as Yr10 work experience is always the last week of the Summer term as a PP said.

I would check that they wouldn't miss anything WRT Year 11 stuff.

Catchuptv · 10/06/2018 17:51

Just do it!

snackarella · 10/06/2018 17:54

Totally do it

mummymeister · 10/06/2018 17:54

you have to notify the school and they may well levy a fine depending on which LEA you are in. £60 per parent per child so at most £240.

personally I would do it, not lie to the school and cross fingers that they don't fine but have the money put away in case they did.

Knittedfairies · 10/06/2018 17:56

Just do it (retired teacher here..) - if my mum insisted that I spent the last few days of the year sitting about doing nothing at school, when I could have been in San Francisco, there would have been words...

raspberryrippleicecream · 10/06/2018 18:00

DS is Y10, not actually sure what he is doing this year as work experience has been moved to next term. The second last week of term his is spending the whole week helping with a primary school project, most of the school will still be doing lessons. I'd go for it in your case

manicinsomniac · 10/06/2018 18:01

I would definitely do it if they weren't going to miss anything that they have been working towards and are looking forward to or likely to let anyone down.

In our last week of school I have a Year 8 production which they have been working on for several weeks, the Summer Concert which involves 150 singers and instrumentalists and a dance show which showcases a whole year's work. There probably will be the odd one or two who miss them and, although I understand, it's really annoying especially as we have 8 weeks off for them to go on holiday in!

BarbarianMum · 10/06/2018 18:04

Are you sure about your dates. US schools usually resume mid August don't they?

bunbunny · 10/06/2018 18:10

Is there any way that you can sell it to the school as educational so they can mark it down as authorised educational activity? (Thinking of dc at school that have had authorised time off for going to county or national sporting events during school time, or doing other educational stuff in term time). If you go in and ask them straight off to authorise it as an educational thing (if it’s in any way affiliated with an American school or similar?) rather than calling it a holiday...

mildshock · 10/06/2018 18:13

My parents took me out for the last 3 weeks of year 10 to backpack around Australia for 9 weeks. That was over 10 years ago mind you.

My parents just wrote a letter to the head explaining it was a once in a lifetime opportunity, and my brother and I would be learning lots and experience a different culture, as well as learning to surf etc etc.

Headteacher approved the leave, despite my maths teacher losing her shit (literally screamed in my face that I was not allowed to go), and we had a great time. I was terrible at surfing.

Take them, and write a letter to the head, not asking but explaining that they will be going because it's a priceless opportunity.

Orchidflower1 · 10/06/2018 18:15

If there are students in the same year on school run overseas trips I really don’t see the difference between that and what you propose - go for it. I’m sure that school would appreciate the honesty though.

LoniceraJaponica · 10/06/2018 18:45

Loving the assumption that all secondary schools do nothing during the last week of term

DD's school run their academic year from the end of June to the end of June. The new academic year starts at the beginning of July, so a year 10 student would be starting year 11 work then. Missing an entire week the last week of term would mean missing quite a lot of content. They don't do any work on the last day though.

Original poster

toomuchpopcorn · 10/06/2018 19:12

My friend’s dds are booked into a sports camp on the first week of August and goes back to school directly after that. Have checked with County about fines - you have to be out of school for more than 7 days to receive a fine...we aren’t so bothered about that just trying to weigh up building our dc’s confidence against missing a bit of school and I know which one they need more help with - the self-belief and confidence and I think travelling independently across the world at 14 will really give them a boost.

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