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

[toomuchpopcorn]

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.

Narnia72
Do it. They learn NOTHING in the last few days of term - it's taking stuff off walls and watching dvds

Please don't post this rubbish.

Sounds amazing!

I agree, it does sound amazing. do it.

We're doing this. DC1 is 7. We're taking him out 4 days early because this saves us £700 on the holiday. Wouldn't dream of doing this when he's leaning more complex stuff but think its worth it at this point. Sorry to teachers though - I feel guilty but we couldn't afford it otherwise.

Another teacher here saying Go For It!!

Another teacher here. Do it.

But I still think you should do it. Just don't assume that they won't be missing much work.

They will definitely be encouraged to fill the gaps but they are very conscientious about schoolwork - they have been to San Francisco before with us but this time it’s alone and that’s what will make the difference imo.

Do it!!

I wouldn't hesitate, go for it. Even if they do miss something I'm sure they can catch up.

I don’t think it’s safe anymore to assume the last week of school is all a big jolly with no work being done. In my last school, the timetables changed at the end of June, straight after GCSEs, to -bleed us all dry- make the most out of the final academic year. So year 10s would start year 11 curriculum straight after GCSEs finished and year 11 we’re gone.

Having said that, no amount of messing with the curriculum can make a teacher refreshed after a year of teaching and a term and a half of getting year 11s ready for the exam, so I couldn’t imagine even the brightest teacher attempting some really essential and tricky curriculum topic in the last week.

@Kolo the school already arrange a school trip on the last week that includes Year 10 students - they must be ok with kids missing this last week if they support some Year 10 students missing the last week.

My sons school do work experience and have a careers week in the last week of term in year 10.

Take them. It sounds great.

However, I'm not loving all the claims that nobody does anything in the final week. Sure some schools might work like that but my last few certainly haven't other than the occasional banter teachers who decide that giving sweets and doing a quiz for lessons makes them cool, whilst leaving the rest of us still teaching and having to get students calm again and have some sense of normality.

Another teacher here. I also agree that you should send them but please be honest with the school, simply so that they can have any summer holiday work. We set quite a lot between y10 and y11.

@MaisyPops we're not taking them - they are going themselves, that's the only reason we are making this compromise. If we were going, it would be summer holidays only, but it wouldn't;t give them the same opportunities to grow personally.

Ah right OP.
All I would say is be up front with school and make sure they catch up missed content.
E.g. final week of term, my y10s are due to be doing an assessed piece on this term's set text and a review of the course so far. I'll also be setting some pre-reading / watching for when they come back in y11.

In your situation I would absolutely send them. Mind you, I'm not in the UK, and here the schools are supportive of kids going on trips like this in school time as long as it's not during test/exam periods.

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

SF public schools go back Aug 20th - but the OP is talking about something mid-late July I think.

@Semster it's a private catholic school and my friend says they start at the end of the first week of August - either way - it's the window she has availability for.

Please go for it. Life is too short and with a year between the holiday and their GCSE exams it will do no lasting damage to their preparations

Do it!

This whole UK idea about all the awful things that will befall your children if they miss a day of school is total bollocks ... even if they work up until the last second of the last day, the benefits of exploring the world easily outweigh ANYTHING a a school can teach you. Period!

Absolutely do it.

There are still forms to complete, 'request for leave of absence' they are called. Plan your reasoning carefully and appeal to the Head teacher 's better nature, explain the situation fully, hold nothing back. Your kids, (anyones kids) deserve all the opportunities they can get in life and some things are once in a lifetime things and others just can't be taught in a classroom! You could ask if they could do a project about the trip, compile a scrap book type thing, exploring climate, culture, economics etc.
Just be prepared for the £60 a day, per child, per parent fine!!!!
Xx

Send them in a heartbeat. If the Government cared so much about young people's education they would fund enough teachers and resources to give them a good education. Sending your kids abroad for a once-in-a-lifetime trip will teach them more than a few days in school.

definitely go.
you don't even need to justify it educationally.
Sounds fab.

Go for it but I justify it as a treat rather than for education. I'm sure they could learn to put one foot in front of the other on UK hills.