To send my children to school in the last week of term?

[ThePlatypusAlwaysTriumphs]

Here in Scotland it is the last week of summer term. According to both my dds (14 and 13) NO ONE goes to school in the last week, and definitely not in the last couple of days! They know they will both be sent in anyway, but are moaning that it's really boring, they don't do any work as the teachers can't teach anything because they would just have to teach it again when the rest of the class was there. Apparently they are told to "play on your phones", and some teachers are actively hinting/ suggesting they don't come in!

I'm a bit pissed off with this. On one hand the school officially disapproves of parents taking children out during term time to get cheap holidays, on the other hand the children who do make the effort to go in are seen as an inconvenience, it would seem. There is no penalty for not going in. Dd2 is home upset because her lovely friends are all staying off the last two days and going to a theme park, despite knowing that dd won't be able to join them, and will be in school on her own. (This isn't just hearsay, they did this at the end of last term too) So I am the worst mother in the world for making them go to school. Am i?

Lol I'm on the kids side! The last two weeks are boring as hell, I would let them stay off. Enough time to settle down and work when they're older and have no choice, while they're young, let 'em relax and enjoy their childhood lol. x I home ed ( I haven't with all of mine) and I let my lot chill out when they wanted to, which meant they worked harder when they needed to, it worked for us. Now my two eldest are working and at Uni, so, I think they're old enough to make their own decision.

Thanks for all the responses! To clarify: all 3 of my dc will be attending school right up until the last day. I am seriously considering bringing the situation up with the head teacher, but I've always been careful to not be THAT parent.....

I do believe dd, she is a smart little geek who hates to miss a day of school, even if she is ill, in case she misses something! Dd2 isn't quite so dedicated, but knows if she buggers off to a theme park while she is meant to be at school I WILL find out, and that will be the end of her summer . Today her friends apparently left at lunchtime and went to someone's house! Upside is that dd was then forced to hang out with nicer other girls. Dd1 says that thanks to teacher shortage and practice for awards ceremonies that she isn't involved in (despite being too in several subjects, but that's another rant, don't let me go there!!), she actually didn't have a classroom to go to for one period, never mind a lesson....

I feel they should teach the kids that come in, tough luck to the ones that don't, they will need to catch up....But I'm sure that will BU

when they aren't providing any teacher for my DS for one of his subjects for 4 periods a week and haven't done for the last month

This must be a widespread thing... DD1 had no admin teacher for the first half of the year & DD2 has had a succession of teachers for biology none of whom are biology teachers because her assigned teacher is on maternity leave for the entire year - they attend different schools.

Laughing at parents believing their childrens rubbish about nobody going in!!!

You dont know what happens in every school call
Read the post below yours😀

When you actually know that your kids friends are not going in as they are on school trip or are away on hols we might know a bit more than you think we do.

But my kids are going in. They will get some lessons.

yep whiskey they say it will be better after the holidays, not quite sure how when they will have an extra year worth of pupils that they don't have at the moment as there is no S1. I've said to DS just to go and sign himself out and write "no teacher" as the reason for leaving. We don't live locally so it means it's more of an issue for his travel than usual but at the moment his brother is now finished school and has passed his driving test so is acting as his personal chauffeur. That will stop when uni starts in Sept or when he gets a job the latter will require him to actually look for one

It's so difficult for them WaxOn... DD1 has left now & has a job until college starts but it's a zero hours contract thing & last week she couldn't take any shifts apparently because she had prom & was too busy to work between hair, nails, tan, make up etc... can't wait to use that excuse on my boss in the run up to the Christmas night out

Ds used to sign himself out if there were a supply teacher for his AH Physics or for his Higher Modern Studies as he felt that it was wasted time that he would could better spend on his own study.

But they do seem to have a bit more leeway in S6

Frankly, I teach up until lunch time on the last day. There is a whole school assembly on the last afternoon. I have finished content with a couple of classes so we are now going back through the years content, practicing exam questions and then working out what needs to be reviewed to secure it ready for next year. I have always worked in a school with a culture of teaching to the end.
Your decision, but remember if your child's attendance drops you can still be followed up by the EWO...

I work in a Scottish secondary school, and I've worked in several others in the area.

Our school looked as busy as usual today. I'm aware there's a school trip heading off tonight and I know of a few pupils who are going on holiday before we finish on Friday at noon, but in general, most kids were in.

The teachers are generally told that there are to be no 'recreational' movies until Thursday, but subject-related films are allowed.

Today was really nice for all the kids in the school. We have lots of lovely playing fields and hilly spots. From every window I could see classes out enjoying the sun. An English class was reading on the hillside, a Biology class were collecting leaves in the hedgerow and there were several classes joined together to make a few games of rounders.

Even if today wasn't full of 'essential' knowledge, it was a really nice day for the pupils bonding and getting to know their new teachers better. I'm pretty sure that at least 75% will be in on Friday morning as it's a relaxed, happy time in the school.

@whiskeysourpuss - There’s a national recruitment and retention crisis in teaching in Scotland at the moment, no matter how much the SG want to deny it. We’re going to be three teachers down in our English department next year. There were three applicants for the most recent job advert, only one came to interview and they had never taught in Scotland before (and hadn’t bothered to read up about the curriculum at all). There will be classes without an English specialist next year, which is a pretty worrying thought.

A couple of posters have mentioned strikes - who/what union is striking? Don't think it's the teachers.

@Edinburghsmedinburgh - it’s council workers striking, so cleaners, catering staff, possibly facilities management. Teachers haven’t been balloted to strike... yet.

Thanks Clem

The strikes are East Dumbartonshire only and it's unison- so the jannies, dinner ladies, cleaners. Also has affected other council services like libraries and rubbish.

Not sure of the details but it's to do with pay and conditions. East Dumbarton is the only council which doesn't seem able to reach an agreement . Kids were off on Thursday Friday last week and Monday Tuesday this week. Back this morning for last day of term.

I’m in Scotland too. And no kids go in the last week, certainly not in high school. Hopefully this weather will keep up!

I’ve taught for 15 years in a number of schools and if my experience is representative it’s rubbish that “no one” goes. I’m sure the relevant council would have a lot to say about any school where noone attended!
Numbers down today by about 5 per class (which still leaves plenty) classes finished up projects and one class finished an essay. More relaxed atmosphere though.

Gotta say this again (despite DH telling me last night to “get off MN and stop swearing”)
I believe that it’s absolutely outrageous that it’s a given that the last week of term is a total piss take.
Nobody turns up?!
Seriously!
Sorry but REALLY?!!?
Head in hands for the future............

I believe that it’s absolutely outrageous that it’s a given that the last week of term is a total piss take.

the kids are allowed to have any hairstyle they want too & there's a lackadaisical attitude to school uniform - I mean our kids aren't even sent home if they're not actually wearing it... they get to stay at school all day without a blazer 😱

Surely your energy in getting so angry about this would be better spent on things that actually affect you PP 🤷🏼‍♀️

Whilst I will be sending DD into school this week I'm under no illusions that the amount of actual coursework undertaken will be minimal but in the grand scheme of things I doubt it's going to do her education a great deal of harm.

whiskeysourpuss I’m not talking about the fact that the end of term is a time for things to ease off a bit, fun lessons, games etc. My issue is with people who accept that it’s a total waste of time, nobody else goes in why should I?!
I can assure you that my energy is not wasted. I just feel very strongly that education is not taken seriously enough and parents who can’t see the point of their kids attending school in the last week are deluded at best.
School is not a bloody social club.
Any school and/or HT who is accepting of this is failing

But it is a waste of time to be fair.

There are so many out of school activities taking place so the staff numbers are limited, many parents have taken advantage of cheaper holidays, the fact that we're not fined for taking the kids on holiday during term time & that our schools don't refuse to give the kids work home that they'll miss so there's a few kids that won't be in school this week at all then add onto that this is probably the only nice weather we'll get this summer - it's pretty much a given that this week is a complete washout at school.

We're not deluded at all... deluded would be thinking that they're going to go to school this week & actually do some work... we just know what the reality is & it's not that education isn't taken seriously it's that in the grand scheme of things one week doing nothing at the end of the year when all the kids are knackered after exams etc isn't exactly going to ruin their education.

I’m sorry but I totally disagree. Everyone bangs on about private/state/grammar. There’s this big argument that it’s all so unfair lalala.
Have you read the earlier posts by teachers? We all accept that the last week of school is going to be fairly relaxed and not hard core curriculum BUT that shouldn’t mean you don’t bother to going, go in and play on your phone or piss off on holiday ffs!

So take your kids out of school at the end of term and have a lovely time in Orlando. I’m sure it will do you all a power of good and teach your kids the value of getting a cheap holiday, which I’m sure will do them a great service in the future

But it's not "fairly relaxed" it's pretty much a no work free for all & it's been the same in every school my kids have attended (2 primaries & 3 secondaries).

Your argument isn't really with the parents who take advantage of that it's with the LA's who have allowed this to happen & continue for years on end - it was the same when I was at school over 20 years ago.

As for the holiday issue I can take the kids out of school for a holiday at any given time & all that I'll get is a letter from the HT saying that it'll be recorded as an unauthorised absence however if I can prove that the trip is educational & the kids provide evidence of this upon return I can have it marked as authorised.

We don't have the same rules as you do because we have a completely different education system. There are many things about the English system I think are ridiculous but as they don't affect me or my kids I can't find the energy to get worked up about them.

Well we clearly are coming from different ends of the spectrum here.
I still maintain there should be standards, commitment and consistency.