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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Taking a 16 year old out of higher education for holiday

54 replies

tigwig76 · 15/10/2018 09:27

Is there a 'best time? Really want to take the kids back to Florida. Dd is in Yr 10 now so can't take her out of school until after exams. Then it would be busiest times in theme parks which when spending thousands I want to avoid. Was thinking of adding a week or 2 onto a half term. So either Oct, Feb or May. But as she's the eldest have no idea how disruptive it would be or what she will even be doing. I'm presuming she would take any work with her and have to make up placement time if applicable?

OP posts:
MemoryOfSleep · 15/10/2018 09:32

Definitely not May, as they often have exams around that time. Don't expect her to be able to take all relevant work with her- if kids could pass exams on worksheets only, we wouldn't need teachers! Also, though teachers may run revision classes anyway, don't expect them to put on extra lessons or sacrifice current lesson time to catch your DD up.

AnnabelleLecter · 15/10/2018 09:33

DD missed a week of college (actually three days) when we went to the Carribbean in the February. We just told them. She didn't have any more time off and did the extra work at home. The price difference was ££££.
I wouldn't pick October (weather) or May (in case of exams?)

negomi90 · 15/10/2018 09:36

Please don't. Go when busy or don't go. She will miss things and it will be really hard for her to catch up.
I remember just being off sick in those years and the nightmare of trying to catch up on what I'd missed.
Please don't go!

Racecardriver · 15/10/2018 09:37

Sorry, you mean high school right? If two weeks has an effect on high school exam performance there is something wrong. It really shouldn't matter unless you are planning in getting back the day before exams.

Thisreallyisafarce · 15/10/2018 09:38

'Take any work with her' - nope, not in my class. If you go on holiday, you miss my lessons, you miss my work. Catch up from a friend.

NWQM · 15/10/2018 09:39

2 weeks is a huge chunk of the term to miss. It sounds as if you have been before so it isn't even a unique experience for her. You know her best - are you very confident she can catch up? Are you able to support her? I've a degree in humanities and probalay would struggle with out lots of prep to help with maths and sciences now. Please do not assume that any placement will be flexible enough to allow her to do extra days - you need this agreed before hand.

tryingtocatchthewind · 15/10/2018 09:39

The last two weeks of August are quiet in Florida American school children have gone back. There’s no need to go during school time if it’s just a due to crowds.

belleandsnowwhite · 15/10/2018 09:40

February half term is busy at the theme parks as it is also presidents week. I would go for early in the year October and would try to reduce the days of school, my DD is in 6th form and has an inset day at end of half term so we are doing a 10 day holiday instead of 2 weeks. She will only miss 2 days of school.

Theworldwentwhite · 15/10/2018 09:41

Take her. You wouldn’t stress if she was off ill for a week xx

MeanTangerine · 15/10/2018 09:42

It's a teacher's job to educate their assigned students in given places at particular times. It really isn't their job to provide a personalised home tuition pack for every individual student at a time of their family's choosing. Any work involving a partner or a group, or equipment owned by the institution, will be impossible, obvs.

As others have said, exams fall in May/June. There really isn't a time between September and June which isn't important once it's are doing GCSEs+.

pumpkinpie01 · 15/10/2018 09:44

If you go for October that will be during her first few weeks of year 11 wont it ? Thats definitely not a good time to go.

SillySallySingsSongs · 15/10/2018 09:48

Nope I wouldn't.

juneau · 15/10/2018 09:49

I can't believe that any parent would prioritise two weeks trailing round theme parks in Florida over their DC's GCSEs!! Yes, YAB totally fucking unreasonable and everyone, from the school to your friends to the rest of your family will, if they're at all concerned for your DD's results will think so too, even if they don't come out and say it to your face. Get your priorities straight!

Raines100 · 15/10/2018 09:53

Won't you get fined? Thought it was £60 per parent, per child, and if the school tells the LA, they can charge another £1000?

Hillarious · 15/10/2018 10:10

Save your money and do something nicer than theme parks at a time that's better for your children's education.

Notso · 15/10/2018 10:10

I'd imagine you would be best of tagging on to the end of the summer holidays.

spanishwife · 15/10/2018 10:13

Higher Education = University (degrees or professional certifications)
Further Education = High School / College (A Levels and Equivalent)

AlexanderHamilton · 15/10/2018 10:13

Depending what course she is doing there may well be assessments throughout the year.

Dd is doing a diploma & her first assessments are November. If she disappeared for two weeks on holiday at any point she wouldn’t be allowed back.

Original poster
tigwig76 · 15/10/2018 22:18

It would be after she had left school not before or when doing gcses!! So college or apprenticeship or whatever else it may be!
I totally get some people don't agree with holidays term time but when I am spending between £8 - 10k on a holiday I don't want to go when it's that hot it's unbearable or so busy you can't get on everything. So imo it has to involve some element of missing work. Sounds like May is off so that's Oct or Feb.

OP posts:
Aintnothingbutaheartache · 15/10/2018 22:24

I’m afraid I’m of no help here whatsoever as I’m very anti taking kids out of school for a holiday. I do think tho that you are not thinking straight if you think a yr 10 pupil will not suffer by missing 2 weeks of school

Original poster
tigwig76 · 15/10/2018 22:33

She won't be yr 10 when I'm thinking of going. She will be in Yr 12! Higher education, gcses done.

OP posts:
Lazypuppy · 15/10/2018 22:36

Your OP says yr10!!

Musicalstatues · 15/10/2018 22:37

Don’t totally discount the end of August. We went for 3 weeks last year and I found it to be relatively quiet (all relative of course!) and yes it was boiling and ridiculously sweaty but we just planned accordingly, they are so well set up for the heat there. There was only maybe 3/4 days that were insufferably hot.

Aintnothingbutaheartache · 15/10/2018 22:38

Oh sorry I misunderstood. So if she’s finished with exams I’m struggling a bit to see why it’s an issue 🤨

Wolfiefan · 15/10/2018 22:42

In Y12? Starting A levels? Don’t go. We did Florida in August. It was fine. Don’t take holiday time out of a level courses to save money. Have a cheaper holiday somewhere closer for now.