To think allowing holidays in term time for a bit would solve a lot of problems

[Babamamananarama]

Lots more people are going to have to holiday in the UK in coming years. Holiday spots will be swamped. Campsites in Cornwall are reporting 250% rise in bookings this year.

Given that we've now accepted that kids can miss a couple of weeks of school without the sky falling in, how about we allow term-time holidays for a bit?

• less price gouging
• tourist season spread over longer, so more job stability in tourist regions
• would reduce dangerous strain on rural services (Cornwall has one small hospital which can't cope with the influx each year)
• safer/lower risk of COVID spread as not so crowded
• easier for families to manage
• better for workplaces not to have all staff who are parents trying to take holiday in the same 6 weeks as we try to get back to normal...

Obviously it would also make sense to reduce the academic target setting for a bit and concentrate on a more holistic approach to the recovery curriculum with wellbeing at the forefront for a change...

AIBU?

Ps demand will always peak during summer holidays as lots of parents wont remove children from any term time schooling on principle. Holiday providers will always charge the maximum the market will bear which means you will always pay top whack in the summer.

Tourist areas don't rely solely on families with school age children?

I agree, just not right this second - perhaps after Jan once kids have been given the chance to settle back into school again.
Provided they actually go back in some meaningful way in September. Not sure they will though, our school is providing the absolute minimum and the teachers certainly don't fall into that 'Busier than ever' category that I keep reading about on here from teachers.

Holidays are a luxury, nobody 'has' to go on holiday. We've had ours cancelled this year but will look at going again next year. I wouldn't dream of taking DC out of school, their education sets them up for life, not a week away.

I agree with you. I think a blanket ban on term time holidays is a blunt instrument that people who can pay fines will ignore anyway. I also think holidays are hugely beneficial to children and families and should be supported and encouraged where possible.

I would like to see a policy which allowed up to 5 days authorised absence for holiday per child, per year. Schools would be able to blackout certain weeks in advance during which this absence could not be taken (due to activities happening in school). Possibly it could also be restricted so that Y6, 10 and 12 were not eligible.

I would sooner focus on increasing the schooling hours so children can catch up, not decreasing it for holidays!

The future of an entire generation could be lost, a holiday is the least of our worries right now.

It’s going to be hard enough to catch children up so no.

Particularly if there is a second wave, or a third. Even more schooling could be lost. So no way would I ever support even more time off!
The best thing for most children's mental health is to get them all back into school and a proper routine again.

I have nothing against people being allowed to do it. For us though, my kids are facing a massive amount of catch up work following poor provision and support from their school, already they will have to work over the summer holidays. We’ll plan a nice break when their exams finish next summer.

This isn't the new normal. Things are already going back to the way they were.

I always had a stance, do whatever you like, it's your child. But after missing so much school, and potentially the gap between children are huge, I think people who think it's a good idea to take even more time off school while other children are learning, are generally the ones who don't really care about education anyway.

What about collaborative work that the students are working on? I'm a drama teacher and having students missing from school doesn't just affect them but the rest of their group as they try to continue group work with people missing.

Holidays are also a learning experience, so I think you’re spot on op.

You’re not going to be a total GCSE failure after missing 5 days of school a year and if you were, you’d have failed them anyway.

Schools already have a shit load of holidays throughout the year, I don't really think having term time holidays is necessary.

My kids haven't "missed a couple of weeks of school"
Theyve been working every single school day with set work

Their day isn't as long as we dont have time to extend the activities and do lots of craft type things but they have /are expected to work every day.

Surely a better system would be to allow schools to set their own school holidays. Or have 4 weeks in the summer and 2 at may and October half terms.
Your system would mean a teacher of 30 may never have a full class and be continually trying to catch children up on work missed - completely unfair/impossible

We'll be taking a term time holiday, probably March next year if travel is open by then. We'll probably go abroad. I'm not worried about DSs education, his teacher doesn't feel he's behind from what they've seen so far. If he were massively behind I might think twice.

Needcoffeecoffeecoffee that would only work if each school also had its own holiday club, which some do, but not all.

A lot of people have holidays in term time occasionally especially if they cannot have much leave during the school hols. It doesn't hurt the kids' education much if they are young and not coming up to exams, parents wouldn't do it if exams were imminent. Also if a child is ill, he or she may be forced to have time off.

The problem is parents can be fined; that's OK if they can afford it, I don't know what happens if they can't.

Because of the disruption caused by the pandemic I suppose it's possible people will want to take holidays during term time after September. However they may be able to go away somewhere in July or August, I've read that many places are opening up again soon.

Holidays are a luxury but also pretty important for people's mental health

I don't think an actual holiday is that important for mental health, I think that having a break from work/school is what helps a persons mental health.

I agree OP, I feel that things just seemed easier before this fine system came in. When I was at school most people had a term time holiday because it was cheaper (and nicer as less crowded), no one's education was destroyed as a result.

I think the pp posters of 5 grace days is a great one, and then the fines could be higher for any unauthorised absences above 5 to deter it becoming a persistent problem in some families.

Given that we've now accepted that kids can miss a couple of weeks of school without the sky falling in,

I wouldn’t call it a ‘couple of weeks of school‘ and I am not sure that the sky hasn’t fallen in, metaphorically. It kind of feels like it has in my house!

covidco of course!! Mine have clearly been out of the routine far too long. Maybe it would work at a county level? But then still issues for schools on the border.
Now I see why the system is the way it is!

when i was a kid we had holidays if everything came together, and if it didn't (including: time, money, opportunity whatever) we stayed home.

I don't get the attitude here, we are in unprecedented times and people are missing out on many things - why are holidays away so untouchable? Just skip it this year and be glad to be alive.

I think the pp posters of 5 grace days is a great one

There already is 5 days grace, you don't get fined until after 10 sessions (am/pm) of unauthorised absence (in my authority at least, I don't know if that is the same everywhere).

I still think it's a bad idea to prioritise a cheap holiday over getting your child's education back on track.