To take DS out of school for two weeks for holidays?

[DimplesEverywhere]

When Covid settles down and we can get into Florida without too much hassle. Hopefully later this year or early next year. We haven’t gone away for the last two years so have been waiting to do a big holiday.

He is starting secondary school in September but he’s well above average in all subjects so I don’t think it’ll impact him that much.

I’d also rather go on hols outside of school hols, as it’s less busy now, that DS is the only DC we’ll potentially get fined for (other DC out of school). It’ll be cheaper so we’ll save more than the £120 anyway!

Thinking of doing it every year from now actually.

Would it BU?

I just get sick of entitled parents who send their children to school when it suits them and keep them off when they like, then bleat when their child starts dropping grades or they get put on the legal pathway for a fine. They always feign surprise when it happens, too. Also, if I had a quid for every time I've heard such parents demand additional tutoring because little Johnny isn't likely to achieve his predicted grades, I'd be rather rich.

I've no time for parents like that so they get very short shrift and I feel very sorry for their children when they fall behind. But that fortnight at a quiet/cheaper resort was probably worth it, eh?

OP is already going so it's a basic brag about going to Florida, where obviously people who can't stand people go. To you know, mix with people.

Jeez.

Hope OP gets a whopping fine. Every year.

To visit an elderly relative or relatives who cannot travel to you, perhaps reasonable. As a one-off to a cultural event that only takes place at a set time, I'd be supportive. Not just for a bit of warmer weather.

I don't agree with fines though. I think people such as the OP should appear in court and have passports withdrawn for a period of time, or even a driving ban.

@obladah and @flowerlane12 - don't believe schools can't do anything! The EWO service takes a very dim view of parents who do not engage and if they do not attend attendance meetings they are not engaging. They will be on the legal pathway very quickly. A continued refusal to engage can lead to a fine or even imprisonment, and if we think parents are being negligent, I would refer to children's social care for assessment. This could lead to a variety of outcomes but more meetings would definitely be involved in each. I do not piss about when a child's education and future is being compromised to serve the wants of a parent.

@getyourarseoffthequattro, funnily enough, our attendance has improved dramatically since we got tough. We've never even had to go to court yet, the threat of a fine has been enough.

@plodalong12, I am actually cracking fun at dinner parties but I tend not to hang out with people who think a sunny fortnight with a giant, fake mouse is more important than a decent education.

OP, by all means take your child out of school for a fortnight each year but please don't come back here blubbing about the ramifications afterwards.

@Alonelonelylonersbadidea

OP is already going so it's a basic brag about going to Florida, where obviously people who can't stand people go. To you know, mix with people.

Jeez.

Hope OP gets a whopping fine. Every year.

Green eyed monster much?

[quote HarrietSchulenberg]**@obladah* and @flowerlane12* - don't believe schools can't do anything! The EWO service takes a very dim view of parents who do not engage and if they do not attend attendance meetings they are not engaging. They will be on the legal pathway very quickly. A continued refusal to engage can lead to a fine or even imprisonment, and if we think parents are being negligent, I would refer to children's social care for assessment. This could lead to a variety of outcomes but more meetings would definitely be involved in each. I do not piss about when a child's education and future is being compromised to serve the wants of a parent.

@getyourarseoffthequattro, funnily enough, our attendance has improved dramatically since we got tough. We've never even had to go to court yet, the threat of a fine has been enough.

@plodalong12, I am actually cracking fun at dinner parties but I tend not to hang out with people who think a sunny fortnight with a giant, fake mouse is more important than a decent education.

OP, by all means take your child out of school for a fortnight each year but please don't come back here blubbing about the ramifications afterwards.[/quote]
As a School Governor I agree. Our Attendance slipped under our last Head. Since the new Head we've tightened up so much on Attendance. The EWO is VERY engaged with our monthly meetings and knows exactly which families to focus on.

Ofsted are hot on Attendance. They will come down hard in the school if they think families are given a free ride on holidays.

Ultimately, if other families do it you WILL be hurting the school ultimately. I view it as a very unsupportive of the wider school community. Sorry.

@lavenderandwisteria

I don’t think there is a link between the two items, as it happens.

It is the sort of bossy, clipped middle class response that entirely misses the point. Low earners? They’d all be bringing in millions if they weren’t so blasted irresponsible - going to Disney when they should be in school!

Low earning potential isn’t just linked to education. There are plenty of unemployed or low earning graduates who will testify to that, and plenty of self employed tradespeople who are earning very well, thank you very much.

Then we also have vital key workers in supermarkets, care homes, schools and hospitals barely bringing home pennies but I don’t think we want to be without them really, do we?

Achievement is down to a number of factors and a two week family holiday during term time is neither here nor there.

Maybe not, but absence from school for frivolous reasons (you can't tell me a holiday is not frivolous) does not engender a strong reliable ethic in the long run does it?

Fancy a bit of time, screw those people trying to get on with teaching and learning, they're not as important as you are, so what if you disrupt them when you get back from your god given 2 cheaper weeks in the sun eh?

Yes, I know I sound preachy, but I had 2 dc and managed not to take them out of school for holidays.

Mwah, ha ha @newnortherner111! You are hilarious. I should have my passport and driving licence taken off me for taking MY child on holiday .

I see all the put upon teachers have piled in. Just to answer a few questions:-

• no I won’t expect his teachers to set him work to do while we’re away.
• no I won’t kick up a fuss if he falls behind (I think I know my DC well enough to know he won’t).
• no he wouldn’t be a pain and disrupt lessons by asking the teacher for extra help to catch up. I’m sure he’d get the gist from the online homework portal and would catch on very quickly.
• he will be very happy to be off school as he hates it actually.

I only posted as we have always abided by the ‘rules’ and not even thought of taking any of our 4DC out of school since we were told we weren’t allowed so just wanted to see what the consensus was.

Some of the reasons not to are pretty ridiculous and have strengthened my resolve to never take a holiday in the school holidays again.

So thanks all .

[quote HarrietSchulenberg]**@obladah* and @flowerlane12* - don't believe schools can't do anything! The EWO service takes a very dim view of parents who do not engage and if they do not attend attendance meetings they are not engaging. They will be on the legal pathway very quickly. A continued refusal to engage can lead to a fine or even imprisonment, and if we think parents are being negligent, I would refer to children's social care for assessment. This could lead to a variety of outcomes but more meetings would definitely be involved in each. I do not piss about when a child's education and future is being compromised to serve the wants of a parent.

@getyourarseoffthequattro, funnily enough, our attendance has improved dramatically since we got tough. We've never even had to go to court yet, the threat of a fine has been enough.

@plodalong12, I am actually cracking fun at dinner parties but I tend not to hang out with people who think a sunny fortnight with a giant, fake mouse is more important than a decent education.

OP, by all means take your child out of school for a fortnight each year but please don't come back here blubbing about the ramifications afterwards.[/quote]
Right and.... Doesn't mean your viscious and frankly gross technique is the right one. Doesn't make you a good teacher and doesn't earn you any respect from the parents of the children that attend your school.

Maybe not, but absence from school for frivolous reasons (you can't tell me a holiday is not frivolous) does not engender a strong reliable ethic in the long run does it?

I mean... There are a lot of jobs where you just take holiday when you want so school isn't really comparable to "real life" for many of us. For kids I don't think if your parents take you out in term time it means you'll be a shit employee.

Your arrogant flagrant dismissal of the rules is a terrible example for your children but hey you’ve seemingly made your mind up already that it’s fine

You said go to Florida. Most likely the holidays don't match up so schedule when on holidays in the UK but at school in the US.

I can imagine many other kids would also prefer to be on a holiday than in school but most parents are more responsible than you are and their kids are at school when they should be and not on holiday. Didums can’t go away when it’s busy- well why did you have kids then if you don’t want to be restricted to school holidays?

No way would I take him out this year if starting high school.

She says she's never going to take a holiday in the school holidays again.
That's ended the discussion, really!

@Getyourarseofffthequattro

Maybe not, but absence from school for frivolous reasons (you can't tell me a holiday is not frivolous) does not engender a strong reliable ethic in the long run does it?

I mean... There are a lot of jobs where you just take holiday when you want so school isn't really comparable to "real life" for many of us. For kids I don't think if your parents take you out in term time it means you'll be a shit employee.

What I meant was there are rules about attending school, and if your parents decide that they don't want to follow them, then all that teaches you is that you don't have to follow the rules I'd you don't want to.

Yeah do it
But don't come on here whinging when he has missed large chunks of learning from 9 subjects.
Everything they missed they have to catch up by themselves by taking notes from another classmate..... very unlike Primary.
It will not be re-taught because he was on a jolly.
He won't be 'over achieving' for long if you do that every year

OP how do you know he hates school when he hasn’t even started there 🧐 i guess all of this is linked to your own disregard to schools, so it isn’t surprising he doesn’t rate them either
Secondary is very different to primary, as a PP said it could equate to missing 8 science lessons. That could easily be a whole topic or more ( several of our y7 topics are under 8 lessons long) I may or may not revisit them before a test, I may not have time. That test may only cover 3 topics so your dc absolutely flunks it, maybe ranking 230/290 kids. Even if they then manage the next 3 tests in the top quartile, when you add in the end of year test ( which also includes questions on the missed topic) all of a sudden they are second quartile, and definitely down a couple of groups for next year. Rinse and repeat for y8 and 9 and they are in bottom sets for GCSE.

[quote HarrietSchulenberg]**@obladah* and @flowerlane12* - don't believe schools can't do anything! The EWO service takes a very dim view of parents who do not engage and if they do not attend attendance meetings they are not engaging. They will be on the legal pathway very quickly. A continued refusal to engage can lead to a fine or even imprisonment, and if we think parents are being negligent, I would refer to children's social care for assessment. This could lead to a variety of outcomes but more meetings would definitely be involved in each. I do not piss about when a child's education and future is being compromised to serve the wants of a parent.

@getyourarseoffthequattro, funnily enough, our attendance has improved dramatically since we got tough. We've never even had to go to court yet, the threat of a fine has been enough.

@plodalong12, I am actually cracking fun at dinner parties but I tend not to hang out with people who think a sunny fortnight with a giant, fake mouse is more important than a decent education.

OP, by all means take your child out of school for a fortnight each year but please don't come back here blubbing about the ramifications afterwards.[/quote]
Never said I wouldn’t engage with the school did I? I said I wouldn’t be dictated to as to when I would have to miss work. If a meeting was arranged that I couldn’t attend then it would need to be arranged at a more convenient time for both parties. Never said I would not engage with the school.

Having worked in schools myself I have never heard or seen anything like you describe 🙄

I'm a teacher and helping pupils catch up with work they've missed due to absence is part and parcel of the job. I don't pay much attention the reasons why pupils were absent whether it be isolating, illness, attending appointments and interviews, holidays or being a school refuser etc. Also with learning being online for much of the past year the general expectation now is that learning materials are made available online for pupils who are not present in school.

If your child's school is the same and you ensure that your son spends time engaging in the work he would be doing in class he will be fine. So even though it's not ideal just go on holiday and enjoy it but make your son aware that he will have to work extra hard when he gets back.

We're taking DS out for 2 weeks in November, that is IF we get to go.

It actually wasn't intentional as our original holiday was booked for October half term last year and he was only going to miss 4 days. But when we had to move it due to Covid a lot of the flights for this year were already full so the only dates we could get mean he will miss 2 weeks

I'm a teacher and I would do it. I was also a child who was taken out of school for a least a week every year to go on holiday before the summer and it didn't impact me socially or academically.

I would just do it if that's what you want to do. Who cares what Mumsnet net thinks?!

I don't know why everyone is saying this is a new thing, I remember someone being highly indignant when her child caught chicken pox after a two week holiday in Spain and the teacher said that's all she needs more time off school. That would have been in the 1980s and it always stayed in my head.

I can't believe the school would allow it! I know that my kids' schools in the U.S. would absolutely not.