To take kids out of school for three days?

[JudesBiggestFan]

Like most of the country, we won't have been abroad for three years by next summer. Holidays in this country have been beset by rain and bloody hard work to be honest!
Three boys aged 12-4 currently means pleasing everyone not easy.
We desperately would like to go abroad May half term next year for a fly and flop sort of deal but all inclusive is coming up at 5 grand if we leave on the Saturday. If we leave on the Wednesday it's less than 3,000. The primary school would be relatively relaxed from what I know, but my eldest is stressing massively about missing three days of school. Would it be so bad?
Have done euro camp previously but with the food and travel it won't work out much less, plus lovely as it is, constantly feeding three ravenous boys is not a holiday for me and my husband. I want kids clubs and no cooking! I know this is a first world problem...but would you take them out if school for three days??

You should check with your oldest DS's school OP before you book. My DS's secondary always has their summer exams the week before half-term ...

Otherwise, if he won't be missing anything crucial, I would say go.

If it’s going to worry him I wouldn’t, sounds like he wouldn’t enjoy himself through stressing

KS3 exams are always around that time, so I'd check carefully before booking. Tbh I'm sure you could find something abroad for 3k if you tried.

My DD complains like this everytime we have taken her out. We just ignore her. The others don't care. Just do it

I would do it as its a one off.
However I think the people who regularly do it, or are taking child out for 8 days are Being Unreasonable.
School is important and I generally wouldn't book hols in term time.
It is worth tactically using inset days that are tagged on to school hols to save money.

A holiday is a luxury not an entitlement.

You should either pay the extra amount or go somewhere cheaper. Letting kids skip school is not appropriate, except for real issues (e.g. sickness, funerals, doctors, etc..)

[quote CarrieBlue]@Missmissmiiiiiiiiisss I’m a teacher too and I’ve had students miss coursework due to holidays of a few days. More expensive holidays are what happens when you have kids. This example isn’t about restrictions on parents’ leave, just about wanting something to be cheaper. There’s plenty of places I’d love to go but can’t afford, so make do with not quite what I ‘need’ for a holiday.[/quote]
The issue there is them missing a bit of coursework not missing school.

The “just because I can’t” argument isn’t a very good one in my view. I haven’t ever taken a term time holiday but I’m still in favour of children have quality family time because I want the best for them.

Incidentally one school I worked for has given staff (including teachers) time off in term time so it’s not impossible either. I actually volunteered to cover for someone to go away for a family wedding. It’s less common now because SMT get it in the neck from ofsted.

Teachers and parents should be able to take small amounts of time out at non crucial times if it won’t disrupt things. Education is far too controlling at the moment in general and it doesn’t do staff, children or their families any good. This is but one symptom.

It wasn’t a ‘just because I can’t’ argument but a ‘we all have to adjust our expectations’ - if you have kids in school you can’t take advantage of term time savings and have to take a different holiday to the one you’d have otherwise - that’s the compromise of having kids and ‘needing’ a holiday.

A family holiday is quite different to a specific event, so that quite a disingenuous example.

The ‘bit of coursework’ affected the grade that those children could achieve - despite giving up my free time to help them catch up.

Quality family time isn’t a good argument either - that can still happen in the 13 weeks that school isn’t open.

You’re not unique in wanting the best for students, don’t try to imply that objecting to taking kids out of school for a cheaper holiday means that I don’t.

Education is far too undervalued at the moment and that doesn’t do staff, children or their families any good. This is but one symptom 🙄

I wouldn't take DS out of school.

I wouldn’t. I would probably do it for a child age 5/6 but not any older. Unfortunately when you have kids holidays are more expensive because you have to go in the school holidays - we only get a holiday every 2/3 years because of this. Otherwise we go days out and sometimes DH takes older two camping with BIL & cousins.

Also, it isn’t the last day before the summer holidays, it’s the last day before half term - in my experience secondary school doesn’t close up or do nothing for three days before every half term. They will likely still be working and often will be given out projects or homework over the half term.

@flippertyop

My DD complains like this everytime we have taken her out. We just ignore her. The others don't care. Just do it

Why do you ignore her? She might be complaining because she’s missing out on things or made to feel awkward when she returns by the teacher.

I would without a second thought. There will be kids that’s miss that much school monthly never mind yearly.

I’m taking mine out for a week next Easter, this past 8m has shown that life is too short.
Three days is nothing, I’d take them out and enjoy your holiday!

If they normally have good attendance and they're not in big exam years, I'd take them on holiday but would tell the truth and not expect children to lie.

It's more problematic in my experience when parents take their children on holiday but expect the children to lie to friends and school than it is to take the few days holiday.

YABU . I wouldn’t hesitate to take primary age children out for a few days but would certainly not take out a secondary school aged child. You are being very unfair on your son if you do this, doesn’t his education mean anything to you, would you expect his teachers to help him catch up with the work he missed?

Nope not with all the time they've had off and could potentially have off in the future. Particularly with secondary school child.

I'm pretty sure that in March - September 2020 the schools in Wales told us that baking banana bread counted as an education. I've decided to take them at their word.

In other words enjoy your holiday and bake a cake to make up for the missed days 😉

I would. He's what, year 8? It's not like its his exam year and 3 days isn't much.

Yes I take mine out for week most years. No way am I paying term time prices if I can avoid it.

I have a few more years before the exam years start. I won't do it then.

I took DD out for the last three days before the summer holidays this year, accidentally, as I only checked DS'a school calendar, and they were off. Both secondary.

Came home to a letter from the head saying they had done a safeguarding referral, which I thought was a bit much really considering her mates were texting her about the cakes and movies she was missing...

I wouldn’t, but that’s just me. We have never and will never take our dc out of school for holidays. I would rather just not have the holiday, because I’d spend the whole time feeling guilty about the unauthorised absence.

That’s not to say you shouldn’t, though, if you and all dc are blithe about the prospect. It’s only 3 days after all. But if one of the dc is anxious about it then don’t do it, it’s not fair.

We took ours out of year 8 for a week last year. We got fined but the difference in cost was worth it. I'd totally do it and not worry.