Why do parents let kids off school a few days before the end of term?

[Coffeenoww]

I'm in N. Ireland schools finish next week for the summer (yes 9 weeks long lucky us) but I've had to listen to my 14 year old moaning that absolutely nobody is in school and I am unreasonable to making her go in. Dropped her off this morning on my way to work and it seems she's correct the school looked like a ghost town.
I understand some will be going on holiday etc. And thats sort of OK but this is every term the school breaks up! If schools open I send them always did through primary and now definitely in secondary. I know they aren't doing much but better there than hanging around the house, am I wrong? Is it normal to give your children an extra 2-4 days off when school stops for Halloween, Christmas and summer hols?

Shocked to secondaries do very little in the last couple of weeks. When I was at secondary most lessons we did something of educational value until the last couple of days, the odd teacher was a bit soft in the last week and let us do nothing but generally speaking we learnt something. The second last day and final day were assemblies, prize givings, leavers services, chapel service (CoE) etc.

My eldest (yr1) will be going in until the last day, she's got weeks off, even if its mostly games, crafts and films, its still time she can spend with her friends and do something fun (although we both work).

Covid seems to be on the rise again, so many are probably keeping thier DCs home now so they don't get a positive LFT before they go on holiday, visit grandparents etc.

I do it because the last day is usually a half day and I can't be arsed to make school lunches and do the school run (an hour in the car each way). DD is autistic and has often reached melting point by the last day of school.

Having said that DS' school regularly schedules tests/assignments on the last day of school, so we don't wag those days.

In Ireland and is the same here. I get it now because of people’s reasons above, but mine all go in partly for the fun and partly because they miss too much during the year!

It was the same when I was at secondary school, it was pretty much accepted by everyone (including the teachers) that, the older years especially, would only be in if absolutely necessary.

Most kids would go in for one/two days to show willing, then stay home the rest of the week unless there was some sort of event.

We have this problem in my dds school as well, mainly families going off on holidays or children saying they're not learning much anyway so parents don't see the point in them coming in.
There's alot less structure to the lessons in the last week, those that do attend enjoy it immensely, some get to know other members of their year who they'd not really paid much attention to.
The downside is attendance records for the school drop plus the ones who are off school tend to realise when it's too late that some of their friends have made plans with other newer friends for the start of the holidays.

Well the problem is this. Many children are taken out, so learning will be missed for some. Not all the class will be there so assessments etc cannot be left to the last few days/ essential learning.
There is no other time to clear out your class especially if its for another teacher to come in. Work needs to be sent home and resouces put back. This alone means that children lose focus. It cannot all be done on the last day.

I think it's more of an NI thing as there's no fines like there is in other parts of the UK. Also when I lived in England I don't recall my dc ever having a half day as I don't think parents would've accepted it! Here everyone just accepts it and it's classed as a full teaching day. My nieces school teachers encourage students not to attend and they're all marked present anyway.

We sometimes let them miss the very last day because tbh they were only in for 3 hours - by the time we dropped them, went to the office or home, it was time to turn back round and collect them again. Plus the last week was usually spent watching films and playing games. It always felt more like childcare for parents who couldn't get off work, than part of the DCs' education.

I think it’s about pay, shortages and workload.

Old thread.

Why on earth have you raised this to tell us it's an old thread