To think about taking kids on summer holiday in term time?

[Summer2024]

Kids are 8 and 6. They haven’t been on a ‘beach holiday’ outside the U.K. except once when DC1 was a toddler.

We would love to take them on one of those all-inclusive Holiday Village or similar resorts with slides, kid’s entertainment, close to beach etc. we’ve been looking to book in summer 24 but unfortunately we just cannot justify the (Minimum) £5k this would cost in the summer holidays. It’s about half price in term time, so thinking next June.

my parents would also love to join us (and provide some free-babysitting when we are there!) but are unable/unwilling to pay the August prices. They do go on a European holiday every year and are used to term time prices.

the LA (if they enforce a fine) would charge us £240 (£60 per child per parent for the entire absence). Which is a drop in the ocean compared to some of the cost savings.

their attendance is pretty good, they don’t get sick often. So haven’t missed much school when it’s been open. WIBU to take them out for a holiday?

It was never teachers who pushed for fines to be introduced!

I’m a teacher and have taken my kids out during term time. It never bothered me when parents took their children either, though very few do so now, tbh. As long as the parents aren’t asking me to set/mark extra work for them or spend time giving 1:1 catch up tuition when they get back

I’m a teacher and a few things
Do it if you want to but don’t lie, we always find out!

don’t ask for extra work (I can never understand why a parents choice to have a holiday in term time should create more work for me!)

dont send photos in and expect us all to gush (honestly this has happened a few times now)

I can't as DH is a teacher, but I would if I could.

Yes ours as well and they are in senior school. Ds1 even commented’this is not education, it’s childcare’

I work in schools in a self employed capacity. My dd misses the last week of term every year!

Hah! Yes I have seen that as well. Parents took their kids out to go to a resort in Mexico then bombarded the year group WhatsApp with photos!! But they are a bit clueless at the best of times tbh

Do it. It's not much time in the grand scheme of things. This is refreshing to see after all the posts where people can't seem to cope with looking after their own kids when school isn't open for them to foist them off, and can't wait to send them back for their own benefit.

I’m a teaching assistant and I think you should! A week in June is fine - a week in September is tough as they need to settle in to their new class.

I've done it but just be careful as they have started to issue court orders or pay a fine of £900 per child when you get back. This has happened in my area in the south but I've moved so not quite sure of anywhere else.

Do it, especially as they are still so little.

As others have said, just be honest with the school and accept whatever fine you might get. My kids' primary school head teacher was very sensible about this.

For context, taking an extra week off after Easter holidays (as opposed to travelling within the school holiday) saved us £5k on a trip to Disneyworld a few years ago. Add another £3k saved by my Mum and brother who came along too. We didn't even receive a fine that year.

I am so pleased we did it then, rather than wait until we could afford the extra cost of travelling in holidays because my Mum got sick a few months later and would not have been able to do the trip with us.

I've done it before and would again. We weren't fined.

We can't now because I'm contracted to term time only work. Kids learn a huge amount from a week away.

Hampshire? Hampshire will frequently go straight to prosecution and skip FPNs. Something to be aware of!

Just think of it as an educational trip, your children will be experiencing how other people talk and live.

I have done it when my children where younger (before the days of fines) as my husband could not get time off during the school holidays (any of them). My kids could count to 20 and speak basic spanish just by talking to the hotel staff and restaurant staff who were more than happy to spend 5 mins helping them. They have lovely memories of being away and visiting various landmarks and finding out about the history of the country or island we were visiting. We also spent time on the beach and pool, wasn't all about learning but it was nice to see them taking an interest in their surroundings.

Enjoy your holiday when it comes

My 6yo DC lost two months of school due to medical issues. We were unable to do any education with them during that time as most of it they were in intensive care. Then just needed a break. I asked the teacher when we got back to normal what we should do to catch up. Was told no need. DC was right in the middle of expectations. They slotted right back in with friends. So no social issues, no educational issues. Really changed my opinion on taking kids out of school, that and the stress of it made me reassess how important making memories is. It probably is disruptive to the teachers, but not quite as disruptive as the education board would have you think. Our school has been really supportive of quality time together.

It is also worth looking at the cost around May half term, or just before they break up in July. We have sometimes got a good price this way, but only missed a day or two of school. Some LAs will only issue a fine if you miss 5 days or more.

I would do it YANBU

Yes, it's Hampshire! My friend ended up spending double on the holiday with four kids but they only did it when she got back so she was thinking it'd only be 60 per child.

Teacher here. I would not for one second judge a family with good attendance doing this. I’d love to do it myself!

If your DC have poor attendance and you spend all your time complaining that they’re behind, the school aren’t doing enough etc then obviously that’s a different situation.

Where are all these schools doing films all July? My school have lessons right up until the last day, then a treat in the final afternoon. Mad idea to remove the routine so far ahead of the end of term - causes behaviour to go to pot entirely.

Yes I'm a teacher and agree with this. Book a term time holiday if you want to. Doesn't worry me. The fines are imposed by the local authority not the school.

Don't ask me for work to take with you and don't confront me on your first day back and ask what I'll be doing to help your child catch up with what they've missed. (Yes it's happened!)

Also, parents who vocally complain about things like teacher strikes, covid closures (I get why parents complain about these things) then two weeks later are taking their kids to Tenerife for the week do look a little hypocritical!!

Also don't want to gush over your photos when you get back or respond to the photos/videos that are popping up in my dojo messages daily either.

Do it. We did it last year and didn't get fined. (12 year old) eaz worth every second of the holiday!

We will be doing it next year (14 & 5) as last year before eldest is in exam years etc. Can't and won't justify the extra 3-4k minimum to go in the summer. Fine is worth the savings. Great attendance otherwise and my argument is they have missed enough through covid and (justifiable!) Teachers Strikes so I refuse to feel bad morally on it.

Oh I was honest the one time I did it. HT couldn't authorise it officially but enthusiastically agreed we should go. We went to Rome for a week and my DDs still talk about it now!

Another teacher who agrees - I no longer work full time in school and took DD out last year. Always be honest as primary kids can't/shouldn't have to lie.

I just sent an email to school office advising them of our plans, stating that I understood it would be unauthorised, but didn't ask permission. I asked them to let the classroom teacher know but also that DD understood it was her own responsibility to catch up with any work missed and we didn't expect the teacher to.

I'm a teacher. I think you should take them. Wish I could do the same tbh!

We've booked ours for June next year already - @BearKey it isn't per day - its per 10 missed registrations (2 a day, morning and afternoon) so £60 per parent, per child, per 10 registrations.

I've always done this and always will do. Why should hard working families be priced out of the market due to greed? Family time is so important and they are only small once and school in my opinion can do one