To take daughter on holiday in term time?

[ELW12]

Exactly what the title says basically.
We were looking at going on holiday during the May half term, but the prices are just so out of reach for us. Daughter is in Reception so this has been the first year of having the issue of school holiday prices, and the problem we face is having to decide on either not going on holiday at all, or taking her out for the week before May half term.
I obviously appreciate education is very important, but surely it is important to make memories as a family as well? If we could afford to take her in half term then of course we would. Is it THAT bad for us to do it during school? I was thinking of asking her teacher if we could take some work with us so she doesn’t massively miss out.
Also, is it best to be honest with the school and just accept the fine? I feel like daughter will be far to excited to not let it slip, and also don’t like the idea of asking her to lie so we can pretend she is ill!

In Ireland too and the teachers I know aren't too happy about it actually, though they understand why people do it and they keep quiet. I really don't think most encourage it. Not in my experience anyway.

They really don't like when the parents then ask them to send on work/homework for the week so child won't miss out. This is quite a bit of extra work for the teacher which doesn't seem to be appreciated. While they are happy to do this for a child who is out of school for unavoidable reasons (eg illness) it's a bit much to expect when the absence is because of parental choice.

Not if they're home educated.

But there will be anyway DC don't start compulsory school til 5 so under that there will plenty around along with the home educated older ones.

Without knowing each individual child's age/country/region/school/education status you can't possibly know they should be settling back into school. And the age that disturbs most on a plane are toddlers and babies who don't attend school!

Of course school is optional, that's why home education exists. What you mean is if you enrol a DC at a school then they are expected to attend outside of illnesses/appointments.

As a former teacher, I would take her. She'll get so much out of the holiday. But don't ask for the teacher to set work, not fair to add to their workload.

Agree, I'd be very happy for teachers to have some annual leave to use term time, whether for holidays or just the usual family stuff that needs to be attended to. I'm sure teachers would be less stressed too and happier at work which would only be a good thing for the children as well.

But in relation to this thread, it's not a relevant point. The children are children at school. The teachers are adults at work. The rules are different - just as the teachers don't have to follow the uniform rules.

Sometimes adults have jobs that prevent them taking leave at certain times of the year. I have one, and I'm sure others on this thread do too, teaching is just a particularly extreme case.

I think it’s fine, it’s not like she’s about to do her GCSEs! As long as you don’t expect the school to provide work or catch her up.

I'm not suggesting this as an alternative but if yours like the pool and beach you can get some lovely hotels with a pool in Bournemouth and it has a gorgeous wide sandy beach. We went last Summer and it was gorgeous.

Does this make what I said not factual ?

Correlation doesn't imply causation

We did it every year right up through high school. DD is now doing Law/intl studies double degree. Her teachers always provided work for her without us having to ask though this was a high fee private school so teachers were better paid than public and happy to ensure she didn’t miss out. The longest trip was for 10 weeks but she was 14 then. Definitely take them travelling. It’s so enriching.

The children of teachers are children who also are entitled to a holiday? Why should it be everyone's children apart from teachers' kids.

My husband is a TA. As you can imagine poorly paid and so we can't afford a holiday. It would be nice if we could have a cheap holiday especially with DH dealing with others people's teenagers.

Well like I said, I have no problem with teachers being allowed to take annual leave during term.

But children are constrained by their parents' jobs - I'm a lecturer so my DC are never likely to have a holiday during my teaching semesters or in February, June or August due to exam boards. That's fine.

Them missing the odd week of school is also fine.

As are some teachers!

Sorry, genuinely not being rude - as are some teachers what?

Have constraints by their own or others' jobs so can't take leave when it is school holidays.

Yeah absolutely, that's my point - it would be great if teachers (and everyone really!) had more flexibility. But this is a thread about children missing school, not grownups missing work.

And my point being is ppl always think teachers have no kids as if everyone else's kids matter but teachers. So why not include them in this discussion if it is about kids. By all means campaign for teachers with kids to have extra time off.

It's not about the grownups' jobs though.

If the question is "Should Jane have a term time holiday?", it doesn't matter that Sarah's parents can't afford any holidays, Mary's parents are teachers, Emma's parents are loaded so they're away in every single school holiday.

Likewise, if the question is "Should there be more childcare provision for primary school aged children during the summer holidays?", it doesn't matter that some parents are teachers and so they don't need childcare.

Oh give it a rest. It's a week in reception.

I had to cover 8 separate days when our class teacher decided to strike (the only one in the entire school). It's made me feel a tad differently now. There was no mention of how our Y1 pupils would be caught up in the work they were missing compared to the other 2 year 1 classes who hadn't missed 8 days of teaching.

Just go on the holiday and enjoy it.

Coincidentally enough this is home for us 😂 so not quite the same! Thank you for the suggestion though.

Parents who are teachers do need childcare during the holidays, they do not get all that time off. They work some of it.