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!

What if it was every teacher who decided to do that? For every subject?

Like you I don't agree with opting out when it suits. Persistent offenders who do this most years (not the OPs case) I would not fine, I would remove the parent's passports for a period of time.

👏

It was optional for months on end during covid? It was optional when the government failed to address demands of striking teachers? It's optional for all the kids being failed by inadequate SEN and metal health support?
All besides the point really - you have no idea why the kids on the plane aren't at school so mind your own business.

We took DSC in term time every year until the eldest started year 10 and luckily never been fined either!
The price difference is staggering and realistically there is nothing they're going to massively fall behind with in a week
I'm a big believer that holidays are important for family life and that can be camping or 5* hotels

Just say she’s poorly, besides she’s not exactly sitting exams so it won’t affect her learning.

We lost more days to teachers striking than we did going to the states for three weeks. How can we expect families to feel kids should be in school in term time when teachers set an example that it’s fine not to ? Either it’s important not to miss school or it is not.

@CCromwell1905 but attendance is mandatory. Yes, you can opt out of some curriculum topics. But not attending.

Parents attitude stinks sometimes. No wonder children seem so self entitled these days with parents like this on the thread.

I'm sure my employer would love me if i decided to just take a week off randomly without booking it off.

Children are so self entitled these days. They think that rules do not apply to them.

Our holiday was 3.7k in May and 8.8k in August. Not exactly keen on paying 5k just so other people can avoid my children.

But perhaps it’s worth it avoid grumpy miserable other passengers 😀

It really doesn't need that much headspace. Take your four year old child on holiday, be honest with the school, and pay the fine if there is one, and don't give it another thought.

I have eight kids and have taken every one of them out at various times to go on holiday, never had a fine as we've always stuck to less than ten sessions missed

My daughter is in Reception so really I’m talking about primary school education really, but even then - if there’s systems in place to make sure the children don’t fall behind then why not?

Many people do it and for the vast majority of children it will have no bearing on their education or any other negative impact to their or others in their class.

Very little important work is ever converted only once, especially in primary.

Most teachers, ime, also don't really care if a child misses a bit of time for a family holiday. This is especially so when it's primary school.

Just:
Dont ask your child to lie.
Don't lie to the school about why they are off
Don't ask for work whilst they are away
Don't ask for special catch up stuff when back.

We don't fine until day 5.
Iirr the rules and fines are changing from September. The fines are increasing and schools will have less flexibility it what they can authorise and who may get fined.

I hasten to add I have never taken DD out of school because it’s cheaper or less crowded only because what we want to do can only be done at these particular times that happen to be in term time.

@ELW12 So you're still expecting to rely on others to provide a system for your child not to fall behind because of the choices you make?

We're born academics and we can't afford to go away in the summer, I don't think this tracks.

Important to make memories as a family

unless you keep your child in a soundproof box then making memories is something that can happen anywhere, it doesn’t need a holiday and a pile of colouring in sheets from the school to make memories.

Incidentally I never gave holiday work. Instead I had printed off a list of suggestions for the child and parents to do together and put into a holiday book ( not supplied by me) things like learn to count to ten in the language of the country you are in, take crayon rubbings of the coinage, stick in entry tickets, bus tickets tram tickets and draw a picture of the place you visited, learn to say five phrases in the language, find out about three interesting people who came from that country, try six new foods……… etc etc

Funnily enough I never got one single diary back! What parents meant when they asked for work was something the children could do unaided so the parents didn’t have to entertain them and could lounge by the pool in the All Inclusive and work on their tans instead.

Where have I insinuated that? I said I was thinking about asking her teacher for work, ‘thinking’ being the key word and the reason I mentioned it within my post was because I wanted to find out if it was the ‘done’ thing or not. From peoples responses I can see it isn’t the done thing, therefore I wouldn’t be asking for it and would take some stuff from home.

Do whatever you want. We didn't go on foreign holidays as a child (too expensive) and I have great memories of camping in the UK with my family. Children are easily pleased - stopping at a service station on the way to the campsite was just as exciting for 5 year old me as you think going on a plane would be.

Yup. In all honesty, state education doesn't exactly work for me in totality. Or most. Your options are home educated, state education and follow the legal requirements for attendance OR don't follow the legal requirements and take the consequences. I do struggle with arguments outside of this. Like you say, an employer has a set of requirements and there are consequences for not meeting them. I imagine at the reception age, there's little consequences to one absence like this. But generally can't understand why people OPT IN to state education and expect to not do what's required.

It’s not a ‘these days’ thing though. I went to primary school in the 90s and we got taken out for holidays. It was fine and will still be fine now. No ‘self entitlement’.

Go and enjoy yourselves. It will have no impact whatsoever on your daughter’s education. Those against it are just jealous that they can’t/ won’t do it.
Schools are just concerned about their attendance figures not your kids education.
I have, and will continue to take term time holidays until mine are in secondary school- and I might even do it then. We both work very hard full time, but could never afford to go abroad in the summer school holidays. Life really is too short and too precious. Don’t feel guilty OP.

I'd just fess up and say you're going on holiday. Don't expect the teacher to spend their own time planning a 2 week work schedule though!! The teachers job is not to cater for your holiday choices and plan and provide additional work they aren't being paid for. Obv they will miss some work which you'll need to accept.