To want more people to sign the petition?

[Somethingneedstobedone]

Allow students to be taken out of school for two weeks a year without penalty? I know each school is different but resent government’s directive to toughen up on attendance really grating on my nerves. Now, my children have 98% attendance, bar a few days for illness and docs appt I’ve always taken them on holiday during the break. However a lot of families simply cannot afford even a caravan break. A week in Cornwall in a caravan for £2000?!? Really?! A lot of places in the world do not have such strict guidelines and I, for one, has always been an A+ student even though we were travelling a lot. So I find the argument that 100% attendance is the main factor for children to succeed in their education pretty silly. Parental involvement is by far the most important factor. But teaching people how to be involved in their children’s life whilst working the said people to the ground is too tough. Rant over, thank you for reading 😅

I would never sign this petition. School is important.

Anyway even if you did get your wish op, holidays providers would probably just raise the prices all year so no money saving would be achieved anyway.

No, I would not sign. Ridiculous idea.

I have signed.

My DS won’t start school for a few more years but I hate the whole fine for taking your children on an affordable family holiday business. Of course it then shouldn’t be up to teachers to catch each student up - the parents are responsible for that. And not during times such as during or in the lead up to exams. But in general a family holiday is far more beneficial in the long run for children than a week of school. The chance to experience new places, cultures, foods, activities and spend quality time with family is extremely beneficial.

1-2 weeks allowance to take children out should absolutely be allowed.

Two weeks would be excessive and disruptive. But I do think that the focus and follow up should be on families with children who are regularly off school with unexplained absence rather than those with good attendance who take a week's holiday in term time.

I would like to parent my own children who I gave birth to, the way I would like to. If that means taking them out of school, I would like to make that choice.

I gave birth to them. I provide for them. I'm here when they're sad, or ill or cheering them on at matches. But other decisions, we're losing the choice for our own children! How is that ok?

As parents, we're the concerned ones when children don't want to go into school for whatever reason. It could be a teacher singling them out. We don't really know. But if we don't send them into school, we're the bad ones and we're getting penalised.

Child doesn't want to go home, schools are all over it.

Parents are losing the rights to their own children.

Why don't we just legislate that everything should be cheap all of the time?

Now, you see… if you’re worried about your children’s education you can just not take them out because you’re their parent after all. If you think it won’t benefit your family or your child you can just take them out during their break. It’s for people who want to have a choice.
I can see from our school, certain families are not really punished when their kids fail to turn up at the school gate in the morning. However, should you tell the school that you’re taking your kids on holiday during term time (even in infants) - you will definitely get a fine.

I'll be taking DS out of school for a family holiday (our first ever abroad) in September. It would be an extra £2k if we went a few weeks earlier which we can't justify. Plus DH and I struggle to get time off during the holidays so we don't have much choice.

We will spend time with DS the weekends before and after the holiday to catch up on the work and make sure he doesn't fall behind.

I'll sign the petition

Total failure of basic understanding of economics.

The holiday companies all charge the maximum amount they can get away with while still filling their accommodation and flights with willing holiday makers.

The only reason why holidays during term time are cheaper is because children aren't allowed to take holiday in term-time and most parents are sufficiently child-focused and responsible to prioritise their children's education. Therefore it's difficult for the holiday companies to sell enough holidays to meet their costs and they slash prices until they get buyers.

If your petition was successful the result would be that the holiday companies don't need to slash prices so much to fill their spaces so costs would go up until a term time holiday was maybe only 5% cheaper than in holidays, as the dates would be only marginally less popular.

It's also a terrible idea anyway because of the additional burden on teachers and how it would be the children who are struggling most who would suffer most. But a terrible idea that also doesn't achieve it's aims is even more terrible.

Homeschool then

You see i dont need to, because my dc didnt miss school for a holiday.

And you well know, illness is massively different to a jolly in the Canaries

, certain families are not really punished when their kids fail to turn up at the school gate in the morning

How do you know everything that is going on with those families?
Do you work in the office?
Did you consider that the child is the important one here, who may be hindered by parents that dont give a shit?

@OpusGiemuJavlo i like your thinking and you certainly seem like a reasonable person. However, it’s ok to take your kid out of school in say France or Italy.. or Canada. Do you see their travel industry collapse because of it? In Brazil actually also. When it becomes a norm, the whole system re adjusts. You can speak with your child’s teacher prior. Ask them what they recommend your child goes over whilst you’re on holiday.

It’s interesting that every time there are threads about taking children out of school during term time, the OP cites their excellent attendance, as some sort of justification.

The reason it’s not a good idea imo, is that it’s not every child having time off at the same time, it’s dotted about across the year and that makes it difficult for the teacher to track progress, see what has been missed thirty times and how that can be remedied.

The difference between that and someone working in an office, where employees take their AL at different times, is that the employees inbox fills up, the work is still there and they have to do whatever it takes when they return. They’re also not responsible for colleagues, unless there is some arrangement in place, for which, presumably, there will be remuneration or reciprocal arrangements.

People aren’t going to go on a beach holiday and insist their children do school work, even if they know what’s on the curriculum for that week or fortnight.

It’s a completely different issue when a child is absent because of illness. Thats not a choice they’ve made.

Take your children out of school during term time, if you choose. I completely see the reasons why you would want to. But don’t attempt to justify it by talking of attendance levels, life experiences, knowing the curriculum and doing the work whilst away. Go and enjoy your holiday, but don’t expect support for anything missed.

State schools do run trips too, though the sheer volume of risk assessment and hoops to jump through makes it difficult to arrange. Some private schools have excellent teaching; some don’t. Like state schools really.

@HugeCwtch children of families with parents who don’t give a sh*t are going to suffer weather these fines exist or not. I think it’s pretty obvious.
about the families in our school I don’t see how its pertinent to the discussion.

you raised it

I won't sign it because I don't agree with you.

Education is more important than a couple of weeks on a beach. Too many people got in to the habit of regarding attendance as optional during covid, which has produced the mess we currently have.

I couldn't afford a holiday last year so I had a staycation with ds, in the school holidays, cycling, swimming, making home made lemonade & ice cream, visiting local stuff, spending time together. With a bit of effort we had a really good time.

Private schools don't go on trips during term time. They are committed to high attendance.

@Bluevelvetsofa yeah, children are also ill at different points of the year some for a week, some for a day.
I guess the reason I brought up my children’s attendance in my OP is because I want to paint a picture of my background so that the wise mumsnetters can see where my view comes from.

I think parents who wish to take their children out during term time for holidays should have to sign a waiver that states something along the lines of you understand there will be a loss of school learning, and that you understand the Teacher will be doing nothing to help cover this loss.

I say the above as a Teacher.

I haven’t been on holiday for the last few years as my Husband and I can’t afford to go, but if we could have a term time holiday, we’d be able to afford it. My non-Teacher friends all take term time holidays as otherwise they would never be able to take a holiday, or else save up for a lot longer to go.

Okay, thanks everyone for clarifying about private school trips. Admittedly, it’s not something that I know first hand. Trawling through local private schools websites I now know however that private schools have extra holidays sometimes a week before or after state schools. So it kinda makes it more ironic but I digress

@SprinkleOfSunak actually that’s a really good idea. Just put it back on parents. I agree, your children - your responsibility.
also thanks for your service I could never be a teacher, you’re doing an amazing job!

OP. private schools have longer school days to make up for the extra week holiday. Our local independent starts at 8.30am and ends at 5pm, with prep after that.

So they get through the syllabus faster, meaning they get an extra week in summer and extra days added on to half terms.

Good idea.

Not even remotely comparable with children learning at school. When I'm off work, the other members of my team do work that would be up to me to do, the same as I do work that would normally fall to them when they're off.

No, pay the fines if you’re bothered about term time holidays