To think the penalties for term time absence is ridiculous..

[JKbowling]

I got this in my email inbox today, sent to all parents and guardians.

"Failure to safeguard a child's education" appearing on your DBS, really?

As for term time holidays. If a family can't afford to pay for their one measly UK break per year to be had during the 6 weeks holidays (because the prices are hiked right up and become unaffordable) how does school suppose said family is going to pay the fine?

I'm surprised at the question really

Why? Maybe because it’s not your job to teach?

Teachers aren't some sort of super being that means they're literally the only source of learning.

No, they aren’t. Equally? Parents do not, in general, do anything to help their child catch up. How would they know what was taught?
Children, in general, also don’t.

It works like this in other countries. Why do English parents need an organisation telling them “you’ve been a naughty child, go to the naughty step and pay the fine”. Do English parents need someone else telling them what to do ?

We don't all post 4 posts to everyone else's 1.

It's normally you who needs to catch up, read more and type a lot less.

But yes, I'll try 😉

The fact that you know loads of people who have quit in the last few years just underlines why there were teacher strikes last year.

Funny how during the pandemic parents and the government complained bitterly that every single day out of school permanently damaged their children's future and if they had to isolate pre jab it was outrageous....court action was taken to keep schools open for an extra day during the alpha wave.

Want to go on holiday for 2 weeks in terms time? Catching up from books and the internet is no problem. The government apparently think this is putting saving some money over kids futures....

The government is at least being consistent. Keep kids in schools wherever possible despite effects on people's health and holiday budgets...

I literally just read the phrase 'God complex' on another forum where some people were discussing this thread, and to be honest I thought it was a bit unfair.

But really, honestly, if parents want to catch their kids up that's exactly what they'll do and they'll do it without the teacher. It's a bit weird you've convinced yourself this is impossible 🤷‍♂️

They’re resigning this year. If the salary increase was so good why resign now!

Many kids were barely in school because they had to self isolate every now and then so that’s a bit different tho going one week or two away.
another difference is to be away with your parents and during lockdown having to stay at home , many times without an adult nearby because they had to work. One was spending quality time with your family. The other one is surviving and probably putting up with anxious parents that felt they couldn’t be a good parent for their child at that time

You said in the last few years?

However, there’s a lot to do to fix education, pay is merely a start.

I don't think people understand how great it is that they have a school they can send their kid to. For free. Some people get shit all education. There's countries that don't let girls go to school! I think the fine money should go towards sorting that out

What's that got to do with term time absence though? Teachers aren't leaving coz people can't be arsed to go to school?

I think there's 2 issues here, a once in a lifetime, unprecedented global pandemic and some parents wanting to take Billy and milly to tenerife once the flights come down in cost, out of school holiday period.
Let's get real.

Ok this is going to be unpopular but Covid completely changed my views on this. My kids never missed any school for holidays ever pre Covid. I was absolute on this. But then Covid came along and suddenly it was fine for kids to miss months and months of school regardless of whether they or anyone in their bubble was at risk. After Covid I had much more of a live for the moment attitude and a much more relaxed approach to missing the odd day.

But what I would say is that my kids are extremely rarely off due to absence (maybe two days in 5 years) and have always been working at greater depth in all subjects so aren’t getting interventions etc. I would think differently if they were struggling to keep up I think.

Because more than once on this thread posters have tried to justify taking Jonny to Ibiza because teachers went on strike and Jonny missed school because of it.

I think there is a problem in your understanding. Not everyone takes their kids out of school to go to Tenerife.
ive Taken my son twice out of the school. Both unauthorised. None were for Tenerife or a cheap all inclusive holiday

Why does everyone keep saying this? It's very frustrating not to mention insulting. Do you honestly think that a teacher could get 30 kids to sit still watching movies all day?
I have put on a film for kids with popcorn and juice (at my own expense) as an end of term treat but it's a one off treat. So many of them don't have the patience to sit through the whole thing anyway that it is often more difficult than keeping them engaged in a lesson.
End of term lessons and activities might not be as structured or seem as essential as the rest of term but the social aspect of school is important for kids too. It's good for them to have time to wind down and have fun experiences with their friends. It's also good to show them that you don't just slack off or not bother to show up for something if you're not being assessed on it.

But really, honestly, if parents want to catch their kids up that's exactly what they'll do and they'll do it without the teacher. It's a bit weird you've convinced yourself this is impossible

I don’t think it’s impossible. Lots of parents don’t - how are suggesting I make sure every child accesses the full curriculum if their parent doesn’t catch them up?

No I understand fully, half price cruise to the carribean, tenerife, Blackpool.... wherever doesn't matter. They've a minimum 13 weeks holiday allocated the rest is education time. Not rocket science.

"Many kids were barely in school because they had to self isolate every now and then so that’s a bit different tho going one week or two away.
another difference is to be away with your parents and during lockdown having to stay at home , many times without an adult nearby because they had to work. One was spending quality time with your family. The other one is surviving and probably putting up with anxious parents that felt they couldn’t be a good parent for their child at that time"

Lots of kids preferred lockdown and spent a lot of quality time at home with parents on furlough.

However, that's irrelevant. It's a fact that COVID restrictions were lax in school and some kids I taught lost parents and grandparents. Many colleagues and family member suffered lasting effects and this was justified by kids being in school learning from their teachers being important to their future.

Now a lot of posters are saying "not if they have quality time abroad and we save a few quid"

Either being in school matters or it doesn't. The government says it does so they push attendance and fine for absences. They also prioritised schools being open after the first lockdown for the same reason.

They are being consistent for what the believe is the greater good. Convince yourself that missing school does not affect achievement if it's for "quality family time" but the statistics and the government do not agree with you.

But each child in a striking teacher’s class missed the same, and the teacher would still have got through the curriculum when they returned it’s different from one child missing 5-10 days.

In England school is 'opt in'. If you choose to send your kids to school, you agree to the rules. You can choose not to opt in to school, home educate, and go on holiday when ever you like.

And lots of kids hated lockdown and they’re still suffering the side effects from it. Also, not everyone was furloughed, many of us were working whilst having kids at home. Parents were going through big anxieties cuz they couldn’t pay attention to work but neither to their kids.

after lockdown kids were sent home if they had been In contact that had tested positive. Meanwhile , their parents still had to go to work.

so, let’s not pretend that education was good and everything was amazing for the kids back in Covid times. It wasn’t and the lack of education and being isolated during term time has got a bigger impact in children’s education and mental health than a week off from school because Jonnys parents want to go to Tenerife or Spain to their aunties wedding.

Oh right. I don't think they value their kids education so I don't think they'd get it

Yeah covid was shit

I agree with you. I believe you should be able to take your child out of school for one or two weeks a year for a holiday.

Actually getting a criminal record for taking your child on holiday is absolutely ridiculous!