Parents need to stop lying about term time holidays

[Ljcrow]

If parents want to take their kids out of school for a term time holiday because it's cheaper, I wish they wouldn't give the bullshit that it's an "educational experience". There's an article about this on the BBC today, but working in a school I've heard it all before. Can we not pretend that an all-inclusive to Lanzarote or similar is a rich cultural and educational experience?! If you want to take your kids our because it's cheaper that's up to you but don't try claim the moral high ground, no one's falling for it. (Fwiw I think holiday companies shouldn't be allowed to hike their prices up in school holidays, it's disgraceful, and as a parent myself I have no choice but to pay those inflated prices. It sucks.)

You said schools - plural.

Aggressive? I've shown no aggression at all. You clearly do not know what it means. And no not nasty. You are the one being nasty saying I am not ok to be around children because I care about them having feedback. I am debating I have no made personal comments about you being a concern around children etc as you have to me which might not be your wisest statement.

Such parents - parents who do that are such parents. Now we get to the root of the problem - you think I am aggressive and a bully for saying the word 'such'! Really? That has hit a nerve I see.

Why would you not want me near kids - spell it out? What is your concern about me being near children because I debated marking policies with someone online and that is a concern?! Ha ha ha ha!

Because I debate and think something different to you and you do not want your kids to be taught how to debate? Or you prefer to lie about teachers as you have done with me?

I really do feel for today’s young people. Obviously there are some parents who just don’t give a shit, and their kids attendance suffers regardless of whether there are family holidays or not. However, the majority have 2 working parents, working long days to pay the bills. The kids are dropped at breakfast club, then they have school, then there’s after school club before home, dinner, homework, reading, bath and bed. Everyday is the same, there is no downtime, even in school holidays they are in holiday club 8am to 6pm whilst mummy and daddy are in work, because getting time off work during school holidays is like finding gold! These families are pushed to breaking point with no support, day in day out and are punished when they decide enough is enough and take a week off. The whole fines system doesn’t work. It’s not hitting the right people, and is not solving the problem of persistent non attendance.

There should be consequences for the parents which there aren't at present as the fine is minimal and pathetic. It needs to be a proper fine. As it stands the consequences are on the schools and other kids. Which isn't ok.

OK, I have never used a mumsnet phrase in nearly 20 years of mumsnetting but today is the day 😁

Seriously, are you on glue?

Of course a child being off sick or away on holiday affects other children and disrupts the class because the teaching of important new concepts either has to be postponed until the child is back, or taught to that child separately once they return, which takes teacher time away from all the other children. But in a case of illness it can’t be helped.

Trip to Normandy - great. I’ve done it with my kids too - in school holidays. But anyway, if an "educational" holiday should be allowed what happens about a beach holiday? Is the headteacher supposed to judge the educational value of every holiday and only fine the less well-off who can only afford caravan holidays in this country?

As already covered, that's balls. Any teacher waiting to cover important concepts until every child is in at the same time is an idiot.

So then you’re saying they have to give individual teaching when that child returns from their holiday. What other alternative is there?

I found it annoying that booking a holiday for the week before summer holidays would have been seen as disruptive, terrible, my kid will fail at school and life, we'll get fined, stern email from the head about my tardiness as a human and failure as a parent etc etc...

But then they come home from school for at least four days of that aforementioned sacred last week, to tell me that they've done bingo and board games, eaten sweets, had extra playtime, watched DVDs in the hall, gone through their drawers for a whole afternoon and binned stuff etc. and a large amount of lessons have been devoid of doing the usual level of learning. Secondary school, too! All of that is nothing to worry about missing, surely?

Also the whole "urgh, a week in Benidorm ISNT A GOOD ENOUGH REASON it's NOT EDUCATIONAL"...Well, any form of travel will broaden your child's experiences, surely? Reeks of classism and snobbery, that one.

There's no in-between in this country. Its so black and white. School isn't the only thing that offers growth and development, ig we apply conscience and effort. We could all be dead tomorrow after all. I speak as someone who values education highly, but feels failed by the British system.

No, I didn't say anything of the sort, did I?

There is an obvious alternative. You'll get there eventually, I'm sure.

Not really, a child missing a week of school- about 30 hours - will pay for about 2-3 hours of agency staff. Maybe the fines should actually reflect the cost of the lost time. Take away from that the administrative costs of chasing up missing children, administering the fines, you probably get an hour if your lucky.

@KnoblesseOblige absolutely agree about the classism and snobbery here. The OP could have said 'beach holiday' but had to throw in Lanzarote AI which is a blatant and unnecessary sneer. I don't particularly defend term time holidays but ALL travel is enriching!

I assume you’re talking enigmatically about sending work home and asking parents to do it with the child. Quite apart from the fact that it’s often impossible to send the teaching element and structured explanations home, especially for young children, it’s often completely impractical. Maybe it works in a nice middle-class area with educated parents interested in their child's education, and with the necessary time, knowledge, resources and willingness, but it certainly wouldn’t work with many families in the schools I’ve taught in (where many parents weren’t even willing to read regularly with their young children).

Do tell me what I’ve missed. Don’t be shy.

Deflection...

😂

No, serious question 😂

Your behaviour is utterly bonkers. But you do you!

So you have outed yourself. Thank you.

Suggesting someone takes drugs is quite an allegation. It is bonkers to debate? Basically you fabricated things about me and failed to answer a question when asked to clarify and it is bonkers of me to ask that and now are using fabrications about what I do to try and discredit as you have nothing else left.

As I said, you outed yourself now.

Text? Bloody hell do primary schools now have set texts? This is the issue, the expectation is too high on our children - putting holidays to one side there could be all sorts of reasons children they might miss a week - illness, moving house, family issues, if there is no leeway it's the system that is wrong!

They usually plan a unit of work around a text. Such as a writing unit about The Iron Man etc. If a child misses that reading phase then they will not understand the rest of the unit properly. How is it a high expectation for kids to read in school? Isn't that a basic to read a text in school?

There is leeway for kids who have illness as that is unavoidable. Moving house - surely most parents would send the kids in so they aren't under their feet while they move? No need for a week off to move house! Family issues again is unavoidable and do not happen often- or as often as kids taking weeks off for holidays.

Holidays are avoidable.

So how do you suggest a unit of work is planned then if not to use a text in English? What should they use?

If you don't know then that says it all. Too commonplace for you to realise what you just did is what a certain group of people use as a common tactic when backed into a corner.

Sinister because I call you out. Sinister because I held you to account and made you panic. I'm playing bingo here with all the tactics you are using. I know what is coming next for a full house! ha ha ha!

Honestly I have no idea of which you speak. Called me out on what? My own opinion and lived experience? You make no sense and are just appearing to be a very narrow minded and bitter individual.

I'm not panicking at all. Why would I panick over a random on the internet? You just sound deranged.

Come back and rant at me when you're both a parent and a teacher and understand both points of view rather than your own narrow world.

I live in Ireland and I’m so glad there are no fines here thankfully I really hope they don’t bring it in. A parent should be able to bring their child on holiday for a week during the school year it’s ridiculous. Especially if this is the only way they can afford a holiday.

Your behaviour. Narrow minded because I made a comment about marking and you accused me of bullying and aggression because I used one word which tipped you over the edge.

Ah and there is it! BINGO! You have now tried to paint me as mental for calling you out. You have called me a bully, said I am aggressive, called me a druggie, said I am a risk to children, labelled me as mental - all because I said that feedback is better than marking and used the word 'such'!

All because I debated with you and disagreed with you.

I'm not ranting, I am calling you out for your appalling and abhorrent behaviour towards someone who had the balls to disagree with you. You need to stay off here if you cannot handle someone with a different viewpoint than yours. I live in a wide world where debating isn't met with such fabrications and derogatory comments. You played the victim and were called out.

Good Lord, calm down! I don't feel called out, I feel bullied by you because your posts are so aggressive and that is my perfectly valid feeling. I believe your view is narrow because you cannot possibly know what it's like to be a parent and want to spend quality time with your children because you say you don't have any. I have at no time mentioned drugs, solvents yes but only in terms of a favourite phrase on Mumsnet and of course I can handle people having different viewpoints to me. It's you that has issue with that and refer to us who think differently as 'such parents.'

Now bore off and attack someone else because your ridiculous narrow typical state school teacher opinions mean nothing to me.

Bullied because I called you out! I can know what it is like.

Now you're using classist comments. Abhorrent.

That word such has really hit a nerve hasn't it?! 😂

Never attacked anyone, playing the victim because I said you didnt understand how no mark marking works and all these lies and defamation all because you are behind in the times. You're the one doing that with your fabrication and lies. Now you've proven who you are.

Enjoy!