School term time holiday reception year

[Overthebow]

Aibu to consider taking my DC out for a weeks holiday? We can’t afford school holiday prices this year having just gone back from mat leave and also DC struggles with really busy places. We had thought that we just won’t go away this year but actually we do really want to and could afford to go in June. We won’t get fined as DC is summer born.

To add, this would be a UK holiday, we won’t be going abroad this year

Do it. It will be fine.

Ultimately, despite what some people want to believe, missing a few days of reception will have no effect whatsoever on their education.

Regularly missing school is the damaging thing.

We take ours out for the odd day. I think my year 9 is missing 3 days this year so not terrible. If overall attendance is good it will be fine. Just be sensible as they get older if you take them out of school. Don’t miss key times of year.

My DD has booked from 1st June, so the holiday runs into the half term. It's a lot cheaper and means only a few days missed.

Yes - especially as not compulsory school age

If you both work, then the biggest problem with term time holidays is leaving yourself more school holidays to cover.

We have taken the kids out a day or two early several times, it often makes a difference to the price.

Except that they might miss the introduction to an important new topic or will not know what is needed for a lesson in the following week.

Yes of course it will fine.

YANBU even if older than reception.

Not fair on the teacher though who then has to work to catch your child back up with what they have missed. Times that by the number of other parents taking their kids out and you are substantially adding to the workload of that teacher.

Then they ask the teacher and catch up at home. Easy peasy.

The parents know their children best and I think the vast majority can be trusted to decide for themselves what is in the best interests of their children. My children aren’t school age yet but after every holiday we’ve been on (often with grandparents that live a 4 hour drive away) they come on loads from the attention, I’m a nicer parent cause I’m not juggling work, housework etc and they come on loads swimming wise.

We are fortunate enough that we can afford to go in peak times so we probably won’t take out of school much but others aren’t and I am definitely all for them missing the odd few days so that they can have those experiences.

We're taking our Year 2 child out for a week in June. We can't afford to go in school holidays, and it's important for me that DS gets to experience travelling and seeing new places. Even with the fine, it's cheaper to go in term time.

Same can be said for those who are off sick. The reason for the absence makes no difference to having to catch up/extra work for teacher as another PP has claimed.

Do it, if your child hasn’t turned 5, you shouldn’t be fined. Enjoy your holiday, and if it’s your only option to take a family holiday during term term for whatever reason, check the rules of your LA, often fines are only triggered, after missing 10 sessions so after missing 5 complete days.

The difference between sickness + holiday absence is that sickness is unavoidable. Taking your child out is purposely done.
I just don't agree with it, maybe because I see it from teacher pov.

Do teachers really individually catch those children who have missed school for a few days up?

Yes, I'd do it in reception op. My DC have excellent general attendance, and there has been maybe 3 short occasions across all of the school years where I took them out for holidays. Judgement matters, a few days in reception - fine. A fortnight every year with an academically struggling child, or time off approaching exams - not fine.

Zero effect. Do it!

My DC is 4 and in reception. Apart from phonics she doesn’t have any actual lessons yet. This is the least of my concerns to be honest!

Of course she does! They are following a curriculum but because it is based around play rather than "lessons" it may appear that they aren't learning. They are still learning + being taught things

We’re taking Reception DD out for a week at the end of the summer term thanks to DH’s stupidity (he misread the term dates somehow, booked the holiday a week too early and here we are). She turns 5 while we’re away so I don’t believe we risk getting fined as it kicks in the term after her birthday, I’m hoping they don’t introduce anything brand new in the last week of summer term but we’ll just have to muddle through if that happens.

Yes but it’s nothing we can’t catch her up on ourselves x and it’s very play based currently. We’ll take her phonics and maths workbooks with as she like doing those, some reading books and ask the topic their covering that week and it changes every week so I really don’t think it’ll be a problem work wise.

She'll be absolutely fine, my daughter is in Reception and she's had two full weeks off and a few other days here and there (all due to illness) and she is absolutely fine, caught up easily. The only time I don't agree with it is in GCSE years because they could miss something vital, but she's 4 years old she'll be absolutely fine.

I thought it was ok to do this in reception? Will you have enough holiday though to cover the summer holidays though? We won’t be able to cover all the school holidays even if my husband and I take them separately, let alone if we take a term time holiday!!

Go for it.

My granddaughter has had 12
weeks off so far this year from her reception class. (Not holiday.)