Surprised at how many school aged kids on holiday

[AleaEim]

We just returned with our toddler from Bella Italia eurocamp with our toddler and couldn’t believe how many school aged children were there this time of year. I’m talking hundreds of children well into mid- late primary school age. The majority of families were Irish at the camp( this surprised me also as i thought it would have people from all over) I’m Irish but have lived in the UK over 15 years, are Irish schools/ parents more relaxed than other cultures and are able to take children off during term time?

I’m not judging as I can see why parents do it and I may even do it myself in future if needed to get a cheaper holiday. I’m just curious really and wondered if these parents are honest with teachers about it. My parents did take me off once for a holiday in term time of secondary and when I told the teacher she called me out in front of a whole classroom about it as if it was my choice. I wouldn’t do that to my dd at that age.

Probably “home-schooled”

No I doubt it, there were hundreds.

They might not live in the UK. I'm taking my British kids on holiday in October and it's term-time in the UK but we have a holiday here. I'll probably get judged by other Brits abroad 😅

Hundreds of “home-schooled” kids.

No need to go in summer holidays so wait until September when still hot but much cheaper. Makes sense

I don’t think Irish schools have fines for holidays in term time.

No fines in Scotland either so people are more likely to go away during term time. Is Ireland the same?

Scotland here and no fines. My colleague is away for two weeks with primary kids last week and this week and another one off next week with her high school son. My own school age kids will be off next week too. Life is so expensive that holidays are often only affordable by taking kids out of school tbh. Mine haven’t had a foreign holiday these last two years and next weeks isn’t foreign either.

It's pretty normal in Ireland to take kids out of school for holidays. Everyone I know is honest with the school about it, there are no fines, just an 'enjoy your holiday'. Overall education is taken seriously and Ireland ranks very highly for education quality and attainment so a few days off for a family holiday isn't a big deal.

We took our children out of school for a week when we lived in Ireland. Lots of parents do. It was a private school. But our friends with DC in state school do it even all the way up to junior cert.

Also the UK private prep school our DC went to, always had tons absent in March for skiing. We had a lot of doctors at the school so they would get a week off together at this time of year.

They don't have fines in Ireland and have a more sensible attitude to these things generally. My Irish relatives are invariably horrified whenever the issue of the English absence fining system is raised.

Our school holiday time holiday cost 2k more than it would have done in term time. Not everyone can afford that but people still want a holiday.

Wales here and many families including my own take a week off in term time. They only consider fining if attendance is very low and I've never heard of anyone at our school being fined. Mine are high school, one has A level exams, so it will be late June for us this time.

Are you sure they don't have a school holiday at this time of year?

Would be the most logical explanation.

I think you’re right actually, that’s probably what it is. So i guess they can be honest about it to teachers? There were no brits with kids school ages, there were a few Germans/ Dutch.

Don't Irish schools get much longer summer holidays?

No judge from me, but I always wonder how people get the leave to cover the school holidays and then take an extra week on holiday, blows my mind.

They definitely do not.

yeah but they start end of June for primary and back last week of August then no break again until October.

Same, but maybe they have family nearby to help and then probably both parents don’t work full time.

It’s all well and good, but I often wonder if these parents are the same people complaining that “the summer holidays are too long” and “our annual leave doesn’t cover it”.

I realise it won’t quite cover it anyway, but it goes a lot further if you’re not taking a week or two for a term time holiday, and then having to “work from home” whilst your children knock about the house bored in the actual holidays.

Because obviously holiday club is too expensive too.

That’s the situation that I’m judgy of, that and those who expect teachers to “catch my children up” or expect them to set work for whilst they’re away.

I teach primary in Northern Ireland. There is no fine for taking your kids out of school to go on holiday. Happens fairly frequently here. I've one kid in my class off on holiday at the moment.

It’s very common for people to take their kids on holiday during term time in Ireland. It is massively cheaper and also not as hot. We often go in June.

It’s not looked down on, nobody tut tuts. The school just says enjoy your holiday.

Like other countries post Covid there is a massive attendance problem but it’s not kids spending a week in Portugal that is at the root of the problem.

I don’t know about Ireland but schools in some European countries are not as strict re absences like they are in the UK.

When I hear this it annoys me so much that schools fine in England.

I agree. We home Educate and we do that. But my eldest is nearly 5. We have family abroad and it is well over £1,000 during school holidays. But in Oct or mid to late spring it is £600! No brainer.

Yes. My friend in the RI has from June - Sept and they have extended family on thr same town. All the family love within 20mins or down the road. Very traditional set up. So childcare is easy.