Year 10 term time holiday

[Ilikebountys]

DD dad just announced he wants to take her on a cruise 10 days before end of summer term ( year 10 ). Surprised me as he is always on about how important next 2 years are for DD . I said her missing 3 days of last week not be a massive issue but 10 days I dont agree with. He says they probably wont be doing much last 2 weeks year 10 ... He hasnt taken her abroad for 8 years on holiday & she really excited . There is an option for a week cruise he can take her on so she only misses 3 days I said that be much better but he just pushing now for me tp agree to her missing 10 days school. He lives 3 hour drive from us so only sees her at half terms & half holidays so not involved with her school. AIBU to say no to taking her out of school for 10 days last term of year 10?

I also have a Year 10 daughter and I also wouldnt be happy with this. They seem to be moving at a fast pace at the moment and I think they are likely to still be learning 10 days before the end of term. It may vary from school to school but they would be at my daughter’s state school. It’s weeks away from the start of Year 11 and in my mind a crucial time in their learning.

If he's happy to pay the fine the school is likely to issue then fair enough its on him tbh. I think a week away would be the ideal amount of time as its less days and u may be able to make out shes off sick rather than on a jolly but I know how expensive holidays are out of term time esp a cruise!!

She would miss so much in 10 days.

My DD would have been horrified at this. The pace has been fast in Y10&11 and missing what amounts to 2 weeks is a bit irresponsible. The summer after she'll be finished mid June and can go cruising then. However I guess ultimately it's up to your DD and her father, which must be frustrating.

Do they do work experience in Yr 10?
We also had college taster days then (ahead of applying in Yr11)
Trips
Mocks

As well as lessons! Including coursework for pratical subjects.

In short... it was a busy time.

Yes, @Bobadob18 also state school & like you say I think its such a crucial time for learning as surely be setting them up for year 11. He said he isnt going to miss the holidsy " if all they are doing is messing around in last 2 weeks term" He asked me to ask the school as well what she might miss. I told him to speak to them !

Our pupils move up a year after the May Half Term. Your daughter is in a crucial year.
She would miss an awful lot.

We teach new content right up until the holidays, especially with year 10 and 12. Bad idea as far as I'm concerned.

@BirdLandedonmyHead I think they do have work experience last half term but not sure exactly when it falls. Hes asked me to ask year 11 parents what they did last year. I agree & think it will be a busy time bar the last few days perhaps.

Are you saying you’d be happy for her to miss work experience?

It's her last proper end of term. As she'll finish early in year 11. Would she want to miss that? My daughter wouldn't have. And in secondary they keep working right up to the end. It's loads of lost learning. Go a year later when she'll finish mid june

@hopspot no definitely not happy her missing work experience

They definitely don’t mess about in the last 2 weeks of year 10. He seems to be thinking of primary not secondary. They learn up to the very last lesson.

If it was year 7 - 9 I would say go for it, but year 10, no. My dd would have been fuming if she’d missed so much, she’d instantly have felt behind when starting year 11.

The school won’t authorise it anyway.

Go for 3 days off max and just call in sick.

Thanks for clarifying. Would he consider taking her just in the holidays?

@Brickiscool exactly what I said to him. Next year they can go on cruise once her GCSEs over.

How cheap is he? Why can’t he wait a couple of weeks and take her during the holidays like a responsible parent? Just no.

@hopspot no, he said that for them to go to the destinations hes picked it has to be the dates he is saying. He has said there is a week cruise where she d just miss last 3 days term which isnt ideal but probably less detrimental in terms of what she will miss.

Yeh why not go in the summer holiday? or after GCSEs?

I would not be happy with my DC missing that much time in year 10. Also they certainly will be doing a lot in the last two weeks. They will effectively be year 11 (as year 11s will be gone) and in a lot of schools IME that's when the serious focus on the upcoming exams starts.

When I taught in school I would get through a lot of content with my KS4 groups at the end of year 10. They are the oldest now and it seems to focus your mind as a teacher as well. The only time we were allowed to ease off in any classes was the final morning (which was a half day). Not even the "last few days" it's not reception after all.

Yes they definitely won’t be messing around. I had forgotten about work experience which is compulsory at our school in the last week of term but the week before that will be important too. Very tricky for you and I really hope he starts to see the importance of being in school. Also cheeky wanting you to phone the school!

@Offherrockingchair he hasnt mentioned cost but must be big saving I am sure ! He isnt short of money so really no need for it

@Bobadob18 always tricky with him tbh ! Im certainly not calling school for him. He is incapable of checking dates of school terms himself always asks me.

If shes doing Geography... field trips. Theres two.

Does your daughter not get a say in her own education here ?!

DC's school has geography field trips and a lot of focus on course work in the last couple of weeks of term. And, they work up to the last day in year 10.

But, maybe your school is different.

God no ten days is too much to miss in any year but Year 10 would be a hard no from me. Plus my dd wouldn't like it at all. He sounds like another parent who just doesn't value education.