Do you think people will be more likely to take term time holidays next year?

[SunnyUpNorth]

I’m wondering if people will be more relaxed about taking term time holidays next year partly because kids have missed so much school and will more than likely catch up over time, so a missed few days/a week is unlikely to do much damage. Or because people will have suffered financially this year and may not be able to afford term time holidays next year?

I was just looking at some flights for next year which would cost around £1k for 4 of us, but the week before would be around £250!

I think when it comes to missing school the key difference here is that an entire group are missing school. As a result schools/teachers will be putting things in place to ensure they are currently covering or have plans to cover/recap missed content.

If an individual student misses a week or two on their own it's unlikely things will be done to support them so then onus is on the student, which from experience often means missing out.

For context I'm head of a large department and have a very good idea how all students in key year groups are doing and will be structuring sets/topic rotations/revision groups etc. accordingly.

If an individual student misses time in my class for a holiday next year it's all down to them, I won't be doing any extra.

So sure, as always miss the school but if you're child is in an important year I'd be ensuring I was on my child to be catching up all work missed and likely watching/checking they've done it.

We're going for 2 weeks June 22nd. We wouldn't do it if either of our children were in important years.

I would do it. Things are going to be different next year and schools will hopefully be more relaxed. Lots of people have had to cancel this years holiday and they've hiked the price up a lot for like for like holidays next year. Some families can't afford that so maybe they'll go in term time instead.

We were saying this on our whatsap group the other day. Schools haven’t really got a leg to stand on now have they when they say “a week is a lot or school to miss...”. My year 2 will be off for six months total in this current “crisis”, which apparently is completely fine all of a sudden 🤨. The school have been shit at supporting children and parents throughout it’s not even like they have had online teaching. We’re going to book two weeks in June next year and the school can swivel if they think I’m going to pay a fine.

If it's still cheaper to pay the fines than go in the school holidays then yes.

@ChippityDoDa

We were saying this on our whatsap group the other day. Schools haven’t really got a leg to stand on now have they when they say “a week is a lot or school to miss...”. My year 2 will be off for six months total in this current “crisis”, which apparently is completely fine all of a sudden 🤨. The school have been shit at supporting children and parents throughout it’s not even like they have had online teaching. We’re going to book two weeks in June next year and the school can swivel if they think I’m going to pay a fine.

So it was the schools that decided to close? Or the government?

It's the schools that issue fines? Or local government?

You're aiming your anger at the wrong group of people here. If you feel strongly about it - write to your MP/start a campaign etc.

That is nonsense - everyone missing school at the same time because of Coronavirus is completely different from little Jenny missing a fortnight to go to Tenerife. So if you book deliberately in term time 2021 then it is not justified and the schools are not obliged to individually tailor a catch up programme for your child. Do what you want of course.

Yes. I also think holidays will become even more expensive, especially UK ones, so more families will be "forced" to take their break in term time and the events of this year will make it easier to justify it to themselves.

All the old reasons not to will still apply of course, but more people will decide they're not important.

I would have never taken dc on holiday during term time. Next year I would

We are going next year in term time. My kids will not be in "key" years and I honestly can't see a week off making much difference. We don't get fines at their school either. If they were facing exams or something then it's a different matter

We’ve rescheduled our May half term break(Disneyland Paris) for term time December because it didn’t cost any extra. If we rescheduled for another school holiday we would have had to pay more & with our current financial situation that isn’t an option.

I think a lot of people will laugh in the face of anyone threatening them with a fine, to be honest.

And there will be a lot more financial pressure on holidays. There will be more hard-up people, and prices may be higher. People will say "Stuff it" and go.

You're aiming your anger at the wrong group of people here. If you feel strongly about it - write to your MP/start a campaign etc.

Well, to be fair, it sounds like her individual school has not been doing a very good job throughout this crisis. I can understand her being a bit frustrated.

Most schools have of course done a good job of supporting their pupils, at least as much as they can in the circumstances.

The problem with term time holidays is that the child misses work that his/her classmates have done and so has fallen behind the class

At the moment all the children are off school and so they are all missing the same thing. When they go back they will all be at the same point.

Oh yes. Probably the same people that are so angry about the lack of school now.

I would as even before lockdown I had English and Maths work books for DD(6) now I have even more ideas for ways to support her learning so I doubt she'd be behind. Obviously if she was it would be different. Plus (and there's no way to say this without sounding massively pretentious but...) We would take her to places that had some educational benefit anyway.

Also my DDs infant school send an email every week to tell us what they will be doing the next week so I'll be aware of what she will miss.

If I had a job now where both of us could work from home, I wouldn't have sent my child back to school.

Instead we'd have rented a house with a pool in France and gone there for the rest of the summer with some friends. Having to isolate for 14 days either side would have been fine if I knew I wasn't going to have to make choices based on school until September.

I never have before and my year 5 has had about 4 sick days in his life.
Next year I might but it would be a week at most and would try to make it less by running into a half term week if possible.
I doubt i will be able to afford holiday time prices and would take him places he can still learn things, we're not lounge by the pool types.

*The problem with term time holidays is that the child misses work that his/her classmates have done and so has fallen behind the class

At the moment all the children are off school and so they are all missing the same thing. When they go back they will all be at the same point.*

In Scotland so will be looking at the blended learning model. I can guarantee that the children won't all be at the same level because there will be massive differences between what parents can do at home so yes, we will be taking term time holidays. The remote component can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection after all. In fact, this period is probably the best time for term time holidays especially if they go a rotating week model.

Well no, they’ve already missed SO much school. I wouldn’t want them missing anymore! Next year will be pivotal in catching them all back up..

Nope but I work in a school and not allowed time off in term .

I wouldn't want them missing out on any more learning. Also I need all my annual leave for school hols so can't take any more time off during term time.

However if there's a second wave and school closes, or their school has to close for deep cleaning or whatever then I'll be booking a last minute flight to anywhere!

So kids have missed out on six months' schooling this year and their parents will decide it will be great to miss out on even more next year?

Funnily enough we was having this conversation in my work place today. We have all carried on working and everyone who had holidays booked have now cancelled.
I personally have missed out on 4 holidays that were booked. 2 of them have been rebooked for next year during term time as that was the only dates I could do around my work and also that were available. I will be very interested to see if I get fined for these seeming as I have been left little choice. If a fine is issued then I will be happy to fight against it.