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Original poster

taking children out of school for holidays is ILLEGAL

588 replies

zippitippitoes · 08/03/2006 10:03

interesting news report here \link{http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2075270,00.html\ High Court Ruling}

so will anybody still be taking those unauthorised breaks and days off?

Will schools get tougher

and does your school say no at the moment?

OP posts:
tigermoth · 09/03/2006 12:36

Hmm.. . I just about agree with the new high court ruling but only just. I do think it's bad for parents to have the attitude that they have a right to 10 days extra holiday each and every year. This ruling, I suppose, would give head teachers the power to refuse authorisation.

However I feel that part of me being a mother involves me being able to override rules and guidelines occasionally, in the interests of my sons. I am not just a representative of the state in my sons' eyes. They have teachers for that role. I am their mother - that is different. I think it's really important that my sons know I will not slavishly follow every law and rule relating to them, no matter what. If I know they have had a hard week, a hard month or a hard year I might feel they need a break, and that break might not always coincide with school holidays. It might be just for a day, but I think sometimes you know it's time to step outside routine and steal some time with your children and relax.

I would take the odd days' break from work if I really felt I need it. If my husband told me I could not do this as technically I was not ill, I would be furious and feel very betrayed.

Original poster
zippitippitoes · 09/03/2006 12:36

perhaps it gets hard to explain to children why they are in school and others are away on holiday, and then they have to sit and listen to a report on said holiday after..must be a little unbearable, as well as not doing certain things until the whole class is in again

OP posts:
harpsichordcarrier · 09/03/2006 12:42

well gdg clearly not
who knows what rules a head will make?

tigermoth · 09/03/2006 12:42

another point - our school regularly gets it's own holiday dates wrong. Last summer they were out by a week. Term ended a week later than we were told. I queried this at the time, and nearly booked a holiday. Had I done so, the boys would have been out of school through no fault of our own.

harpsichordcarrier · 09/03/2006 12:43

erm yes I think franny was being ironic...
see, told you these threads get hysterical.....

GDG · 09/03/2006 12:47

I've got no issue with questioning authority where it's needed, but I fail to see why it is necessary to take time out of school in addition to the 13 weeks holiday you already get.

For me this issue is just a no-brainer - there are few circumstances in which you can honestly justify it. If there is a valid reason then it's usually authorised is it not? The fact that you just choose to go on holiday at this time when you could go during any of the other 13 weeks holiday is just not a good reason to be absent from school.

flashingnosethefrond · 09/03/2006 12:48

Isn't the point really that it's the extremes of holidays being taken that are the issue? I have no objection to people tacking one or two days on to half term or a weekend, or booking their Summer holiday to start a week before term finishes. But our school has a significant number of parents who have taken, for example so far during this school year, 2 weeks in Florida, a week ski-ing, a week in Spain and two long weekends in Eurodisney & Centreparcs, all in term time.

The Headteacher has sent numerous requests out to parents explaining how this is adversely affecting all the children (but their children in particular), but her advice has been ignored. So she will not now authorise any holiday in term time.

We're not talking about a few days here and there, or people slavishly following rules, we're talking about a significant number of parents who are taking the p*ss IMO.

tigermoth · 09/03/2006 12:48

oh and something else - right now we have every reason to take our sons out of school to visit their grandparents in Devon. My father in law has had a terminal illness diagnosed with a pessimistic time scale. The future is very uncertain and we do not know how long he will be well enought to enjoy his grandsons' company. I'm all for taking our sons out of school for a visit. Our parents in law, however, are against it as they don't want the boys to miss their schooling. They want us to wait till the Easter holidays.

I have no idea if they realise the law has tightened up, but tbh, they IMO need dissuading not persuading about the importance of school attendance. There may well be other parents like this - how tragic if some parent follows the ruling when it really may not be so important in the grand scheme of things.

spidermama · 09/03/2006 12:50

GDG ... Some people cannot guaruntee they'll be free to take their kids on holiday at the allotted time. Some people don't plan their lives eight years ahead. Some people are different from you.

cutekids · 09/03/2006 12:51

here!here!spidermama!
in other words, i'll do what i want and it's no one else's business!!!

elastamum · 09/03/2006 12:52

Good point TM, my objection is not on the basis of wanting to take term time holidays. It is the increasing amount of state control and legislation designed to remove more and more parental choice about what might or might not be right for their children.

GDG · 09/03/2006 12:52

Fine, geddonwithit! Your kids' problem, not mine.

I don't plan 8 years ahead - don't be ridiculous. I am a freelancer too so it's not easy to control my holidays either. I think I've already said that.

cutekids · 09/03/2006 12:52

to your poem that is!

Original poster
zippitippitoes · 09/03/2006 12:53

so what do people do with their children during the school holidays? work through?

OP posts:
cod · 09/03/2006 12:53

aha But what about takign themout on their BURTHDAYS

tigermoth · 09/03/2006 12:55

Some children (and families) may reach crisis point outside the 13 weeks school holdiays. They just may need a rest or to be taken away from their normal routine or environment for a little while. As a parent, I demand my freedom to decide this.

I don't condone regular planned holidays in school time - that's different.

Original poster
zippitippitoes · 09/03/2006 12:56

Tigermoth those crises are the exceptional circumstances allowed for in the guidance

OP posts:
cutekids · 09/03/2006 12:58

some people do that don't they...without permission!
when we take our kids out of school, it's usually on their "birthday week" (all in same week) and i do it properly i.e:holiday forms.
by the way, if schools didn't want you to take kids out of school they wouldn't issue these forms would they?!as i said much earlier, as far as my kids' school goes, they allow you 10 days per calendar month out of school on a family holiday. if they decide to change their policy, then i'll change mine!

oliveoil · 09/03/2006 13:01

one persons holiday in Bendidorm would to them be just as educational as anothers holiday in India 'experiencing' another culture so how are teachers to decide what holiday is more 'worthy' than another?

soapbox · 09/03/2006 13:02

Precisely OO - just ban the lot I think!

Extenuating circumstances only - as set out in the Scottish guidelines!

Otherwise no where in the world shuts down in July and August does it - so do it then!

niceglasses · 09/03/2006 13:21

This is very apt for me at the mo as just yesterday got holiday form to ask for (gasp) 2 weeks off to take kids to Florida.......have to say the youngest is just in nursery class and only half days so don't think there will be objection to that. The eldest is in reception. I can't say I feel too guilty. In most countries on the Continent they aren't even at formal schl yet. Until the holiday comapnies sort out ridiculous price hikes during schl holidays pple will continue to do it. And I think whilst in reception it isn't going to impact too much, er I think.

MarkWarner · 09/03/2006 14:23

Hey all you mums out there! Just think how fabulous and non-conformist you'll look when you turn up for the school run with a TAN! Mind you, we are talking nice, expensive, middle class holidays here, don't let ANYONE paint you with a truant's brush! Everyone knows that truants are terrible, grubby children whose parents don't care about them the way YOU do! Why, we know you'd do anything for your kids, and what's more important than making them realise from a young age that THEY are the centre of the universe. Who cares about community and responsibility when you can be learning to snorkel with Brad (Tuesday am, 9-12).

oliveoil · 09/03/2006 14:32

lol

winnie · 09/03/2006 14:35

Tigermoth, we took dd out of school (and my brother his dd) in June last year so that we as a family could have a holiday with my terminal ill mother. We chose June instead of July/August because she simply would not have been able to deal with the height of holiday season. It was absolutely necessary and in her dying hours she mentioned how glad she'd been to be able to have that holiday with her grandchildren & the children are glad they got the chance too. I hope your children get the time they need with Grandpa.

niceglasses · 09/03/2006 14:36

er, where I live youre non conformist if you aint got a tan (orange styleeeeeeeeeeeee)

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