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Education

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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:

julienetmum · 14/03/2006 15:36

This term the half term holidays in my county were different than the ones in the next county. As I live right on the border that could affect me. It certainly affected one mum who is a teacher in the 2nd county but her dd goes to school in the first. As her dd is only at nursery at present she took her out for the week.

Dh also works for a different LEA. So far his and the school dd will go to have always co-incided, but they may not always.

Rhubarb · 14/03/2006 15:40

Yes it might cause problems for some, but staggered holidays would mean;

Fewer road accidents due to the elimination of the holiday rush.
Fewer children killed on the roads, due to there being fewer children out on the streets.
Lower holiday prices.

There are probably more but I can't be bothered thinking, it's too HOT here, know what I mean? Blimey I'm sweltering today! How's the weather with you then?

spidermama · 14/03/2006 15:41

Refreshingly cool with a touch of spring in the air since you ask.

SenoraPostrophe · 14/03/2006 15:43

but rhubarb, it won't mean all of those things.

there'll be fewer holiday-jam realted accidents I grant you, but the total number of child-on-street hours will remain the same so there's no reason why other accident stats would fall. Also holiday prices would only fall in august: they'd go up for other times. in all probablity they'd go up in june but wouldn't fall in august, vcompanies being what they are.

Original poster

zippitippitoes · 14/03/2006 15:43

like potato prices and chips, always up but never down

OP posts:

julienetmum · 14/03/2006 15:47

Piddle off!!!

I must work for the only heating company with freezing cold offices. The boss (my Dad) has doctored the thermostat and it is freezing, stingy so and so.

quanglewangle · 14/03/2006 16:04

Dank, soggy, slushy and pissing with rain. Probably explains why I am feeling so argumentative Not feeling belligerent though that will come with the fog.

Blandmum · 14/03/2006 16:07

But core and option will not work if people are taking holidays at different times of the year. That would make no difference. If you are taching the 'core' and people go away, you still have to teach them the catch up, while working on something else with the rest of the class.

And in science the subjcets build on each other, so if you miss one area, yo often have to catch up before you can progress on.

Kathy1972 · 14/03/2006 16:11

Simple solution: everyone who takes kids out of school in termtime has to pay for extra tuition to help them catch up.

Original poster

zippitippitoes · 14/03/2006 16:11

you would run them several times a year like a rolling timetable (great fun to organise..)

alternatively kids could log on virtually from holiday to join classes, email assignments etc

OP posts:

niceglasses · 14/03/2006 16:12

Thereby punishing struggling parents even more.............

Blandmum · 14/03/2006 16:14

Or simply just accept that their child's performance may well suffer in exams and accept it.

It is the parents who take their kids out of school and then moan about poor results that piss me off.

As long as people make an informed choice....and make no mistake missing school does affect performance....that is totaly up to them. They make the choice, they take the responsibility. But they have no right to expect other peolpe to help their kids catch up, that is their job.

Kathy1972 · 14/03/2006 16:15

We could means test the extra tuition, Niceglasses - £50 an hour for children who are taken out of school to go on cruises, free for low income families....

quanglewangle · 14/03/2006 16:22

MB - you sound like a great, conscientous teacher.
Wish you were teaching my ds - but I would still take hols in term time!!
But only if I had to and I wouldn't expect you to help him catch up. As a scientist myself I could do that. If he would let me.

He missed weeks earlier this year as he had an op and there were complications. He missed nearly all the biology module but still got a C using his common sense. So yes his grades did suffer through missing great chunks of work but they needn't have - he is a lazy little toad and made no effort to catch up. He'll still get A's overall though which means they aren't taxing enough but that is another thread...

Blandmum · 14/03/2006 16:26

Yes, it is an whole different thread

niceglasses · 14/03/2006 16:27

Well MB we agree on that point, if they take them out and the grades suffer as a result, and THEN they moan about it, that is there choice and a bad choice, nobody would argue otherwise would they?

Not sure about the means testing. What about moderate income family with maybe lots of kids to take on hols? Too many issues to take into account.

Normsnockers · 14/03/2006 16:37

Agree with the idea of making a contribution to the school/teacher for help with catch up work.

£20 per week per pupil for European holidays

£40 per week for USA/Caribean/North Africa

£60 per week for Australia/South Africa/New Zealand etc.

Schools could make up their own bands and split the money between say staff room refurbishment/staff funds and school funds.

A nice little earner and narrows the cost gap enough to make some parents reconsider.

Blandmum · 14/03/2006 16:47

Niceglasses, essentialy every time a nice, caring parents asks me to set and mark work for their child when they are taken out in term time , the parent is saying that it is my job to get their kids back up to speed. It isn't!

And trust me this happens a lot.

One of my sixth form really did ask me to give up my lunch hour to tutor him because he was skiving a lesson to go to a gig!

niceglasses · 14/03/2006 16:53

Well, I too have learnt a lot from this thread. I think I have it all ahead of me as mine are very young and I bet I will think back to it should the question arise in the years to come. Think its great we've managed to have this quite emotive discussion without resorting to a slanging match.........I'm going to leave it now though as kids clued to 'lazytown ' and feeling a tad guilty about the amnt of time I have spent on MN today (would have to pay to catch up if was a school!!)

quanglewangle · 14/03/2006 17:09

Not at work today then MB? Are you taking a break in term time ? Or snowed in?

Blandmum · 14/03/2006 17:19

I work part time, and don't get paid after 11.30 on a Tuesday. While I often stay in school on my own time to plan and mark work, I came home on time today to write sixth form reports. 8 down, 2 to go

quanglewangle · 14/03/2006 17:27

Good luck

Blandmum · 14/03/2006 17:57

Done!

quanglewangle · 14/03/2006 17:58

Great!! Now 6pm, have a glass of red. I'll join you. Cheers!

Blandmum · 14/03/2006 18:06

race you!

But mine will be white

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