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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:
Bugsy2 · 09/03/2006 11:15

HC - I said that taxpayers paid for our entire countries infrastructure. The state or Government of the day adminsters what the money is spent on.

I am not suggesting that people don't have freedom of speech or the ability to complain about the service that is provided. What I object to is that assumption that you can just buy into bits of a system & hope that everyone else will carry on but that you can be entirely flexible. Its a bit like saying, well I know the speed limit is 30 mph, but I'm in a tearing hurry so I'll do 70 mph instead.

Original poster
zippitippitoes · 09/03/2006 11:15

spidermama that is the nub of it

if you were told that you had 12-13 weeks statutory holiday plus another 10 days flexible holiday it would cause mayhem

OP posts:
pashmina · 09/03/2006 11:15

before i take my dd's out for 3 days before half term and 2 days after, I will be asking their teachers if there is anything I should cover. I did the same last year and was told "no, just read a few books". They came back with laods of knowledge about where we had been, better swimming skills, and we all had a fantastic time. can't wait for this years break - will have to make the most of it because permission will not be granted for next 2 years due to sats.

prettybird · 09/03/2006 11:16

I think most of us in favur have talked about prmary schools - where a lot of what is being taight is reinforcement and involves repeating the same thing many times.

We were told that ds would only miss one hour of reading and one hour of numbers - the rest of it was "strucutred play", gym, singing, topic time, golden hour....

And as we read with him anyway and are always doing sums with him (more advanced than he is doing in school), there was no way he would have held back a class.

beatie · 09/03/2006 11:17

JennyLee - How would you draw the line between unauthorised absences? Term-time holidays are OK but term-time day trips to a shopping centre are not?

Original poster
zippitippitoes · 09/03/2006 11:20

what about people with more than one child, there would have to be a not a lot going on window simultaneously for all of them..not likely

OP posts:
JennyLee · 09/03/2006 11:20

yes

iota · 09/03/2006 11:22

Actually I wouldn't have a problem with the teacher having a term time holiday as long as cover was arranged - staff go on courses, have sick days, why shouldn't they be able to have a few days off if necessary.

Bugsy2 · 09/03/2006 11:22

prettybird, I don't think you will find 8 or 9 yr olds are repeating the same thing over & over again.
So you are conscientious parents & you are doing stuff at home that goes beyond what your child is doing at school. In your case, that it sounds unlikely that the teacher would have to do much repitition - but where does the school draw the line?
How can they say, "Well Mr & Mrs X are really good parents & their child is only 5, so they can go away but Mr & Mrs Y are unsuuportive parents and their child is 9, so they can't go away."

Sari · 09/03/2006 11:23

Well, I'm from the camp that thinks you should be allowed to take holidays during term time. And we purposefully sent our kids to a school (state) where the head does not have a problem with this. So much so that we have permission to miss December - the whole of December - every year to go and spend time in dh's country on the other side of the world.

Nobody can tell me that the benefits of doing this do not outweigh whatever the kids might learn in school during that time. They learn a second language, see grandparents, aunts and uncles they could not otherwise see, and have a chance to experience a culture that we hope they will identify with, understand and feel part of as they grow up. It is, after all, half of who they are.

They go to a very multicultural school where going away during the term is very common. The head only sees positives in this despite the fact that absences and unauthorised absences are flagged up as a problem in the Ofsted report.

Reading all this it strikes me that we are very lucky.

ProfessorGrammaticus · 09/03/2006 11:24

Spidermama, it isn't "up for debate" - it's a rule!

harpsichordcarrier · 09/03/2006 11:24

Bugsy - it is NOTHING like breaking the speed limit
that puts other peoples' lives in danger
pure hyperbole
I think the tone of these threads is hysterical and way over the top.
there are a gazillion more important things to worry about in education than this

Bugsy2 · 09/03/2006 11:26

But Iota, training courses are beneficial and necessary to a teacher's profession skills. Everyone gets sick - but a holiday (as in going away - not just time off work) is not necessary - its a treat, a luxury.

GDG · 09/03/2006 11:28

Yes, and you have 13 other weeks in the year in which to take a holiday!!! God, how much time do you want?!

GDG · 09/03/2006 11:28

Yes, and you have 13 other weeks in the year in which to take a holiday!!! God, how much time do you want?!

iota · 09/03/2006 11:29

I know Bugsey - but I still wouldn't have a problem with it if cover was arranged

Bugsy2 · 09/03/2006 11:29

HC, I don't think I am hysterical or that that this debate is either. I think I have argued my points in a reasonable way. This is not something I spend time worrying about, but it is something I think is worth discussing.
You are right HC, taking your child out of school during term times does not endanger lives - but the point I was trying to make is that a system requires the adherance by the majority for it to work.

soapbox · 09/03/2006 11:29

I love this notion that buying private education means that you can be more flexibile with term time holidays!

It is categorically not the case - our private school has a zero tolerance policy for term time holidays - if you don't value the education - take your child somewhere else!

Most private schools round here are the same!

I'm afraid I'm well and truely in the put up or ship out camp!

If you children are in schooling (private or state) then you should conform to the rules (all of them, not just the one's you like)!

anteater · 09/03/2006 11:30

Have not read all teh posts, but recently came accross the fact that traveller's children can opt in and out of any school with no restriction whatsoever, even if the school is full they have to provide an education..
So if you are having probs with your head, re regigster the children as travellers and buy a caravan!!

Original poster
zippitippitoes · 09/03/2006 11:31

Sari the extended family abroad is one of the reasons cited for acceptable circumstances

OP posts:
harpsichordcarrier · 09/03/2006 11:33

ProfessorGrammaticus are you saying rules aren't up for debate?? leaving aside the fact that that's not true (it is a matter of policy for the individual school, so not set in stone) rules are ALWAYS up for debate.
thank god the world isn't full of conformists otherwise nothing would ever change and our chikdren would still be getting caned for not wearing the right uniform - because that was rue in my day
(see, i can do hyperbole too Smile)

harpsichordcarrier · 09/03/2006 11:34

soapbox - ship out where?

soapbox · 09/03/2006 11:36

Ship out of the school - either find one with a policy you like or if that doesn't exist and flexibility is highly important to you, then home educate!

Enid · 09/03/2006 11:36

non-conformists work both ways though hc

if its the norm for school to allow holidays in termtime then those parents who complain about it are also non-conformists, no?

harpsichordcarrier · 09/03/2006 11:39

but hold on - policies change
there is more to the school than this flexibility isn't there?
let's say for example I didn't like the school's approach to literacy
or their bullying policy
then what?
put up with it, HC, and if you don't like it take your child out?