Do you take your holidays in the school holidays or in term time?

[charliecat]

I booked a 4 day holiday last night (sun breaks £38) and didnt give school a thought, just said to dp that he would HAVE to make work fit around it as there was no way of us having a holiday otherwise.
(Never had a holiday before and dds are 9 and 6)
Just realised its the week after they go back to school after easter....
Todays school letter, new headmistress, says that Parents must ensure thier children get a FULL TIME education and permission for holidays will be based on that....hmm, so it wont be then.
So. Im not going to ask, or should I?
We will be going anyway. Its booked now.
And thier attendance otherwise is great.
What do you do?

I know it bothers schools to the extent they are trying to keep attendance levels up, but as charliecat said her dc's attendance is great I think she would be forgiven this.

At age 6 charliecats DD had 4 days on a cold beach with wellys on - Do Not Employ. PMSL.

We're note talking about badly behaved kids though hercules.

In answer to the thread title: in the holidays. That's why they're called holidays.

Also I really like DD1's teacher and I don't want him to have to spend even more time than he already does at work having to deal with whatever she'd have missed while on holiday.

Ah, that's another issue, motherinferior!

I don't think teachers should have to prepare a pack of everything a child misses if they bugger off on holiday in term time.

Teachers dont have to and shouldnt prepare work for kids who take holidays in term time, only sickness.

No, it's not another issue. If DD1 isn't there for a week, I'm kind of assuming she'll miss something. Her teacher is a sweetie. I don't want to make his life even tougher than teaching DD1 probably makes it already.

If you have so little regard for your childrens' education that you want to teach them that not attending school in term time is acceptable then by all means go ahead. Luckily teachers have more respect for their pupils so do not take holidays in term time, despite the fact that this means they miss out on anything resembling reasonable prices. I'm sure there are people here who would be quick to complain if they did.

Message withdrawn

Its in April - No tan

oh well, no problem then

Message withdrawn

I am sure I will be shot down for this but for me it's about supporting and showing respect to the school and education and what message you want to give to your kids. If you do it at least tell the truth rather than lie.

Ok lapinrose, I didnt think first, I should have and now I have thought im thinking that to minimise the effect on the school I will say they are ill. So not to effect the schools figures.
I wont be asking the teachers for catch up work.

If I tell the truth and get refused permission it effects the attendance figures.
If I lie it doesnt.

That will look great when your kids are telling everyone how great their holiday was!

Its not the length of the holiday that's the issue IMO, its about teaching kids what's right and about having respect for the school and their teachers. A cheap holiday should not be more important than their education. No, 4 days won't make much difference to their education if that is all it ever is, but what does it teach them about respect?

I would just tell the truth. You don't want to get in knots over it and don't worry too much about the school.

Well done not expectign catch up work!

I have never taken mine out of school for a holiday (eldest being 10) but am considering it this year. We haven't been abroad since we've had kids and there is no way we could afford to go unless it was during school time.

I think the government should work on the travel industry. If the prices didnt double or triple during school holidays, people wouldnt take their children out of school.

Charliecat - I would approach the Head. Explain that you have never taken the children out of school and that neither have they had a holiday . Say that you simple can not afford a holiday any other way. Also point out that their attendance rate is good. Say you are willing to take some school work away with you . Any reasonable human being will be able to see that you are not taking the pee.

And/Or say, that your dh booked it as a surprise treat and didnt realise about the school thing.

x post charliecat sorry!

We go camping due to the cost of holidaying at peak times.

lapinrose - I think that a holiday should be part of life and childhood memories - which is just as important as reading and writing.

yes, i agree but those holidays dont have to be done during term time! We have great holidays but just not during term time.

I totally agree, please don't think I'm anti holidays! I'm just very concerned at the number of kids that seem to think its ok that they're missing school due to family holidays, even to the extent that I have had to re-schedule GCSE exams because of holidays booked when parents had already been told exams were on. The situation here isn't that serious, but there seem to be several people who think its ok for kids to miss school for a holiday. Its not.

nah, I think a family holiday at this age is more imporant, sorry.

what would concern me though charlie is...won't they blab? teachers do generally ask about kids after a week of absence, surely?