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 would come clean with the head, be as penitent as possible, explain you don't get holidays otherwise and hope for the best. What you should not do, IMHO, is say that they are ill and put them in a position where they have to lie to their teachers and friends. I think that's far too much pressure.

its the same price to go in the holidays - did you think it would be more? but i do understand you didnt forgot about them.

And I agree with tamum BTW

Im on my own here, I think.
I dont think many are stepping forward and saying I Do! becausee it is frowned upon, but some must, and I was wondering what they do, ask, lie, or ??

I agree, one of the reason I went into teaching was because I knew it would give me time with my family. AS a results I have had to turn down invitations or opportunities to weddings etc because I can't get any time off other than in holiday time. On our combined salary we could have some great holidays in term time, but as it is we camp in holiday time. My choice and I know it, but surely parents have made a choice too?

sorry charliecat i meant - you forgot about them. ( i cant type)

I thought id have more chance of getting a hol in april, than the other months.

I do know some people who do at my children's school, but only rarely, and to be honest it is frowned on. I can see why people might not want to admit it on here, but I think most of us honestly wouldn't do it. But I'm not living your life, so I wouldn't judge either.

Message withdrawn

Well we have done it, this year. Put the form in and got a letter back saying okay. We didn't have to speak to anyone. For 3 days.

3 days for the holiday....not not speaking to anyone

Juuule - now that would be a holiday

Our borough has just issued a letter through the schools stating a max of 3 days will be granted for religious reasons only. This must be backed by your religious leader though so no good to me . Anything else is unauthorised and your child's place may be taken away from them. My neighbour has requested to remove her dd for a holiday and has been told if she's not back in class by xxx date she won't have a place at the school. We never take holidays in term though usually but I wanted to take my children to Indonesia next xmas (where my sis & her family live) and have a long stay (1 month)so looks like I'm buggered now

I agree about approaching the head first, maybe being booked as a surprise by DH is a good idea. Is the head a woman? If so you can both do the eye raise and "men!"
bonding thing.

Don't ask for school work! It sounds hypocritical.

I would also approach the school, better to be honest.

I dont see the big deal, if you are otherwise supportive of the school, their attendance is good, 4 days off school is not the end of the world.

I know kids that go sick if there mother wants a lay in and they get away with it as the mother phones in sick.

My dd has just started school, this year we have booked two holidays, 1 week in this country and 1 week abroad both in school holidays but if needed I would take her out of school. Would like to add that she started school in September and she hasnt missed any school yet.

It's done and booked- go and have a great time. Agree with tamum that you should definitely avoid making your daughters back up a lie, though. Why don't you send the head an apologetic note saying you were desperate for a family holiday for personal reasons and booked one not having previously considered the very valid points made in the latest school newsletter? Though you can completely see what she is saying and agree wholeheartedly, you cannot now get a refund and hope she will be able to make an exception in this one instance...

I think that's a great idea Scummymummy

Excellent Idea!!!!

Sobernow, I do NOT want the school to suffer for this blip...which is why im imming and ahhing in asking for days off, because if I fibbed they would have the needed Child Ill Letter(no bad mark for unauthorised absence) But fingers crossed scrummymummys grovelling approach may work

I do think it is more beneficial for a child to have a holiday and miss a few days off school (permission sought first of course). I think the happiness of my child is more important than the 'figures' from a school - I am saying this and I have never booked a holiday in term time. but I think its sad when I hear a child saying its never been on holiday

quote from my friend's DS (who is 10) 'why mummy, can't we go on holiday like other families. I would love to go away somewhere. Can we one day?' They can not afford to go away during term time and she is a 'good girl' and won't take them out of school.

was meant to be 'can not afford to go away during school holiday time'

really a bit off topic but can I ask what you wouild all do about those places that start on a Friday (I'm thinking half term here) do people not use them? DO you just miss one day? Why do the companies do it why not Sat to Sat?
Thanks
(asking because we might need to know soon)