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Original poster

If your dc had just started YR1 would you..

41 replies

PinkChick · 25/09/2007 19:54

take them on a holiday for a week about 4-5 weeks after they started?

do you think it would cause them problems, settling in/keeping up?

OP posts:
Mercy · 25/09/2007 20:03

We did this with dd in Reception in the Spring Term and she was fine (plus she was just under 5 and had been in the same class since nursery school)

BUT I wouldn't/didn't do it in Yr 1 which is a whole different ball game. It takes longer to settle into more formal school etc.

LadySanders · 25/09/2007 20:07

i don't have a strong opinion on this, my son is in yr 2 and i agree that yr 1 is a very big transition from reception... BUT, at recent headmaster's talk at school, he said it is more disruptive to them at this age to take a week off during term than to do so higher up in the school, he said they can miss much more 'new stuff', whereas when they're older its sort of 'more of the same' and more easily catchupableon (new word). on the other hand, its an imperfect world, and if this is the best time for you to take a holiday, then you'll get more benefit out of taking it than not!

LilyLoo · 25/09/2007 20:11

tbh i work in a school and if term time is the only time you can take yopur child away i would go for it. There are many great experiences to be gained for a child on holiday as well as being in a classroom. If it really bothers you just ask for some extra work for them so they won't get too behind.
I will be on mat leave after xmas and this year our hols will be in term time for a change.

Original poster
PinkChick · 25/09/2007 20:26

thanks everyone, we wanted to go back to were we went last year, dd has cried to go back there adn this particular week(it half term two weeks later ) is a good £500 cheaper than the week before and week after meaning its do-able for us.
my only concern would be taking her out of YR1 after just 4 weeks.
She IS very bright and thats a great idea about asking for extra work for her, we could do her reading etc while away as she thinks learning is fun(wait a few years i know ill have to coax her)

thing is THIS school say they DONT offer 10 days unauthorised, but when i enquired about a week in june(when they are ALWAYS OFF but NOT this year), she said they WOULD authorise it, but on record it would be 'unauthorised'?..assuming for the board so they dont think school are allowing everyone hols during term?
they said then that they would prob gete a few of these as theyd mucked around with hols, but this is later in year and i cant play the dumb'didnt know when hols were' card?????

OP posts:
jennifersofia · 25/09/2007 22:14

I don't think it is a very good idea. I am not against your family holiday, it is just that 4 wks is just when they have settled in and are starting to get their teeth into some real learning. It can unsettle a child for at least a week after they come back (depending on the child of course) and is also unsettling for the class.

Original poster
PinkChick · 26/09/2007 09:32

well, quick update..asked for a minute with dd's teacher today and told her honestly about what we were thinking..
i aske dher her advice and would taking her out after 4 weeks be detrimental to her education.
teachers said to me as a teacher, she must say she advises against taking dd out of school..and cant say any more..but we BOTH know your dd is very bright..but i cant say anymore....then she off the record said what someone else said on here, that holidays can be excellent education wise and that some children for whatever reason take 7 weeks off in summer instead of 6 and this is far worse as theyre 'just' finding their feet, she said dd is never off, late or lazy, shes first to try things, clever and picks things up very quickly, she said unofficially she would not see dd or her class having a problem if we were to take her on hol, she would miss 5 days, but she (or whichever teacher dd may have) would be able to set some work for her and she would not have problem picking up when she got back!
she told me not to worry about it and would give me a holiday form.

now its up to us and our concience as to wether we do take her out, the person who knows her best educationally has said no probs, but i cant decide if it would be doing the right thing to save a few hundred pound??

OP posts:
cheeset · 26/09/2007 09:43

Hi pinkchick, go look at the 'AIBU on school telling me what to do' thread.

I mentioned that I took my dd yr1 and dsyr6 out last week on cheap family hol (40 quid for all of us luxury caravan hol) as we couldnt afford hol in the 6wk, and got a right ear bashing!

We did the zoo, aquarium, eden project, farm, really educational stuff and some mners were really having a go!

I mentioned that I asked for missed work/homework for last week for me to do with them and mners were saying 'why should the teachers have to put themselves out'!!!

I stand by op,it was right thing to do for me and my family, failing that people should get their dosh out of their pockets and give me it to pay for hol in the 6wks or the govt should step in and bloody tackle the hol companies and stop them over charging in the summer hols!!!

madness · 26/09/2007 09:49

ds went on holidays with dh for 1 week during his second term in reception and 1 week during his third term in y1. No problem.

Original poster
PinkChick · 26/09/2007 09:53

Hi CheeseT, sorry youve been getting an ear full, i havent seen your thread yet, but will look.

your hol sounds lovely and i know what you mean..to give you an example, this hol although still expensive would cost HALF of what it would cost the week before or the week after(or any other time really come to that!)
The three weeks after we want to go arehalf term hols for english and other countries schools, hence the pathetic extortionate rise in price...DOUBLE!, how can they condone or get away with that!..its not the schools fault, i know that, thats why i asked them honestly..but so , that we are meant to put up or shut up with these travel companies!

OP posts:
Original poster
PinkChick · 26/09/2007 09:54

thanks madness im feeling reassured and i know youll prob say the same (others wont from cheeset's thread) but i just dont want to look like a bad parent 'taking' her out of school to go on holiday???

OP posts:
cheeset · 26/09/2007 10:07

The point I made on that thread was that we all self police each other and you get mums who don't take their kids out in term time thinking or maybe secretely thinking(i may be wrong!) 'well I don't do it, why should she/he!

We care for our kids and want them to have an education but fgs its only bloody 5 days out of a sch yr!

I kept telling people to be rational on that threat and by the sounds of it yr kids teacher happy so happy days!!!

HonoriaGlossop · 26/09/2007 10:31

I think it's got to be looked at pragmatically and based on the individual. Of course schools have to have policies, however your dd's teacher has as good as said there will be no problem.

I wouldn't do this personally, because ds really needs the routine of going each day and finds it very hard to go back after school hols, so I wouldn't do this to him. However if he was different I would consider it I suppose. I also know that we would have an 'educational' holiday rather than a 'stick him in kids club' holiday, so if it's a great experience for them, great.

Seeing all sides though I can see that if all 30 kids in the class did this there would hardly be one week of the year when all the class were present and if a good number were out at any one time that would be a shame for the dynamics of the group etc. So I can see why schools have a hard and fast policy; at least it makes people really think about it.

LilyLoo · 26/09/2007 10:41

glad teacher supports you pinkchick. As i have said i know most teachers in my scvhool wouldn't mind it's the children who take odd days off all the time that are the real worry. For what it's worth you are not going to get into trouble taking them out of school for a week, most schools will authorise up to two weeks in term time.

Gobbledigook · 26/09/2007 10:43

NO I wouldn't but that's because I don't think there is any need to take holidays in term time.

Original poster
PinkChick · 26/09/2007 10:49

CheeseT whats the site your use? you mentioned on other thread bbc something?..dd is in reception, would this be of use to her or too old?

my dd's teacher was only too happy to offer 'homework' for dd whils away and after mentioning it to dp just now, we can set aside part of day to read/write/play her action word games etc, but tbh this is something we do all time, so nothing out of ordinary.
also tacher has said that there are many indian children in the school who go back to their parents home country for many weeks at a time(3 months one girls who dad i spoke too!) and she will set work for those children for that whole lengh of time!

OP posts:
NAB3 · 26/09/2007 10:49

No I wouldn't. I wouldn't take my child out of school ever for a holiday.

ladymuck · 26/09/2007 11:01

Actually I think that you've been put into a difficult position by the teacher to be honest.

There will be little harm to your child missing 5 days of school. It happens, kids get ill etc. Some bugs go through an entire class and you can even have half a class off sick.

But the nightmare situation is to have different children out of the class each week. And once your teacher has given you this mixed message what is she going to say to the next parent who asks for the same treatment: "Sorry your kid is too thick/behind to be allowed to go on a family holiday"?

Will it harm your child - I doubt it. But also think through whether she will be unsettled if her best friend takes the following week off, and then it is half term and after that one of her other friends is off. Certainly I know that my dcs are unsettled when their friends are off school sick.

cheeset · 26/09/2007 11:09

Nab3, ok if you won an all expenses paid trip(in term time) to florida Disney World at the Disney World Resort Hotel for 2 weeks, EVERYTHING ALL IN, chance to swim with the dolphins and go on the disney cruise ship you'd say No?

Yeah right!

Pinky, just go to BBC web site or even just Google for school stuff, you'll find loads.

Google 'Education City' you can do a trial period with them it's FAB! they follow the National Curriculum. After trial period you can subscribe if you want.

bozza · 26/09/2007 11:13

Right cheeset, so you took your children out in term time because it was much cheaper then spent the whole week doing expensive activities.

bozza · 26/09/2007 11:16

And pinkchick what would you have thought if the teacher had said to you "well one or two of the children in the top group have asked for time off and I have OKed it because they are doing sooo well, but your DD is still struggling a bit with her reading and numeracy so no I think it would be a bad idea for you to go even though it will cost you £££ more".

NAB3 · 26/09/2007 11:23

cheeset I would say no.

cheeset · 26/09/2007 11:25

Bozza, ok well including the really expensive activities and the 5 days holiday I spent well....... 100 pounds in total!

I think thats a bargain, was either that holiday or Centre Parcs

PandaG · 26/09/2007 11:29

we did win a holiday (ok would have to have paid flights) to a fantastic apartment in Spain, legit holiday, raffle prize for a fundraiser, but as it was only available termtime we didn't go. I agree holidays are educational, but will not take my children out of school for them. We camp in the holidays instead.

DSIL and partner had the holiday instead, came back on Sat and had a fabulous time!

cheeset · 26/09/2007 11:31

NAB3 are you sure

really?

Big holiday, trip of a lifetime, kids would never forget it, disney parade, chance to meet mickey n his girlfriend(wife?)visit to Epcot, Magic Kingdom, Typhoon Lagoon, MGM.

YOU ABSOLUTELY SURE?

ChippyMinton · 26/09/2007 11:34

I agree that UK tour operators capitalise on the UK school holiday weeks, but you don't have to pay their prices if you shop around a bit, book independently, book early.

FWIW I would be happy to take my DC out of school, but DH is set against it.