Not compulsory school age term time holiday

[Senners]

My child will start school next September 2024 and will turn 5 at the end of September so a few weeks after she starts. Am I right in thinking she's not compulsory school age until 1st January 2025 so I could take her out of school between September and December without a fine? Thinking of a short break in Nov, but not if there's a risk of fine. Thanks

@Mademetoxic How do you differentiate between a 4 year old who should be in school and a 4 year old who still attends nursery?
Should I stop my pre-school children from taking a term time holiday so that they don't upset you, or are screaming toddlers acceptable to you?
If it bothers you so much just book adults only. That's what I'll be doing when I get my first child free holiday in 15 years or so!

How could teachers do that when they have to work 😂

Your comment assumes that op's child is behind - op does your dc already know phonics/would you teach them yourself to ensure they don't fall behind?

This is worth a read for those who think missed school days don't matter.

Govt study

Op don't do it in middle of the year, if in juke or July you'll be fine

If you read my further messages I have explained why this is still relevant.
Save me repeating myself.

It's interesting that people know ex teachers who take their kids out of school in term time for holidays, I don't know any who do.

Also, if you read my other posts you will understand my arguments that I dint assume the child is behind who goes on holiday beforehand, but argue they become behind through missing the schooling whilst away.

Others make the valid point that a day or two is totally different to two full weeks though.
I just find it odd that people value schooling so little they genuinely think a child doesn't miss out on learning when they are absent...the study above illustrates the impact it has. As do my earlier comments.

Your comments also illustrate people genuinely believe they can teach their child, whilst on holiday, to the same standard as a fully qualified teacher ...🙄
I have Google and youtube but do not assume I can, say, stich my own wounds as well as a qualified nurse/doctor after watching a video on it.

Sorry for spelling mistakes, obviously they don't make me look like a great teacher 😂

@wafflingworrier I think the op is specifically talking about the non statutory school age group though and it definitely makes a difference what time of year when the more serious/important learning. In reception yes they're learning phonics but lots of kids with parents who read to them or who went to academic nurseries already know all their phonics so won't miss out on too much if they're away especially if parents help them catch up the sounds they missed or read with them while away. I think your posts reflect that teaching is such a hard job and teachers are totally over loaded at the moment but I think there are 100s more thing ahead on the list to blame than a few days of term time holiday

I think that the research like the one you posted reflects families who consistently don't come to school or who are late due to having all sorts of socially complex issues at home - possible neglect etc which is probably why you note the poorer attendees tend to correlate with the disruptive kids- probably had no sleep etc. i believe that this is based on experience rather than you being snobby etc as some pp have implied. I remember hearing of a lovely ten year old child who had shockingly poor attendance tell an adult they were late because their mum didn't wake them up because she'd been out the night before and was still sleeping so he got himself dressed and came to school when he woke up :-(

I appreciate agreeing to disagree on it. @Unexpectedlysinglemum Thank you for making your points respectfully, its really nice to have a discussion on mumsnet that doesnt descend into rudeness.
My strong opinions are shaped by my experiences seeing the negative impact on specific children I have taught/teach, I appreciate they may seem OTT for people who don't work in schools or see this impact every day.

I’m a teacher (actually a deputy head now) and I took my DD (then 4) out for a week last year and will do for 3 days this year. I work in a different LA with different term dates and DP is restricted as to when he can take time off.

Some of the posts here seem overly dramatic. Being out of school for a week did not harm my DD in the slightest. We did some reading while we were away and I’d looked at their online scheme of work to see what sound they were doing so she didn’t miss out.

She also learned to swim unaided while we were away - not all learning is about phonics.

Yeah she does already know a lot of phonics and is pretty advanced I'd say, and I'm talking about a few days 14 months away so she'll be even further then and one of the oldest in the class. Wherever she's up to at the time I'd be happy to do some catch up with her. I wouldn't take her out anyway if I was concerned about her learning, so I was only asking about the fine

You can't really compare doing stitches/medical procedures as a doctor or a nurse to teaching a 4/5 year old phonics and writing.

Thank you!!!!!!

Sorry just to clarify, you can't compare it to teaching a 4/5 year old a bit of phonics or writing as in 4 days worth which is all what I'd be doing. I'm in no way claiming to be able to do a teacher's full time job. But I don't think I need to qualify as a teacher to cover 4 days of a 5 year olds learning I think I can manage that. Also like I said before she's learning phonics writing etc now and she's really good so surely won't be doing the same again in 14 months time when she starts school? Her nursery are brilliant and do lots of academic learning already, she's not even 4 yet!

So you're saying that I should never complain and it is unreasonable to be annoyed to see children in holiday destinations when they should be at school?

When I choose to take my holidays out of school time because of this ?

Again it is not unreasonable to be annoyed at screaming bratty kids round the pool and to complain when I choose to take my holidays out of school time for this reason.

So I'm unreasonable to complain about children during school time? Out of school time during the 6 weeks holidays? Which one?

Op asking about taking her not of school age child on holiday is why there's school aged kids on your holiday??

@Mademetoxic if you've gone to a family friendly hotel then yes you are being unreasonable to complain about children being present. You don't want to see kids then go to an adult only hotel.

Your problem is clearly having children on your holiday out of UK school holiday dates. You're not concerned about the child falling behind or anything, just the fact that you don't want children on your holiday. Everyone is trying to explain, there will always be children on your holidays and plane, no matter when you go. There will be less in term time though, and massively cheaper. The only way to avoid any "bratty children" is to go adults only. Even if every school age child was in school not a single term time holiday, there will still be loads of under 5s there in term time (totally fine and allowed) and these are going to be the ones that are probably the loudest 😂 Along with kids from all over the world with different term holiday dates, home schoolers, private schoolers etc. Your argument is totally flawed, you just want no kids on your hols and that's impossible.

The children in question should be at school.

Why should I go to an adult only hotel, when parents should have their kids at school?

Me and someone else on this thread has said exactly the same thing, yet we are being told we are 'unreasonable' to complain... in term time!

Beggars belief!!

@Mademetoxic you ideally "should" mind your own business but your not. See how that works? Life.

@Mademetoxic shouldn't the question be why wouldn't you go to an adults only hotel if you're so against being around children on holiday?

How do you know they should be in school?

It's term time. So why do you think am I being unreasonable in thinking this.