Would you take your child out of school for a holiday?

[Nomorellama]

If they were in reception in the term they turn 5?

so for instance my child turns 5 in November and compulsory education would be from jan 25, would you take them out of school for a cheap holiday in the winter term?

im leaning towards yes but then I’m a bit worried about overall attendance if we need one or two days sickness or one of two days for a holiday either side of the half terms when they are in compulsory education

@Nomorellama

Sorry totally misread your post.

Yes take them out and enjoy your holiday.

I do it every year, both primary aged.

I would

You're missing the point about Xmas stuff. Even if you don't celebrate it, your child will still like to be involved with the activities. It's not about you, it's about your child's experience/learnings

I would but can't because h is a teacher.

Sorry i think you’ve missed the point, they only participate in a v limited amount of x mas activities (as do the other minority faith groups in school) They have other non denominational activities in lieu.

plus we were thinking the earlier part of the year

That’s a shame. Everyone does everything at our school.

Yes. I did and I am a teacher (holidays were different)

No, we never consider taking the dcs out of school for holidays. They really love the activities at school and being with their friends, so we take all our holidays during the school holidays.

We're away right now, and went away the same week last year. We're in NI though so the school just say "have a fantastic time" and that's it.

Personally I would prefer to go towards the end of the year rather than the start but it's not a big deal either way imo.

We're in center parcs too, no pretending it's an educational trip, we're just having a lovely time as a family.

They do some, but there is more emphasis put on Christian festivals than that of other religions (obviously because it’s a Christian country) and some of it is problematic to us, hymns, nativity plays, general presentation of the nativity as fact. But from a RE standpoint all golden, im happy for my kids to learn objectively about all faiths, but in the same way I wouldn’t expect non Muslim children in a Muslim faith school to have to participate in ramadan or prayers or excessive focus on Muslim holidays / aspects of faith from a ‘truth’ PoV, the same goes in the inverse.

This

Don’t worry about attendance when the child is ill, most LEAs only fine families that are persistently out. They don’t have capacity for everyone and if you say they were under 5 for that week and ill the other days you’ll be fine.

I wouldn't in the first half term because of settling in, between October and Christmas I would but maybe not later in December because they'll be doing Christmas shows etc. New year yes I don't think would be a problem at all.
School might have a problem with it depending what their policy is, ours allow up to 5 days a year if you fill out a holiday request form, but we are in Wales and from what I've heard English schools are stricter about holidays!

Just had three children away last week in my class. Interesting mix of week long food poisoning, medical appointments and one mum who just said mental health break.

They denied the leave of absence dc had in nursery school so I can imagine they will be strict

They won’t authorise the absence but that doesn’t mean you can’t take them out anyway

I don’t. Not because I think it’s hugely detrimental to them, but because we’d be left with less annual leave to cover school holidays.

No. I just do not think it is a good lesson to teach them. When school is open, you go (unless ill).

Yes definitely. We took my daughter out all through primary and junior school. She had some amazing experiences that we just couldn't have afforded if it was in school hols. Even the teachers seemed to encourage it tbh. She's now GCSE years so we can't but don't regret it at all.

Personal opinion but I disagree here, I think it’s a very narrow mindset of learning, that it can only occur on a rigid schedule and at a desk, but I don’t really like the school system as a whole

Yes. Absolutely no hesitation
Wish I had done it more with my kids to be honest.

If I didn't like the school system, I would homeschool. I don't think learning only happens on a rigid schedule and certainly not at a desk (love forest school), but if you opt into the education system, I feel you have a responsibility to respect the boundaries of it.

Absolutely yes , have done so for all 3 of mine ,no more than 5 days and never at 'important' times such as exams.
They are adults /leaving school age now and doing just fine , those holidays made not a scrap of difference to anything other than giving us happy memories.
Life is short and if taking kids out for a few days makes the difference of being able to afford a holiday or not i would do it all again.

@wonderingwhatlifemeans mental health break is a brilliant way to phrase it!
We have taken our DD out of year 8 just for 2 days to come away. I was honest with school.
She has good attendance and a perfect behaviour record so I feel no guilt.