Have you taken your kids out of school for holiday to save money

[NC2125]

Good morning everyone

Just need some perspective here please.

I’m looking at holidays for October and we can save £500-1000 if we leave 3 days before the half term starts. Is it acceptable to take a child in reception out for 3 days to save quite a lot of money, money which we need elsewhere. Is it something that people do or is it a no go? Thank you in advance.

I doubt a reception age child like the OP’s will judge their parents for not being invested in their education.

Ugh god. How miserable. Very glad to live in Scotland where holidays as and when you please are the norm.

Well that was my question, is it generally UK, all inclusive, etc that tend to be more? You have answered that yes, those are two examples that are more. With the best will in the world, I can’t spend hours checking every single type of holiday just to see the prices, which is why I asked the question when there was a thread about it in front of me.

Yes, every year in primary school we went away for at least a week, timing it with inset days / flight times / half terms etc so we never got fined. Saved thousands and no harm done educationally, so no regrets.

I really do think the school summer holidays should be shortened, and schools able to set a floating week so pupils and staff can get a more affordable break.

Take a look. Flights to Nice from Luton, August and Sept. Prices are pretty much the same.

We have been on term time holidays now & again over the years but never at the very end of term.

Maybe my DCs went to a very disorganised primary school but they only did their transition day to their new teacher during the last week of term.

Fair enough, I’m surprised! We need to book flights to Crete for next August, I hope it’s similar.

We’re in Crete now at a very nice AI. It cost us about £1000 more to come this week than it would have been last week.

I’m not sure how much of that increase is down to flights and how much is due to hotel though as it sounds like you only need flights so might not be quite as costly for you.

Yes fine for a couple of days in reception! Go and have a lovely holiday.

Yeah we already have accommodation sorted. I was hoping to book with Avios tbh but heard it can be tricky in summer holidays.

You’re allowed to take them out for a certain amount of days in Reception anyway aren’t you? Make the most of it before you have to start making absence requests for older years!

I would and will do it, but I am in Ireland so there is no fines for this. I am taking my 6 year old to France for a week at the end of September- our accommodation costs 650 euro for the week vs 4,000 for the same accommodation in August, I just couldn't justify it and would also probably be too hot for us. I saw go for it. But I should probably also say that I was homeschooled by my parents until aged 11 so that definitely adds to my perspective on this- I wouldn't homeschool my kids but I don't think missing a week of school will impact on them in any way and time with family and making memories is so important ( I think :))

In reception, totally fine. Also fine in non exam years.

Mine are all grown now, but I always took them out of school for holidays, usually a few days before they broke up, I never took them out during important times though e.g SATs ,GCSEs or at the beginning of a new school year, mind you in those days you didn't get fined, but it was definitely worth it overall.

I did 1-4 days to save money. We never got fined either.

It’s three days of course it’s reasonable
! Education is not mandatory until 5 in any event x

Do it.

I remember my holidays from childhood, not every mundane primary school day or what I learnt.

School isn’t compulsory until the term after they turn 5yo. October of reception year will be fine legality wise. I personally wouldn’t do it because it’s an important part of the year for settling into school and making friends. They learn at an insane rate, they’re reading words by the end of term, there’s a different sound each day. Summer term less so, but then they miss out on all the whole class events.

I'm a teacher in Ireland and completely agree. Holidays is one of the drop down options on the attendance app so it's pretty common. I don't prepare work but will also wish you a happy holidays.

But you are prioritising an arbitrary point/age selected by past policy makers and politicians over valuable family time at a vulnerable age and a holiday that would be legally and economically viable.

There is plenty of time for education, childhood is short and the younger years are even shorter.

Yep, I have done it, and I’ll do it again. I also like to keep my kids home from school once in a while so we can spend some one-on-one time together. My mum did the same with me, and it didn’t hinder me whatsoever. I earned a scholarship to one of the best universities in London, and now I have a well-paid job. I still cherish those sneaky days off with my mum.

On holiday now. Took DD out a week before term
finished. Have done it many times.

But if paying for childcare or holiday clubs, those costs need to be factored into the savings made by going away in term time, on top of the potential fine. School is free!

For OP, I would absolutely do this in Reception (and did take my DC1 out for two days in Reception for a significant family birthday celebration post-Covid - we were given permission by the Head whereas I think now things are stricter). Your child won’t be of compulsory school age if you’re going in October anyway. As others have said, I would not do it with older kids but missing three days of Reception is fine.

I wish we had done it but DH is autistic and cannot disobey the rule once it's been set out. We would have saved money but also get to go to attractions in less busy periods.

It does depend when though. Last week of the summer term when they are watching TV and board games then I have no qualms. First 4-5 weeks of term then it's more disruptive.

If you really need to save that money it doesn't sound as though you can afford to go away on holiday anyway. It's not compulsory to go away on holiday, people certainly didn't used to go away every year and lots still don't, it's by no means necessary.

On the other hand probably doesn't matter in reception. It certainly can matter when children are older, and sends a message about the rules being for other people... Depends whether that's what you want to tell your children.

Just don't ask your children to lie about it - will you get a fine,?