To ask if you agree with term time holidays to please sign this petition...

[TermTimeHolidays]

here

It needs 100,000 signatures before it can be discussed in parliament.

It is disruptive to their education, it is disruptive to the teachers and it sets an appalling example to children

and that takes me straight back to my original argument.

If ^^ that is the reason that term time holidays are not allowed, then why are there exceptions?

Why is it considered disruptive to their education, it is disruptive to the teachers if a "normal" parent wants to take their child on holiday, but (for eg) Military Parents can be the exception to the rule.

If it is disruptive, it is disruptive no matter what so there shouldn't be the need for exceptions.

When I was 14 (1970s) we were given the opportunity to go to Canada for six weeks in June to visit my uncles family. We wanted to go in June as there was a big festival in the town where he was a dignitary. Even then it was very difficult - I was given a lot of extra work to do, and even thought the trip was, in every sense of the word 'educational' - I spent time in a Canadian school whilst there, my school was not happy.

I won't sign a petition asking for termtime holidays, I think the point about teachers having to repeat lessons is a good one.

I would sign a petition stopping schools fining parents who take their children out though. Simply because it has become a rule that wealthier families can afford to ignore. Which is ironic since they can afford to go in the school holidays.

It's not always about cost. A few years ago my DH was asked to give painting classes on a cruise ship. We decided that in two weeks visiting, Florence, Rome, Pisa, Lisbon etc. my son would learn more than at school. I wouldn't advocate it for a holiday spent lying in the sun but surely experiencing different cultures is education in itself?

Not signing. Utterly unreasonable.

Our old head had a different approach to this. He felt that at a young age it's not formal learning that matters so much as experiences. He automatically authorised five days holiday a year. He felt this was particularly important as many of the children at the school used this time to travel home to India/Pakistan/Jamaica to see their families. As a result of this policy, parents tended to stick to the five days and not lie about days off. It fostered good will between parents and teachers and students and resulted in a steady, predictable, if slightly below average, attendance rate.
Now that policy has gone that good will has been replaced with resentment and lies. And people go anyway.

Your petition is an opportunity lost. I will not be signing it even though I strongly disagree with the change in law.

I think you COULD get support for the law to be reversed but not as presented. I think the problems with the law as it now stands is that 1) headteachers no longer have discretion (disempowering) and people with 2) perfectly good reasons to go abroad in term time - births, marriages, engagements, on off opportunities - can no longer do so.

I think that you would get FAR FAR more support if you had a petitition that gave heads back the discretion to authorise absences up to ten per term, and also removed the fine - which will not deter the wealthy and will cripple those who are poor but who go anyway. Not for a beach holiday, perhaps, but maybe to visit their family at a time what wasn't the monsoon season.

I won't sign also, DS1 just left primary school and I never took him out except for his granddad's funeral.

The higher up the school they get the more crucial it is they are at school, 2 weeks off in years 3-6 would make such an impact in their education.

As for a cultural holiday V one lying on the sun - are you joking? One is not better than the other FGS. Time spent with your parents is what counts.

yes i think it sounds more than fair, 10 days.....

I think value should be placed on family time, and if the children are lucky enough to have parents who can take them anywhere, then that should also be encouraged. Life is very short and we already start our DC's education from 4 in the UK, unlike 6 in most other European countries.

i think the whole thing is a red herring to divert debate away from crap full schools and rubbish teachers and gunie pig curriculum's that ruin generations lives.

Grants

A holiday between years 3-6 will have no detriment to their education at all, that's sheer rubbish.

I don't see why just because people haven't done it themselves why they don't support those who need to.
I have never taken dc out for a holiday and my dd doesn't go to school at all, so its not that bloody important.
I am still signing and supporting as it is the right thing to do, even if it doesn't apply to you.
My final paragraph was to anybody, not Grants in particular

Kids already have 175 days a year when they are not at school. Why can families not make a bit more of those 175 days if family time is that important?

Noblegiraffe - read some more of the thread. there are lots of us that cannot ever take their holidays from work in school summer holidays. we make as much of the weekends with our children as we possibly can. However, unlike some people our jobs mean that if we want to spend 1 or 2 weeks with our children - not abroad, not skiing, not somewhere expensive, maybe just at home on days out or whatever, we cannot. Toxic is absolutely right. this rule change is rearranged deckchairs on the titanic not getting to grips with the real problem. Grants1000 you say you wont sign yet end by saying "..Time spent with your parents is what counts." Exactly! but if you work in school holidays and cant spend the time then you cant now spend it in term time either.

My dd has a german girl in her school at the moment - she is here for to months both schools are very happy with the arrangement

noblegiraff - have you not read the reasons why?

hopingforbest - you are spot on.

If [disruption] is the reason that term time holidays are not allowed, then why are there exceptions? Why is it considered disruptive to their education, it is disruptive to the teachers if a "normal" parent wants to take their child on holiday, but (for eg) Military Parents can be the exception to the rule. If it is disruptive, it is disruptive no matter what so there shouldn't be the need for exceptions.

In truly exceptional cases the disruption is outweighed by the benefit to the child allowed permission.

Just as the disruption caused by a child's absence for sickness is outweighed by the benefit to all parties by his not being around to vomit on the TA and infect half of Year Two.

Nope, still don't get why people are arguing that family time is important but for some reason those days have to be one after the other.

Thank you Horry, that is probably the answer.

noblegirrafe - family holidays are important and to me it would be a long way to drive 200 miles to a holiday destination for one day and then come back the day after.

For me family time is important when we are away from the home and there are not distractions from home life, whether that be cooking and cleaning or extra activities.

I enjoy spending time with my family in a relaxed state and having quality time.

I have never had to take dd out of school term for holidays as I am able to book holiday when I like pretty much as other people I work with avoid school holiday time, but not everyone is able to do this and I don't have a partner to work out getting time off with but for others this isn't possible.

my dd has had time out of school though for a funeral, for two days to go to a family wedding in Spain, not my family but her paternal side and the school gave her permission.

They have no problems either giving time of for sport and she did have time of last term

Kids already have 175 days a year when they are not at school. Why can families not make a bit more of those 175 days if family time is that important?

Agree with this and the subsequent comment about why quality family time needs to consist of consecutive days. If a parent spends one day each weekend having quality time with their children then that equates to 52 days each year. Most parents will also get bank holidays and extra days around Christmas and Easter which can all be spent as quality family time. I also don't see why some people think it isn't quality time if it isn't 14 consecutive days on a beach somewhere.

You might get extra days around Christmas and New Year running Chick but theres lots of people that don't. many people work Saturdays and sundays and have 2 days off mid week when their kids are at school as well. why do so many people on this thread assume that everyones working pattern is the same as theirs? Mon - Friday 9 - 5pm Saturday and sunday off able to take time off in school hols, it just isn't the same for all of us and that is why flexibility is needed.

My dp doesn't get weekends, one weekend a month and that isn't guaranteed, he doesn't get bank holidays either and is not allowed to book time off in December, he only gets Xmas day off if it happens to fall on a rotad day off.

Again some posters don't understand the reality of some jobs and working hours. God even when dp is not on shift he is often on rota support and gets called in or has to stay past the end of his shift. He went to work yesterday morning and should have been home at 3pm today but is still at work. There are plenty of jobs with irregular hours and where you can't just clock off because its a certain time.

So with this idea can teachers also take holiday during term time because it is more affordable for their family?

I work in the travel industry, by it's very nature I am at my busiest during the school holidays. There is no guarantee of time off a Christmas. I usually manage to swing Christmas off, but have to work other Bank Holidays instead. This year I was on duty during 2 out of the 3 half term breaks and all of the Easter holidays. I worked August Bank Holiday, both May Bank Holidays and 8 consecutive days over Easter in order to get Christmas at home (yes, it's not like I would work during the day and then see them in an evening - I would most likely leave on the 22nd or 23rd and get back some time between Boxing Day and New Year!) and enough time to go on a holiday in the summer school hols with the kids. But it doesn't always work out that way.

Dalmationdots read the thread!!! its not about affordability its about ability. I will say it again - lots of us like me are in jobs where they have to, have to have work in school holidays with no discretion or exemption. they cannot take time off then. teachers get 12+ weeks off I dont

But the flip side is that teachers get no choice about when to take their holidays, do they, mummymeister? And they have to take their holidays at the peak times for cost - so the grass isn't necessarily greener.