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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Do you take you kids out of school for family holidays?

137 replies

Hai1988 · 24/01/2011 11:37

Just wondered if anyone on here does.

DS is in reception and we will be taking him out of school for a week at the end of June

Are on a tight budget so couldnt afford the summer holiday prices, plus i h8 how busy these places are in school holidays.

OP posts:

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mollymax · 24/01/2011 11:42

We don't.
We have a motor home we use for holidays, so price is not really an issue.
Also, schools have long holidays, if you take into account what you will spend entertaining them during the hols when you are not away, it may not be so cost effective.
Also my 3 love being on holiday with lots of other children to play with.

MirandaWest · 24/01/2011 11:43

No I don't.

Very firmly believe against it.

Many people agree with it though.

Elk · 24/01/2011 11:45

Yes, we do but not every year and only when we are visiting family a long way away i.e. 24hour plane journey so we go for 4/5 weeks and they miss a week of school.

TheVisitor · 24/01/2011 11:46

I have done and am doing it again this year. Not every year though, and it does depend on what the kids are doing that year.

NorbertDentressangle · 24/01/2011 11:48

We've only ever taken them out for a day or two at the start of a week long half term.

Thats only happened twice I think and has enabled us to go abroad for 7-10 days within a week long school holiday IYSWIM.

MordechaiVanunu · 24/01/2011 11:54

I have done, and am planning to do so again this year. Not every year though, and not once they are at secondary.

Their eductaion is really important, and we put great emphasis on it, but our holiday and family time is more important.

If I thought it was going to do any long term drastic damage I wouldn't do it, but the odd week every couple of years I can think sod it, and live with it.

I know when they're grown up and gone I won't be dreamily relishing their perfect school attendance, but will be glad of all the time and memories we had.

If however, you are a feckless parent who thinks edcutaion is unimportatnt and who takes them out regularly without thought, my response would be different.

sogrownup · 24/01/2011 12:00

Go for it, DS is in reception so his development will not fall apart for being absent for 1 week.

The value he gets from spending a week away with the family will offer other opportunities which will benefit him.

As he goes into juniors perhaps limit the absences, but if it's a choice between no hols and a week away from reception....no contest in my humble opinion!!

Original poster

Hai1988 · 24/01/2011 12:06

I agree that as when he goes into juniors and secondary that I will no do this, but at this age I don't see the harm.

I am going to ask his teacher is she would like him to do any work while we are away and maybe give him a couple of work sheets to do in the evening ( or is that really mean )

OP posts:

auntyfash · 24/01/2011 12:10

Yes, our school allows us to take the kids out for up to 10 days. I live in a very deprived area and the head teacher understands that holidays in school holiday times are too expensive for many of the families here. We took them out for two days last year to go to a festival.

Original poster

Hai1988 · 24/01/2011 12:11

same here aunty, They are allowed 10 days authorised absents

OP posts:

sogrownup · 24/01/2011 12:29

I think we may have tunnel vision when it comes to education...I am certainly guilty of that!! What he learns outside the classroom is as valuable and will compliment his school work.

If I were you I'd leave the worksheets at home and watch him enjoy his holiday!!

MordechaiVanunu · 24/01/2011 12:58

Yeah leave the worksheets. Spoils his holiday and teachers hate being asked for additional work for them because of your holiday.

Take some lovely books you can share at night with less time pressure than you usually have. We've read some of our favourite novels together on holiday.

Or take nature books, bird watching, practise the language, whatever is your thing. Use the time together for all the stuff you'd thought you'd do as a parent but invariably don't get the time ir opportunity.

Original poster

Hai1988 · 24/01/2011 13:05

OK thanks mordechai

OP posts:

TheVisitor · 24/01/2011 13:07

Mine are in secondary and they're being taken out for 8 days as we've been given a fantastic holiday abroad, first ever time and there are 6 of us, so won't be able to do it again unless we win the lottery.

wigglesrock · 24/01/2011 13:47

I do, dd1 is in P2(5), did it last year and will do it this year but probably won't do it again. Her school finishes end of June and I usually take her out for 5 days in early June. Am in NI and our Education Minister was "caught" last year with her daughters on holiday in term time so she ended up having to issue a statement assuring parents they wouldn't be "punished" for taking children out for one-off holiday.

NorfolkNChance · 24/01/2011 14:27

I don't but being a teacher I don't get the choice!

Please don't ask for worksheets, generally we hate being asked that. Parents who ask me are told the work is available in the classroom and that teaching is more than just completing work sheets. There is much more you can do to help your child's education through language, Reading, cultural involvement etc.

taffetasplat · 24/01/2011 14:36

We did when DS was in Reception. We didn't last year when he was in Y1. We had just over 2 weeks in August drove to France, it was bliss not to have a yawning 6 weeks with not a lot to punctuate it.

This year DS is in Y2 and DD has started Reception, and will try for Aug again, if we can afford it.

There's no flying involved though, that massively hikes the price in the summer hols.

thehiddenpaw · 28/01/2011 21:46

I have son in Y1 and we have taken him out a few times, for special occasions like family visiting from Australia, a few days tagged onto half term so we could go to states and am just back from celebrating my 40th birthday in Lanzarote. (which was cheap and very quiet and we loved it). (Not had the full 10 days out per year but yes i would if circumstances needed it- my family live across the world as does my husbands)Yes I would do it again but it would just depend on what was happening in life at that time. We tend to do sightseeing so even in Lanzarote we went to volcano and rock spotting (husband is soil scientist).I got taken out of school for special occasions as a child and also as a farmers daughter, sometimes I just was needed to help on the farm (rare but it did happen). I have a good career and think it did me no harm

lovethesun7 · 28/01/2011 22:32

We will be taking our full 10 days out of school this February for a trip to Africa. Not a trip we could do at Easter or in the summer. Two children in Years 1 & 2 and we reckon that what they miss at school is far outweighed by what they learn while away. We think it's fine now, but would not do it when they are older.

Quattrocento · 28/01/2011 22:33

No never

But then PLU don't ... :)

Karoleann · 29/01/2011 08:31

we took ds1 out for a week last week to go to antigua for our 5th weddng anniversary. he's in reception and i'm not able to fly in half term.
school not happy about it, but he's 4 and i don't see the harm.
i wouldn't take them out in gcse exam year, but otherwise a week's fine

fivegomadindorset · 29/01/2011 08:38

We will be asking to take DD out this year, it is not a cost thing but due to our work we can't go in the holidays but feel it is important to spend time with just our children.

medoitmama · 29/01/2011 08:41

DD1 is in reception too. I haven't yet but wouldn't hesitate to! If I could afford to take the DDs to New Zealand for 3 or 4 months I would. Think the experience would out weigh missing out at school at this age. Mind you, I'd do lots of reading, writing numbers etc whilst away.

RoadArt · 29/01/2011 08:48

Yes I do. THere is so much more education they can learn about the environment and the world around them, different cultures, different people, languages, different geography, history.

Main reason though is because of family visits not fitting into school terms.

conniedescending · 29/01/2011 08:52

I don't, I really disagree with it and think its irresponsible.

only exception for me would be for a really special one off family event of something

otherwise - ooh its cheaper and quieter doesnt cut the mustard for me.

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