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

[Hai1988]

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.

I reckon very few schools will object to a single week term time holiday, it's 2+ weeks that takes the P.

I have taken DC out, for 2-3 weeks, every 3-4 years to take DC to see my family (who live 8 timezones away). We go over Xmas or Easter; my family doesn't meet up in the summer or I would go then, instead.

DS has a mate whose family swans off for 2+ weeks every December (in term time), kids in Juniors and secondary. I often wonder if they get any grief for it.

The other danger is when a child has had trouble settling in, taking them out again for a week or more can unsettle them a lot.

Never have but then this is the first year dh & I aren't tied to school holidays either.

We have been debating a few days in London after dd1s SATs as we want to go to PMQs & it's the only chance we'd get as she is at secondary in September but it's far too expensive

We took DS out last year (reception) for 10 days and we are again this year. But I do think it'll probably be the last time. I don't think it's going to damage his education or social life at the age of 5.

Yes we do. I haven't read the whole thread so am probably repeating what the others have said when I say, they legally don't have to start school until they are 5, so don't worry.

I don't, as a rule, agree with it. That said we did take DS (then year 2) out for 2 weeks last June for a holiday with extended family as his grandfather was becoming very frail and we were hoping to have a final family holiday. In the event, Grandad could not travel, but we decided to go with the rest of the family anyway. I felt very guilty about the whole thing (especially as I'm a school governor), and although it did not detract from what was a wonderful holiday, I would not do it again. We have non-term-time holidays like any other parents with school-age children.

They are only in school for 40 weeks or so in the year (state school; even less if private), so I think it is important for them not to miss it.

I'd be interested to learn if there was any correlation between parents who take their children out of school to benefit from cheaper holidays and the educational attainment levels of said parents.

Not at that stage yet and wouldn't do it for holidays, I don't think. We have family in Ireland and my nieces missed a big big family wedding last summer, no way would I have kept dd away from that.

Quattrocento, DS is in the top group for everything and when we've taken him out previously both teachers have said "oh it's , he'll be fine".

Is that what you meant?

Have only ever done it for maybe 1-2 days either side of easter/half term.
But...
we are taking them out for the first time for a whole week at the end of march. Family of 7 and have got a very rare chance to go away as a family (first time ever apart from 3 days in wales)
Not sure how the school(s) will react but I do believe that my children will benefit greatly from this holiday and we will not be in the position to do it again.

Ive took mine out 2 weeks before the 6 weeks holidays for the past 2 year. One in infants one in juniors. I couldnt afford the extra £500 minimum to take 5 of us off in the 6 weeks holidays. I wouldnt take them out for the 2 weeks after the hols due to them changing years. The school are fine with it and give them a summer pack which i take with me.

Another thing to keep in mind is absence due to sickness. There are a few in DS class that have a week off for a slight cold. One boy in particular had so many days off that they were called in for a meeting. Don't think he did a full week for the first 2 years. He is a bright lad, but is beginning to get left behind as he's never there.

Bearing all that in mind I really don't worry too much about taking DS out for a week.

Me too jilted, my kids are rarely off ill and in fact 2 of them haven't had a day off sick in over a year!!!

My worry is one of the schools is insisting no holiday's will be authorised and I'm a tad scared of the head so worried about telling her

No, JJJ

What I meant is that the parents who do this are most probably those who don't much value education and are therefore unlikely to have much in the way of educational attainments themselves

Just to be perfectly clear :)

I haven't taken my dd out of school for a full week since she was at pre-school. You may need to balance the lower cost of the holiday with the extra week's child-care needed in the Summer.
However if your child is in reception and not yet 5 years old you may find this easier as full time school only applies after they are 5.

Most schools do take attendance into account when authorising holidays. At my dds school they only authorise them if attendance is over 95%.

no harm in infant school
we don't after that though

def not in senior school

yes, dp can't have holidays in school holiday time, so the choice is go in term time or not at all

"What I meant is that the parents who do this are most probably those who don't much value education and are therefore unlikely to have much in the way of educational attainments themselves"

Totally disagree.

I am extremely concerned about education, levels and knowledge and where my kids are against the national expectations.

it depends what your kids do when you are on holiday. If you are sitting on a beach, then fair enough its not educational. But if you are travelling around cities, different countries, even around England, your children can learn so much, and this is general knowledge which is just as beneficial.

I do wish people would stop guilt tripping other parents into not taking a holiday.

Yes, their attendance record is affected, and yes, its wrong to allow your children to continually miss school. But if they miss 2 weeks in a year its not a major hassle.

What is obvious from the Mumsnet forum is, if you take your child out of school, is dont harrass the teacher to give you work to allow your child to catch up. Its your decision to take your child out, not give grief to the teacher.

Certainly value education here but did take dc out once. Was for a special occassion but still was not authorised. At reception age I would go for it.

"What I meant is that the parents who do this are most probably those who don't much value education and are therefore unlikely to have much in the way of educational attainments themselves"

Oh, what utter nonsense!

We will be taking dd out of school for the first time after half term - she will miss just over a week in total. DH and I are both well-educated and care deeply about dd's education, but we happen to feel that she will learn more on a family holiday in her father's home country than she will in a few days at school.

While we are away, dd will have the opportunity to re-acquaint herself with her grandmother, aunts, uncles and cousins. She will be able to practise her second language; learn about the history and culture of a completely different country; help out on her grandmother's farm and learn how crops are grown & animals are cared for; visit her cousins' school and learn how children are educated in a very different environment; learn traditional crafts such as carpet-weaving; help to cook and eat traditional foods; and learn first-hand about the poverty that is faced by much of the world's population. She will keep a diary of her experiences while she is there, and she is taking a camera so that she can share her experiences with her friends when she returns.

Fortunately, her teachers agree with me that this will be a fantastic learning experience for dd and they are more than happy to authorise her absence from school for a few days. We won't be asking for any worksheets, but there is more to education than school.

"What I meant is that the parents who do this are most probably those who don't much value education and are therefore unlikely to have much in the way of educational attainments themselves"

We used to live in a city surrounded by my family and our friends. We have moved to where DH grew up and for one reason, to get a better education for our DC. Just before we moved the local High School was getting a 17% pass 5 GCSE pass rate. If we didn't value education we would still live there.

What bollocks.

Could those who disagree with it explain why. My oldest is still in preschool but we are planning a holiday this time next year during term time. I think it will be a great opportunity for DS to see a different culture, spend time with family, get some winter sun and learn a new skill (skiing). I can't see how one week every few years while in primary school is a problem. But am I missing something?

I think many people feel that the younger the child the less damage done in missing school for a holiday possibly because they have many years of school in front of them. I would argue that it is in the primary years the foundations of learning are established. Having said that I don't really see an occasional carefully considered well timed family holiday (especially the type described by magicmummy) as harmful. I would suggest whatever age your child is the first week of a new school year is never a good idea.

no, I can't afford to take them out during term time and then pay for childcare in school hols

In answer to your question Quattrocentro, I have, O and A levels and 2 degrees and yes I will be taking my DD out of school, but it is not a cost factor or that is quieter, we can't go away in the holidays because of what we do for a living. The children have people in the house for a large chunk of the year and we need to spend time with them just as a family.

Agree with ivykaty - don't pay for childcare but as I'm self employed I rely on getting as much as possible done in term time to make up for what gets skimped in school holidays.

Having said that we have taken dd out for the odd day for specific events, and the school have been fine with that.