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.

Oh Feenie didn't you realise education before secondary isn't essential

One of our governors actually said that in a meeting once - I hit the roof!

I wouldnt take DS out unless something drastic like a serious family illness.

Children get 13 weeks of school so parents can choose any of those weeks to go away - although holidays are not essential but a luxury. I cant imagine the parents agreeing that teachers could take their hols in term time - many would be straight to the HT as little johnny should not have to have a substitute teacher etc.

Teaching children that its ok to miss school to do fun things means that if they truant when they are older the same parents are likely to have double standards. Also when they enter the workplace they are likely to believe it ok to skip work if their holidays are not when they want.

Even in one or two weeks they can miss things, teachers then have more work to do to catch them up to standard which is unfair on the teacher and other children who follow the rules.

Roadart, that is very odd as council publish dates centrally. I could therefore understand a few days difference but not weeks...Is one of those schools not under concil control?

I'm not sure why the expectation that everyone must have a holiday every year occurs.
I teach so obviously can't go away in termtime so most years we don't go on holiday - my dcs don't seem to have suffered, and tbh the vast majority of holidays that people take their kids out of school for are not educational.
It's almost inevitable at any stage that your child will miss something important, from learning a vital letter blend in reception, right up to the electron transfer system in photosynthesis at A2. There is a deal of evidence to suggest how crucial attendance is on educational attainment.

We have for odd days/family events, but other than that no. Not averse to though.

Taking dh out is more of a problem!

No we don't. For one thing, our school absolutely would not authorise it, they don't even authorise one day, never mind a week or more.

Another reason is the children get SO many holidays through the year that I think it's nice to 'fill' some of that time going away (granted, we're lucky we can afford to holiday out of term), if we had our holidays during term time then that would leave 3 weeks or so more to fill in the holidays...

And finally, I do think it's best not to take them out of school during term time - but as I said, I'm thankful it's not something I have to consider doing.

I've already taken my DD out for 5 days this year, and intend to take her out for a further 6 days (slightly over the allowed 10 days). She is in reception, and isn't even five yet, so I can't see what the problem is.

She has not missed one day of this year from sickness (touch wood!) and only missed one day in nursery class last year. Whereas some children seem to be off all the time, for reasons such as 'she just seemed a bit tired' and 'he seemed a bit under the weather.'

Btw, I do think education is very important, come from a family of teachers, and work in education. I just don't think 2 weeks off school for a four year with generally good attendance, is a problem.

Loshad, I agree. Our wonderful family holiday this year will be a week in Lyme Regis, in a rented cottage and very affordable. I'm really looking forward to it!

I

sorry, random 'I' there!

We have taken the children out for holidays and will continue to do so.

But as a forces family DH's leave is often set and not changeable esp in relation to deployments.

If DH was not in the forces I don't think we would.

I've done this once. Just once. Because the LEA were having a laugh. At the beginning of the year they published term dates - term ending on a Friday. So we booked ourselves a cottage in Yorkshire, thinking all would be well. Then came Christmas and guess what - changed term dates. Term no longer ending on a Friday, ending instead on the following Tuesday. I mean, Tuesday, FFS! And here we were with a booking already made.

So I said sod it, if they muck us about, we'll muck them about. Local authorities need to think about working parents and people needing to get leave authorised and booked long in advanced. Why can't they just arrange to have term start on a Monday and end on a Friday? Most holiday places are Saturday to Saturday or Friday to Friday. Childcare usually costs less if you're paying for a whole week than if you're paying for separate days. A little thought for families with two working parents would not go amiss...

Having ranted said all that, have never done it since and wouldn't, unless they got stupid again. Certainly wouldn't do it in the middle of a term, that's just silly.

Does the 10 days/yr apply to all state primaries or does it vary? We need a couple of days added on to half- term - not sure whether to declare all (relationship with Head is quite frosty atm) or pull a sickie. They bang on about zero tolerance and dole out knighthoods for full attendance so if they were to say 'no' them I am not sure where this would leave us?

figcake, I think it varies from school to school - some schools are much more willing to authorised absences than others. Our school has a very international population, and the head teacher takes the view that it is important for kids to connect with the home countries of their parents, so they tend to be quite open-minded about absences during term-time, but it's still on a case-by-case basis. Probably helps that most of the parents are highly educated (lots of academics) and so there is not really an question of them not valuing education etc.

I can totally understand those who think it's wrong to take kids out. I'd probably think that myself if there weren't real solid reasons as to why we wouldn't be able to travel to dh's country in the normal holiday periods. For most families, it probably isn't strictly necessary to take kids out of school in term-time, but there will always be a few for whom there really is very little alternative.

hmmm..my husband works hard. I work hard. We like 1 holiday a year. Due to price hikes we can only afford to go in term time.

My son is 7. He is not in the middle of exams or taking uni finals so I really do not think that missing 5 days of school will adversely affect his life whilst we get to spend time together as a family and enjoy ourselves.

I really do not see the issue here.

If you dont want to take them out, dont. If you can afford to go in school hols time then do so.

Simple really.

...and if we ever win the lottery we will dergister him for 6 months and go round the world.

Some of these posts are unbeleivable!

"The rules"??? fgs! He is my son. He is not the property of the school or LEA. Yes, it is important for schools to have rules but to impose blanket bans on authorised absence is shortsighted and ignorant.

I do not see 1 holiday a year as a luxury tbh. 3/4..yes. Not 1.

My dc have learnt more whilst on holidays with us than they ever would sat in a classroom with their peers; They have talked to older/younger generations, they have visited museums, animal parks, sea worlds, art galleries, beaches and mountains. They have immersed themselves in other cultures and languages.

I value education - my dh and I are both educted to degree level - and to suggest that because I take my child out of school one year I do not value it is ludicrous.

My ds1 is learning french at at school at the moment and is very excited as we are going to paris on eurostar for his birthday (he doesnt want a party) and I may ask the HT for an additional day.

So, sue me.

This, other than for quite compelling reason is a pet hate of mine.

I have seen several claims that what they miss at school will be more than made up for by the learning experience that is a family holiday. Really? Children have fun on holidays, but I doubt that the majority of them learn a great deal on a typical holiday (although of course I accept that there will be exceptions to this).

The other justification offered is that it is the only way to afford a family holiday. The entire time I was growing up, we never went on one holiday ever - we did stay with relatives (in exotic Hampshire). The "need" for a holiday is a new thing and the "need" to go away is probably yours rather than your children's.

If you must take your children out of school, consider whether the justification you offer is real or whether it is simply to make you feel better. Also consider that it may well have an impact on the rest of the class and on your child's perception of the importance of school.

We probably will take DD out this year.

We like to have a 2 week holiday every year, we look forward to it all year and DD and I spend many a happy winter evening browsing the Internet looking for some fun in the sun.

This year our budget is set pretty tight (we are house-buying) but we do not want to forgoe a holiday if we can help it.

I looked at a holiday in the last 2 weeks of Aug (which is when we went last year). We could just about afford it - but then the country we had decided on went tits up!

Spent this weekend looking again. We are considering Greece. Last 2 weeks Aug go way over our budget. First 2 weeks of summer hols go way over our budget. Last week of summer term and first week of summer hols go slightly over budget (but do-able). Last week of summer hols and 1st week of Sep term is within our budget. By a difference of £500!

Seeing as the Sep term starts on a Thursday (with Weds being an Inset Day) I'm pretty certain we are going to take the holiday. Personally I would rather take the last week of the school year, rather than the first week of the next school year, but as it is all the same children (and this year the same teacher) I'm not so worried.

I dont pretend that DD will learn anything on this holiday - except maybe a smattering of Greek (she already has some thanks to year in Cyprus). She will have a good time splashing about in swimming pools, eating a more 'unusual' diet, spending quality time with (a relaxed) mum and dad and making some memories. That's enough for me!

(oh and I do think education is important, I am well educated, as is DH, but Hell, DD is YR 1 - what is she likely to miss?)

Our DD would not be happy if we did as she is desperate to get her next 100% attendance certificate - However when I was a child for as long as I can remember we were always taken out for Summer Holiday.

When I left school I was awarded a certificate and a prize for full attendance.

A £5 gift voucher for McDonalds!

Which ironically was were I had my Saturday job- I'd have rather had the odd day of sick.

I'm taking my 5 year old out for 2 days in May.

lockets Sounds fun!

I am generally not in favour of parents taking their child out of school to go on holidays.

What is your child's attendance like?
There is a direct correlation between attendance and achievement, so if your child misses school on a regular basis for other reasons, you could affect his/her chances.

May I also add that I find unacceptable to ask teachers for worksheets or work when you decide to take your child on holidays. I am a teacher and I am more than happy to provide work for students when they are ill (or in whatever unfortunate circumstances) but I refuse point blank to provide any work for holidays. It's time consuming for me and if parents are concerned about missed work, they should not take their child away during term time.