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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

Could somebody talk me through it again why I should be the muppet who pays for full price holidays when everybody else at my dc's school...

82 replies

emkana · 16/12/2008 23:15

... takes their children out for holidays regularly.

I used to feel strongly that this is WRONG, but now I'm thinking why don't I do it as well?

OP posts:

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bubbles4 · 16/12/2008 23:29

i have done it once but dont on a regular basis as cant afford to holiday that often unfortunately there is always going to be somebody who milks the system.

BibiJesus · 16/12/2008 23:33

I totally agree it's a pain in the arse, dh is a teacher so even before we had children we were stuck to school holiday times. I don't think once a year is terrible, as long as it's not over exams or at the start of a term, neither does dh ... and you are aware your child will have missed work and will need to catch up (DH's greatest annoyance is parents who don't think about this).

MaryMotherOfCheeses · 16/12/2008 23:37

I'm so in two minds about this for next year.

I want to go in school holidays so we can spend our annual leave with DS when he's off school instead of having to send him to a childminder so much.

But it's so fecking expensive!!!!! I've never gone away in school hols before and am truly astonished by how expensive it's going to be.

Original poster

emkana · 17/12/2008 20:56

At the moment I am really tempted to do it, even though I always thought I wouldn't.

OP posts:

purplehighheels · 18/12/2008 10:49

We did it last year (ds was in reception), and I will do it again. The prices charged by holiday companies during school holidays is criminal! Also, education is about far more than what is learned at school, and families shouldn't feel guilty about doing something so beneficial - they are children after all with plenty of time to be tied to schedules and responsibilities.

FranSanDisco · 18/12/2008 10:56

We get fined by the LEA (£50.00 per child)and children have had their places taken away if they exceed 10 days absence. Two children in dd's class went to Asia in the summer holidays and came back in October - no places.One is now 20th on the lsit to rejoin the school and has no school place. It's a nightmare. We're coming back 2 days late in Januuary and are going to ring in with a bug story. Dd never has time off and ds has been sick 1 day this term but it's a blanket rule, no exceptions

revjustaboutbelievesinsanta · 18/12/2008 10:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ketal · 20/12/2008 11:31

We've done it, will again and I am a teacher!

I took her out of school for one day at the end of november for a long weekend break. Over that weekend, she was counting the chalet numbers (at Centre Parcs) and learnt to read the numbers to 999. It just clicked, because she was interested in which one was our chalet (408) and it had a practical application. She is in reception - went back to school on Monday and carried on learning to count to 20. Sometimes children can get sooo much out of their holidays - there is a lot to be learnt on them too!

We have also got a week booked in July (I break up before her). That is half the price of going a week later, and tbh I couldn't afford to go if we had to do it then.

Secondly, as a secondary teacher - I've never yet a child that has not been able to catch up. Personally, I'd say be sensible about it - never do it in September, or at the start of term when rules are being established, work set and so on... but if you do it in July when they're winding down to the end of term anyway (Nothing major ever gets taught in the last few weeks of the summer term), they're not going to miss much, and they can usually catch up!
HTH

nikos · 20/12/2008 11:53

Always take mine out for 2 weeks towards end of summer term. Nothing wrong with it, have to go then as take MIL who has heart condition and can't go at height of summer.

Clary · 20/12/2008 21:58

It's wrong because it send children the message that school is optional - but it isn't, any more than it is (mainly) about having fun - it is about Learning and that is Important and you Have to go (tho obv it's better if you enjoy it).

I personally think that is very important.

Also it's v disruptive to class if kids continually are away; also the child who is away will miss important work; also they will miss other things.

Last year we did a school calendar with photos of the children and s/one I know was on holiday on the date we did the pix; oh, she said, can we do another pic of all the children who were away? Well, no, little Lauren's not here, sorry she misses out, Tough bananas!

ketal · 20/12/2008 22:50

... Except that they don't have to do during the school holidays / Weekends / Teacher Training days or Public voting days. I think all children are able to appreciate the fact that there are exceptions to the rules, but that the rule generally holds - certainly my 5 year old is more than capable of it - although she is asking why she can't go to school on Monday!?!

"Also it's v disruptive to class if kids continually are away; also the child who is away will miss important work; also they will miss other things"

How true it is really? I certainly do not find it disruptive, never have done, and as I said previously as long as the parents are really sensible about when they go, then nothing important is missed!

Take this last week for example - at secondary, how many fun lessons / films / games are done in the last week - the expectation is that they won't do much work, and even those mean teachers (like me) which try and make them do some work do it at a more laid back approach. The same goes for the build up to any school holiday - or at least that has been my experience in all 4 schools I have taught in over the past 10 years!

janeite · 20/12/2008 22:54

It is wrong. We are lucky to have free education in this country (yes, yes, I know we pay taxes) and children should be taught to respect that, not to regard school as optional. If you can't afford to go abroad in school time, then have a UK holiday in school holiday time.

ketal · 20/12/2008 23:02

But what about those who can't afford a UK holiday in school holiday time? Isn't it rather naive to think that everyone is skipping school to afford a foreign holiday? (I've not had one in 6 years!) Some people do actually struggle for a cheap British holiday - don't all children deserve a holiday? One week out of 40 is not going to undermine that rule, so long as it is enforced the other 39 weeks of term. Children seem to understand that with no problems, why is it so hard for adults to understand???

ketal · 20/12/2008 23:02

The rule being that they must attend school!

janeite · 20/12/2008 23:08

There are plenty of affordable UK holidays, even if it's just a few nights at Pontins. We didn't go abroad for 13 years; nor have we ever taken our children out of school to go on holiday. We settled for a couple of nights away in a cheapo hotel and a week or so staying with family each year.

I agree that children deserve a holiday but they should not miss school to get one.

MollieO · 20/12/2008 23:13

Is this a modern thing? Never seemed to happen when I was at school. We had one week's holiday a year usually at a holiday club like Pontins in Devon. First time I went abroad was when I was 17. I didn't feel deprived or as if I was missing out. Obviously flights are much cheaper now so it is easier to go abroad.

My ds is missing the first few days of next term because we are away on holiday. School holiday dates published on website, we booked holiday based on those dates, they they changed the dates (school very apologetic!). I wouldn't willingly take my ds out of school for holidays. I'd be concerned about him missing school through my choosing when it is pretty likely he will miss some school through being ill over the course of a year.

Clary · 20/12/2008 23:16

It always makes me lol when people argue that their child gets so much more out of their holiday - than they would out of school, I suppose.

In that case why send them to school at all? Why not, y'know, home ed them?

Another thing I find bizarre is how many working parents do this - DH and I both work and it's all we can do to stretch our hols to cover (not quite) the school holidays. Why on earth would we take time in school time as well?

We don't go abroad on holiday any more, for lots of reasons.

ANd yes, it is more expensive in school hols - but it would be, wouldn't it? It's called supply and demand and you can't live in a capitalist society and argue with that really.

Gorionine · 20/12/2008 23:16

I have taken days off school to go and see my parents who live abroad. Not always a money matter but more an organisation issue. My mum works strange hours and it is hard to find moments that are convenient for everybody. I agree with ketal about the rule thing.

juuule · 20/12/2008 23:20

We've found that even holidays at Pontins are too expensive for us during term-time.
And school is optional. We home-educate some of ours. However, we do have some in school so have to balance that with when we go on holiday.
Thanks ketal for your posts which give an indication of the genuinely important times to be in school.

Clary · 20/12/2008 23:20

BTW I don't think there's a problem sayign to the kids - no there's no school today because it's the weekend or school hols etc.

I think if you say to them, in effect, yes, there is school but you are not going, No you are not ill, but we just don't think you need to go this fortnight, then that is a problem.

juuule · 20/12/2008 23:26

Why is that a problem?

juuule · 20/12/2008 23:27

Just because children get a lot out of a holiday doesn't mean they don't get anything out of school.

BONKERZ · 20/12/2008 23:33

we have 10 days a year when we take DS out of school for hoildays, we normally spend less than £400 on 2 holidays in uk a year, this year we thought we would have one holiday in the summer holidays and was totally shocked to see it will cost us over £1000 for 4 nights so have decided to do the may and july hols again. DS has 100% attendance except for these 10 days so i think he deserves the holidays!

Clary · 20/12/2008 23:41

I think it is a problem because you are saying school does not matter that much - like, it's on, but it's optional whether you go or not.

(I know it is optional in a sense, but HE not realistic for most of us).

Obviously no-one can go to school tomorrow as it's not open, but I don't wish to suggest to my children that they don't have to go when it is.

(Actually they want to go thank goodness - but they may not always)

Clary · 20/12/2008 23:43

Bonkerz it is certainly possible to have four nights away in UK in school hols for less than £1,000.

We pay not much more than that for a fortnight in August!

(And there are cheaper places than we stay for sure).

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