Going on holiday in term time in reception, would you?

[Phoenix]

Ds1 starts school part time in Sept and full time in Jan. We can't afford to go on holiday in the school hols and this year went May 22nd, ie. the week before school hols. We really want to go away the same week next year but not sure with ds1 starting school. Is it going to be that much of a problem in reception? I really want to book the cottage i've seen before anyone gets in before me

I wouldnt hesitate if I could, but i cant as I am a headteacher! Seriously the price difference is stuning and the family time is necessary.

liking the headteacher attitude there!!!

i am taking dd to spain next week, she has been off school ill for weeks. Saw head yesterday, who was all for it. They are doing a school production at the moment which is wonderful yet, mainly about colouring. making, glueing etc... She's not going to fail her Gcse's really. Her nanna lives in Spain and I am a single mum on a budget. It will be beneficial, fun and relaxing all round.

I wouldn't. I tend to stick by the rules in life and think it's a Very Good Example.

And ime plenty of small bits - and bigger bits - of learnign goes on in teh last week of term.

re school production being about colouring and gluing - I think that's very selective reasoning.

It could just as easi;y be argued it is about teamwork, co-operating and negotiating, discipline of memorising lines, audience awareness, etc etc etc

I would in reception. They don't even legally have to be in school until the term after they turn five.

Education is really important but so is experiencing other things. I can't believe that one week out of school at 4-5 is going to condemn your child to undervaluing education or that they will miss out on something completely fundamental.

I've got a week at centre parcs booked for feb and will be taking DS - he'll be 4.

Go!! When they are in reception and especially if under 5yrs old, then you can do what you like.
Loads of kids from our reception class are going on lots of holidays in term-time as next year they won't be able to.

We've just got back from a week away, DS is in Year 1 and we did it too last year.

Don't worry too much. We tend to look on it the same way as choufleur, they don't even legally have to be there until they and 5. Children start school way to early here anyway, but that's a whole new thread...

i like my selections better than your pointydog. Plus you've been selective about my post and reasons.

illness, spanning weeks. head feeling it would be good for her!!

sorry, pirate, I didn't pick up on the illness at all. Hope your dd is feeling better.

I would, I have done many times. I couldn't have afforded to take DD away unless it was in term time. Our schools have always allowed 10 days and sometimes more on request. I took DD out for a week last year which was year 11. It hasn't affected her education afaik.

Thanks for all the replies.

I, personally, have never been on holiday in the school holidays. My parents always took us out of school for 2 week foreign holidays.

We could never afford to go away in the school holidays, it is a ridiculous jump in price.

It doesn't make any difference but ours isn't and will probably never be a foreign holiday for whoever said that. It will probably be Cornwall for a week.

thanks pointydog!

I personally wouldn't as I feel my DCs should learn that they have to follow the school rules, school isn't optional etc. But I think I'm wasting my time as so many children have been on hols in term time (mostly just a few days either side of hols), and DD tells me that it's OK to be off to be on holiday and the teachers don't mind! So I think maybe we should have gone for a term time hol in reception before she's at legal school age!

I absolutely would, no doubt about it and I wouldn't waste a second worrying about it. It is ONLY reception. I promise it won't impact negatively on your dc's long term career goals.

I'm a teacher (although on long career break as stay at home mum) and I think it's completely ridiculous to say that missing a week of reception is going to have any effect on a child's learning! It simply will not, they often miss time due to illness when they're little anyway and soon catch up.

Personally I prefer to go away in the school holidays just because six weeks is a long time to be stuck at home with the children without breaking it up a bit, and also if we go away in school time it means DH has less holiday time from work during the school holidays.

I would and I have. I am not very good at following rules

I would definately in reception.

we took ds1 to bosinver the week before May half term in both reception and yr 1, althought in yr 1 it was noticable that he was the oldest child there by a long way, and he had no one to make friends with. We didn't do it in yr 2, but partly because I didn't book in time and partly because of the age thing from the previous year.

I would, I have and I would do it again. IMO having a holiday with a family is way more important and beneficial to a child.

DS has had one day out of school this year (reception) to come to an educational thing I was doing for work. Apart from that, nothing - as a previous poster said, its hard enough finding the annual leave to cover the official school holidays let alone taking extra holiday!

A big part of school is the socialising - I'd not be that bothered about DS missing lessons but think its good for him to be part of the group and know whats going on rather than missing some crucial 'change of name peg' talk or something

I'm astonished at the number of posters saying don't do it. Its a no brainer round here (outstanding Ofsted school etc ) - it is no problem in Reception, as you get higher up its more of a problem esp if it clashes with SATs etc.

As long as a form is completed and you check with the teacher nothing vital is happening, I think its a really good idea. We find family holidays much less stressful when we don't need a second mortgage or need to give up a days holiday queuing for an ice cream. And if you're holidaying in this country, the weather is normally better during term time.

I'm surprised your school is outstanding taffeta, as our school can't be as our attendance isn't high enough (attendance in early 90%s, but has to be higher, not sure exactly what). So our school is draconian about it because it's standing in between a good and an outstanding rating - think this might be one of the new stricter criteria that have been introduced to the outstanding judgment. Think that your school might start getting tougher if I've got my facts right...
I totally wouldn't anyway. Think it's very disrespectful.

I wouln't if it couldn't be authorised, and you can't expect children to lie about where they went. You do have more chance of it being authorised in reception as your dc's absence isn't going to disrupt the activities of the group. But higher up the school it's more likely your dc will miss something useful or even just plain sociable and fun. And if you want the teachers to respect you, follow the rules.