Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Scotsnet

Welcome to Scotsnet - discuss all aspects of life in Scotland, including relocating, schools and local areas.

Flip

Original poster

Taking early secondary aged children on term time holidays?

16 replies

Rodedooda · 09/04/2022 11:47

What are the realities for taking s1/s2 out of school for eg 4 days at October to make it a full two weeks? (We get an in service day and then 5 days)

We've never taken them out of primary (childcare costs are high enough to not warrant having extra school holidays to cover than necessary!) but now they're a bit older, we can WFH that's not such an issue.

I know plenty do it all through primary, what's the norm for secondary where you are?

Have to say my attitude to school being absolutely compulsory 100% has done a complete u-turn after the shambles that was the utterly woeful provision during lockdowns (in our area anyway).

OP posts:

mapleleavesreturn · 09/04/2022 13:55

I'd just do it - not sure about general attitudes but after two years a family getaway deserves priority. I'm on day 6 and I wish we were here two weeks as they've just settled into holiday groove!

CharityShopChic · 09/04/2022 14:00

I agree with you, @Rodedooda. Pre-pandemic I would NEVER take the kids out of school, the only time we ever did it was so that they missed three days at the end of term to go to the States when they were P5, P3 and pre-school and I felt SO BAD and guilty about it.

But between March 2020 and August 2020 we had no school whatsoever, nothing online, just totally hopeless. December 2020 - April 2021 was slightly better but still no video lessons and just endless emails about websites to look at. They utterly let my kids down.

So no, I would have no hesitation at all in doing as you suggest. Have a lovely time.

Onehappymam · 09/04/2022 14:15

Schools aren’t allowed to grant permission, but they don’t mind, in my experience! I’m a teacher but I don’t work on a Monday. On two occasions since starting secondary my DD missed a day of school because we were away for the weekend. The school replied with ‘have a great time, however it will be noted as unauthorised absence’. Her attendance is otherwise excellent.

Once they are in S4, in my subject anyway, it would be a different story though. Some pupils have several weeks off throughout the year for holidays. If a course is oversubscribed, these pupils might not get their first subject choice, or if their grades are slacking they might get moved down a level. This is in S4-6 though, when attendance is really important.

Rainbowshit · 09/04/2022 17:33

We took our kids out of school in February for a ski holiday. Sent them an email to tell them they wouldn't be in and there was no reply.

I was if the same mind as you that after the shambles of the last couple of years I would prioritise a family holiday over school.

ToothGrinder · 09/04/2022 17:39

Agree with everyone so far. Obviously they can't authorise it but that doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. Everyone was quick enough to leave kids in the lurch these past two years so yeah family priorities change. Once they start studying their options subjects it would disadvantage them but before that - which yours are - then fair enough I reckon.

Original poster

Rodedooda · 09/04/2022 21:33

Thank you everyone, I was half expecting to come back to abject horror at even contemplating it

My youngest in particular (late primary) has got the firm idea that school is optional - recent 10 day isolation whilst continuing to be covid positive and half a day of symptoms didn't do anything to disavow that notion!

OP posts:

Groovee · 10/04/2022 10:59

I always used to write to say they would be off such and such a date and that I appreciated it would go down as unauthorised absence. Never had an issue.

Scottishskifun · 12/04/2022 17:38

Go for it, learning is more then just being in a classroom!

We will always take ours out for skiing once they hit school age given no proper half term in our council area and I'm not paying new year prices for rubbish snow and packed slopes!

Rainbowshit · 12/04/2022 20:53

@Scottishskifun

Go for it, learning is more then just being in a classroom!

We will always take ours out for skiing once they hit school age given no proper half term in our council area and I'm not paying new year prices for rubbish snow and packed slopes!

I really don't understand why they don't give a proper week in February. A lot of families must go skiing then which will affect their attendance stats.

HelloDulling · 12/04/2022 20:59

So no, I would have no hesitation at all in doing as you suggest. Have a lovely time.

After missing so much school, do you really want your DC to miss even more? I honestly have no issue with it, but this seems like an odd attitude to have.

Fudgeball · 12/04/2022 21:01

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

itsalwayscycling · 17/04/2022 18:24

Having not had a day out in primary school we've taken ours out for a few days in S2 and S3- just adding on days to pre-existing long weekends or the run up to longer breaks. It's not for financial reasons- I can only take maximum of 3 weeks in school holidays off work per year, and with losing booked holidays to lockdowns etc we just hadn't had a proper break together at all. Won't be doing it from the start of S4 onwards though.

Haudyourwheesht · 18/04/2022 08:24

As a teacher I wouldn't bat an eyelid in s1-3. As long as I'm not required to provide additional schoolwork 'so they don't fall behind'.

Phos · 18/04/2022 08:30

Personally I wouldn't. They get at least 13 weeks holiday, that's plenty time to take them.

M0RVEN · 18/04/2022 08:33

@CharityShopChic

I agree with you, *@Rodedooda*. Pre-pandemic I would NEVER take the kids out of school, the only time we ever did it was so that they missed three days at the end of term to go to the States when they were P5, P3 and pre-school and I felt SO BAD and guilty about it.

So no, I would have no hesitation at all in doing as you suggest. Have a lovely time.

Same here. I never did it before but now I’d not hesitate. Like many parents I was appalled at how little work they got during lockdown. My kids got about one hour a week of videos and a couple of things on Google classroom.

So now I’d take them out of school anytime except 4th - 6th year.

LadyMacduff · 18/04/2022 08:58

I'm a teacher so for me it's hypothetical, but provided my children had high attendance generally, I wouldn't feel any guilt taking them out of school for a particular holiday.

I don't think i'd do it every year, but if we were wanting to do a big, long haul holiday, I think the saving is justified.

Flip