Are you pulling your primary kids out of school to ski this year ?

[craftykits]

We are at a local state primary and are in a minority of 'ski-ing" families at school and in fact the only others have a French parent....

Anyway, I digress ! If you are ski- ing this year are you pulling your kids out ? We made the decision to book a week in March and take the DC's , 5 and 7 out - what have you decided to do ?

[ATacticalNameChange]

I don't have a problem with parents arranging any kind of normal-length holiday in term-time. I don't think it's terribly likely to affect a child's education. I know views on that differ, though, and others feel really differently.

My point was simply that it's silly to argue one sort of holiday is more worthwhile and deserving of authorised absence than another sort of holiday. Particularly as holidays that teach a skill (windsurfing, skiing, mountaineering, trekking etc.) tend to be something only available to the relatively wealthy.

[winklewoman]

Obviously, Atactical, we disagree about the merits of different holidays, so no point in continuing to wrangle.
However I am interested that you seem to particularly disapprove of holidays "only available to the relatively wealthy". As school-organised ski trips seem to come in at £900 -£1000, does your disapproval extend to those also? Should they be banned?

[ATacticalNameChange]

I'm not overly keen on school ski trips that cost that much. Makes me wince a bit because it would be out of most families' reach. I went on one and it was all the more well-off kids who went. No concessions or support for the less well-off, but perhaps they do things differently now....

[ATacticalNameChange]

ps I really don't disagree with holidays that only the wealthy can afford... not at all. What I was saying is that if you give special dispensation to children for expensive activity holidays this mihht seem a touch unfair to families just wanting to go for a bucket and spade holiday. Neither is more worthy IMO.

[PortofinoRevisited]

I agree - there is nothing inherently more educational about skiing than any other holiday. Skiing is NOT an important life skill - not in the UK at least.

My dd will go skiing in 6th year of Primary alongside every other Belgian school child her age. Cost is about 600 euros, and they do fund raising to help for those that can't afford it, alongside the opportunity to save a small amount each month. But it is not the SKIING part that is the focus of the trip. It is more about building independence/preparing them for secondary school/working on social skills.

To me the difference from a family trip is that NO-ONE is left out and that they do classroom activities in the afternoon. It is part of the national curriculum. They do a classes de mer/classes vert trip in the 3rd year also. Normally in February or November when the Belgian seaside is not at it's most welcoming

[flipchart]

No I won't take DS out of school. We go this Friday!!

[winklewoman]

I applaud the conviction and virtue of all of you, Portofino, Atactical and Flipchart, even though I do not agree with you. Have a lovely holiday, Flipchart, hope you have lots of snow and no queues.

[ATacticalNameChange]

Oh, if DH were not a governor I'd deffo have pulled them out . No virtue here!

[winklewoman]

Atactical

[flipchart]

Thanks winklewoman! I'm not really virtuous though it's just that DS has set himself a challenge to get from primary through to secondary without taking a day off like his brother did.

[Carol1379]

Slap wrists !! But yes taking daughter out of Reception this year, we will continue this until exam age, it's the one family holiday that we love and refuse to pay the near on £1700 more for half term or easter !!

[ATacticalNameChange]

So, our virtue was rewarded how exactly??? Well, By me being bed-bound all jeffing holiday with the after-effects of flu: a perfirated eardrum and the worst sinus infection in my life. Me: no skiing, didn't even make it thru a full meal till tonight; DP- no skiing - too busy looking after me and 3yr old DS, and ferrying older DD to ski school etc. And we paid half-term prices. What joy. .

I sincerely hope everyone else fared/ fares better than us.

Appreciate this is both self-indulgent and off-thread, but I just needed to get that out.

[apermanentheadache]

Perforated

[ATacticalNameChange]

Name change fail...

[superstepmum]

We have taken our DD's (6 and 8) out for a week - second year running. Personally, I wouldn't take them out if I thought they would get behind at school or they had exams to study for, but the girls get great results and feedback at schools, their attendance is also brilliant. The headteacher cannot approve the holiday, but with a glint in her eye she said to have a great time. A ski holiday (especially with ski school) gives the children a chance to mix with different kids, learn new skills and they are being active all day. I find that they grow in confidence too. They have caught up with school work too. The ski season is very limited, anyone can go and sit in the sun all year round. Half term is manic and can be dangerous on the slopes for beginners. Not only that, who lives in the world where everyone gets to book school holidays as time off work? That's really not the real world is it? We didn't get a 'sun' holiday last year, I was only able to get time off once the kids were back at school. The same could happen again so at least they've had a holiday this year.

[winklewoman]

Oh no, Atactical, what awful bad luck. Look on the bright side though, if you had taken the children out of school, you would have felt you were being punished. I hope you recover completely very soon.

[ElaClaw]

Atactical, oh what a shame :(

[apermanentheadache]

Thank you winkle and ela: I can look back wryly now as we are on the Eurostar homeward bound :D

[ATacticalNameChange]

Hahaha another name change fail :D

[bideyinn]

Oh tactical how awful :( hope you are feeling a bit better.

Ds2 once got chickenpox which was pretty crap and resulted in vitually no skiing for me

[jonicomelately]

PMSL at 'skiing families'

[willowisp]

We're currently on our skiing holiday -out of 1/2 term & have to say a fabulous decision.

Not bombarded with kids, 3 kids per ski lesson for my Dc's. Only me in my class.

The confidence my DC have gained at learning a new skill & achieving great results is worth every penny if we do get fined.

Skiing & any type of fitness education, particularly with this tendency to be non activists, can not be underestimated.

We are planning next years hols & it will be out of 1/2 term.