Sixth Form holidays

[LemonTraybake]

Are sixth form colleges as strict as high schools are about pulling a child out for holidays?

Not ime, but if their attendance and / or performance is poor they may not agree to enter the student for exams.

Surely by A levels you’re using your own common sense? And that would be not to pull out during such a pivotal time! I’m not a term time holiday prude, we’ve done it several times in the primary years, but not secondary, and there would be no good reason on earth I could think to take a GCSE or A Level student out of school for a holiday.

Sorry for being that poster I really do hate posters that don’t answer the question, have nothing to add but their own moral judgement…but here I am…

We have different priorities.

You really were that poster, but that’s ok 🤣. Done the school thing to death, and our Sixth former doesn’t care about his A levels so I care a lot less too.

I would not and did not take dc out for a holiday during A Levels. One went to college and I think they would have been less strict about it than ds who stayed at school. However if they are on track they should be ok.

Y

If they don't care, they shouldn't be doing them really, wasting tax payers' money and teachers' efforts. Just go on holiday for a few months, no problem at all.

Oh get over yourself.

Unlike the other poster I don't care that your DS is wasting tax payers money but if he doesn't care about A levels could he not change to a course he does enjoy or apply for apprenticeships?. It seems a shame to spend 2 years of your life at that age doing something you don't like. Plenty of time for that when you are older.

You have different priorities ?

Wow

You don't care if your child does well

To answer your question - no. We don’t fine term time absence. We do however force anyone with less than 85% attendance (with obvious medical exceptions) to pay for their exams. 9 papers at £50 a go soon adds up!

Thank you! This is great info.

Its an ongoing discussion. Smart kid, more interested in living like a millionaire that actually earning it.

Also remember that if he’s in his first year he likely will be denied progression to Y13. A lot depends on the setting - some look at attendance and/or performance. He should really do something he will succeed in and you need to support and parent him

For context, we’re talking 3 days before Christmas break.

Our sixth form won’t authorise holidays.
I also agree if he’s year 12 he should find something else he might enjoy more, an apprenticeship or a different course at college. A levels are hard and there’s a lot of pressure to pass and go onto Uni. It only gets harder in year 13, that’s if he passes year 12 anyway. If that’s not his thing he’s wasting his time in all honesty.

For context, we’re talking 3 days before Christmas break. Quite the leap you made there.

What even is this response?

In my experience colleges are not lenient at all about absence. My DS is doing carpentry and it was drummed into them how important attendance is and we get an email every week telling us what their percentage is. DS is in his first year, they only take about half onto the 2nd year and if your attendance is poor you will not be taken through.

I’m not sure why you say it’s quite a leap when you already said he doesn’t care about his A levels? Therefore some of us on the thread are just concluding that maybe he’d be better off doing something he does care about 🤷🏻‍♀️

Did you not bother with further (or any) education?

You're not bothered, kids not bothered, so why ask? I've got a level 5 post graduate qualification so I'm really not bothered that you have "other priorities" than your child's education.

Surely if it’s just 3 days you’d just ring them in sick anyway? Easier than worrying about it all.

Ours does send out an email saying what the consequences of low attendance will be (I can't remember what it says but DD has never missed any apart from through illness or public transport failures). We wouldn't take her out in term time unless it was completely unavoidable and definitely not just for a holiday, she's never suggested it either.