Parental leave, does this sound reasonable?

[wonderstuff]

Wondering if anyone has done similar - next year I have one dc in year 11 and one in year 9, considering taking a weeks parental leave and pulling the youngest out of school for a week after GCSEs so we can actually get a reasonably priced holiday. Youngest has excellent attendance and the school do a 2 year GCSE so he won't have started options. I think my school will be supportive - I'm not so sure about my youngest dc school. Last time I did a holiday during term time I was on mat leave. I work part time and additional cost of holiday in school holidays is well above my weeks wage. I get that no one is entitled to a foreign holiday, but it would be so nice, and really aware that we don't have many more years left with the kids..

They won't let you.

@NEmama is that based on experience - my understanding is that an employer can ask you to delay parental leave but they can't refuse it completely. I do think my school leadership would be open to my time off, but as I say not sure my dc school would be supportive.

I doubt you'd be granted leave for that purpose when your kids are that age unless you dh has set leave which make that the only time you can go.
My school even say no to funerals when I'm free all afternoon and I offered to take it unpaid

But parental leave isn't the same as the odd day off, everyone with kids under 18 are entitled to request up to 18 weeks per child, to be taken in blocks of at least a week with at least 21 days notice, up to 4 weeks per child in a year, it is unpaid, but can be taken for purpose of 'spending more time with children' employer can ask for you to delay it due to 'significant disruption' but I don't think they can straight up say no. For me after exams would be less disruptive than other times of the year.

I think for me and as you’re part time I’d just do some supply days to fund a holiday in school holiday time instead.

What days are you working next year and when do you and the youngest DC break up for the summer? I imagine May half term is out due to GCSE exams but could you request the leave a few days before the end of term? Using Warks as an example, summer term ends Friday 19 July. A holiday departing on Wednesday 17th will still be significantly cheaper than one leaving on the 20th or afterwards. If you don't work Thurs or Fri that means even fewer days to request.

One of my colleagues took a week's parental leave to have a cheaper foreign holiday. She is entitled to it but it's gone down like a lead balloon with colleagues who feel parental leave is not for additional holidays but for special circumstances. It's caused a bit of resentment especially with colleagues who don't have children.
But as I said, she was entitled to it and cited 'spending time with family' as the reason.

@Foxymoxy68 raises an important point, especially if you are secondary: no school is going to pay for supply to cover you after exams and will instead use your colleagues in their gained time. You might want to consider how much goodwill you have built up and whether you want to spend it all on this week.

Have you also factored the cost of a possible fine for your younger DC into your calculations? £60 per parent per day.

My role is quite specialist, so could probably work it so impact on colleagues is minimal, but aside from that it does irritate me that a) it's assumed that it's special circumstances when actually all parents are entitled to it and should take it if they want to and b) generally teachers aren't supported as parents in the same way other professionals are in the private sector. Would we have the difficulty recruiting and retaining staff in education if we afforded teachers a bit more flexibility?

As I said I do actually think my school will be fine and possibly even supportive, but I'm not convinced my kids school will be I'd hope they'd leave it as unauthoriesed and not fine though - I don't think my school fines unless absence is persistant. Lots to think about though.

I have to say it would never occur to me to take parental leave to get a cheaper holiday, and I think parents would rightfully be up in arms about it! Imagine if all teachers did this every year. I understand that parental leave is a right but it doesn't sit right with me, particularly with all the strikes and staff shortages going on.

I guess it can be chalked up as another way teacher roles are less flexible than other jobs, just as well we get all those other perks!

Go for it op. It's your right to have unpaid parental leave. Very perplexing why some are being so negative about this.