Advice on holidaying during school hols

Labradoodle11_2

The time is coming where I shall have to start taking my holidays during school holiday time. I like to book about 12 months in advance and have always relied on package holidays in the past, although never at this time of year before (July/Aug)

I have had a quick look through the brochures and can't believe how much the prices are increased for August. What do other families do?

Is there a cheaper alternative to the package holiday?

We are not restricted on location, just the time of year. Please help!

Lady_E

We too are in a similar situation . We have taken the eldest out of school for 2 days for Feb half term to hit Tenerife , and then we will go to Ireland in the school hols. We DIY our holiday , i.e budget airlines, source resonable price accomodation and source car hire if required using the net and this site , for advice and recommendations. I resent the way package holiday companies hike up the cost of holidays , as a result of knowing the dates of school holidays. We have always found that Spain fits our needs at this stage of our 2 DS , however , in time that is likely to change. Good luck HTH X

Spendless

Some areas have slightly diff holidays, to other areas, so worth checking all your school holiday weeks against brochure prices.
eg a nearby town gets 2 weeks off in May, we only get 1, so if you got 2 weeks then might be worth looking into prices for the 2nd week of the may hols.

our kids always go back to school the tues following the 1st mon in Sep. Other places go back either a week earlier on on the 1st mon in Sep, prices can be cheaper late august-so again worth checking out.

when it was oct half-term, our school had 2 tt days together,and finished on the wed. If I'd been looking to go away. I'd have looked into price of flying out late wed night, or on Thurs, just in case it was slightly cheaper.

Our school is always closed May day (1st monday in May) and again same week on the Thurs for eletions, so though they'd still miss school it wouldn't be for as many days.

For weekend breaks I check out when teacher training days fall, and use this time to add a day onto a break.

gentlepurr

i have often gone for 2 eks late may, half term and the week before, so less time lost off school.

last yr we had 2 wks in greece in main school holidays, and much as i love greece, it was just so awful how busy it was, and spoiled a lovely resort. hubby and i have agreed it's actually CHEAPER to have an all inc long haul, eg, dominican, cuba carribbean in the main hols than to do room only in europe at that time of year.

last yr greece, r/o 2wks 2adults, one child, august £950, but then £15ooish spending money = £2500. (yes i know it was good price for hol, & not a last min booking either!)

this year, 2 weeks venezula, all inc, 3adults (son now 13 so adult price) £2200.
if you fancy pirahna fishing in the orinoco delta?!

yes we'll spend a bit on top, but thats our choice, also, petrol 3p litre! beer 20p bottle!
don't think the cost of living out there is going to skint us!

xx

Bargain_Babe-a-Licious!

Hi Labradoodle...

You can request 2 weeks excused absence from the school. They may not want to approve if the attendance record last year was poor (ie. lots of unexcused absences).

Best bet is do what I did: Write to the head of school but hand deliver it then make a phone call a day later if you do not receive an instant reply.

Hope it helps!

black-saturn

My daughters teacher told me that if I could prove that I was making the holiday educational they might not see it as having time off. So I was thinking of doing some kind of programme of learning about the area we are going to by going to museums and learning about the local history. They want proof though so I will be giving them project books to fill out. This is always presuming I do it at all. It all sounds like hard work when we need a break!!