Kids hols during termtime - 10 days max ?

TurnaroundSue

hammy_the_hammer wrote:

the all round education of life can take place whether it be june or august. the vast majority of parents who take children out of school in term time do it for none other than financial reasons.
the shame is that as some posters have declared they are forced to take holidays at a certain time due to their occupations ....as these people are in a very small minority it would be easier for the education system to assist these people in catching up ....the others spoil it for the genuine cases

Like I have previously said, I am one of these parents. I DO NOT want to take my children out of school, but have no option.

For the people who do not advocate taking children out in term time, what are your thoughts about the schools taking children on school trips (ie skiing, rugby tournaments etc) in term time? Surely, you have to agree that if we as parents can't do then then neither can the schools?

spursman

Turnaround Sue
the reason school trips/tournaments are organised in term-time is that all pupils should be in school(haha) so every one has a chance to join in these activeties, if they were out of term time some pupils would be on holiday(not many if previous posts are anything to go by) so would be unable to join said activeties. having said that when i was in school our foreign trips were always in the Easter holidays
this thread seems to have lost its way & now is an argument on the merits of taking children out of school, as i have stated previously my wife is a teacher & she is against children being taken out of school in term-time unless there are mitigating circumstances(employment/religion/funeral/special circumstances etc etc) but she has said same as jury service if you want to take your children out of school anyone with half a brain can find excuses to do so without getting into trouble( she also says can those same parents not come into parent evenings & ask why jonny/jane are behind in class)
next year we are going on holiday to Florida & Jamaica for 3weeks(23 days to be exact) in August & i'm willing to bet we pay less than a lot of people going to Florida for 2 weeks in term time
all the best
Spursman

rdwarr

TurnaroundSue wrote:

For the people who do not advocate taking children out in term time, what are your thoughts about the schools taking children on school trips (ie skiing, rugby tournaments etc) in term time? Surely, you have to agree that if we as parents can't do then then neither can the schools?

If the school took just one child out for a couple of weeks then there would be a similar issue. But that doesn't happen - a whole class or group will go and the school timetables around this so that no child's education suffers.

pipkin71

School term 'holidays' from my perspective.

I am a single parent of two girls age 7 + 9. Ever since they started nursery I have always taken them on holiday for 1 week in June and 1 in September, and have always been given permission.

The difference between a term time holiday and official school holiday is more than double what I pay and if we were not allowed to go on holiday during term time, then my children would not get to experience all that they have.

In some people's eyes this is wrong, but unless they walk in my shoes etc, etc........

My children did not ask to be part of a single parent family but they are and I do my best for them, including taking them on holiday when I can afford it. The school have always been very supportive and granted permission for this.

As far as my children missing out on their education, when DD1 took her sats she received an above average score so I figure her holidays did not affect her education - only enrich them. DD2 takes her sats this year, after which, we will go on holiday at a cost of £275 to Wales for one week [July / August make that £785!]

Perhaps if holiday companies did not charge so much during official holiday times then we would not take our children out during term times.

If anyone disagrees with me, I respect your opinion, all I ask is that you also respect mine.

Best wishes

Pipkin xxxxxxx

Rachie_B

what month are the SATS tests for yr 6 pipkin please ?

pipkin71

SATS tests are in MAY not sure of the exact date but definitely MAY at my children's school

TurnaroundSue

rdwarr wrote:

If the school took just one child out for a couple of weeks then there would be a similar issue. But that doesn't happen - a whole class or group will go and the school timetables around this so that no child's education suffers.

Yes, but not all the children do go - when my son's school went skiing last year there were about 1/2 of his class did not go and they still continued with their education - what happened to the ones who went skiing, did they miss out? We could play bat and ball with this topic until the end of time and like Pippin says I respect your point of view and I'd like you to respect mine. I feel that my intelligence has been insulted and some of you have been rather rude. I thought this thread was meant to be about discussion and not hurling insults.

So I will end my part in this 'debate' still believing that there are double standards where the government/schools are concerned and no matter what anybody says I will not change my mind on that score - it's just a shame that I have been made to feel a bad parent who has no regard to her children's education, when in fact you cannot be further from the truth!

rdwarr

The one thing we all have in common is that we want the best for your children. Although we obviously disagree on the holiday issue I certainly respect your opinion. As for a being a "bad parent", I've come across hundreds worse. As long as you love your kids and don't hurt them then you're not.

pipkin71

I agree with you turnaroundSue on the point of school trips. For 5 days nursery / reception children go away to a farm - I was lucky enough to go as a volunteer when my children went but generally parents didn't go. Every year class 6 go to another farm - again for 5 days. Some children do not go on these trips. Nursery children stay at home for the week, reception kiddies mingle with year 1 and when I was volunteering in Nursery a year 6 lad - who was not able to go on the trip because of his ADHD spent the week in Nursery, as he would have been disruptive in any other class [this came from the nursery teacher in a conspiratory hushed conversation]. No mention of his education being disrupted however"!

I may rethink when DD1 is at secondary school. I may have no option if I pass my degree and move into teaching but at this moment in time school time holidays are our best option. As I have said, our holiday in Wales is only costing £275 instead of £785. When I took the girls to Disneyland last year I paid £1,300 instead of the £2,000+ it would have cost during school hols. Holiday companies have a lot to answer for IMHO

I also believe that children have a right to a holiday, no matter what income bracket they come from. From my neck of the woods, single parents are able to apply for assistance £50 first child £30 second etc each year, for help in paying for a holiday from a charity who also recognise children have the right to a holiday. Again this is my opinion, others may disagree and that's what makes for an interesting debate.

Do not feel you are a bad parent turnaroundSue- you do what is best for your kiddies and if that means taking them away at a time you can afford, then enjoy every last moment of your hols without a second thought.

Best wishes
Pipkin xxxxx

rdwarr

So it IS about money.