Kids hols during termtime - 10 days max ?

fuglyjowls

Is it just me but shouldn't we all be grateful for the excellent FREE education that our children receive in this country? I think it is completely irresponsible to take your child out of school in term time if the only reason is to save money. The school my son attends will not allow time off in term time unless there is a very good reason (i.e. your job doesn't allow you to take time off in the holidays) and I think that is only right and proper. Yes travel can be educational but I will save up and take my son away in the school holidays when I can afford it rather than take him out of school, even if that means we can't have a holiday every year.

looby75

My sister surprised me and my kids with a week in Spain last October (we've had a horrible couple of years and it was a cheer up pressy for us ) She was passing the travel agents and saw it in the window so just booked it there and then. She hasn't got any kids of her own and the fact that the holiday was in term time hadn't crossed her mind.

Anyway I contacted both my kids schools and funnily enough it was my sons infant school who got funny about it, not my daughters high school. I got the lecture about him missing 6 days of education and how that was unacceptable etc etc. We went on holiday anyway.

While we were away he learnt to swim, used all of his Dora the explorer Spanish, much to the total delight of the staff in our apartments who spent lots of time teaching him (and my daughter) even more Spanish. He tried foods he wouldn't normally eat, went on a catamaran trip and went swimming in the sea with fish, saw dolphins and many other marine animals he couldn't see in the uk.

When we got back I called in to see his teacher to ask if there was any homework he needed to do to catch up, and she told me no because she had been at a phonics training course all the previous week so his class had been split up and put in with other classes and hadn't really done anything anyway :mad:

Yet the school wanted to fine me for taking him away. After I went to see the then stand in headteacher she soon reconsidered her decision to issue a fine.

pipkin71

fuglyjowls - I would be grateful for the free education my children recieve IF it was received at a level relevant to them. As it is, because they are high achievers it is the children who are not up to potential that receive the extra help and I have had to fight and challenge their level of education for near enough 4 + 2 years respectively.
I teach my children at home - alongside their 'free' education to ensure they do not fall behind through lack of motivation, lack of teaching or sometimes lack of decent 'free' education. For example, in year 1, my daughter came home with name the shape homework - something she could do before she started nursery. When I challenged the teacher, it was explained to me that because not all the children could name circles squares rectangles etc she wanted to group them together so that my child did not get too far ahead! I also buy my childrens reading books as the books provided by the school are not challenging enough.
Finally my eldest DD is now learning things at school I am not able to teach her - after five years of our wonderful 'free' education, and is now finding her maths challenging. Hence I buy new maths books which she spends time on after finishing her free education for the day.
Now, I take my children on holiday every year and I go during term time. Your choice is to not go every year and save up until you can afford to go during official school holidays and if that works for you then great.
Taking my children on holiday at a time I can afford it works for me and we have a great time. I have permission from the school so am not breaking any laws, and my children do not fall behind.
So, yes it could be argued that some children may miss a week of education but the flip side is, some children may actually learn a lot more by going on holiday, such as Spanish in looby75's example.
The point I am trying to make is that everyone has different circumstances and parents will make choices that are the best for their family. My main reason for taking holidays during term time is to save money, however, I am not and never have been irresponsible when it comes to my children's education.

Again, as I said previously, unless you walk in my shoes .......

Pipkin

looby75

My son brought home a letter yesterday about holidays in term time (there is a new head at his school and she's stamping her mark!), it also had details of how you could claim up to 20% off the cost of a holiday booked through Hays travel as long as it was taken during the school holidays!

It's nice to see that someone out there is trying to address the problem of holidays being so much more expensive in school holidays.

stashmycash

fuglyjowls wrote:

Is it just me but shouldn't we all be grateful for the excellent FREE education that our children receive in this country? I think it is completely irresponsible to take your child out of school in term time if the only reason is to save money. The school my son attends will not allow time off in term time unless there is a very good reason (i.e. your job doesn't allow you to take time off in the holidays) and I think that is only right and proper. Yes travel can be educational but I will save up and take my son away in the school holidays when I can afford it rather than take him out of school, even if that means we can't have a holiday every year.

Yes but it can be awful going in term time due to the intense heat,airport delays and the crowds. If you are going to spend hundreds even thousands on a holiday you want to enjoy it otherwise it's a waste of money.Why should all the family suffer because of one person ?Lets face it unless they have exams that year, their not going to miss much in 10 days.

richardw

Some of this is plain and simple head teacher jealousy, they can't go so they want others not to. Do it, it's educational.

elisebutt65

looby75 wrote:

My son brought home a letter yesterday about holidays in term time (there is a new head at his school and she's stamping her mark!), it also had details of how you could claim up to 20% off the cost of a holiday booked through Hays travel as long as it was taken during the school holidays!

Yup - My son brought home his school letter with an offer in from Going Places but your supposed to use the voucher from the encloised leaflet - Only Going Places didn't give them any leaflets - D'OH!!!!!

I've already got hols booked this year - Going after SATS and my exams in early June, when his class is going on a trip anyway as mentioned earlier, but also going for a trip to Spain last week of school hols - booked independently costing about £200 each

gregg1

pipkin71 wrote:

fuglyjowls - I would be grateful for the free education my children recieve IF it was received at a level relevant to them. As it is, because they are high achievers it is the children who are not up to potential that receive the extra help and I have had to fight and challenge their level of education for near enough 4 + 2 years respectively.
I teach my children at home - alongside their 'free' education to ensure they do not fall behind through lack of motivation, lack of teaching or sometimes lack of decent 'free' education. For example, in year 1, my daughter came home with name the shape homework - something she could do before she started nursery. When I challenged the teacher, it was explained to me that because not all the children could name circles squares rectangles etc she wanted to group them together so that my child did not get too far ahead! I also buy my childrens reading books as the books provided by the school are not challenging enough.
Finally my eldest DD is now learning things at school I am not able to teach her - after five years of our wonderful 'free' education, and is now finding her maths challenging. Hence I buy new maths books which she spends time on after finishing her free education for the day.
Now, I take my children on holiday every year and I go during term time. Your choice is to not go every year and save up until you can afford to go during official school holidays and if that works for you then great.
Taking my children on holiday at a time I can afford it works for me and we have a great time. I have permission from the school so am not breaking any laws, and my children do not fall behind.
So, yes it could be argued that some children may miss a week of education but the flip side is, some children may actually learn a lot more by going on holiday, such as Spanish in looby75's example.
The point I am trying to make is that everyone has different circumstances and parents will make choices that are the best for their family. My main reason for taking holidays during term time is to save money, however, I am not and never have been irresponsible when it comes to my children's education.

Again, as I said previously, unless you walk in my shoes .......

Pipkin

to use your quote "unless you walk in my shoes" (and believe me I am not trying to pick a fight here) but on the flip side of the coin unless you have "walked in the teachers' shoes" you are not in full possession of the facts regarding the implications on the teachers and maybe the remaining kids who have to wait while the teacher deals with "catch up" for the absent pupil and this DOES happen, honestly it does. (and I am NOT against a one off, trip of a lifetime, just the annual occurrences). All I am saying is I wish people would just acknowledge that it CAN cause a problem in this area. It is not just about the child who has gone on holiday - it involves others as well sometimes.

My OH spent a few hours last night sorting out work for a child who had just been on holiday for 12 days - the mother wrote my OH a letter saying the kid was now worried that they would fail their tests as the child had realised it was quite a way behind and was now concerned it was not ready for the upcoming tests which are used to put the kids in their proper sets for next year (and this is important as the students need to be placed in the correct set for the ability). (I know that they work at quite a fair pace in secondary maths). OH then had to get up at 5.30 am this morning in order to mark the books which should have been marked last night (although OH was happy to do it if it meant the child was happy and had caught up). Personally, I don't think that is fair on child or teacher.

These are just my thoughts and observations (from the other side of the coin) and certainly not intended to rile anyone.

pipkin71

hi gregg1.

Earlier in this thread, I did state that I understand the other side of taking children away and can appreciate that some children do miss out particularly when they are struggling already, and even if some children are not struggling, playing catch up when they return can cause disruption. I agree with all that. I work with KS1 and 2 children who need extra help and who often miss the most school [not speaking for every school here, just the ones I work in]
What I object to is someone who brands all people who take their children away as irresponsible. I can only speak for myself as a parent when I say I am not and never have been irresponsible when it comes to my children's education.
When I have finished my degree, I hope to walk in the "teachers shoes" and then there will be no more term time holidays, but by then, I will be able to afford to go away during official school hols. It's not an ideal situation, and the holiday companies do need to look at their own policy of hiking the prices, but right now, at this moment in time, my option is to take holidays during term time, or not take them. Again, I have previously stated that if I could take my holiday for the same price during the summer break, then I would, but as it stands, I am saving approx £500 by going during term time, and as a single parent £500 is a lot of money.
I would not dream of calling a parent who doesn't take a holiday every year irresponsible to their child's quality of life. That would not be right, just as being called irresponsible because I take my children away at a time I can afford is not right.
I appreciate your comments, and I do agree with what you're saying, as there are two sides to this discussion, which has made for a very interesting debate.

Best wishes
Joanne

gregg1

pipkin71 wrote:

hi gregg1.

Earlier in this thread, I did state that I understand the other side of taking children away and can appreciate that some children do miss out particularly when they are struggling already, and even if some children are not struggling, playing catch up when they return can cause disruption. I agree with all that. I work with KS1 and 2 children who need extra help and who often miss the most school [not speaking for every school here, just the ones I work in]
What I object to is someone who brands all people who take their children away as irresponsible. I can only speak for myself as a parent when I say I am not and never have been irresponsible when it comes to my children's education.
When I have finished my degree, I hope to walk in the "teachers shoes" and then there will be no more term time holidays, but by then, I will be able to afford to go away during official school hols. It's not an ideal situation, and the holiday companies do need to look at their own policy of hiking the prices, but right now, at this moment in time, my option is to take holidays during term time, or not take them. Again, I have previously stated that if I could take my holiday for the same price during the summer break, then I would, but as it stands, I am saving approx £500 by going during term time, and as a single parent £500 is a lot of money.
I would not dream of calling a parent who doesn't take a holiday every year irresponsible to their child's quality of life. That would not be right, just as being called irresponsible because I take my children away at a time I can afford is not right.
I appreciate your comments, and I do agree with what you're saying, as there are two sides to this discussion, which has made for a very interesting debate.

Best wishes
Joanne

I agree, it has been a very interesting debate - looking forward to the next one, good luck with the degree.