Kids hols during termtime - 10 days max ?

Horasio

Timing matters

In primary school, I took my son out of term for 2 holidays, both business trips with my husband.

I felt he learnt more than he could at school about cultures etc. In his later year, he did a project on the trip and it has made a great keepsake. The catching up was minimal

Obviously, it is not good to take children out of school too often.

In Scotland, we are lucky that they are off school in early July and he had 2 weeks off in mid October. In his secondary years, we took our breaks then.

Becles

ejones999 wrote:

Sorry Becles but this is a load of tripe!
In fact you came across as a snob.
Every one has a right to a holiday whether they go abroad or take it at home is up to them!

I was referring to the sentence I quoted in my post, which said:

sticking to the rules means that exotic foreign holidays will be restricted to the more well off in society, those kids from families on average salaries would not be able to experience the wider world.

Nobody has a right to exotic holidays. If you are well off, then you can afford to go. If you have little money, then you can't afford to go abroad.

The rest of my post was meant to be sarcastic. Sorry you were offended by it.

For the record, we didn't have a holiday last year, and the only time I had off work was a few days between Christmas and New Year.

supershopper_3

Well I will be taking my two out of school for holidays as I strongly believe that travel broadens the mind far more than sitting in a class room. I travelled extensively as a child thanks to my parents and I learned far more about other cultures than I would have in a convent school in deepest darkest Surrey.

Rickycowslip

Becles wrote:

Nobody has a right to exotic holidays.

But children have a right to a good education, irrespective of the wealth of their parents. Travelling to other countries and experiencing other cultures is what I would consider a good education. One of the best things I ever did at school were the French and German exchanges, learned an incredible amount in those weeks.

Becles

Children do have a right to a good education which they get free through school, regardless of their parents income.

Some parents can afford to enhance their childs education with travel, due to their wealth. Some children never get holidays as their parents can't afford it. No child has a right to a holiday - it's all down to what their parents can or cannot afford. I never went on the school trips you mention as my parents couldn't afford it. I never felt I had a right to go on them though, and accepted that it was something I wasn't able to join in with due to our circumstances.

This thread is interesting:
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=139580

TurnaroundSue

I know it is a while since anybody has posted on this thread, but my son came home from school today and told me that he has a rugby tournament next Wednesday in school and that he would be missing his lessons for that day. My son's school also went skiing last year for 9 days in term time (which my son didn't go on as we couldn't afford it!!). It seems very hypocritical of this government to say that we cannot take our kids out of school for holidays, yet it is okay for the school to arrange a trip in term time or a rugby tournament. If they feel that strongly - why aren't these arranged in school holidays!!!

I would love to take my kids on holiday in the school holidays - it makes life easier all round, as for instance in the summer holidays 2 weeks are covered without having to worry what you are going to do to entertain them for 6/7 weeks - expecially if you work also!! Mr OH is a paramedic and he cannot say when he wants to take his hols - his summer leave this year is the first 2 weeks of September. It means that the only time we can go is June - he is also working Xmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, so the quality of time we will have as a family in any one great stretch this year is very limited. I think that 2 weeks off school is important for us as a family, especially as their dad is working over all the summer holidays/christmas.

I get really angry when people just assume that kids are taken out of term time just because of money - this isn't always the case - sometimes parents do not have the luxury of that option!!!

spursman

Hi Turnaround Sue, i sympathise with you BUT i cant see your problem, i have stated earlier in this thread people with jobs that have specific holiday slots are classed as exceptional circumstances & can take children out of school with an explanatory letter. Most teachers are not ogres & can see when people are pulling the wool over their eyes.
As an aside last November we won a family holiday in France when we went to book it we were told it was in off-peak times i.e in term time, it was non-transferable & no cash alternative, as my wife is a schoolteacher we lost a £3000 holiday ( we idnt actually we booked it up in our names, then sold it to my brother in law & family they paid £1000 for it, then we phoned the company & changed the names which cost an extra £20) we are now going to France over easter with the £1000.
Back to the 1st point though there will be riots in the streets if some of the government proposals on truancy/unauthorised absence come to fruition, i would advise anyone wanting to take there children out of school do it sooner rather than later
all the best
Spursman

TurnaroundSue

Hi Spurman - I don't have a problem with taking my kids out of school, but my point was that it is okay for the school to take the kids out to do rugby tournaments, go skiing etc, but not for the parents to do it!!! How hypocritical is that - I think it is typical of this government and the nanny state we live in!!!

Rachie_B

TurnaroundSue wrote:

Hi Spurman - I don't have a problem with taking my kids out of school, but my point was that it is okay for the school to take the kids out to do rugby tournaments, go skiing etc, but not for the parents to do it!!! How hypocritical is that - I think it is typical of this government and the nanny state we live in!!!

i agree!!

weve always taken our eldest out of school for holidays (hes 9)
i agree with whoever said that often even with a fine its still cheaper than to go in school holidays!!!!

weve never had any problem with him having the time off,we only ever got for a week never longer than that

becles i never went on holidays when i was younger (well not abroad anyway ) maybe thats why i am doing it more so now to offer my kids the experiences i never had

we dont go on "laze round the pool " kinda holidays
my kids learn new languages,see places / things they never would usually and so yes they learn a lot and IMO its good for them

Once my eldest is in secondary school then i dont think i will take him out in term time as its harder to catch up / important with exams etc

but saying that i had 2 wks off in 3rd yr of secondary school to go to florida and it didnt do me any harm

its like anything ,people get on their high horses and yet they have no right to judge some people do it (and will continue to do so ) and some just wont

doesnt mean one is better than the other ,i think personally taking my child out of school for 1 wks educational fascinating holiday isnt a "crime" ,its doing wonders for him
obviously there are people who take the pi55 and take their kids out willy nilly for weeks at a time and that i dont agree with and would never do TBH

black-saturn

Becles wrote:

I was referring to the sentence I quoted in my post, which said:



Nobody has a right to exotic holidays. If you are well off, then you can afford to go. If you have little money, then you can't afford to go abroad.

The rest of my post was meant to be sarcastic. Sorry you were offended by it.

For the record, we didn't have a holiday last year, and the only time I had off work was a few days between Christmas and New Year.

Calm down, why do you always think everyone is judging you?