taking children out of school at term time

smcaul

We are taking our daughter out of school just before Easter for a week, Going to see her grandparents who now live in France. Although this got authorised without a problem (she had 100% attendance last term) if they had fo declined it I was quite prepared to write to the school and inform them that I am happy for her to make up the time on the countless "inset" days that the schools have!!! Quite why these days cant be done during half term is beyond me, I wish we could all have 13 weeks holiday a year and still get extra time off during the normal working week as well!!!

bigheadxx

Our school allows 10 days holidays per year and we have generally used about 5 days every January.

I would like to know how the education establishment can justify their "nanny state" approach. When I was a child I had never even heard of most of the exotic locations that are todays holiday hot spots and I feel quite strongly that an individual school or teacher should be so blunt, you are not requesting the time off you are politely informing them that your child will be absent.

The teaching establishment should remember we dont all have the luxury of a 7 week summer holiday and a decent salary with little child care expenses.

ricflairandy

staffie1 wrote: »

Of course they've refused. Her education is more important than you saving 500 quid on a holiday. Isn't it..? You might get fined if you insist on disrupting her education.

Absolute crap. Unless those dates fall in the middle of exams the 6 days wont make much difference. Some kids have more than that off ill.

ricflairandy

Ive taken our 7 year old out of school in jan for a week, and i will again in may for 2 weeks. School where ok about it last year and have been so far this year.

Mabey if she was in the final 2 years of highschool id reconsider, but at the moment a few weeks wont make any difference

snowyowl

I agree with Trickytrolleys. Yes you will feel a little uneasy beforehand, but I have always taken my kids out of school for ten extra days each year so they can see the world and have wonderful holidays with the family and experiences they will never forget It opens their eyes to the bigger picture. My kids are both way ahead of the average. It will make no difference at the end of term. Go and enjoy yourselves xx

Spendless

OP- Have you looked on your council's website to see if anything is mentioned about a holiday being unauthorised.

It will totally depend on your LEA if they fine or not. Ours does and the fine is £50 per child, per parent. Some of our schools authorise term-time hols, some don't.

Have you also checked the dates your school breaks up? Ours are finishing on friday 17th july.

sturll

Maybe the teachers should be fined who go on strike.

You know they bug me teachers. Where else can you get a job circa £25k with 12 weeks paid holidays.

They get paid through their post grad, golden hellos and all sorts then whinge because they have to mark a few things at home whilst watching American Idol.

continualdiamond

Consider yourself extremely lucky that you can have cheaper holidays and go off during term time. How would you feel if your child couldn't go to school because the teacher had decided to go on holiday during term time to save some money???

Im not a teacher by the way, i am a teaching assistant and wish i could make the most of a holiday being cheaper during term time. In fact im writing a letter to my head teacher to see if i can get 1 extra week off at xmas in order to go back home to Australia to see my then new neice/nephew, but i don't like my chances of it being granted. I can't just take off, unless i don't want my job anymore.

You know we don't get 12 weeks paid holiday, my income as a teaching assistant is lower per mth so that i actually get paid the whole year through. Otherwise we'd have 12 weeks with no income.

Maybe you could come to my school, a special needs school and plan the lessons for 7 children with have profound multiple learning difficulties, so try doing a lesson plan where every childs need is met because every child is vastly on a different level for every single subject and you only have 2 teaching assistants, so 3 staff to try and do 1-1 work as much as possible with every single child.

I see the work my teacher does, shes in school for 7:30am and doesn't leave till 5pm, then takes work home.

It completely puts me off and is while at the moment i am more than happy being a teaching assistant, because when its 3:30pm thats me finished until 8:30am the next day, not so for a teacher.

welshlil

My sister has just taken her child out of primary school three days earlier than half term was due. No problems at all. The child had a real learning experience in New York (so envious my face is green!) loved every minute and had a great geography lesson.

I used to take my 2 out during may when they were in primary school, as it was the only time we could afford to go away, they travelled to various places in this country, and they still remember places like the Lake District, Dartmoor, Red Kites in W Wales, wildlife. Fishing, catching, killing, gutting, cooking and eating the freshest fish you could ever eat in Cornwall. When it came to Secondary school, we invested in a tent, still reasonable holiday prices, even in August and just as much fun - and although hardish work for Mum and Dad, no school time was lost.

sturll

continualdiamond wrote: »

Consider yourself extremely lucky that you can have cheaper holidays and go off during term time. How would you feel if your child couldn't go to school because the teacher had decided to go on holiday during term time to save some money???

Im not a teacher by the way, i am a teaching assistant and wish i could make the most of a holiday being cheaper during term time. In fact im writing a letter to my head teacher to see if i can get 1 extra week off at xmas in order to go back home to Australia to see my then new neice/nephew, but i don't like my chances of it being granted. I can't just take off, unless i don't want my job anymore.

You know we don't get 12 weeks paid holiday, my income as a teaching assistant is lower per mth so that i actually get paid the whole year through. Otherwise we'd have 12 weeks with no income.

Maybe you could come to my school, a special needs school and plan the lessons for 7 children with have profound multiple learning difficulties, so try doing a lesson plan where every childs need is met because every child is vastly on a different level for every single subject and you only have 2 teaching assistants, so 3 staff to try and do 1-1 work as much as possible with every single child.

I see the work my teacher does, shes in school for 7:30am and doesn't leave till 5pm, then takes work home.

It completely puts me off and is while at the moment i am more than happy being a teaching assistant, because when its 3:30pm thats me finished until 8:30am the next day, not so for a teacher.

Its not my fault your career choice has turned out to be one you don't enjoy - count yourself lucky that teaching these days is one of the few safe careers. Millions right now can't even get a job tossing burgers.

And ill not take you up on trying to plan a lesson for kids thanks - its you who has been trained for that - not me.

I have little time for a lot of teachers - my sons is one such example. She went on strike last year with no concern to my childs education, his school has teacher training days in school time, closes when we have 1 inch of snow, i mean talk about work dodgers.

Not only that but when my son gets sent to the headteacher for playing rough games (rugby) is it any wonder our schools are churning out the type of child we have today. (not all)

Besides, my sons teacher can't be older than mid twenties and she drives a brand new Mini Cooper - so she cant be that skint.

And as for finishing work when work finishes - does any professional? I know i certainly don't. And i can guarantee you what i do outside of work is a damn sight more boring than marking the output of the amazing imagination of children.