Help r.e letter to headmaster.

barnaby-bear

PolishBigSpender wrote: »

Given the fact that many people cannot afford to take their child in holiday times, and that a holiday is far more beneficial than being stuck in school - what is your point?

A good teacher will provide them with work to do on their holiday.



Extra costs? It would seem that the amount of money raised through fines would go straight into paying for the administration of the fines scheme. I can't imagine schools will actually see anything of the money.

I remember being bored sh*tless while teachers reviewed work for chav-kids whose parents didn't value education - was always a holiday to Disneyland or a cruise or some spanish theme park..... it was never the hard up families going on a bargain campsite trip, more the nouveaux-riche set... a holiday isn't a necessity it's a luxury - I didn't get holidays - so what - got a decent education though and can have them now, why did I have to sit there bored repeating stuff? I bet for the cost of these in term holiday I can find you a camping site somewhere dreary and historically worthy in england in school holidays, it's an excuse because the general taxpayer/other parents are subsidising the true cost. You have families in Africa choosing to spend more than they do on food on school fees (mostly isn't free), if you can really give your kid a better experience and education than do it full time and home school - don't expect the other kids to put up with the consequences, opting in/out - that's why there are these rules and forms because it shouldn't be regarded as the norm. Why should a "good teacher" spend planning time that could benefit 30 kids on a specialised plan for the holiday kids, the fines certainly don't reflect this - £25 an hour probably would.

Perhaps if the parents volunteered as unpaid TAs for the same length of time as the holiday?

barnaby-bear

PolishBigSpender wrote: »

Extra costs? It would seem that the amount of money raised through fines would go straight into paying for the administration of the fines scheme. I can't imagine schools will actually see anything of the money.

but perhaps it sends the message that something is wrong if you are thinking of doing this....

dizziblonde

Check the school prospectus if it's on their website and it should mention the policy in there.

Yes, kids going away does affect them when they come back - it's not as bad if they come back in at the start of a topic but otherwise you do have to spend time backtracking over what you've covered.

It's mildly annoying but what makes me see red completely is when parents come in expecting you to set work for their kid when they're on holiday. I won't do it, point blank - the work will be set, and handed out... in school on the day the lesson is delivered - giving worksheets out without the child being there for the lesson input is generally pointless, and I only plan in detail for a week in advance (I know what objectives I'm covering in what week, but like most teachers, I only work out lesson-by-lesson what I'm going to do to cover those objectives when I sit down and do my weekly planning toward the end of the previous week - because things have to get slotted around depending on how quickly the class have grasped something).

Yes people take holidays in term time, I don't particularly agree with it but it's the way the world is, but I'm not prepared to plan an education for your child because you want to take them out of school where the education is still going on. No doubt I'll get flamed for that one as well while any anti-school comments get masses of voted on thanks.

I might add that in the past I've offered parents blank exercise books for their child to do a diary of what they've done while they're away (assuming it's more than baking on a beach in Ibiza for a fortnight) and it's always been refused with a request for "just give us the worksheets"... which I think says a lot really (I don't use a lot of worksheets when I teach anyway).

DaisyFlower

dizziblonde wrote: »

Check the school prospectus if it's on their website and it should mention the policy in there.

Yes, kids going away does affect them when they come back - it's not as bad if they come back in at the start of a topic but otherwise you do have to spend time backtracking over what you've covered.

It's mildly annoying but what makes me see red completely is when parents come in expecting you to set work for their kid when they're on holiday. I won't do it, point blank - the work will be set, and handed out... in school on the day the lesson is delivered - giving worksheets out without the child being there for the lesson input is generally pointless, and I only plan in detail for a week in advance (I know what objectives I'm covering in what week, but like most teachers, I only work out lesson-by-lesson what I'm going to do to cover those objectives when I sit down and do my weekly planning toward the end of the previous week - because things have to get slotted around depending on how quickly the class have grasped something).

Yes people take holidays in term time, I don't particularly agree with it but it's the way the world is, but I'm not prepared to plan an education for your child because you want to take them out of school where the education is still going on. No doubt I'll get flamed for that one as well while any anti-school comments get masses of voted on thanks.

I might add that in the past I've offered parents blank exercise books for their child to do a diary of what they've done while they're away (assuming it's more than baking on a beach in Ibiza for a fortnight) and it's always been refused with a request for "just give us the worksheets"... which I think says a lot really (I don't use a lot of worksheets when I teach anyway).

I totally agree, teachers have enough to do without catching up children who have been off on term time holidays.

I dont agree with term time holidays, there are 13 weeks to go away in should you wish to and a holiday is a luxury not a given right.

I also think the fines should be higher than £50 a week - if they were more like £200-£300 perhaps then it would make people think twice about term time holidays. Education is important and children should not grow up thinking they can skip school when they like and break the rules.

PolishBigSpender

DaisyFlower wrote: »

I also think the fines should be higher than £50 a week - if they were more like £200-£300 perhaps then it would make people think twice about term time holidays. Education is important and children should not grow up thinking they can skip school when they like and break the rules.

Yes, because fining people is the way forward - especially if the reason for the term time holiday is because they can't afford to go at any other time.

Just where are the fines going, exactly? Into the pockets of council administrators employed to check attendances? That's a productive use of money.

Children should be brought up to realise that the world isn't black and white - indiscriminate fines for going on holiday is simply going to give them the perception that rules are rules and cannot be broken - when we all know that rules have to be broken sometimes.

dizziblonde

Just on an aside - long time ago when England hosted one of the Euro footy tournaments, a family friend won tickets to a tie at (spit) St James's Park... wanted to take my lil bro who was in primary school at the time (he graduates uni next month so this shows how long ago it was), and wrote a letter to his school head asking to take him out of school at 2pm or something... headmaster's written reply was "sure... can I come too?" Bless him!

gabyjane

Hmm interesting points there thanks..
Barnaby bear firstly your comment

'chav-kids whose parents didn't value education - was always a holiday to Disneyland or a cruise or some spanish theme park.....

is very discrimative and unfair tbh, my husband and our child are not at all 'chavvy' and without sounding big headed the price of our cruise we are going on is not one many could afford tbh. As for getting a better education because you stayed at school more os debatable and does not mean anything..i am not qualified in anything but earn far more in the job i now do than most who are..obviously not solicitors etc but still. Also your comment:

if you can really give your kid a better experience and education than do it full time and home school - don't expect the other kids to put up with the consequences'
Again not always ideal? lets face it us chave who are always holidaying wouldn't be clever enough would we? and i really dont see how other children in the class suffer due to my dd going away for 10 days?

We will ask for work to take with us as we always do and if we get some great..if not hey she will catch up.

Thanks for the other replys i will let you know what happens.

DaisyFlower

gabyjane wrote: »

Hmm interesting points there thanks..
Barnaby bear firstly your comment

'chav-kids whose parents didn't value education - was always a holiday to Disneyland or a cruise or some spanish theme park.....

is very discrimative and unfair tbh, my husband and our child are not at all 'chavvy' and without sounding big headed the price of our cruise we are going on is not one many could afford tbh. As for getting a better education because you stayed at school more os debatable and does not mean anything..i am not qualified in anything but earn far more in the job i now do than most who are..obviously not solicitors etc but still. Also your comment:

if you can really give your kid a better experience and education than do it full time and home school - don't expect the other kids to put up with the consequences'
Again not always ideal? lets face it us chave who are always holidaying wouldn't be clever enough would we? and i really dont see how other children in the class suffer due to my dd going away for 10 days?

We will ask for work to take with us as we always do and if we get some great..if not hey she will catch up.

Thanks for the other replys i will let you know what happens.

Your post came across as very snobby. If money is no object to you, then why the term time holiday to save costs?

gabyjane

DaisyFlower wrote: »

Your post came across as very snobby. If money is no object to you, then why the term time holiday to save costs?

How on earth did my post come across as snobby? pointing out that we can afford to go away doesn't mean i am snobby, i was just defending myself when called a so called chav. The reason we can't go in term time is due to dh's job not saving on costs.

barnaby-bear

gabyjane wrote: »

'chav-kids whose parents didn't value education - was always a holiday to Disneyland or a cruise or some spanish theme park.....

I wasn't actually referencing the OP - I didn't atually see that they were going on a cruise - still can't find it.... but I do recall it being well-off flashy kids (the ones with the designer trainers) when I went to school who went off on expensive foreign holiday and polish-guy was arguing it was cost that made people do this which wasn't my experience and the OP has said it isn't cost. There are a few professions with restricted holidays such as police and army who can't take holidays when they choose for whom there is an argument for some allowance. A lot of people wo can't take holiday when they choose have agreed to contractual terms as such in return for a bigger salary and could pay the true cost in extra resource to the school to mitigate the effect on other kids.