Fined for holiday in school time

Fly_Baby

bylromarha wrote: »

If that's the case, then every child would leave Reception at the expected level for there age.

More and more children are starting Reception below and well below the level of entry they should be at - and spend the rest of their educatinal career trying to catch up.

So, as a parent, you are wrong

I am right as, I dare say, a good parent.

I can understand when a child cannot master logarithms and organic chemistry - and not all parents are educated in those areas in which the child needs more support. But at 5-6 years old, we are talking reading, spelling and maths - any adult can help a child with that. There are lots of books for home study too.

Unless a child has genuine learning difficulties I don't see why they cannot be helped at the infant school age - by help I don't mean help from teachers only, but also - and sometimes mostly - from parents.

Spendless

My DS started both school nursery and reception at higher than the expected level and left reception at lower than the expected level. Nothing to do with term time holidays since we didn't have one, more to do with his poor reception teacher.

I live in an area where most children come in at higher than expected on entry level (as per the school's ofsted) so it wasn't to do with her devoting her time to the less able students. Thankfully one third way thru Yr 1 it was spotted and he was put on a special programme to catch up, which he'd acheived to average by end of yr 1 and above average from yr 2+.
A poor teacher damages kids much more IMO, thankfully my DD has never encountered one (the reception teacher left before my daughter started) and I am thankful that my son only ever encountered one in reception year and was in a different class last year when there were a lot of complaints about the poor teaching of one of the yr 4 staff

vix2000

robin_banks wrote: »

The type that take children out of school are more likely to do so.

What a condescending generalisation, the "type"!!!

Now a grandparent, my kids were taken during school time to Rome, Venice, both Greco and Roman ruins, Tunisia and, horror of horrors, Florida!!!!!

So I must be a terrible parent. All 3 of my daughters are well educated well adjusted adults with vivid memories of childhood holidays which woud never have happened (financially) had I had to take them in school holidays. I don't regret it for a minute and feel no need to justify it to the council/government robot clones on here who try to make parents feel totally inadequate because they have different ideas on what constitutes a rounded ''education", which, in my humble opinion, is not uniquely all acedemic. Especially in the current social climate, to be a little world-wise on leaving full time education is surely not a bad thing?

Bonnie2009

chloe99 wrote: »

aarrrggghhh - just read the rest of this thread!!!

Come on people, 3 weeks out of an entire school year??? Do you really think that children who are off sick for 3 weeks can't and don't catch up?.

How do you think a teacher can plan lessons for the term if children are staying off for weeks on end? A child who is absent for three weeks obviously misses work - a teacher won't mind if that child has been sick, but most bitterly resent getting children up to date with their work when the reason they've been behind is that they've been on holiday. Any spare time should be spent on those who attend regularly but struggle, not with those whose parents have taken them away on holiday.

And take this to its logical extent - what if every child in the class had a different three weeks off? Would you expect the class to achieve the same educational standard as a class with full attendance?

janthemum

Op fight it all the way. my son had 3 weeks off at the same age as your son, he is now at cambridge university. an education is an all round education not just the lesson plans of these teachers, We the parents are the teachers. sorry kellogs.

liney

janthemum wrote: »

Op fight it all the way. my son had 3 weeks off at the same age as your son, he is now at cambridge university. an education is an all round education not just the lesson plans of these teachers, We the parents are the teachers. sorry kellogs.

The simple fact is that when you send your child to state education you agree to their terms which is sending them to school during term time. I find it very difficult to understand why people feel that their little treasures should be the exception to the rule, and that everyone should be forced to accomodate their needs.

If you are the teacher, then fine, teach them, and stop asking others to do so when you don't feel like it.:rolleyes:

kelloggs36

would you like to plan the lessons missed then to make up for what they have missed out on?

vix2000

OP I'm afraid this thread is going to make you feel like a really bad mother, but you're not. Let people in glass houses not throw stones. Oh so many perfect people on here. I'm sur your child will not become an unemployed teenage parent because you did this, and I can't comprehend how badly it seems to affect teachers of 5 year olds if they are away. I never asked or expected anyone to re-teach my kids the stuff they missed, if it was necessary we did it ourselves. Hope you had a good time and good luck with the appeal. By the way is this a legal fine, in that you have committed a criminal offense, or is it along the lines of dodgy vehicle clampers?

Spendless

I have to admit that it's news to me that teachers play catch up with absent children cos at my kids schools they don't. Makes no difference if you're off with suspected meningitis, attending your relatives funeral or swinging upside down from a roller coaster at Alton Towers- if you miss, you miss that's it.

As to whether it's legal to fine.... I don't know. I just know my LA does and the fine increases if you don't pay.

kdmercury

my first post about this subject so please be gentle :P.i have just put a holiday form in for my son who is 7 for 15 days in November for Florida as well but the school has only approved 10 days and not approved the other 5 days.My son is disabled with autismn,adhd,global development delay etc etc,he does attend mainstream school with a 20 hour statement.we only wanted 2 week holiday but needs the extra days(16 days in total away)because my sons medication would be affected due to jet lag etc which would cause alot of bad behaviour and he is very routine structure so this would take a while to get him settled,also my son do not like being around crowded places so going in school holiday time is not a option for us at all,the question i want to know is,could i get the other 5 days approved and if so who do i have to contact?also because of our situation my daughter is missing this time of as well at school,she is 10,any info would be great.