Holidays with kids in school time, have you done it?

pigpen

WGAF really what the law says when they allow heads to be mini dictators.. and reading some of the stories here.. they are!

Maybe the difference at our school is the head is less of a b!tch and given over 20% of the children are nonBritish and have religious holidays and weeks and weeks abroad each year in term time she feels it is only fair to allow others to have time off.. or maybe as a mother herself she sees primary school as the place they are given the tools to learn proper stuff at high school and high ed.

As a parent I have EVERY right to take my child out of school and woe betide anyone who tried to stop me.. but if the 3 days holiday we had 5 years ago is so distressing to the whole world.. and so detrimental to their education.. I shall instruct the children immediately to start failing A-levels and gcse's... I think we have some KS3 SATs this year as well.. Though given DD4 has been put down as a full days unauthorised absence when she was in hospital I don't think they take all this redtape very seriously either.

their education is important but so its the rest of their life.. their entire childhood isn't about the drudgery of school and the boredom of prattling teachers there is so much more to it than that... and think how much nicer it is for them to say.. do you remember when we went here and there rather than yeah.. I went to school..

You will have to just put up with the fact you won't change my mind and I doubt your opinion will have any effect on the school my chimps are at and the head will continue to authorise absences for holidays.. sorry.. I'm sure the world won't stop turning

kelloggs36

Maybe all the teachers should take their holidays in term times as they are also stuck paying over the top prices during the holidays? I wonder how many parents would be happy to find that there was no education for a week because the teacher has taken the opportunity to save a few £?

bestpud

kelloggs36 wrote: »

Maybe all the teachers should take their holidays in term times as they are also stuck paying over the top prices during the holidays? I wonder how many parents would be happy to find that there was no education for a week because the teacher has taken the opportunity to save a few £?

People often say that on these threads but I've never seen how it is relevent tbh.

Teaching is an occupation and has its own rules, like any other.

If they took a week off, the school would need to provide cover, but they don't do that because it is not allowed in their chosen profession.

I can't take annual leave over Christmas, however much I may like to take my family away. Doesn't mean the people I care for shouldn't go away over Christmas if they want to, does it?

themull1

I filled the form in at the school and told them i was taking the kids out of school for a holiday because i couldn't afford to take them on holiday in the summer holidays.

Kimberley82

No, I took them out for a wedding for one day that is it, their education is too important.

pollypenny

pigpen wrote: »

And they do algebra at 6??? I don't think so!

If you missed for being ill I am sure the teacher wouldn't have minded going through it 1-2-1 with you like my teachers did me with long division when I had been off for 2 weeks unwell at about 8/9

Algebra at 6? Who mentioned that? My example was from when I was in 1st year at grammar school.

In those far off days teachers did not give any extra time to 'go over' anything with any pupil. You copied up and got on with it.

I have spent the whole lunch time going over subject with kids who have been away, for various reasons. Not too happy about doing it for holidays or poor attenders though.

milliebear00001

pigpen wrote: »

WGAF really what the law says when they allow heads to be mini dictators.. and reading some of the stories here.. they are!

Maybe the difference at our school is the head is less of a b!tch and given over 20% of the children are nonBritish and have religious holidays and weeks and weeks abroad each year in term time she feels it is only fair to allow others to have time off.. or maybe as a mother herself she sees primary school as the place they are given the tools to learn proper stuff at high school and high ed.

As a parent I have EVERY right to take my child out of school and woe betide anyone who tried to stop me.. but if the 3 days holiday we had 5 years ago is so distressing to the whole world.. and so detrimental to their education.. I shall instruct the children immediately to start failing A-levels and gcse's... I think we have some KS3 SATs this year as well.. Though given DD4 has been put down as a full days unauthorised absence when she was in hospital I don't think they take all this redtape very seriously either.

their education is important but so its the rest of their life.. their entire childhood isn't about the drudgery of school and the boredom of prattling teachers there is so much more to it than that... and think how much nicer it is for them to say.. do you remember when we went here and there rather than yeah.. I went to school..

You will have to just put up with the fact you won't change my mind and I doubt your opinion will have any effect on the school my chimps are at and the head will continue to authorise absences for holidays.. sorry.. I'm sure the world won't stop turning

I hope your comment about changing your mind wasn't directed at me as I actually share your view - as you would have seen if you'd read my earlier post. I couldn't care less what your opinion is of taking children out of school. I was simply correcting your incorrect post that legally Heads have to allow 10 days out each year - clearly, they do not.

Unfortunately, many parents think they have a 'right' to take their children out of school. My response is always that of course, they do...when they choose to homeschool them.

The reality is that most Heads will reasonably allow a few days out for holidays where the absence is least likely to impact on the child's learning (i.e. where the child is progressing well/not sitting an exam or test on those dates/has good attendance the rest of the time).

Bloomin_Freezing2

Sorry everyone, I didn't mean to start anything

In my case (although i'm not 100% sure) DD's only had a few days off in Year 1 with tummy upset or sickness, nothing out of the norm. She's had appointments a few times for opticians and hospital for her eczema but i would hope that wouldn't go against her?

Our holiday is just after the october break, so she will have been in Year 2 for 2 months. She's doing very well at school and doesn't need extra assistance with anything. So hopefully our head will see this holiday as a learning experience too. Plus the fact it was orginally booked for the summer hols but things cropped up that needed our pennies like the car going into the garage. I don't intend to take DD out during school again and will have to try and save for a holiday before its booked, rather than book it and pay it off as and when.

I've filled out the form to take back in on monday, shall I write a covering letter pretty much saying what I have just now?

milliebear00001

Bloomin_Freezing2 wrote: »

Sorry everyone, I didn't mean to start anything

In my case (although i'm not 100% sure) DD's only had a few days off in Year 1 with tummy upset or sickness, nothing out of the norm. She's had appointments a few times for opticians and hospital for her eczema but i would hope that wouldn't go against her?

Our holiday is just after the october break, so she will have been in Year 2 for 2 months. She's doing very well at school and doesn't need extra assistance with anything. So hopefully our head will see this holiday as a learning experience too. Plus the fact it was orginally booked for the summer hols but things cropped up that needed our pennies like the car going into the garage. I don't intend to take DD out during school again and will have to try and save for a holiday before its booked, rather than book it and pay it off as and when.

I've filled out the form to take back in on monday, shall I write a covering letter pretty much saying what I have just now?

Is there a space on the form to give a reason for the absence request - there is on ours?

If so, just briefly put your reason there and give it in.

DaisyFlower

Bloomin_Freezing2 wrote: »

I've filled out the form to take back in on monday, shall I write a covering letter pretty much saying what I have just now?

No, I wouldnt bother. Cost is not one of the reasons a term time holiday is granted on as a holiday is a luxury not a necessity. Its exceptional circustances such as a close family wedding etc.

As you plan to take the holiday regardless I would just fill in the form the school require.