holidays in term time

gemmalouanna

blue_monkey wrote: »

We do not get informed of any illnesses of other kids.

There might be the odd note that goes up in the reception if a child has chickenpox or something, but that is all.

But should you be removing your children if something is going around the school? They would never be there with the amount of bugs that go around our school each year. So surely if they let you remove your child because of the possibility of having an illness, they should let them have time off to go on holiday as well. The parents could just say 'I was worried about that illness that was going around' and take them out for a week anyway.

I am meaning students in school who get sent to reception for feeling sick or hurt their foot in PE or something. Our school always phones up to the parent to cover their backs incase it is anything more - that is why schools appear to contact parents about every little thing.

RuthnJasper

throughtherain wrote: »

Please consider leaving your child in school during term time. Their education is so valuable and even a day missed can have a significant impact on their learning. Yes schools can waste a lot of time but if anything that's even more reason to keep them there as much as possible. Apart from this, teaching children that they should honour their commitments to what they do is so important and will stand them in good stead when they get jobs. You can criticise schools/teachers if you want but at the end of the day their rules are there for the best interests of the children, despite it looking petty to you. I also appreciate that children need holidays with parents and sometimes this can't be avoided for things like family weddings abroad or whatever, and of course children should attend these if possible, but I find it so frustrating that people sell their children short by not allowing them to get all the education they can. I know it's frustrating that it's cheaper to have holidays in term time, but that's just the way it is and it's unfair to others for people to benefit from this by taking children out of school.

I know a lot of people will disagree with me but that's just my opinion.

I agree with you, throughtherain. The most important things to a child are parental love, nutritious food, developing friendships, and education. Without as much of those things as possible, a child is being done a dis-service.

I used to work in a famous and ancient public school. Even there, the Headmaster would always refuse requests for holidays during term-time, arguing that the school holidays were long enough without having to grant extra leave to just one or two "lucky" members of the school for additional leisure time.

But what about the children? What if they wanted to be in the school concert or drama production, or play in a school sports team, but the auditions, or team try-outs, were being held whilst the children were on their 'extra' holiday? What if other pupils, out of jealousy over the extra holiday, use it as an excuse to goad or pick-on the children?

blue_monkey_2

gemmalouanna wrote: »

I am meaning students in school who get sent to reception for feeling sick or hurt their foot in PE or something. Our school always phones up to the parent to cover their backs incase it is anything more - that is why schools appear to contact parents about every little thing.

Oh, I see. LOL. It's late.

The receptionist said that she did not want to call but gets told she has to. Parents have started saying no but because I live over the road and am at home I feel bad saying no. However, I also getannoyed when they send them home a whim.

I don't know anyone who has not been called that is annoyed about it, more the other way around.

gemmalouanna

blue_monkey wrote: »

Oh, I see. LOL. It's late.

The receptionist said that she did not want to call but gets told she has to. Parents have started saying no but because I live over the road and am at home I feel bad saying no. However, I also getannoyed when they send them home a whim.

I don't know anyone who has not been called that is annoyed about it, more the other way around.

Hehe - it is me trying to type short posts because I am tired, not explaining what I mean!

jollymummy

I work in a primary school. The pupils are entitled to 10 additional days per year at the headteachers discretion, these must be authorised by the headteacher. If permission isn't requested or granted, the time off will be marked on a child's school record as an unauthorised absence.

andy.m_2

neneromanova wrote: »

Because it's double the price. Not very MSE is that? :money:

Then respectfully I say to you that you cannot afford that holiday and need to lower your standards.

fishingcinema

Glad i cam across this thread.

One on my daughters has just been refused holiday

My 2 daughters are in reception and yr1

Both doing fairly well in school both can read write there own name ect and counting

Go to school every day unless ill, not my tummy hurts ill i mean throwing up sleeping the whole day ill, both had chicken pox at the begining of the year and had to have a week off school as we all know children not allowed in school with pox for obveious reasons.

Reception daughters attendance 93%
Yr 1 daughters attendance 95.4%

Got a letter home in each of there book bags yesterday reception daughter refused as attendance below 95%, yr 1 daughter granted as above 95%.

Now there school had a not so good ofstead report and in my opinion are putting it down to attendance, sent letters home after the report came out stating that attendance was the reason behind the bad ofstead report.

Now you may all think i am a bad parent but i am going to take them both on holiday as i think that they are only young and not got any exams or mocks to sit yet, and would much rather be fined £50 than not be able to take them to see mickey mouse as it would not be possible to do in school holidays, do they really expect me to take one without the other or make arrangements for reception daughter to stay at home as she has been refused holiday leave.

I remember something in the press few years ago to do with holiday companies not being able to charge inflated prices in school holidays but things have not changed so alot of familys tend to take there children out in term time.

blue_monkey_2

RuthnJasper wrote: »

But what about the children? What if they wanted to be in the school concert or drama production, or play in a school sports team, but the auditions, or team try-outs, were being held whilst the children were on their 'extra' holiday? What if other pupils, out of jealousy over the extra holiday, use it as an excuse to goad or pick-on the children?

And what about the 'poor' kids who do not otherwise get a holiday because it is too expensive in the school holidays, would they not get picked on by the 'rich' kids for not being able to afford to go away.

I have been that 'poor' kid who was picked on by both children and teachers for being 'poor' (and yes, the teacher used to call me names so the other kids joined in and that carried on into the playground), I'll never put my children in that situation of being picked on because we cannot afford to go away. I would rather go at cheap times when it is affordable and get fined so my children do not miss out on what other children are getting.

For us it is not the money, it is too hot for us to go abroad in the summer and long haul is too far for 7 nights holiday so we go for 2 weeks, incorporating the half term holiday at other times of year so the kids miss a week. We tried to get away for the full Easter week next year but everything had already sold out when we booked - 2 months ago. It's madness, everyone trying to book the same flights.

blue_monkey_2

andy.m wrote: »

Then respectfully I say to you that you cannot afford that holiday and need to lower your standards.

Or go a different time of year. I am not sure what 'standards' you expect the OP to have. A apartment for 2ad 2 kids at Butlins today is £188 during term time (someone else posted in grabbit) in the summer that rises to almost £700. It has nothing to do with lowering your standards. Even the cheapest, big standard holidays treble in price during the school holidays.

Picked up a brochure today, £500 each in term time rises to £1500or more, each in the summer.

If Tesco, Sainsbury and Asda trebled the price of their food each Easter, Summer and christmas holidays there would be absolute uproar!!

throughtherain

I personally think teaching children the value of education is more important than them getting the chance to see Mickey Mouse.

I do think it's lovely for children to have holidays but children like holidays where they do fun things with their parents and get to spend some quality time somewhere different. I genuinely believe any child would rather this than seeing someone dressed as Mickey Mouse.

Agree that if you can't afford it during holidays, then teaching children that they can avoid their commitments to make it affordable is just so damaging to their work ethic, and parents who take children out of school during term time underestimate the impact of the message they are sending to their children.

Of course it's a parent's decision, but I hope these parents don't start to complain that their children have no respect for authority or rules when the lesson they are teaching their children is that rules are unimportant if a saving on a holiday can be made.

Far better would be to have children who value their time in school and appreciate having access to something millions of children can't even dream of, and have a cheaper holiday.