Taking children out of school a week before summer hols as I am disabled.

mandragora_2

shhhh... I'd not normally be tempted, but I don't honestly think there's too much harm if it's this week or no family holiday at all... do you know, I think I'd just quietly slip away, and, who knows, by the time September comes around, with all the rush and bustle of the new term, you may never even be asked, especially if attendance is 100% the rest of the year, year in year out.... easiest way is not to tell the kids ahead of time, and just have it as a last minute surprise. Schools are audited on attendance up to the start of the last half term - so the final data that's goung to be collected in my LA has already gone in, as of last Friday. Not sure if that's the case in every sector, or across the whole country, but it may well be. If you are asked, you might choose just to say that it was a late opportunity that came up out of the blue, and you had to take it there and then.

themull1

sangio wrote: »

Maybe when the LA starts to up the level of the fine. I hear they are considering making it enough that there will be no saving by going in term time. The current £50 is not enough. £500 per child, per week is getting nearer to the mark.

Maybe parents will then see that education is more important than holidays.

Or maybe have the holiday companies reduce their prices- i'm sure the Government promised this a few years ago.....my daughters didn't do anything the last week of term before the summer holidays last year, they watched video's and played games, good time to take them on holiday i think. Why should the poorer people be priced out of the market? If it isnt affecting education, why not? i was taken out of school thirty years ago and it didn't do my education any harm.!!

whitesatin

woodbine wrote: »

some posters should remember that this isn`t a place to judge people!

You are right, we should not judge people but, at the same time, it is important that all opinions are given, not just those who think something is ok.

Ellejmorgan

sangio wrote: »

Wow an orange!!! Weren't you the lucky one.

We, my sister (the one we don't mention the name of!) and I received a tangerine. But probably made up by also getting a big red apple - a Mackintosh I think it was.

That was Christmas - and I just loved being with mum, dad, uncles and grandparents. The smell still lingers in my memory of that fruit!!

Was talking about you, I knew that's what santa got you....;)

Dunroamin

If costs and crowds are an issue, why not just go at Easter or one of the half terms? Surely a rest and a break with family doesn't have to take place in the summer?

Ellejmorgan

themull1 wrote: »

Or maybe have the holiday companies reduce their prices- i'm sure the Government promised this a few years ago.....my daughters didn't do anything the last week of term before the summer holidays last year, they watched video's and played games, good time to take them on holiday i think. Why should the poorer people be priced out of the market? If it isnt affecting education, why not? i was taken out of school thirty years ago and it didn't do my education any harm.!!

I saved up £1500 for 9 months to take my daughters away, the head signed our passports for us as a professional, then a few weeks later said new rules you can't go in September...
She knew my kids had had a terrible time in the previous years before and knew why I was prepared to take any consequences...
She was really good about it....

whitesatin

themull1 wrote: »

Or maybe have the holiday companies reduce their prices- i'm sure the Government promised this a few years ago.....my daughters didn't do anything the last week of term before the summer holidays last year, they watched video's and played games, good time to take them on holiday i think. Why should the poorer people be priced out of the market? If it isnt affecting education, why not? i was taken out of school thirty years ago and it didn't do my education any harm.!!

I think we need to remember that the holiday companies are businesses, I doubt if they would agree to reduce their prices. I might be wrong, of course.

OneYorkshireLass

I went to a school where the students were mostly Asian and their parents took them out of school for visits to Pakistan/India during term time. These were classed as 'cultural' trips and no questions were asked. I suggest the OP words it in the same way.

Soapn

Ellejmorgan wrote: »

If you think kids prefer the park or back garden to a holiday you are so out of touch...

I'd been in hospital having major spinal surgery I then took kids away after recovering..Not a big deal really is it, they deserved it...

unfortunately for a lot of kids with working parents, they can't be taken out of school for holidays because their parents can't afford them in the first place

nearlyrich

In reply to the OP's question about traffic being lighter, the best thing about school holiday (as a parent who's children are long past school days) is the lack of traffic on the roads. I can shave 10 to 15 mins off a "rush hour" journey.