Term Time Holidays???

angelil

jtr2803 wrote: »

Then maybe you should have picked a different career? Last time I checked we were all able to choose our own professions.

The OP asked for alternative views. I have provided one. What makes my view any less valid than anyone else's?

Of course alternative careers are available, but I don't think that demotes my point in any way. Just as it is not optional for me to attend work all the days that I am required to, it should not be considered optional for children to attend school on all the days that they are required to (and, in fact, as I'm sure you know, teachers are required to be there on MORE days than the children).

Person_one

angelil wrote: »

The OP asked for alternative views. I have provided one. What makes my view any less valid than anyone else's?

Of course alternative careers are available, but I don't think that demotes my point in any way. Just as it is not optional for me to attend work all the days that I am required to, it should not be considered optional for children to attend school on all the days that they are required to (and, in fact, as I'm sure you know, teachers are required to be there on MORE days than the children).

The children don't get paid to be there and don't have any choice.;)

Nicki

Janepig wrote: »

I thought the fine was around £50, not sure if that would be per child, and I certainly can't see how you could be fined for each adult that goes on the holiday. They're aren't at the school!!

You aren't fined for each adult going on the holiday! But everyone with parental responsibility is liable to a fine which is £50 per week. So Mum and Dad both get fined £50 per child, per week.

Not sure if you need a track record or not, as I've never done it. I have though seen our local authority's policy on it (in capacity of school governor) and it is as Deanied described.

angelil

Person_one wrote: »

The children don't get paid to be there and don't have any choice.;)

And you assume teachers have a choice because....

Person_one

angelil wrote: »

And you assume teachers have a choice because....

Because becoming a teacher is not compulsory?

Certainly nobody's ever tried to force me into it...

Spendless

The wording from my LA on finding unauthorised absences was '£50 per child, per parent' so for 2 children holidaying with Mum and Dad £200 in total. It made no mention of whether this was per week or not, and they said 'may be fined'. Unfortunately the info is no longer available on-line. Having got a child now in yr8 at Secondary, I agree with the comments of how you get so much pressure from the Primary school on how important the sats are for them going to Secondary school and find when they go into yr 7 they do their own tests and sort them out from there. I certainly wouldn't take a child
out of school so they missed them, or the weeks leading up to them, but I wouldn't apply that to the whole school year of yr 6.

I've also said it before and I'll say it again, I personally would not have an issue with a primary school teacher being off for a hol,
assumming it's not the beginning of the school term or during a series of testing. Mine have had stand in teachers due to their regular ones, unexpectedly going into labour early, or illness and have managed fine.

In your case I'd ask the school what their policy is and see what they say, they know your children.

Janepig

Nicki wrote: »

You aren't fined for each adult going on the holiday! But everyone with parental responsibility is liable to a fine which is £50 per week. So Mum and Dad both get fined £50 per child, per week.

Not sure if you need a track record or not, as I've never done it. I have though seen our local authority's policy on it (in capacity of school governor) and it is as Deanied described.

In fairness, what I replied to was "some schools fine you £100 per member of the family per week, so if it's you, your partner and two children you could be fined £400!" which from what you describe isn't necessarily the case. In fact, someone going on a holiday with a "new" partner and their own children, could be fined £50 and the other parent with PR could also be fined £50 even though they didn't go on the holiday. Or so it seems to me. Which imo makes a bit of a nonsense of the whole thing, but it does clear up why on Court lists I would usually only see one person being prosecuted, but occasionally two.

I'm not sure about the track record thing, but again, when you have people who continually allow their children to be absent taking years before sanctions are put in place, penalising both parents for a five day absence in primary school when there has been an otherwise unblemished attendance record seems harsh to say the least.

Jx

angelil

Person_one wrote: »

Because becoming a teacher is not compulsory?

Certainly nobody's ever tried to force me into it...

OFGS.

Career changes are not easy.

Teaching also has many benefits which means most teachers would not want to change careers because of this.

I'd have thought that my use of would have indicated that my comment about teachers not having much choice was not meant entirely seriously.

However, my point still stands that term dates are set in stone and should apply to ALL, not just those who only feel like following them.

pipkin71

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

I think angelil's comment is a perfectly valid one. It's not necessarily a good lesson to be teaching young kids that attending school is optional, regardless of their ages or how much cheaper it would be to take them out during term-time.

Attending school is optional - a full time education isn't

However, whilst on the school roll, enquiring about the school's term time holiday policy and taking the children with the school's agreement, is perfectly fine.

Taking the children out of school without the head's permission is another matter and something they would need to consider if they do decide to take the children on holiday.

pipkin71

Deanied wrote: »

You need to find out your schools policy because some schools fine you £100 per member of the family per week, so if it's you, your partner and two children you could be fined £400! That makes its as costly as going in term time, but without the damage to their education.

There are studies that show the correlation between school attendance and academic achievement check them out. If your 10 yr old is in year 6, I'd really think carefully because it's a very important year. That said, there are also studies that show that children who holiday during KS2 who were on track to achieve level 4 are less likely to achieve level 4.

In a nut shell, do your research.

So a child who is off sick for a week during key stage 2 is less likely to achieve level 4's?

Is this independent research?

Do you have any links?