Schools no longer allowed to authorise holidays

spreadtrader

I think most sensible parents would only take there children out at a time of year when they are winding down ie now.
Makes you wonder how they can fine you when a situation arrises that teachers are going on strike this thursday and some schools are shut.
Hypocrisy?

paulineb_2

Marker wrote: »

Another problem which I don't think has been mentioned is that fact the new school terms are not stated well in advance. So if you wanted to book a holiday a year or so in advance you can't be sure it will be between the school holidays.

Since my dd has been in school we have been on holiday twice when it was my birthday in June, as the half term was then. However this year the half term was in May.

I always try and book around the school holidays, but usually, due to cost find I eat into some of the school days. For example this you I am going on hols 22 August for 2 weeks. If I booked a few days earlier there was a grand different in price.

For all those with the BAD attitude if you can't afford to pay the extortionate holiday costs during school holiday don't go on holiday. That is such a narrow minded selfish view to have. Why should anyone have to wait two or 3 years to go on a holiday because the prices triple in the school holidays? Everyone deserves a break, even children.

Spending all your childhood in school, followed directly by employment. A holiday at least once a year is more than well deserved. And to begrudge anyone that is an awful selfish character trait you need to get rid of asap!

As for teachers taking holidays during term time. As long as my child was still being educated, and learning what they are supposed to learn for that week, then I would not begrudge a teacher that holiday.

If you are a hardworker, and a holiday (local or abroad) is what you feel you deserve, then go on it. See a bit of the world.

They are in my local area, the term dates are online for the next 5 years or so, it will vary from area to area. I cant ever recall in around 35 years of teaching, my mum ever having been off school to go on holiday. I also cant recall her saying that any of her colleagues have been away on a holiday during term time, I dont think it would be allowed. I think that would be a disciplinary matter.

Some families dont have foreign holidays every year. I did go away with my mum when I was young but certainly not every year and I was never taken out of school to go on a holiday.

I do think its unfair that flights and holidays are so expensive during school holidays because it doesnt just impact on families, it impacts on anyone who is going away.

Actually as a kid it didnt matter to me how I spent the summer holidays, if I had 6 weeks off and spent it in the local area playing with my friends, that was fine by me.

But really, if people can go away every year, can take their kids out of school and the children can catch up with their education, then that's the choice they need to make.

seven-day-weekend

Marker wrote: »

Another problem which I don't think has been mentioned is that fact the new school terms are not stated well in advance. So if you wanted to book a holiday a year or so in advance you can't be sure it will be between the school holidays.

Since my dd has been in school we have been on holiday twice when it was my birthday in June, as the half term was then. However this year the half term was in May.

I always try and book around the school holidays, but usually, due to cost find I eat into some of the school days. For example this you I am going on hols 22 August for 2 weeks. If I booked a few days earlier there was a grand different in price.

For all those with the BAD attitude if you can't afford to pay the extortionate holiday costs during school holiday don't go on holiday. That is such a narrow minded selfish view to have. Why should anyone have to wait two or 3 years to go on a holiday because the prices triple in the school holidays? Everyone deserves a break, even children.

Spending all your childhood in school, followed directly by employment. A holiday at least once a year is more than well deserved. And to begrudge anyone that is an awful selfish character trait you need to get rid of asap!

As for teachers taking holidays during term time. As long as my child was still being educated, and learning what they are supposed to learn for that week, then I would not begrudge a teacher that holiday.

If you are a hardworker, and a holiday (local or abroad) is what you feel you deserve, then go on it. See a bit of the world.

But you can have a break - you don't have to go abroad or even away. Visit local attractions.

seven-day-weekend

paulineb wrote: »

They are in my local area, the term dates are online for the next 5 years or so, it will vary from area to area. I cant ever recall in around 35 years of teaching, my mum ever having been off school to go on holiday. I also cant recall her saying that any of her colleagues have been away on a holiday during term time, I dont think it would be allowed. I think that would be a disciplinary matter.

Some families dont have foreign holidays every year. I did go away with my mum when I was young but certainly not every year and I was never taken out of school to go on a holiday.

I do think its unfair that flights and holidays are so expensive during school holidays because it doesnt just impact on families, it impacts on anyone who is going away.

Actually as a kid it didnt matter to me how I spent the summer holidays, if I had 6 weeks off and spent it in the local area playing with my friends, that was fine by me.

But really, if people can go away every year, can take their kids out of school and the children can catch up with their education, then that's the choice they need to make.

My husband was a teacher for over twenty years, they had to have the school holidays, they were not allowed to go in term time, as you say, it was not allowed.

Mojisola

I'm very surprised at the schools that have allowed teachers to take time off during term time for holidays. Any request for time off from our teachers had to be considered by the governing body. One teacher asked for a day off to go to her son's graduation ceremony and that was allowed but only after discussion.

Any time a teacher takes off costs a school because another teacher has to be paid for during that time.

Marker_2

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

But you can have a break - you don't have to go abroad or even away. Visit local attractions.

No of course you don't have to go abroad, but for me (and many others) going away, whether it is abroad or not, is a break. When I have time off I don't want to spend it confined to my house, or visiting local attractions. I'm in my house everyday and local attractions you can do at anytime. A break for me is being away from my area. A break away from 'normal life'.

I truly feel that it is just as important for children to see a bit of the country/world as education. There is only so much a Geography or History lesson can teach you. For example ... History you are taught about Ancient civilizations such as Rome or Egypt, what better way to learn than visit.

There is so much more to life than going to school everyday and working 9 to 5. If you have the money to go away then you should do it, and if the only time you have the money to go away is during term time then do it.

People generally don't take the P when it comes to term time holidays. You will always get the ones that are constantly taking their kids out of school, but that just isn't the norm. Honest hard working families who want to take a yearly holiday and can only do so during term times (or like me who try and do it around the holidays but sometimes overlap) should not be penalized with fines.

But having said that, even with the fine a family is financially better off going away during term time.

Marker_2

For a 'free' country the Government don't half love dictatorship.

pigpen

Mojisola wrote: »

I'm very surprised at the schools that have allowed teachers to take time off during term time for holidays. Any request for time off from our teachers had to be considered by the governing body. One teacher asked for a day off to go to her son's graduation ceremony and that was allowed but only after discussion.

Any time a teacher takes off costs a school because another teacher has to be paid for during that time.

That isn't an issue at some schools if the head is willing to step in to teach a class or they have a floating teacher who can step in and fill the gap. Which is what happened at ours.

seven-day-weekend

Marker wrote: »

No of course you don't have to go abroad, but for me (and many others) going away, whether it is abroad or not, is a break. When I have time off I don't want to spend it confined to my house, or visiting local attractions. I'm in my house everyday and local attractions you can do at anytime. A break for me is being away from my area. A break away from 'normal life'.

I truly feel that it is just as important for children to see a bit of the country/world as education. There is only so much a Geography or History lesson can teach you. For example ... History you are taught about Ancient civilizations such as Rome or Egypt, what better way to learn than visit.

There is so much more to life than going to school everyday and working 9 to 5. If you have the money to go away then you should do it, and if the only time you have the money to go away is during term time then do it.

People generally don't take the P when it comes to term time holidays. You will always get the ones that are constantly taking their kids out of school, but that just isn't the norm. Honest hard working families who want to take a yearly holiday and can only do so during term times (or like me who try and do it around the holidays but sometimes overlap) should not be penalized with fines.

But having said that, even with the fine a family is financially better off going away during term time.

We couldn't afford holidays when our son was small (despite my husband being a teacher), so we either went camping in Wales or stayed with friends on the Scottish borders, who had children of a similar age to our son. We still had a good time and even if we'd have had the option of term-time holidays (which we didn't), we would not have taken our son out of school to have one.

Still that is a personal choice upon which people are going to differ.

I agree with you about learning from 'reality', that is why my husband, as a Geography teacher, organised interesting field trips. He believed that the best way to learn about the world was to be out and about in it and actually see the stuff he taught about in the classroom. Sadly, towards the end of his career, there were so many 'elf and safety' rules and so many parents wanting special treatment for little Janey or Johnny, that it became too complicated to organise them and so he stopped doing them. He considered this a great loss to his beloved subject.

But I honestly don't think most holidays are like this, are they? Most peoples' holidays consist of lying on a beach in Marbella or meeting Mickey Mouse.

hunters

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

We couldn't afford holidays when our son was small (despite my husband being a teacher), so we either went camping in Wales or stayed with friends on the Scottish borders, who had children of a similar age to our son. We still had a good time and even if we'd have had the option of term-time holidays (which we didn't), we would not have taken our son out of school to have one.

Still that is a personal choice upon which people are going to differ.

I agree with you about learning from 'reality', that is why my husband, as a Geography teacher, organised interesting field trips. He believed that the best way to learn about the world was to be out and about in it and actually see the stuff he taught about in the classroom. Sadly, towards the end of his career, there were so many 'elf and safety' rules and so many parents wanting special treatment for little Janey or Johnny, that it became too complicated to organise them and so he stopped doing them. He considered this a great loss to his beloved subject.

But I honestly don't think most holidays are like this, are they? Most peoples' holidays consist of lying on a beach in Marbella or meeting Mickey Mouse.

So what? Does it make people feel superior to say they never just sit on a beach?