Schools no longer allowed to authorise holidays

securityguy

iammumtoone wrote: »

I must be honest and admit I've never looked at travel lodge prices for the holidays but last August I looked for a B and B at a seaside resort I could not find one for less than 130 a night

Well, there you are. Think laterally.

It depends on how many rooms you need, but booked reasonably in advance an Ibis (outside central London) is rarely more than fifty quid a night, and is more pleasant than Travel Lodges. If you've got two kids and need a bit more space, then Novotels are rarely more than a hundred, although it might need a bit of messing about to get them to throw in breakfast for you (it's free for the kids whatever).

More creatively, a lot of elegant business hotels will pull your arms off if you phone up and say "decent room, Friday night through to Sunday night, you'll throw in breakfast won't you?". And then there's the world of Aparthotels, which again will give you amazing prices at the weekend and in the holidays, because they're mostly used for business which shuts down for August. All of these places, if you book in advance and you think laterally about when their business is, are amazing value.

With small children (one still in a buggy, and possibly both) we had several fantastic holidays in central London (-ish: Gloucester Road, I think): parks, museums, trips on the river, the underground, nice food, etc. They were astoundingly cheap, because we went at half-term, on offpeak trains (with a railcard) and had haggled cheap deals in business aparthotels.

securityguy

angelil wrote: »

^^ not a seaside resort admittedly, but we just found a B&B in central Cardiff for £90 a night (

The Novotel Cardiff Centre currently wants about 70 quid a night if you avoid Saturday night, a bit more on the Saturday night. 533 quid for seven nights in August, admittedly plus breakfast for the adults which makes it 673, or 96 a night. But I bet you that if you phoned up and offered them cash upfront, they'd haggle on the breakfast. I hope it's the world's most sumptuous B&B.

daisiegg

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.

Completely agree with this...I have never ever heard of a teacher being allowed time off during term time - so I am really surprised to see all the people saying their children's teachers have done this! We can't even take one day off for things like family weddings or funerals, unless it is a spouse, child or parent's funeral, and not at all for wedding. Absolutely no chance of a holiday in term time! Which is as it should be....we get many weeks of holiday a year.

However, it must happen somewhere, as lots of people seem to have experience of it and I presume these aren't all in private schools or anything! And yes....if a school was letting staff go on holiday in term time it would be pretty hypocritical not to allow families the same right!

Jinx

Tiddlywinks wrote: »

All of those things can be undertaken during regular school holidays.

You are quite right Tiddlywinks, a love of travel, culture etc can all be gained in regular school holidays but that assumes you have the time, money and will to do all this in the school holidays.

For me it was holidays during the school year because:

-it was more affordable (and of course cost comes into it, it comes into everything);

-I wasn't always able to get hols in the summer, most workers have children and everyone cant be off together, plus monthend hols were not doable;

-less hot, but warmer than Scotland - peely wally skin isn't great with too much sun;

-to visit family to fit with their timelines in the Forces;

-to visit places without the full mayhem of mid summer hols;

-to spend some time with my child, where I wanted, when I wanted - this is the most important of all - its MY family, my prerogative and Big Brother doesnt do it for me on any level. I used to inform the school I was taking her out, I did not ask permission. I had no problems with any of my daughters teachers or the Head over this.

seven-day-weekend

securityguy wrote: »

Well, there you are. Think laterally.

It depends on how many rooms you need, but booked reasonably in advance an Ibis (outside central London) is rarely more than fifty quid a night, and is more pleasant than Travel Lodges. If you've got two kids and need a bit more space, then Novotels are rarely more than a hundred, although it might need a bit of messing about to get them to throw in breakfast for you (it's free for the kids whatever).

More creatively, a lot of elegant business hotels will pull your arms off if you phone up and say "decent room, Friday night through to Sunday night, you'll throw in breakfast won't you?". And then there's the world of Aparthotels, which again will give you amazing prices at the weekend and in the holidays, because they're mostly used for business which shuts down for August. All of these places, if you book in advance and you think laterally about when their business is, are amazing value.

With small children (one still in a buggy, and possibly both) we had several fantastic holidays in central London (-ish: Gloucester Road, I think): parks, museums, trips on the river, the underground, nice food, etc. They were astoundingly cheap, because we went at half-term, on offpeak trains (with a railcard) and had haggled cheap deals in business aparthotels.

Also, if you are in a University town, you can quite often book their Halls of Residence for a reasonable price.

nottslass_2

In many Households both parents are working and with most employers restricting how many staff are off at any given time,it can be a logistical nightmare to coordinate both mine and DP's annual leave dates,hence being left with the choice of taking a term time holiday or not going at all.
Families gain so much from quality time together,sod the culture,simply playing by the pool together , having a laugh,enjoying an unhurried meal out or simply getting all excited about going on holiday together are all valuable life experiences,something which our children will look back upon with a smile and that is worth just as much a week or two of algebra !!

mumps

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

Also, if you are in a University town, you can quite often book their Halls of Residence for a reasonable price.

We have done that in the past and it can be a great option. You often get nice kitchens as well which can save money on eating out and it can be educational well it does get them thinking about going to uni.

Dunroamin

securityguy wrote: »

Indeed. But in my experience, the ambience in youth hostels is Saabs and Waitrose. Oddly, not people who claim they can only afford holidays in term time. Ditto campsites: on one I was on recently (in England), the only coffee on sale in the shop was Lavazza Rossa, because everyone apparently brings their Moka Pot to use on the camp stove.



Indeed. But why think, when you can whine?

Perhaps people can afford Saabs and Waitrose because they're not wasting thousands of pounds by sitting with everybody else on the beach at Magaluf or Marmaris?;)

elisamoose

Please don't get stroppy with schools over this.......the legislation has been changed by Government and is mandatory for all schools including academies and free schools.The wording is very tight and the Head now has to see ' exceptional circumstances' in the application. The suggestion on the Heads message boards are that the Dept for education means just that .......circumstances which could not be predicted such as a bereavement or serious illness to a very close relative .We are accountable for every days absence from school and the termly census quickly picks up any anomalies in the figures.
Don't shoot the messenger!

Dunroamin

angelil wrote: »

^^ not a seaside resort admittedly, but we just found a B&B in central Cardiff for £90 a night (and that's only 3 weeks ahead of wanting it thanks to a change of situation). You can drive to the beach from Cardiff. Maybe you just have to shop around!

We had a fantastic holiday when our lad was about 10/11 spending a few days doing things in and around Cardiff (staying in a business based hotel with pool) and then a week at this youth hostel on the Gower, right on the beach. One of the cheapest holidays we ever had.

http://www.yha.org.uk/hostel/port-eynon