Schools no longer allowed to authorise holidays

FBaby

Mojisola wrote: »

That's not the way the law works - the regulation says that the schools have to impose these fines. The schools are not choosing to do it.

I think most Headteachers would prefer the flexibility they had before.

Indeed, but if I were suddenly fine, I thing I would be prepared to take it to court. I'm not the type of person to defy the law and accept that sometimes it isn't even fair, but on that one, considering my frustration with the system not supporting the needs of my daughter, I would feel the need to make a point: that you can't penalise parents for the potential damage they are doing to their education when their own system is admitting to not providing the best chances for my daughter.

Mojisola

FBaby wrote: »

Indeed, but if I were suddenly fine, I thing I would be prepared to take it to court. I'm not the type of person to defy the law and accept that sometimes it isn't even fair, but on that one, considering my frustration with the system not supporting the needs of my daughter, I would feel the need to make a point: that you can't penalise parents for the potential damage they are doing to their education when their own system is admitting to not providing the best chances for my daughter.

To make changes, you need to campaign to get the politicians to change things. Courts can only rule on the law that's in place.

jackieblack

I think that some of the frustration parents feel over this is exacerbated by the hypocrisy they perceive from schools.
eg Our local secondary school spends a whole day every year doing a 10 mile sponsored walk to raise money for school funds. And they send the children home early when they have their Open Evening, so they can get everything ready.
How is that ok?

But if a parent wants to take their child out for a day........ oh no - don't we know how damaging that would be for their education? and aren't we terrible parents for even considering it!

Mojisola

jackieblack wrote: »

I think that some of the frustration parents feel over this is exacerbated by the hypocrisy they perceive from schools.
eg Our local school spends a day every year doing a 10 mile sponsored walk to raise money for school funds. How is that ok?

Have you asked the Head or Governors about it?

Stood as a parent governor so that you can influence how the school is run?

jackieblack

Mojisola wrote: »

Have you asked the Head or Governors about it?

Stood as a parent governor so that you can influence how the school is run?

Been there, tried that :wall::wall::wall::wall::wall::wall:

zagfles

FBaby wrote: »

zaggle, I really would like an example of these cheaper flights during holiday time. I have been looking for years 6 months in advance for flights in Europe and yes, they tend to be a bit cheaper 6 months prior, but still significantly more expensive than during term time. I tried the leaving a few days after the start of the holiday, coming back a bit sooner, but the only time you can do that and enjoy more than 5 days is Easter and Summer and still these are much more expensive.

pinkladyof66 wrote: »

just done a search for flights for 7 days in easter holidays to palma and it comes up £1200 for flights alone !!!!!

It's a bit early - most of the budget airlines don't release their flights for booking till about 9 months before, for instance on Easyjet you can only book up till March at the moment. So if you do a skyscanner search you'll probably only get the major airlines. Wait till 6-7 months before.

Examples of cheap flights we've had (or know people who've had) are:

Holiday in the Italian lakes in August, we flew to Milan for just over £50 return each (£200 for the 4 of us) with Easyjet including baggage.

Sorrento - we flew to Naples for £100 return each (£400 for the 4 of us) in the Easter holidays, on BMI. We went on first Mon of the holidays and came back 10 days later on Thurs.

Spain - flew to Girona with Ryanair for about £80 return each in August.

France - west coast near La Rochelle in August - we drove there but some friends joined us - they flew Ryanair for about £60 return each.

Denmark - return on BA in August for £100 each.

Some have been a bit more pricey - we've been to Malaga at Easter and Majorca in October half term for about £200 each.

Some of these were a few years ago (but all within the last 6 years).

Also had a couple of cheap packages flying from Glasgow in the October half term, about £150 each at very nice 4-star hotels in Majorca/Minorca! Though about 7-8 years ago.

Spendless

I only know one family who regularly take 2 weeks hol in term-time. Both parents work f-time in the building trade and their busiest time is when the days are lighter and warmer. They go away in Autumn every year instead. Everyone else either does it very occasionally or tags a few days either side of a school hol if they can't go completely in school holiday time for whatever reason. The new rules mean these are unable to do it.

BTW there is an e-petition for those who are against the changes. ithad reached 26,000 signatures the other day so because it had reached over 10,000 had to have a response. If it reaches over 100,000 there has to be a debate (if I've got this right, I'm going from memory).

My daughter's HT said when I chatted to him about it that he had been unaware it was going to happen before he received the letter,though he had heard 'rumblings' fromthe beg of last year and when the story was reported in our local rag the NUT was quoted as saying they were against the changes, due to our area being deprived and many families would struggle to afford a hol (whether all this is correct or not I've no idea)

mumps

I'm going to central/eastern europe for a month in August. Booked it six months ago, flights were £55 going £50 return, different airports. I was going to get a rail pass but found coaches suited me better and are really cheap. For example I am going to be going from Prague to Krakow which is about 7 hr journey and it cost me less than £15. The hotels have averaged at about £35 to £40 a night and look nice and have good reviews. Between two of us the flights, coaches and hotels are about £1400 or £700 each on top of that we need food and entrance to museums, places of interest. I don't think that is bad for a month and it would have worked out less per head if children had been sharing our room, there is a small charge is some hotels for this but others it was free. The main cost we still have is food, we will have breakfast in hotels most days, for lunch we are likely to buy street food or maybe pick up rolls and cooked meat and salad from local shops with a nice meal in the evening. I reckon all in the month is likely to cost us £1500 tops and could be a lot cheaper e.g. main thing would be not going for so long, could have stayed in places longer and found somewhere we could do self catering.

As it is we are doing it the way that suits us but if I still had children to take I would do it differently but we are looking forward to it and will be visiting six or seven very interesting countries, staying in some great cities and seeing lots. I am not keen on beach holidays, I have never been one for sitting in the sun as it tends to burn me and give me migraines. We have done lots of research about what we want to see and the cheapest way to do it, buses and not paying for a tour guide and organised trip seems to be a great way to save. We will also being doing a lot of relaxing I hope.

zagfles

pinkladyof66 wrote: »

just done a search for flights for 7 days in easter holidays to palma and it comes up £1200 for flights alone !!!!!

BTW not sure where you're looking or where you're flying from, but even on BA, now, there are flights from London to PMI for around £80pp each way (so £640 return for 4 people) in the Easter holidays. That's on BA, the budget airlines are likely to be a lot cheaper when they release their flights.

pinkladyof66

zagfles wrote: »

BTW not sure where you're looking or where you're flying from, but even on BA, now, there are flights from London to PMI for around £80pp each way (so £640 return for 4 people) in the Easter holidays. That's on BA, the budget airlines are likely to be a lot cheaper when they release their flights.

i am looking to fly from Bristol