Schools no longer allowed to authorise holidays

Janepig

Poppy9 wrote: »

I've always liked Xmas off as it's my birthday and everyone else takes their birthday off throughout the year. I also like being off at end of August and lots like to make the August bank holiday a long weekend as it's mentally the end of summer and a nice break. If you have been working a long time in a work place you could be entitled to 5 or 6 weeks off a year and if you can't afford to go away for all those weeks you will want some weeks off when the weather is nice and to catch up with family/friends who are also off. Hence childless colleagues or those with adult children wanting some time in the Summer off.

I always liked taking end of June/beginning of July, and also beginning of September off, pre-kids. Especially September because the weather always seems to be better then. Although I agree with you about taking time around bank holidays to eke it out a bit.

I also preferred being in work on my birthday, got made a fuss of back in the good old days. Nothing really fun to do otherwise when your birthday is mid-January! So I guess that helped. Personally though, if one of my colleagues wanted/needed time off with their young child(ren) and I wanted time off to catch up with friends, I think I'd give in and let them have the time off. I just couldn't do it. Again though, that's just me.

Jx

Poppy9

Janepig wrote: »

Personally though, if one of my colleagues wanted/needed time off with their young child(ren) and I wanted time off to catch up with friends, I think I'd give in and let them have the time off. I just couldn't do it. Again though, that's just me.

Jx

I would too if I liked them and providing they weren't someone who took the P and expected everyone to accommodate them! Else I would suit myself!

surreysaver

geoffky wrote: »

Just phone in as sick.....Simple..
Just realised its not that simple..My daughters school phone every day they are off..

So by the phone not being answered they are making false assumptions? Tell them not to ring! Would be unlawful under the Data Protection Act for them to use your phone number for purposes other than which you supplied it.

Mrs_Ryan

I don't have children so I suppose the consensus should be that I don't need leave in August so should leave it for the parents.

Er, no, I'm sorry! My rugby team's pre-season starts in August and if I want time off to go and watch them I will blinking well take it!! I've got 3 days booked for the middle of August as my friend is coming down to watch the first pre-season game and we're making a weekend of it, then a further day off at the end of August for the next match. We can have 13 shifts as annual leave each week (say for example someone full-time wants a week, then a couple of part-timers etc) and I can honestly say everyone seems to have got what they want so I think its a little unfair to flame those without kids for daring to want leave during August!!

CKhalvashi

blossom36 wrote: »

This is changing from 1st September 2013 - when heads will no longer be allowed to authorise time off unless in exceptional circumstances, and cannot authorise the old 10 days in a school year. The amended regulations are purposely removing any reference to holidays implying that exceptional circumstances is for emergencies only.

Whilst I agree with this to an extent, my DD's study in London (Private Russian school), and the only time I've taken them out has been when my grandmother was first admitted to hospital last June, and they were back for the 2nd week of September, after the funeral.

Whilst this possibly couldn't be considered an emergency, it's a big thing in the Georgian culture for the family to be around when things like this happen, especially as there was a lot to sort out.

I wonder how this would be treated in public sector.........

~Chameleon~ wrote: »

Actually, that's something we've always allowed is for parents to take annual leave to coincide with school holidays. Even as far as working over the festive period (our profession is 24/7/365) parents always get priority for Xmas Day and the childless get New Year off

Whilst we try to be flexible with employment, we're asking staff to work 12 days on, 12 days off through August (usually 4/4), specifically to give parents time to go away without using holiday leave at all, and this is something that has worked well for the 3 years we've done it.

We have a large number of Brits, but also a large number of staff of Soviet descent (where Christmas is in January and many, including myself, disappear out the country), and I ask that holiday leave is taken from December 20th, to January 12th (using 15 days of a 28 day allowance), so as many will appreciate, flexibility in our office is required, as in many cases.

CK

littlerat

I'm slightly concerned that something that caused no problems when my parents were in school or I was, causes such major problems now it's been banned.

People used to use common sense (talk to teachers about which weeks if possible, avoid very start of term etc) and it never caused any issues.

Obviously when they get to GCSE age it's different but until then, 10 days shouldn't be a big issue.

paddedjohn

littlerat wrote: »

I'm slightly concerned that something that caused no problems when my parents were in school or I was, causes such major problems now it's been banned.

People used to use common sense (talk to teachers about which weeks if possible, avoid very start of term etc) and it never caused any issues.

Obviously when they get to GCSE age it's different but until then, 10 days shouldn't be a big issue.

When your parents were in school it wasn't a common occurance for familys to go on foreign holidays, butlins was the norm back then and prices were very reasonable even in the summer holidays.;)

wannabee_in_credit

littlerat wrote: »

I'm slightly concerned that something that caused no problems when my parents were in school or I was, causes such major problems now it's been banned.

People used to use common sense (talk to teachers about which weeks if possible, avoid very start of term etc) and it never caused any issues.

Obviously when they get to GCSE age it's different but until then, 10 days shouldn't be a big issue.

I'm a teacher in a secondary school, and this year one student missed 2 GCSE exams because their mother had booked a holiday without first checking when the last of the exams were, and they were a little later than usual this year.

As a teacher, I get the luxury of the school holidays and not having to worry about childcare - however, I have to pay the extra £ for hols, which is why my kids have never been abroad.

securityguy

littlerat wrote: »

I'm slightly concerned that something that caused no problems when my parents were in school or I was, causes such major problems now it's been banned.

There's been massive social change over that period. Foreign holidays have become the norm, rather than the exception. Long-haul travel is not the preserve of the rich. Holiday planning is no longer dominated by "factory fortnights" and other fixed closures affecting a large portion of the parents in each area. The issue simply wasn't as large as it is today.

securityguy

wannabee_in_credit wrote: »

I'm a teacher in a secondary school, and this year one student missed 2 GCSE exams because their mother had booked a holiday

One family of my acquaintance insisted that it was "essential" to spend a month with their extended family for a wedding in the spring of Y12, returning just before the AS exam season. This was a repeat of what happened during the autumn of Y11, probably contributing to their daughter's less than stellar GCSEs.

The same family are now screaming "racism" when, having unsurprisingly not done terribly well at AS, their daughter was rejected without interview by all the universities to which she applied. And are also apparently surprised that most people's reaction, including that of others from the same community, is "idiots".