term time holidays

Koicarp

I've signed too, my children are in their 20's but we will be having another in a few months. I visit schools 3 or 4 times per week for my job and was discussing this with a head the other week who has no problem with a child having two weeks away per year as long as they have good attendance for the rest of the year. He felt primary aged children could learn a lot from a holiday, and he asks all the children to do a little project whilst away. The parents are not fined as he chooses not to report them. It seems a common sense approach to me.

sulphate

When I was a child, we didn't go on holiday every year because my parents simply couldn't justify the money it cost in holiday periods, so they saved and we went every other year or every few years during the school holidays. I wasn't disadvantaged. Now there is this idea that people "need" a holiday on a yearly basis, or even more.

Unfortunately, it is not just your children's education that is affected necessarily. I have heard that on last week of term, there are so many children on holiday that the schools don't bother too much with academic activities - so even the children who are in school are disadvantaged by others being off.

seven-day-weekend

I don't agree with the fines and think it should be at the school's discretion, but neither will I be signing the petition.

I appreciate some people cannot pick and chose when to have their holidays and if the only time they can go away together is during term time, then I think this should be allowed.

However, the list of people who cannot pick and chose their holidays also includes teachers, who have no choice but to go on holiday in school holidays. Should they be allowed time off in term time too? If the school holidays are long enough for teachers to have a holiday, then they are also long enough for everyone else.

My husband was a teacher from 1982-2004 and we had our holidays in the school holidays for all these years, even after our son had left school because my husband was still there. We just had a holiday we could afford. Simple.

nodiscount

It's often school staff that are so supportive of this rule even though the tyrant Gove devised it. Is it because they can't take holidays in term time therefore want everyone to suffer the same fate?

seven-day-weekend

nodiscount wrote: »

It's often school staff that are so supportive of this rule even though the tyrant Gove devised it. Is it because they can't take holidays in term time therefore want everyone to suffer the same fate?

I expect it is more to do with the disruption to other pupils and extra work for the teachers that it causes.

fawd1

Maybe it should depend on the holiday? Seriously though, it's a thought. I don't think my kids would get anything at all (other than great enjoyment) from a package holiday to Benidorm. However, next year we're going to Greece for a week (in half term before anyone asks!) And on that holiday we will be going to Athens, Corinth, Poros and then have three days touring some of the Greek Islands. I can't believe that seeing that much history and experiencing so much wouldn't be a hugely beneficial education for them, whether in term time or not.

ellesbellesxxx

nodiscount wrote: »

It's often school staff that are so supportive of this rule even though the tyrant Gove devised it. Is it because they can't take holidays in term time therefore want everyone to suffer the same fate? /

That seems rather harsh. I am a teacher and I think fining parents is excessive. I think it's completely fair for children to have a few days for a family holiday.

Lily-Rose_3

sulphate wrote: »

When I was a child, we didn't go on holiday every year because my parents simply couldn't justify the money it cost in holiday periods, so they saved and we went every other year or every few years during the school holidays. I wasn't disadvantaged. Now there is this idea that people "need" a holiday on a yearly basis, or even more.

Unfortunately, it is not just your children's education that is affected necessarily. I have heard that on last week of term, there are so many children on holiday that the schools don't bother too much with academic activities - so even the children who are in school are disadvantaged by others being off.

Never heard of this in my life. It's far more likely that it's because the school year is winding down. Even when I was at school, we used to take board games in on the last week, and have the sports day, and the school play.

What's more, if people are going to pick a week to go away, that is in school time, the chances are high that they will not pick the week directly before the school breaks up for summer anyway.

When I was at school, we did very little academic work during the last week, and it was nothing to do with 'people taking their kids out in term time.' As far as I can remember, nobody was 'on holiday.' Same with my daughter who went to school from 1999 to 2010; she rarely did anything on that last week either, and she said as far as she can remember, most of the kids were in school on the last week. Like I said, very few would pick that week to go away; they would probably pick late September or maybe March or early June. When it's much cheaper.

Me and my family used to go on holiday every year in early June, as even then (30 years ago,) it was much cheaper to go away out of the main school holiday time.

I would much rather go in term time and go away every year, than go away in the summer holiday, and only be able to go every second or third year. We have always worked very hard and deserve a holiday every year. What's more, paying £5000 for a family holiday in late July, when that holiday is £1800 3-4 weeks earlier is not something I have ever been prepared to do. And I never will.