Our kids refused time off school during term time - please advice

Jagraf

FBaby wrote: »

But that is exactly my point. It unlikely to be imposed as a one off and would be subject to a range of responses, even though the impact is exactly the same as missing school for a holiday. Yet the latter can be fined on spot for just one day missed. Hence why more and more parent resort to reporting their kids off sick to avoid the fine. It's a ridiculous vircious circle!

I'm sure (and hope) that as it becomes more apparent that parents are lying to avoid fines (fraud springs to mind), they will get more and more strict. It's a shame that on the one hand parents argue they can be trusted with their kids education, yet on the other they are teaching their kids to break the law, and lie to everyone. No wonder education resorts to bribery for attendance.

To deny a child an education they are entitled to is a big deal, however it is done, and however it is covered up. Shocking.

Jagraf

FBaby wrote: »

I couldn't agree more with you on this, but this is why I feel the constant guilt put on parents for their action is doing exactly the opposite.

That's why I am so grateful that my LA and school have taken a much more reasonable approach about this issue.

What guilt? The lying or the law breaking, or the denial of eduction?

bylromarha

Jagraf wrote: »

All this thread does is show how little some people know about the education process. As I said before, it's like self diagnosis instead of visiting a doctor. Occasionally you may be right, usually you are wrong. And that's becsuse most parents don't understand the teaching profession. Which is so obvious here. That's why we have a separate education system rather than leaving it all to parents.

I know quite a bit about the education process thanks, as a teacher. As does pink shoes - as a fellow teacher. We both think pupils missing a few days of school for a holiday is fine

When did schools begin to know what was better for an individual child compared to the parent? No individual teacher can know a child, one of however many children they teach in a week, as well as most parents know their son or daughter.

Jagraf

bylromarha wrote: »

I know quite a bit about the education process thanks, as a teacher. As does pink shoes - as a fellow teacher. We both think pupils missing a few days of school for a holiday is fine

When did schools begin to know what was better for an individual child compared to the parent? No individual teacher can know a child, one of however many children they teach in a week, as well as most parents know their son or daughter.

That's fine it's another perspective from someone else who knows quite a bit about education too.

To be honest, with my own experience plus being a parent, I would still regard my daughter's history teacher as knowing more about my daughter's history education than I do. I might know her personality better, but I don't need to book a cheap flight in order to build on that, I can do it on a campsite at the weekend, or in the holidays, or during an evening. And personally during her GCSE years I have no right at all to remove her from her education. Even if her teacher thinks its ok, it's not their decision either.

bylromarha

Jagraf wrote: »

That's fine it's another perspective from someone else who knows quite a bit about education too.

To be honest, with my own experience plus being a parent, I would still regard my daughter's history teacher as knowing more about my daughter's history education than I do. I might know her personality better, but I don't need to book a cheap flight in order to build on that, I can do it on a campsite at the weekend, or in the holidays, or during an evening. And personally during her GCSE years I have no right at all to remove her from her education. Even if her teacher thinks its ok, it's not their decision either.

That's great for you - being available at weekends/holidays/evenings for your child.

Many parents can't - whether that's a single parent who gets limited access, or works shifts. Or 2 parents crossing on the threshold to take turns with childcare. Or any number of scenarios.

A history (or whatever) teacher cannot educate a child whose homelife leaves the child feeling unloved and uncared for because their time with their parent (s) is extremely limited. Kids spell LOVE as T.I.M.E.

Jagraf

bylromarha wrote: »

That's great for you - being available at weekends/holidays/evenings for your child. Many parents can't.

No actually I'm not available. But I could use the evenings of the 'cheap holiday time' I could have booked instead, then my child would have had her education too, which I keep stressing, she is entitled to.

Tigsteroonie

Jagraf wrote: »

I would still regard my daughter's history teacher as knowing more about my daughter's history education than I do.

Would you really? Maybe about her 'history education' but about history itself? My parents taught me more about history, geography, all the social sciences than was ever covered in a classroom. Maybe my parents - unlike some - didn't think that it was the school's exclusive duty to educate me, but instead incorporated many educational experiences into my childhood.

Jagraf

Tigsteroonie wrote: »

Would you really? Maybe about her 'history education' but about history itself? My parents taught me more about history, geography, all the social sciences than was ever covered in a classroom. Maybe my parents - unlike some - didn't think that it was the school's exclusive duty to educate me, but instead incorporated many educational experiences into my childhood.

Yes I would for the gcse syllabus, in years 10 and 11. I'm not denying at all that parents teach their kids all kinds of things, in lots of fabulous ways.

bylromarha

Tigsteroonie wrote: »

Would you really? Maybe about her 'history education' but about history itself? My parents taught me more about history, geography, all the social sciences than was ever covered in a classroom. Maybe my parents - unlike some - didn't think that it was the school's exclusive duty to educate me, but instead incorporated many educational experiences into my childhood.

I dread to think what facts my under 11s could tell you about the Khmer Rouge and the Vietnam War, or Buddhism, or extreme poverty after our big holidays the last few years...

heartbreak_star

I don't have kids so can't comment from a parental point of view, but my family always saw holidays as luxuries rather than necessities, so I don't think I was ever taken out of school for a holiday.

I do remember feeling held back in year 9 due to others being away and having to play catch-up though...

HBS x