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

pinkshoes

Nessun_Dorma wrote: »

Flippin' 'eck!!!!!!! :eek: I am so glad you don't teach my children, if that is the importance you attach to their attendance.

Completion of the necessary work is far more important than attendance.

Personally I don't mind if they are completing the assignments abroad or in a class room, so long as they are completed with 100% effort. There is far more to learning and education than being in a classroom.

I had two pupils who competed in sports at a high level, so often missed school for competitions, sometimes abroad. The always completed their work, and both achieved very high grade GCSEs.

Nessun_Dorma wrote: »

I wonder if you would talk to a parent the same you write on here. When was the last time you called parent "a chav," to their faces?

To their faces??? They can't even be bothered to turn up at parents evening, nor even reply to emails or phone messages.

There is a direct correlation between parents who care about their child's education, and how well the child does at school.

Nessun_Dorma

Soleil_lune wrote: »

That is wrong/out of date.

Very good GCSE grades (like A*) have most definitely slipped this past few years!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/11814085/GCSE-Results-Day-2015-live.html

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/gcse-results-day-2015-live-c-grades-rise-as-a-marks-fall-for-the-4th-year-in-a-row-10463189.html

And on here it highlights how top grades are down.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-33990713

There are plenty more/

It was on every news item for a few days earlier this year; grades are down for sure.

Just google A level grades down; there are a shedload of news items on that too.

To say keeping kids off for 5 to 10 days in school time will affect their grades is utter nonsense.

I know many kids who went away for a week or two in school time who did well at school and did well in exams, and kids who were never taken out for holidays, who did terrible at exams and poor in school. So why anyone thinks keeping them off for a few school days a year makes a jot of difference just baffles me. It makes none.

Attainment levels have fallen because the criteria for achieving them has changed; the quality of learning hasn't. This has nothing whatsoever to do with stopping parents taking children out of school when they shouldn't.

ViolaLass

Soleil_lune wrote: »

That is wrong/out of date.

Very good GCSE grades (like A*) have most definitely slipped this past few years!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/11814085/GCSE-Results-Day-2015-live.html

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/gcse-results-day-2015-live-c-grades-rise-as-a-marks-fall-for-the-4th-year-in-a-row-10463189.html

And on here it highlights how top grades are down.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-33990713

There are plenty more.

It was on every news item for a few days earlier this year; grades are down for sure.

Just google A level grades down; there are a shedload of news items on that too.

To say keeping kids off for 5 to 10 days in school time will affect their grades is utter nonsense.

I know many kids who went away for a week or two in school time who did well at school and did well in exams, and kids who were never taken out for holidays, who did terrible at exams and poor in school. So why anyone thinks keeping them off for a few school days a year will make them fail just baffles me. It won't.

By your own admission, C grades have gone up. Your last link states that pass grades went up by more than A*s went down. You are cherry-picking.

No one has said that being off for a few days will make them fail. Being in every day obviously won't guarantee that you'll pass either. Your last para is a bit silly. Research and evidence are important here, not personal opinions on what may or may not help.

Soleil_lune

Nessun_Dorma wrote: »

Attainment levels have fallen because the criteria for achieving them has changed; the quality of learning hasn't. This has nothing whatsoever to do with stopping parents taking children out of school when they shouldn't.

It's a little to do with that, but not much.

Also, parents taking kids out of school for 5 to 10 school days a year will NOT make a jot of difference to their grades or school work or exam results.

If a child is going to fail and do badly, they will do so regardless.

If a child is going to pass and do well, they will do so regardless.

I don't know why some people on here can't grasp this.

Some people's comprehension skills leave a lot to be desired.

I am done here. Talking to some people is like trying to plait fog.

cally6008

geek84 wrote: »

The school have now agreed that we can take the children out of school and won't be liable to pay any fines/penalties.

Get it in writing if possible, so the school can not suddenly back out and change their mind

Nessun_Dorma

pinkshoes wrote: »

Completion of the necessary work is far more important than attendance.

Personally I don't mind if they are completing the assignments abroad or in a class room, so long as they are completed with 100% effort. There is far more to learning and education than being in a classroom.

I had two pupils who competed in sports at a high level, so often missed school for competitions, sometimes abroad. The always completed their work, and both achieved very high grade GCSEs.

I guess you work in a small parochial school, somewhere out in the remote countryside, where you don't have to put too much pressure on yourself, so you have the time to allocate to the children of parents who don't give a hoot.

To their faces???

I would say that wouldn't have the bottle.

They can't even be bothered to turn up at parents evening, nor even reply to emails or phone messages.

There is a direct correlation between parents who care about their child's education, and how well the child does at school.

Oh the irony! Parents, who take their children out of school duirng term time, are the very epitome of parents who don't care about their children's education.

I wonder, if the parents of the children you teach, are aware of your prejudices and that you write them off so eagerly.

Jagraf

Soleil_lune wrote: »

It's a little to do with that, but not much.

Also, parents taking kids out of school for 5 to 10 school days a year will NOT make a jot of difference to their grades or school work or exam results.

If a child is going to fail and do badly, they will do so regardless.

If a child is going to pass and do well, they will do so regardless.

I don't know why some people on here can't grasp this.

Some people's comprehension skills leave a lot to be desired.

I am done here. Talking to some people is like trying to plait fog.

Does it cross your mind that other children's absence can affect all kids? You seem to think it's just about the child who is on holiday. Do you teach? I'm not sure I would write children off so readily myself.

Nessun_Dorma

Soleil_lune wrote: »

It's a little to do with that, but not much.

Also, parents taking kids out of school for 5 to 10 school days a year will NOT make a jot of difference to their grades or school work or exam results.

If a child is going to fail and do badly, they will do so regardless.

If a child is going to pass and do well, they will do so regardless.

I don't know why some people on here can't grasp this.

Some people's comprehension skills leave a lot to be desired.

I am done here. Talking to some people is like trying to plait fog.

If a child takes ten days out a year, that works out as two whole terms' worth of school.

ViolaLass

Soleil_lune wrote: »

It's a little to do with that, but not much.

Also, parents taking kids out of school for 5 to 10 school days a year will NOT make a jot of difference to their grades or school work or exam results.

If a child is going to fail and do badly, they will do so regardless.

If a child is going to pass and do well, they will do so regardless.

I don't know why some people on here can't grasp this.

Some people's comprehension skills leave a lot to be desired.

I am done here. Talking to some people is like trying to plait fog.

You are making statements without any evidence.

That's why you aren't getting more agreement.

Jagraf

Soleil_lune wrote: »

That is wrong/out of date.

Very good GCSE grades (like A*) have most definitely slipped this past few years!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/11814085/GCSE-Results-Day-2015-live.html

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/gcse-results-day-2015-live-c-grades-rise-as-a-marks-fall-for-the-4th-year-in-a-row-10463189.html

And on here it highlights how top grades are down.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-33990713

There are plenty more.

It was on every news item for a few days earlier this year; grades are down for sure.

Just google A level grades down; there are a shedload of news items on that too.

To say keeping kids off for 5 to 10 days in school time will affect their grades is utter nonsense.

I know many kids who went away for a week or two in school time who did well at school and did well in exams, and kids who were never taken out for holidays, who did terrible at exams and poor in school. So why anyone thinks keeping them off for a few school days a year will make them fail just baffles me. It won't.

I have been through this this year as my daughter has just completed her GCSEs. Without even looking at your links I can tell you that 5 passes at a-c are up. Also, are you aware that boundaries change?

My daughters school has told them that they need to see school as a job. That their attendance needs to be seen as that important.

I'm wondering what kids think when they start work and feel like a once in a lifetime holiday. Attitudes are carried on into adulthood.

None of my daughters friends take holidays in term time. That would see that as alien. Two weeks out of her education each year would have definitely affected her grades and she would not have felt comfortable.

Maybe that's the way she has been brought up, maybe I did it wrong. She doesn't appear to have missed out on family experiences or love. What she does have are the tools to be a responsible adult.