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

Pollycat

Jagraf wrote: »

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.

Great way to look at it.
:T :T

Petra_70

raven83 wrote: »

Not read the whole thread, but can't believe the amount of people condemning the OP for taking his kids out of for school, it is 5 days for a holiday that will probably be of a lifetime and maybe, if holiday companies didn't charge so much extra for peak time holidays, people wouldn't feel the need to go on holiday during term times.

:T Very well said Raven!

Soleil_lune wrote: »

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.

This ^^^

We took our kids on holiday every year for a week (sometimes 2) in school time, as mine and my husband's jobs meant we could rarely or never get any time off in the holidays. Moreover, we were not prepared to pay 5 times more money for a holiday.

They are both extremely high achieving students and are both now at top universities. I also know of a number of other young people/children whose parents took them out of school, for 1 or 2 weeks a year, and it made naff-all difference to their GCSE and A level grades. Several of my nieces and nephews always went on holiday with their parents (in school time,) to parts of Asia, and Africa, and also America, Russia, and even the Antarctic. They learned a tremendous amount about other cultures, and met a lot of different people, and learned about the way others live, and even learned different languages... Every single last one went to university and did well, and is now in a successful career.

In addition to me and my family and friends who have taken their children on holiday in school time, I can tell you for a fact that TEACHERS have also done it with THEIR children! And even the Headmaster has taken his children out in school time too!

So it's not OK for parents to take children on holiday in school time, but it's OK for the teachers to do it?! (Even the Headmaster?!)

Hypocritical much?!

My sister-in-law is a teacher at a school, and she says that the kids whose parents take them out for 1 or 2 weeks a year to go on holiday or even for 3 weeks to go travelling, are much higher achievers, and have done much better in life than many others who don't have a designated 2 weeks off in school time.

She and the other (decent) teachers would much rather a child has 2 weeks off a year in school time, than keep skiving off willy nilly every other week, or turning up late most days like some children. That is WAY more disruptive.

geek84 wrote: »

Good Morning Folks

Our kids went back to school last week, and we spoke to the school again regarding our holiday planned for next month, and our conversation with the school receptionist earlier on the year,

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

So, all in all, it has come to a happy ending.

Glad it all turned out well in the end and the school saw sense.

I don't know why people are making such an enormous fuss. People have taken their kids out for 1 or 2 weeks a year ever since I can remember, and nobody ever made a fuss, now suddenly, it's a massive issue and it's disruptive and it's unfair on other kids and it's unfair on teachers blah blah blah...

I agree with what someone said earlier in the thread, some teachers complain because it means they have to actually do a bit more work.

Upshot is; There is far more to learning than just being stuck inside a classroom 5 days a week from 8.30am til 4pm.

peachyprice

cally6008 wrote: »

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

Especially as it's down to the LEA, not the school

Jagraf

It would probably suffice to take a child out of school during term time, and go on holiday to an area where education is not taken for granted.

A child could, indeed, learn a lot from that scenario.

If a formal educational experience doesn't float your boat, find an alternative.

If a formal educational experience isn't as important as a holiday, don't take the exams, go on holiday instead.

Maybe leave the formal education to those who want it?

Not sure pick and mix is viable really.

pollypenny

Some children can cope with being taken out if school and missing stuff, others cannot.

How many parents assume that teachers are going to give up time to ensure that Andrew or Anna can catch up? We tend to do such things as we want pupils to succeed.

FBaby

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.

Ha ha, that has to be the most blatant generalisation relating to this topic I've ever read!

This discussion comes on over and over and I don't think any one has managed to convinced anyone who didn't agree with them. I suppose you either believe your child will be affected or you don't. What I think it comes down to is whether you are care more about the welfare of the school (who will in every way do better with less absenteeism) or the individual child (in which case, each situation will be different).

In my case, the more I read these threads, the more I feel no qualms about having taken my kids out of school on holidays, the more I see the evidence that doing so had only positive impact on their lives including their education. So I guess I will continue to do as I think is best for my kids and make sure they finish secondary school with high GCSEs, ensure they attend a college that suits their needs, and support them going to a Uni that will lead them to the career of their choice. I think that's pretty good going for a parent who supposedly doesn't care about her kids' education.

Indie_Kid

pollypenny wrote: »

Some children can cope with being taken out if school and missing stuff, others cannot.

How many parents assume that teachers are going to give up time to endure that Andrew or Anna can catch up? We tend to do such things as we want pupils to succeed.

I was off school for 3 weeks in year 11 (ill, not by choice) and my parents actually asked for work to be sent home. One teacher did this. Upon my return, no teacher gave up their time to ensure that I caught up. Instead, I got a lecture about how I should have been in school.

Jagraf

In my opinion I am glad that the rules are getting tougher. Eventually term time holidays will become as bizarre as other outdated practices and I doubt it will become the subject of much discussion.

Alternatively there may become more choice and support with either a formal school education or more help with home ed, as I think either is a good idea.

carmina_piranha

Soleil_lune wrote: »

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.

10 days is more than 5% of their education. When my son was in school we used to get letters home reminding us that 10% absence means a whole GCSE grade lower :eek:

Personally I think that a trip of a lifetime, especially if there are family involved, might be important enough to miss some school for once in a lifetime, but not every year.

I'd only go on a term-time trip if it couldn't be done during the holidays - if I had no control over the date. Sometimes family things are more important than school, I wouldn't want my child to miss a wedding or to not see grandparents who were ill, for example.

missbiggles1

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.

Grades going down don't necessarily mean that standards have dropped - it might well mean the opposite and standards have risen.