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

Nicki

pinkshoes wrote: »

I think the whole thing is ridiculous, and I'm a teacher!

5 days off school at the beginning of Y10 will be fine, and the trip to India will be fabulous. My aunt and uncle did the same when my cousins were in Y10 and Y12, and what they learnt gave them a lot to talk about in interviews.

I would WRITE to the school, requesting them to change their mind, agreeing that the twins will catch up with all school work missed, will take some holiday work with them (if possible), and then go on to highlight the educational purpose of your trip, and how it will benefit them.

If their grades and attendance is good, then the school is being rather petty to refuse.

As this is a family holiday with no exceptional circumstances requiring it to be taken during term time why exactly as a teacher is the school being petty to apply the law and refuse to authorise a request they have no discretion to allow?

Buzzybee90

I had a week off every year in school time, just pay the fine.

They'll remember the holiday, not the 5 missed school days.

sidefx

pinkshoes wrote: »

I think the whole thing is ridiculous, and I'm a teacher!

5 days off school at the beginning of Y10 will be fine, and the trip to India will be fabulous. My aunt and uncle did the same when my cousins were in Y10 and Y12, and what they learnt gave them a lot to talk about in interviews.

I would WRITE to the school, requesting them to change their mind, agreeing that the twins will catch up with all school work missed, will take some holiday work with them (if possible), and then go on to highlight the educational purpose of your trip, and how it will benefit them.

If their grades and attendance is good, then the school is being rather petty to refuse.

Good to hear your view as a teacher on this.

Some people see it as a slight on your profession! Personally, as someone who has been there and done that, as a teacher, I wouldn't have the slightest concern about my child missing 5 days of school.

Most teachers probably wish they could go away during term time and not have to pay the extortionate cost of having to travel during 'peak' times.

I suspect they are more likely they empathise with the student and parent than berate them.

Spendless

Jagraf wrote: »

I was also a teacher and I disagree with time off for holidays. Why not have education and holidays? Maybe as a parent as well I can see both sides, I never took my daughter out of school, education is too precious.
Do you teach GCSEs? Do you have a year 10 tutor group?

Would that have even been possible though if you were a teacher, unless you had a career break or have changed professions? Most jobs don't have all the staff on annual leave 'en-masse'. I didn't even get a Mon-Fri off last year in the 6 weeks summer hols, I had to settle for a mid-week to mid-week break. I accept that isn't the difficulty of the OP in this case.

sidefx

Jagraf wrote: »

I take it you would see it differently if it were the week he did his duke of Edinburgh.

Do you really want advice or are you just winding people up. I wish I had never tried to help now.

Am I missing something?
I never look at previous posts just honestly answer the question in the OP.
I'm living and learning

apesxx

We took our children out of school for a trip to florida last October. They has half term week and missed one week of school, 5 days. We were sent a penalty notice which was £60 per parent per child (£240) increased to £120 PPPC after 3 weeks! Oh and even though we went in October the penalty didn't drop through the door until 1 week before Xmas!

Mojisola

With all the publicity in the papers about a penalty charge for a term time holiday and the people who have gone to court rather than pay, I'm surprised that anyone with school age children doesn't know about it.

meritaten

Nicki wrote: »

And given how many parents don't get their first choice school place for their kids, perhaps those who take term time holidays should be taken off the school roll and their places given to children whose parents value their school based education over a cheaper holiday. Whilst travel can be educational it's never more educational in the 39 weeks of school term than it would be in the 13 weeks of holiday!

so everything the school does is 'educational' - I beg to differ. but even a holiday to another country with parents can be just as 'educational' as a 'school trip'. I am getting so fed up that parent rights are being eroded here. its ok for schools to waste the kids time - on CHARIDEE events, but the parents cant take the children to another country or even a part of this country on holiday? which surely is educational?


How is 'ski-ing ' educational? most comps take the kids ski-ing. both my kids said it wasn't an educational trip - it was fun. they learned how to ski and !!!!!! all else- don't think that was on the curriculum.
justify that?

Nicki

Parents can take the children wherever they like 13 weeks a year. The remaining 36 weeks if they are enrolled in a state school receiving an education paid for by the working population of the country they should obey the law IMO

k12479

Do people not realise that school isn't just to teach pure academics but also some basic life skills like personal discipline, priorities and so on?