MoneySaving Poll: Should parents be allowed to take kids out of school for a holiday?

Elsieharlow

How will this work for teachers? My husband is a teacher and I have always taken part time poorly paid employment to look after our two sons. We have never been able to take them on a plane to go on holiday as it was too expensive. Even now that they are fully grown my husband and I are stuck with school holiday prices. I know we have the time (although my husband does summer school which takes up half of the school holidays) but it would be lovely to go away when prices were lower and places quieter. If this applies to us too (and it should) there will doubtless be a furore in the popular press about uncaring teachers deserting students,

annie_finn

It seems to me that there is overwhelming support from the MSE members polled for allowing 1-2 weeks in term time. I have 2 school age children and I agree that this is the most sensible course. Holidays are fun and educational and the govt shouldn't take them away from us families by making them financially out of reach in the school holidays only. You should let the govt know the result of your poll!

lowrig

Teachers and school admin staff can't just leave for a holiday in term time, so I don't see why it should be any different for the pupils. It's not as if holidays have only recently become more expensive during school holidays, if it's such an expense either go somewhere cheaper, stay at home or don't have kids...

onesixfive

Like I said - I am no techie - but surely there is nothing to stop the use of Skype, online video tutorials, & the like for an hour or so whilst on holiday, if the information kids are missing in particular lessons whilst on holiday is so vital it will hinder their future education?
School-holiday-price would be reduced, and foreign travel would be an educational trip available to more children (and teachers), if holiday dates were staggered.
Even staggering school holidays between areas/counties may help - but when the whole of the UK schools close down for a week/fortnight at half term, and for 6 weeks in summer - the travel companies know which dates to target.

missbiggles1

sng165 wrote: »

Like I said - I am no techie - but surely there is nothing to stop the use of Skype, online video tutorials, & the like for an hour or so whilst on holiday, if the information kids are missing in particular lessons whilst on holiday is so vital it will hinder their future education?
School-holiday-price would be reduced, and foreign travel would be an educational trip available to more children (and teachers), if holiday dates were staggered.
Even staggering school holidays between areas/counties may help - but when the whole of the UK schools close down for a week/fortnight at half term, and for 6 weeks in summer - the travel companies know which dates to target.

They don't have the same holiday dates throughout the UK now.

beefturnmail

lowrig wrote: »

Teachers and school admin staff can't just leave for a holiday in term time, so I don't see why it should be any different for the pupils. It's not as if holidays have only recently become more expensive during school holidays, if it's such an expense either go somewhere cheaper, stay at home or don't have kids...

Yes, but teachers and school admin staff have a choice in that they can get a job elsewhere if they don't like the arrangements.

Families have no choice in that children have to go to school.

pollypenny

sng165 wrote: »

Like I said - I am no techie - but surely there is nothing to stop the use of Skype, online video tutorials, & the like for an hour or so whilst on holiday, if the information kids are missing in particular lessons whilst on holiday is so vital it will hinder their future .

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Oh, does Miss stay in school to Skype Jamie-Lee in the Disney resort in Florida? Or dies she go home and spend and hour in Skype after her other marking.

Oh, dear, she needs to Skype Jason, too.

I do believe that parents should be able to take kids off school very occasionally, if they have to take specific holidays from work.

However, there are some parents who do this year after year.

Arenasarenas

Parents removing children from the classroom in term time appear to forget that somebody has paid for their child to be there - are they stupid or selfish enough to think this is free? As a hard working and proud tax payer, I am pleased to contribute to providing education to our nation's children - how dare parents waste my contribution to save themselves some money! Every child not in the classroom is making the whole thing less cost efficient - just one child missing makes educating the rest of the children in that class more expensive. Would these selfish parents be willing to pass on their holiday savings to the school?

clauski

Private schoolchildren already get more holiday time and are excluded from the term time rules, so if the quality of education is there the time is not an issue.

Enabling a free for all would be a mistake, but that wasn't the case previously either - head teachers had the discretion to approve or reject a holiday request. That is as it should be, where they can assess how well a child is progressing, whether the absence would cause an issue from an educational perspective, and whether the child has any other absence issues. The government have basically said they know best and distrust or disrespect the views and capabilities of parents and teachers to make the right decision.

Marvel1

Shame teachers who are parents themselves cannot do it.

No doubt if a teacher did this, the parents who take their kids during term time would be the first to moan.

If parents do take them, then teachers should not do any extra work in ensuring what that child has missed out while they were away.