Holiday in school time - what to tell school

andyrules

hobo28 wrote: »

Please don't make this into a bash the teachers thread. I think teachers do their best under very difficult circumstances. The problem is the goverment and the system which they must operate within.

I actually do know some teachers so I do understand that during the holidays they are not just sat on their backsides.

My point is that as a nation we seem unable to influence/manage those people who simply don't give a toss. The whole debacle over school holidays is simply cos instead of targetting the persistent offenders, its easier to clamp down on the decent parents.

If we use common sense, we must all know that a week or two used sensibly makes no difference.

hobo, was that directed at my post? If so, I'll just point out I am a teacher (primary) and I was speaking from my own experience.

Personally, I'm not a fan of term time hols, but do appreciate it can be difficult for some parents. I know how hard it is for children to fill in the gaps they've missed, and for staff to help them whilst teaching them new concepts.

I'll agree with you over the gvt stance up to a point. We are sadly a target driven nation, however there are other important issues over the whole absence thing, for instance, absence can flag a serious social problem such as a child missing from education. I know I've gone away from the holiday thing there.

jem16

andyrules wrote: »

Last year we had plenty of twilight training, but in addition days/time out training/visiting other schools/observing other classes/discussing action plans/planning feedback.... In the end, we felt that it did have an impact.

I think it's fair to say that people have different experiences at different schools.

I was agreeing with you regarding the inset days, although maybe I worded it badly.

It sounds like your school works very differently with regard training. Most of what you mention has to be done outside the normal teaching day although some is unavoidable.

shockingmoment

jem16 wrote: »

Exactly you are picking and choosing what is important to you.

Yes - you're right. I have a choice.

jem16 wrote: »

So you are quite happy for the teacher to organsie holiday work for your children. This will either involve extra teaching before or after the holiday that would not be necessary if your children were at school.

Right again. This involves the teacher saying 'We're covering pages nn to yy. No extra teaching required - apart from that on our part. Teachers do not have a monopoly on teaching

jem16 wrote: »

I am glad that your children both excel at school and have not suffered in the slightest. However this does not make it right to take children on term time holidays just to save money.

Thank you. And yes it does. We have a choice. Always remember. We all have a choice.

shockingmoment

hobo28 wrote: »

My point is that as a nation we seem unable to influence/manage those people who simply don't give a toss. The whole debacle over school holidays is simply cos instead of targetting the persistent offenders, its easier to clamp down on the decent parents.

If we use common sense, we must all know that a week or two used sensibly makes no difference.

Exactly right. Thoroughly agree.

beefcarrot

shockingmoment wrote: »

Right again. This involves the teacher saying 'We're covering pages nn to yy. No extra teaching required - apart from that on our part.

In my experience as a teacher, you always have to do more than just find a book and tell the child to work from pages nn to yy. We have to make sure the work we want the child to do is sent to the child's level, is covering the right areas of the curriculum that they will miss and that the children have the resources to get the work done - it's amazing how many children don't.

shockingmoment wrote: »

Teachers do not have a monopoly on teaching

You're right. Teachers don't have a monopoly on teaching. Now would you please explain this to a small core of parents that believe that they need not have anything to do with helping their child make any progress in school. Homework and reading at home is just another chore that can be missed.

Please note - this is not meant as a rant at anyone in particular. It just comes from experience in the classroom.

jem16

shockingmoment wrote: »

Right again. This involves the teacher saying 'We're covering pages nn to yy. No extra teaching required - apart from that on our part.

This would not be acceptable in my school.

I'm afraid that we will have to agree to disagree on the matter of term time holidays.

SUESMITH_2

[quote
&Our children always take work with them (set by the teacher(s) for serious study after the days events. They both excell at school and have not suffered in the slightest.[/quote]

i wonder how old your children are? i work in a science dept (as a technician) and would love to see you attempting practicals whilst sat in a hotel room. i cant have hols in term time but earn half what a teacher earns so not only am i poorly paid but am hit with high travel costs, ah well camping again next year. at the moment we are doing assessed science practicals for our yr11, also the exam board we follow in upper school means you sit "mini" gcse's all through ks4 - if you miss these we then have to arrange for a room and someone to invigilate; we then have the pressure of getting through all the syllabus and believe me time is very tight. two weeks off is half a topic and a lot of catching up for the pupil and missed lunchtimes/breaktimes for teaching staff to ensure your child has caught up, oh well its only education

Savvy_Sue

Voyager2002 wrote: »

Anyway, no need to worry. The OP is a paying customer of a business, and the school will surely agree to your holiday rather than risk losing the fees that you pay.

whatever anyone else has said about the costs of running a school, one of my relatives works in a private school and the Parent is Boss! The Head will do ANYTHING rather than upset a parent ...

Voyager2002

meester wrote: »

i have no idea why people are so quick to attack people sending their kids to private school.

I don't see anyone posting replies to people asking for cheap LCD TVs advising them to spend their money on a good book or an Open University course instead.

Perhaps because their decision to buy a TV does not harm my access to books, courses or whatever. Whereas publicly-funded education suffers terribly from the absence of children whose parents value education enough to pay for it. Not to mention the questionable motives (snobbery; contempt for ordinary people) that sometimes lie behind the choice of independent schools.

And yes, there are parts of the country where the only way to get a decent education is to go private, and I would never criticise a parent in that situation who pays for their education. But such places are scarcer than is sometimes said...

wolfchick

looneyleo wrote: »

Well, I can't really believe some of the responses above. Some people do not have any choice when they are able to take holidays...nothing to do with cost of holidays etc. We apply for annual leave in school holiday time. My OH works for the government, has to apply for holidays TWO years in advance and gets what he is given. If that falls out of school holidays, well that's it. There is no way I am denying my children a family holiday with all the esential life skills that can be learnt on a holiday because the education system dictates when and how we can take our holidays. Do not feel guilty. Write a letter explaining the real reason as to why you are taking your son on holiday and let the school get on with it. Better they know the truth in advance and can plan around you son's absense. These days, any family time together is very precious and don't be bullied out of it.

Hi I work in a school and Im certain forces personal and out of term holidays are classed as authorised. I know its hard but as the forces dont stick to school holidays you really have no choice, my childrens holidays with their dad were ok as he couldnt argue with the army. Even if its unauthorised its only for league tables. Im sure if you wrote and explained that she/he would be ok.