Supreme Court: Parents CAN'T take kids on term-time holiday without risking a fine

worldtraveller

Guest101 wrote: »

So why use 'clearly', why not in my opinion.

It's like saying 'clearly anyone who voted for trump was sexist' - it's not true, but you make out that anyone who disagrees with you is perhaps dim.

(im not saying you said that, just using an example)

Clearly: used to show that you think something is obvious or certain (Cambridge Dictionary)

Gilead

School attendance is important and it can be a struggle for some schools as some parents view them as merely childminders instead of educators. 90% or 92% attendance (whichever Mr Platt said his child had) is not particularly good. Good attendance is 96% and above unless there are exceptional circumstances such as illness or close family death.

The government should not pass the decision making to the schools as this would create inconsistencies. The simplest way, in my opinion, is having a defined list of exceptional circumstances, of which holidays are not included. Yes, holidays are expensive in non-term time, but a child's education is more important. No one has a right to a holiday, but everyone has a right to an education.

IAmWales

thorsoak wrote: »

So, what about the youth workers and school holiday club workers who are contracted to work through school holidays - when are they supposed to take their children on holiday?

They are allowed holidays too! I know some teachers/ TAs who also work through the school holidays, they are allowed to book time off. The play schemes etc will have nil hours workers who will pick up those hours.

thorsoak

Well I for one, am grateful that this ruling did not apply when my children were of school age. My OH was the manager of a youth & community centre and part of his contract was to supply a full holiday programme for children and teenagers during the whole of the school Easter and summer holiday periods - and we were therefore unable to take a family holiday during those time frames. So we had to negotiate with both senior and primary schools early on, to check when exams etc were scheduled, so that we could have our own much-needed family holiday duriing term times.

IAmWales

Gilead wrote: »

School attendance is important and it can be a struggle for some schools as some parents view them as merely childminders instead of educators. 90% or 92% attendance (whichever Mr Platt said his child had) is not particularly good. Good attendance is 96% and above unless there are exceptional circumstances such as illness or close family death.

The government should not pass the decision making to the schools as this would create inconsistencies. The simplest way, in my opinion, is having a defined list of exceptional circumstances, of which holidays are not included. Yes, holidays are expensive in non-term time, but a child's education is more important. No one has a right to a holiday, but everyone has a right to an education.

I agree. 90% attendance equates to one day off a fortnight. There's nothing good about that, especially for the teachers who have to help them catch up.

tattycath

So schools can close for odd days here and there for training days, strikes etc, but parents can't take their children on holiday...

Guest101

tensandunits wrote: »

Teachers are leaving in droves, Guest101. (I know several). The pressure and hassle is not worth it.

That's is also very true. apologies for not mentioning it

Guest101

worldtraveller wrote: »

Clearly: used to show that you think something is obvious or certain (Cambridge Dictionary)

Exactly, - used to think something is obvious... which is what I said.


So you think that anyone who disagrees is dim? Because it's so obvious?

martinsurrey

Guest101 wrote: »

Don't the children deserve a holiday?

Are saying that the ONLY choices are:

A) A week in Florida in term time or
No family holiday ever, we'll have to spend all our time scrubbing floors, and the parents will likely get divorced?

Whats wrong with a weeks camping in the UK, or a week in Lanzarote in August (£500 pp so MUCH cheaper than a week in Florida in term time)...

tea_lover

tattycath wrote: »

So schools can close for odd days here and there for training days, strikes etc, but parents can't take their children on holiday...

It's far more disruptive to have individual pupils missing different days/weeks and then thinking they're entitled to extra teaching time to catch up. If all pupils are off for a training day it's far easier to organise.... probably why there's a set system of term times and holidays in place.