Would you allow your child to skip school for some cheaper summer sunshine?

onwards&upwards

maman wrote: »

Obviously a compassionate headteacher who knows that if they didn't agree the parents would probably go anyway and would rather have the absence authorised rather than unauthorised which shows up as truancy.

How the system is administered seems to vary across the country. In some places headteachers choose, in others it's down to the local authority. And as you said M&M, independent schools seem to do as they please.

It's nothing to do with good attendance as the wording of 'regular' attendance was challenged in court and failed.

I know I'm being pedantic but it's not true that people in low paid jobs would never get a holiday. They would but they'd have to wait longer to save up.

Obviously? Nope, they wouldn’t have gone without permission, like I said they are sensible parents and as they are in low paid jobs the fines would not be affordable anyway.

Why do you assume you know everything about other people’s motivations?

I find it odd that an adult is so hell bent on opposing little poor kids having a proper holiday. What does it say about you do you think?

maman

onwards&upwards wrote: »

Obviously? Nope, they wouldn’t have gone without permission, like I said they are sensible parents and as they are in low paid jobs the fines would not be affordable anyway.

Why do you assume you know everything about other people’s motivations?

I find it odd that an adult is so hell bent on opposing little poor kids having a proper holiday. What does it say about you do you think?

I'd have thought it was obvious that the Headteacher was being compassionate, you said that yourself. Maybe it's not obvious to you that a school would prefer to have an authorised absence on their records than unauthorised (truancy) but I'm confident that would be the case.

I've posted a number of times that travel and holidays are good for children. What I'd hope it says about me is that I'm opposed to teaching children (poor, little or otherwise) that it's OK ignore or bend the rules and take extra holidays in addition to the 13 weeks a year they already have.

Mnd

I requested permission take my son out of school for 2 weeks which was granted.I wouldn't have just took him out regardless

onwards&upwards

maman wrote: »

I'd have thought it was obvious that the Headteacher was being compassionate, you said that yourself. Maybe it's not obvious to you that a school would prefer to have an authorised absence on their records than unauthorised (truancy) but I'm confident that would be the case.

I've posted a number of times that travel and holidays are good for children. What I'd hope it says about me is that I'm opposed to teaching children (poor, little or otherwise) that it's OK ignore or bend the rules and take extra holidays in addition to the 13 weeks a year they already have.

Unauthorised absence was never going to happen which the school knew, sorry that reality doesn’t fit with your stereotypes.

onwards&upwards

Mnd wrote: »

I requested permission take my son out of school for 2 weeks which was granted.I wouldn't have just took him out regardless

According to Maman you’re obviously lying and would have just had your kids truant!

melanzana

I would have no hesitation in taking kids out before end of term and to hell with the consequences. Talking Primary here, is there much more going on other than games days and frolics, i.e. not much in the line of teaching? I've no problem with that everyone needs to wind down.

But I do think that kids really should start the next term together. That is important for a lot of reasons, mainly to start the academic year as part of the pack. That is my only concern.

Other than that, take them out whenever you like. UK is very dogmatic about this though. Fines? WTH...

I would resist a dictatorial attitude like this with every fibre of my being. And if fines resulted. So what. Chase me for them!

rach_k

Absolutely not. While I know that my children would be fine missing a few days or a week of school, it's not fair that the teacher has to spend extra time setting aside important work for them and then helping them catch up when they return.

It astounds me that people think as long as their child will be fine it doesn't matter! There are usually 29 other children in the class so there is precious little attention to go around as it is, without selfish parents grabbing a bit extra for their child because they want a cheap holiday.

Most parents chose to have children and the rules haven't changed. If you want cheap hols, don't have children or wait until they've finished school. Or go half as often.

I would like it if schools could do something like set aside two weeks where term-time holidays were allowed provided that the parents paid for their children to attend school for a week or two to catch up during the holidays, but it would be a lot of extra work for the school and I'd be willing to bet that some idiots would push that too by trying to get different weeks off, or change the extra weeks in school, or moan about the cost. Probably wouldn't work in the end.

onwards&upwards

rach_k wrote: »

Absolutely not. While I know that my children would be fine missing a few days or a week of school, it's not fair that the teacher has to spend extra time setting aside important work for them and then helping them catch up when they return.

It astounds me that people think as long as their child will be fine it doesn't matter! There are usually 29 other children in the class so there is precious little attention to go around as it is, without selfish parents grabbing a bit extra for their child because they want a cheap holiday.

Most parents chose to have children and the rules haven't changed. If you want cheap hols, don't have children or wait until they've finished school. Or go half as often.

I would like it if schools could do something like set aside two weeks where term-time holidays were allowed provided that the parents paid for their children to attend school for a week or two to catch up during the holidays, but it would be a lot of extra work for the school and I'd be willing to bet that some idiots would push that too by trying to get different weeks off, or change the extra weeks in school, or moan about the cost. Probably wouldn't work in the end.

I doubt teachers want to work two extra weeks a year or that schools have the funds to stay open two extra weeks.

TBagpuss

rach_k wrote: »

Absolutely not. While I know that my children would be fine missing a few days or a week of school, it's not fair that the teacher has to spend extra time setting aside important work for them and then helping them catch up when they return.

It astounds me that people think as long as their child will be fine it doesn't matter! There are usually 29 other children in the class so there is precious little attention to go around as it is, without selfish parents grabbing a bit extra for their child because they want a cheap holiday.

Most parents chose to have children and the rules haven't changed. If you want cheap hols, don't have children or wait until they've finished school. Or go half as often.

I would like it if schools could do something like set aside two weeks where term-time holidays were allowed provided that the parents paid for their children to attend school for a week or two to catch up during the holidays, but it would be a lot of extra work for the school and I'd be willing to bet that some idiots would push that too by trying to get different weeks off, or change the extra weeks in school, or moan about the cost. Probably wouldn't work in the end.

I think it depends a great deal on the child, which is of course one of the things which makes it difficult for school who have to try to apply the rules fairly.

Some children will be able to miss a week or two and be fine without their teacher needing to provide extra work or spend additional time with them before they go or after they get back.

Others will really struggle to catch up if they miss even small amounts of teaching - it depends on the child, how acedemically able they are, what their learning style is and how well they manage with independent learning, how much support they get at home etc.

Ideally, you would have a system where teachers were not expected to do extra work relating to children beong absent, and that paretns were responsible for working with their children to cover the ost ground, but that ismn't practical as many parents won't have the skills and knowledge to teach their children the missed work.

motorguy

Absolute no from me. We never did it when my son was school age.

There are plenty of good holiday time offers available if people plan ahead and are prepared to be flexible on destination.