Ok it's just a moan, but really... school holidays

Tran

This has really got my goat....:mad: :mad: And just before i start my moan, I just want to state that i have never taken any of my 3 children out of school for a holiday in the past but i was planning it for next year.

My eldest child brought home a letter last week stating that the school was now going to have a new policy on term-time holidays. No term-time holidays would be granted at all except in exceptional circumstances. Problem is, they don't tell you what is considered an "exceptional circumstance". What they do tell you is, that low cost, cheaper fares is not a good reason or exceptional circumstance. It also says that if you can only take term-time holidays due to your employer insisting, then you need a letter from the employer. Oh surprise, surprise, 2 people i know have already got their line manager to lie for them and provide a letter and they admit it's a lie!.

So what happens if you are self employed and don't have a line manager but are constrained to term-time only holidays?

So what happens if you don't work but save DAMN hard every week so that you can take your kids on a weeks holiday and the only holiday you get for that small amount of money is term-time in the UK in a cheap guest house?

We're in this position. It's not MY fault both my partner and I are disabled but as low cost is not a good reason and since i don't have an employer i can no longer afford a holiday as school holiday holidays are completely out of the question. I realise a holiday is a treat and not essential but in todays society a child is socially disadvantages if they haven't had the experiences of having a little holiday, visiting a beach etc - especilly where I live where the majority of kids have 2 or 3 holidays a year. Already this year social disadvantage has been shown. My eldest was asked to do a project on a foreign country that she had vistied on holiday. Err..... what foreign holiday?

Let's be honest, those that are rich enough will still have holidays and just fork out the extra. Those don't give a damn will still not give a damn and continue to go unauthorised and lie that their child is "ill". Parents have to either get their employer to lie, or in my case, I have to lie and say may child is ill. I am not a liar and I don't want to but maybe the greater good is my family NEED a break due to the pressures we're under.

It's just a moan and i know this topic has been discussed and discussed but I feel REALLY upset that basically even if i did want to take my kids out of school, basically i now have no chance as I have no employer willing to lie, no exceptional circumstances and i don't wish to lie to the school (as my nextdoor neighbour teaches at the school and a T.A. there lives opposite!)

This kind of policy is only going to damage school-home relationships. Parents are only going to resent the school and be less likely to support it. Sadly what choice do you really have (other than not have a holiday which is a tough choice). The only thing i can do is not pay any 'voluntary payments' which WILL hit the school funds in a small way. If i refuse to pay for ANY school trips, treats, extras, non-uniform day etc then it won't be much but with 3 kids it'll add up and i shall state it is because i need this money to stand any chance of affording a holiday in school holidays. So who'll suffer for my actions? The school funds, the other kids & parents as they'll have to pay more for the school trips which isn't fair. My kids get free school meals and i know there is an assumption that if you get free school meals then you wont pay but i have ALWAYS paid for every school trip, non-uniform day etc etc because i believe i should. I subscribe to their school uniform policy and infact have just had to pay out £58.25 for ONE of my children for what the school considers essential elements of the uniform (i doubt it but i support the policy so i went along with it...)

It's just so short sighted and effects those parents who are poor-ish but are just normal decent parents who wish to support their childrens education and their kids' school will suffer.

I realise i am grumpy today because i have spent hours looking for a cheap holiday for us for next year, internet searches to get us the best deal and then coming up with a strict savings plan to afford the holiday. All that has just flown out the window now.

P.S. does anyone know what DOES constitute an exceptional circumstance? I could only come up with:
terminal illness of a parent
once-in-a-lifetime holiday
employer banning school holiday holidays
Mid East workers who spend part fo the year abroad
serious illness/death of a close relative that lives abroad

none of these apply to use even vaguely so we're stuffed......

Glen0000

I do understand your concerns, but that is life. We have a combined household income of £40k, but cannot afford holidays out of term time. For the past few years we have taken our DD out of school when it is cheap (and still not THAT cheap, even during term time). I am sure you are not the only one. DD changes school this year and the new school is stricter so we will not be having a holiday for a considerable number of years. We plan on having nice days out (using tesco vouchers) and maybe the odd weekend away.

I also don't think not having a holiday is a tough choice. The first holiday DD went on was when she was 9, before then we couldn't afford it as we were on a low income or benefits.

Mips

Try honesty - the best policy

Go and see your School well in advance.

Good luck

poppyolivia

I was told either one of the parents need to be in a seasonal job like running a b&b to have out of school holidays granted...we got a wk booked for next year and we got it from the school no bother at all but on my DD report card it WILL state its unauthorised as although the school has authorised it the coucil hasn't?????

Mrs_Pepperpot_2

It's a really tricky one isn't it!

How approachable is the HT? Could you go and explain all of this?

I am an ex HT. We had quite a lot of pressure put on us by the LA about parents taking children out of school for holidays and I have to admit that for some children it was the worst possible scenario particulalry if the holiday was right at the beginning of Sept.

Bottom line is though what are the school threatening to do if you just do it anyway? If they won't authorise the absence then it will hit them harder than it hits you because it affects their %figures. All you will get (unless the school have decided to fine parents) is a report at the end of the year saying that you have had x amount of unauthorised leave - can you live with that?

I really feel for parents in this position but kind of understand where the school are coming from - I hope you manage to find a way to work it out for you.

Mrs P X

Broken_hearted

Do what others are doing and lie.

poppyolivia

Thing that annoys me is my daughter goes to school all the time..in a year the longest she has been off is 6 days (5 days holiday and 1 day recovering from a bug she got there! Shes going into P4)..I know there is kids off longer with a cold!! but yet I feel bad for taking her out???

Almost_Redundant

I think if you present your case to the school as well as you have done on here, you won't have a problem getting the time.

We took our son on an out of season trip of a lifetime to Africa for three weeks. The school was against it but ultimately could do nothing about it. My son gained far more in those three weeks than he would have done had he stayed at school discussing the latest fashions, hairstyles, pop bands etc.!!

If the councils are that bothered about kids missing out on education they should bring teachers in for a couple of weeks during the long summer holiday to help the kids that have missed out to catch up - after all they are still getting paid.

Mrs_Pepperpot_2

Almost_Redundant wrote: »

I think if you present your case to the school as well as you have done on here, you won't have a problem getting the time.

We took our son on an out of season trip of a lifetime to Africa for three weeks. The school was against it but ultimately could do nothing about it. My son gained far more in those three weeks than he would have done had he stayed at school discussing the latest fashions, hairstyles, pop bands etc.!!

If the councils are that bothered about kids missing out on education they should bring teachers in for a couple of weeks during the long summer holiday to help the kids that have missed out to catch up - after all they are still getting paid.

Teachers don't actually get paid for their holidays - they just have their pay spread out so that they don't go six weeks without any money.

carolpinkdreamer

We have this policy at the school I work at too. It is to prove to the local authority that the Head and Governors are TRYING to do something about absence levels. Also we have a lot of families that take children on EXTENDED holidays (eg going to India for 8 weeks etc). This obviously wreaks havoc with our attendance figures.
Our pupils now have all holiday classified as 'unauthorised'. It doesn't stop anyone going it just means that the school can show that they don't condone it.
I know it's annoying for the ordinary family, that hardly ever lets children miss school, but it's just the school's policy. Try not to take it personally.

izoomzoom

I reckon that honesty is the best policy.

As it is, it sounds like this holiday next year may fall under 'once in a life-time' - espeically if it is abroad !

I really don't think that the letter from the school is specifically directed at you - it is designed for the parents who take their children out regularly ...

Best case you will be made to feel guilty and it will be recorded on their report, worst case you might be fined, but since it is a one off, I don't think it is likely.