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

something_girl

home schooling sounds great, wish I'd thought of that, or had the capability to carry it out myself or the finances to facilitate it. It really does sound like a brilliant option.

cazziebo

aimee21j wrote: »

Two weeks is an awfully long time. Maybe the last two days, but not weeks. I should phone the school and ask why as it is frowned upon in many schools.

Thanks Aimee - I did. Reason given is that a lot of pupils at this level change their minds on what subjects they are taking once their grades are in. Therefore, the teachers see no point in going into topics at any depth...

Not sure I'm convinced!

aimee21j

cazziebo wrote: »

Thanks Aimee - I did. Reason given is that a lot of pupils at this level change their minds on what subjects they are taking once their grades are in. Therefore, the teachers see no point in going into topics at any depth...

Not sure I'm convinced!

I'm not either! How about going back to basics with them instead? When my topics have finished, I do extension work, grammar (not directly taught in the curriculum) and fun things like speaking and listening tasks. A DVD to do with the work is fine. For example, my class read the witches so to consolidate, we watched the film version and compared them.

something_girl

my 15 year old daughter was shown loads of Blackadder videos in history, while the teacher sat and read a book! Hmmm not sure about that one, but she enjoy it!

aimee21j

Did they do any work to do with it? Maybe that era?

Carmina_Piranha_3

loftus wrote: »

Why do these threads always turn into teacher bashing sessions?

Teachers don't set the rules on term time holidays yet people always manage to turn the argument round to their holidays and inset days - and no, I'm not a teacher!

odd isn't it it's not the teachers who are setting the rules or saying yay or nay to the holiday forms.

Carmina_Piranha_3

td wrote: »

I do think there's a case for reducing the 6 week holiday time but it is not based on childcare for parents it is based on factual evidence that children slip behind in that 6 weeks and it takes longer to get that back.

I personally think a really good way of combating the price hike in travel costs per school would be for a school, or a cluster of local schools to decide on a week in the year during term time when it is acceptable to take kids out for a cheaper holiday and make this an unusual activity week for the kids remaining- we ran an arts week where children had chances to do unusual arty things which would have been perfect. Then I'm sure some parents would moan about their kids missing out on a special week but you can't have your cake and eat it I'm afraid. It would mean that teachers weren't having to catch different children up at different times.

that's a good idea but then there's probably a good reason that these special days are spread over the year. Our high school has one 'enrichment' day per term and it's a welcome break from academic work for some of the children. School trips seem nicely spaced out too.

If we had an 'enrichment week' my son would want to stay in school :rolleyes: He's going to Strasbourg in the final week of term at a cost of £320 with suggested £70 spending money but he is now jealous that those staying behind can choose a day's fishing on their activity day which he will be missing :rotfl:

perhaps schools choosing slightly different holiday dates might work, as spendless said her holiday dates meant being able to get cheaper holidays in october and easter.

I have never taken him out of school before (I tell a lie, he had a half day once in primary) but this year he wanted to go on the German trip and I agreed without considering what he will be missing in the final week of school. I suppose this is similar to taking him out of school for a family holiday really, seeing as around one in nine children are on the Strasbourg trip while the rest are in school. One of the days is an activity day but there might be some education that he will miss on the other 3 and a half days (early closing on friday).

Does this 'final week' trip mean that school think the final; week is okay to miss?

Carmina_Piranha_3

Nicki wrote: »

Also take pity on childless couples and older couples who deliberately choose to book their holidays out of season because they don't want to be bothered by a horde of over-excited school age children, but find to their horror, that the pool is full of them :rolleyes:

i am repeating somebody else's words here so don't flame me - but my inlaws go away during term time to try to avoid children. this year they took us on holiday with them and chose a school holiday date. they were astonished at the difference in the children they encountered during the school holidays compared to those who holiday during school time, and think they will go away in school holidays again because if you can't avoid kids you may as well go when a 'better class' of kids are in the pool

galvanizersbaby

Carmina_Piranha wrote: »

i am repeating somebody else's words here so don't flame me - but my inlaws go away during term time to try to avoid children. this year they took us on holiday with them and chose a school holiday date. they were astonished at the difference in the children they encountered during the school holidays compared to those who holiday during school time, and think they will go away in school holidays again because if you can't avoid kids you may as well go when a 'better class' of kids are in the pool

:rotfl: don't flame me either but maybe the children who are in the pool in term times parents don't bother to school them at all! - I've come across this scenario recently and was pretty shocked by it.

aimee21j

galvanizersbaby wrote: »

:rotfl: don't flame me either but maybe the children who are in the pool in term times parents don't bother to school them at all! - I've come across this scenario recently and was pretty shocked by it.

...i'll just say what everyone is thinking- please tell!!!:p