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

galvanizersbaby

aimee21j wrote: »

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

My sister knows several neighbours that do not send their children to school and do not educate them at home either - apparently they can't be arsed!
I did inquire as to whether social services had been in contact but apparently this hadn't happened - either that or they had been fobbed off.
Resulting offspring have no hope poor little mites...quite shocking I thought :eek:

aimee21j

Aww that's terrible. However, I thought you were talking about a shocking incident in the pool :rotfl:It's not worth thinking about!

galvanizersbaby

aimee21j wrote: »

Aww that's terrible. However, I thought you were talking about a shocking incident in the pool :rotfl:It's not worth thinking about!

:rotfl: Had plenty of those shocking pool incidents but that's another thread!

Carmina_Piranha_3

we had a couple this weekend, i don't think i can go back to that pontins again :rotfl:

Spendless

fac73 wrote: »

So none of you would mind if a teacher (who also happened to be a parent) disappeared for two weeks in term time for their holiday, leaving your children with inadequate supply whilst they're away?

Assumming we are talking at Primary level, and not at SATS time, I wouldn't have a problem with it tbh. Mine are often taught for the odd day or half day by a relief teacher, or sometimes half a day with the teaching assistant for the younger one (reception age). I realise this would be longer, but no I wouldn't mind.

I took mine out of school for a w/end break to Center parcs recently. My reason was my husband has been seriously ill (diagnosed with cancer) and after his surgery, when he was on the road to recovery, I felt the family needed a break due to the stress we've recently been under. When I mentioned it to my daughter's head, she said she could completely understand. I would very much hope that a teacher put in the same position as we hve been, would be able to go away too.

scaldyflash

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

Hrmmm I suppose one could with a bit of lateral thinking conclude that perhaps those who take their children out of school during term time are the ones guilty of not being 'better class' ! There's usually more than one way of seeing things eh ? :rolleyes::rolleyes:

fluffysox

Tran wrote: »

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......

Speaking as a secondary school teacher- most schools have policies like this. However if you choose holidays at less hectic parts of the year, when exams and coursework will not usually be affected eg. late June and July. They will usually give permission anyway, I doubt letter from employer is really necessary, because no HT wants the school's "unauthorised attendance" figures to rise (shown on ofsted reports). However would not recommend doing this every year.

Carmina_Piranha_3

scaldyflash wrote: »

Hrmmm I suppose one could with a bit of lateral thinking conclude that perhaps those who take their children out of school during term time are the ones guilty of not being 'better class' ! There's usually more than one way of seeing things eh ? :rolleyes::rolleyes:

yes, that's what they meant. i didn't mean better class as in richer, i meant as in better behaved with better manners. i haven't been abroad during term time so i wouldn't know, but every holiday they come back with stories about how badly behaved the children were, but this time they didn't.

i'm saying everything wrong this week, upsetting people. i only mentioned MIL's comment because of another comment about older couples going away in termtime to try to avoid kids.

scaldyflash

Carmina_Piranha wrote: »

yes, that's what they meant. i didn't mean better class as in richer, i meant as in better behaved with better manners. i haven't been abroad during term time so i wouldn't know, but every holiday they come back with stories about how badly behaved the children were, but this time they didn't.

i'm saying everything wrong this week, upsetting people. i only mentioned MIL's comment because of another comment about older couples going away in termtime to try to avoid kids.

You're not upsetting me I can assure you, I love debate But in some respects I agree with you. We are not aloof (at least I don't think we are) but we got a half price deal at Butlins in April during term time, I didn't for one moment expect that we would be the only family there of course but I was amazed to find that the place was absolutely chokker. I had a chat with a few Mum's and Dad's and they said they just couldn't afford to go on holiday during the kids holiday so they just took them out of school during term. Obviously we don't have the same issues that others have vis a vis getting release for our children to go on holiday during term time so it was a bit of an eye opener chatting to parents who do have that problem.

Carmina_Piranha_3

inlaws were talking about abroad, and their opinion is that a family who can't afford abroad during school hols should go camping closer to home in school hols instead.

as i said it's not my personal opinion, i've never been abroad in term time so i don't know if you're more likely to encounter badly behaved children then.

personally i think that having us on holiday with them meant they were occupied by their grandchildren, and because nobody behaved worse than the grandchildren nobody seemed naughty :rotfl:

how long did you go to butlins for? we go on the day the kids break up, a 3 night break costs around £125 through the sun holiday promotion.