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

frannyann

Hi
I have just been given permission from DD school to take her out for a holiday. I wrote a letter explaining that I had been given the opportunity to get a very low cost holiday and that this would be our only family holiday opportunity this year and that we hadn't had a holiday together for past two years, I explained that I had done the holiday over a weekend to limit days out of school (being then "only" thurs, frid, mon) I also pointed out I had never asked before (dd last year at primary) and that whilst I fully supported and understood the reason for this policy I was asking for this to be considered under exceptional circumstances. I got a lovely letter from the Head, saying she understood and granting permission.

I felt it was better to be honest with the school as if my DD knew I had lied she may think it was ok to lie, which didn't sit comfortably with me.

bestpud

I can see this from both sides really.

We are going away at the end of the summer hols so dd will start back 3 days after everyone else. We didn't have a choice in the end but were originally thinking of going around now. However, with the school play and sports days etc, I thought it would be worse for dd and the school if she had a week out now (in terms of them having parts to play etc and also rounding up the year and seeing where they are academically - that kind of thing?)

Trouble is, I am the only one who thought this, it seems!! There have been several children away each week, for about a month now, and this is ongoing up to the summer hols! It's a small school so it is shows when people are absent.

Anyway, I wrote asking for permission, saying this was a one off due to work committments this year, and it was granted. But then I was talking to some parents who basically said they had told the school they were going and objected to having to ask permission - their right as parents they said!

I don't know how I missed it last year bit it really does seem as though half the parents give no thought to this at all. Not saying I am better as we are still taking dd out, but I did at least consider it, speak with the teacher and try hard to find an alternative (other than no holiday!) And we did decide against going now, as a choice, iyswim? Plus, it is something I hope not to do again.

It must surely be very difficult for the teachers to work around all the disruption, and can't be good for the class as a whole, let alone the idividual child?

bestpud

Mrs_Pepperpot wrote: »

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.


Mrs P X

This has worried me somewhat as we are away for the first three days of the school term. What kind of problems does it create mostly, if you don't mind me asking?

Reggie_Rebel

You could save for two years and plan to go in 2010, in holiday time

G-G_4

What happens if you just go? permission or not?

morganb

i'm a teacher and a parent so I can see this from both sides BUT go to see the Headteacher and talk it through with them, you have given a pretty compelling argument, and remember that if you go without permission, then this goes down on the schools records as unauthorised absence and this shows up in their league tables; so they will probably want to give you 'permission' to go. Best sort it before you book, though.

Belnahua

Just tell them your children were sick for a week? You can self certify for a week as an employee, so why can't the children?

Say they had flu or something communicable, and it was silly wasting the doc's time on something that's trivial and could be self treated at home?

morganb

bestpud wrote: »

I
It must surely be very difficult for the teachers to work around all the disruption, and can't be good for the class as a whole, let alone the idividual child?

Yes, it is difficult, but no more difficult than if ten of them are off with a sickness bug or out at District Sports, for example.

Mrs_Pepperpot_2

Bestpud - sorry for worrying you! At the end of the day you know your kids better than anyone else so your judgement will be sound.

The problem with being off at the beginning of the school year is that this is when all the bonding and "this is how we are going to run our class" stuff happens. For some children this is incredibly important - particularly if they are doing a really important move like from foundation to year 1 or into year 6.
It can be hard for children to go into a class after 6 weeks+ out of school and feel like they have missed out on the beginnings of things. It can also affect friendship groups etc...

That said, children are very adaptable and most cope pretty well.

Hope this helps a bit!

Mrs P x

Idiophreak

Almost_Redundant wrote: »

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.

....I get paid for my holidays, as do the majority of workers in the UK...does that mean my job can make me work through them, because they're paying me...err, no.

And given that, really, the summer is the only time in the year teachers actually get a break at all, I don't think it would be a very nice thing to do...