MMD: Should you take the kids out of school for a holiday?

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  • It depends on the age of the child - I personally think that a week away bonding with your family and making other friends is good for a child, but obviously if GCSEs are looming then don't go.

    the amount of pressure on children these days is ridiculous.


    I teach primary school, and I have to agree with this. Kids have to endure far too much pressure. Hopefully, if the NUT's plans come to fruition, SATs will become a thing of the past, although these will be replaced with something else, I'm sure. Let's hope it allows for a more balanced curriculum.

    However, three kids in my class have just gone on holiday for a fortnight - two weeks into the new term. No-one can convince me that this is beneficial in any way. Another one just had a day off because it was her birthday.

    1. What message does this send to the kids about education (and then - working life beyond it)?

    2. This is an important time of the school year. Routines and expectations are being sorted out. They'll return back from their fortnight in 'holiday mode' and by the time they get some momentum going, it'll be half term.

    3. They've just had 6 weeks off! Holidays should be taken in school holiday time. :rolleyes:
  • My children, when at Primary school, spent a great deal of time doing BusyWork whilst being supervised by people who had NVQ level 1. They would have missed little and gained much from a cheap, well organised holiday.
  • Jambala
    Jambala Posts: 28 Forumite
    edited 23 December 2009 at 10:39PM
    My children, when at Primary school, spent a great deal of time doing BusyWork whilst being supervised by people who had NVQ level 1. They would have missed little and gained much from a cheap, well organised holiday.

    You say your children would have "...missed little and gained much". What, exactly, do you think they would have gained? A sun tan? A comedy hat?

    And what on Earth is 'busywork'? Ok, I get the general idea, and of course I don't know how well your school used their support staff, but what's that all about?! If you're right, then your school certainly had issues that needed to be addressed.

    Your viewpoint is limited to the experiences you had - fair enough. But I can tell you that successful schools use their teaching assistants much more effectively than supplying 'busywork'. Are you sure that's what it was? If so, did you speak to your child's teacher or the school's Senior Leadership Team (or the Governors) about your concerns? If not, then you should have done, rather than whinging about it on here.

    There have been quite a few random assertions on this thread from people who really don't know what they're talking about; people who have a low opinion of the education system - for whatever reason - or people who just see this as a place to rant and decry teachers because of their own experiences in the past (probably as a student!) I've got to say that most of the assertions made are completely incorrect when applied to good, well-managed, modern schools.

    In addition to that, and referring back to the quoted post, let me tell you this - there's nothing wrong with NVQ level 1! My Teaching Assistant has just gained level 2. She's marvellous, and deserves twice what she is paid! :o

    I'm truly sorry to sound so negative, but I'm really fed up with people who don't realise how hard people in our job work - for the benefit of OTHER PEOPLE'S children. I can almost hear people going: "YEAH, BUT YOU'RE PAID FOR IT!" However, I'm going to qualify that by saying that I would be quite within my remit, each day, to get the kids working out of textbooks, marking it, and then going home.

    Do I do this? NO! Of course not! And let me tell you that all the other good teachers who have read this thread while shaking their heads don't either. We take time away from the classroom - OUR TIME - to plan enjoyable lessons, with a wide variety of resources (the 'interactive whiteboard' has helped loads) to make sure that YOUR kids' work is that little bit more enjoyable and effective. Do we get paid more? No! But that's not why we're willing to put the time in. Do we get paid for running the football club? No! The computer club? The choir? No! As slushy as it sounds, we do it because we care about your children and we want the best for them. We're not REQUIRED to do it by our job description; we don't HAVE to.

    Ok, we get the good holidays - no-one can argue with that. But to be really good at this job, you have to give up a LOT of your own time outside of the classroom. I mean a LOT of time. I have, personally, lost TWO relationships due to my workload; you may say: so why do it, then? And to that, my only answer is that I enjoy it (the teaching side anyway - the paperwork sucks!), the pay's not bad, and there's a brilliant feeling inside when you add something worthwhile to a kid's life, in whatever way. And, of course, I'm hoping to ascend the career ladder, just like many people in other industries.

    I suppose what I'm saying here, and (if I may be so bold) on behalf of all the teachers who have posted or read this, is that, yes, we get the holidays, but we properly work for them. :cool:
  • gh05
    gh05 Posts: 72 Forumite
    onluy if you're sure they can catch up with work and could really do with the break. otherwise it's unfair on them.
  • sleepyfrog
    sleepyfrog Posts: 17
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    edited 3 January 2010 at 4:17AM
    Why does everyone assume it's to take the kids on a holiday to Majorca? There is a whole world out there, in case you hadn't noticed, and the point of taking them out of school is so you can afford to go places you wouldn't ordinarily get the chance to go.

    If the weather in this country was reasonable I wouldn't mind staying at home - but we tried that this year. No holiday, instead my partner took a week off work in August and we planned a week of trips to Flamingo Land, Alton Towers, Camelot, Gullivers, the beach. Needless to say it rained every day and we didn't get to go anywhere.

    What is most annoying is that we know the weather in this country is generally not suitable for outdoor activities but the indoor facilities are few and far between. When you have a 7 year old with Asperger's and a 2 year old, what choice do you have?

    Eureka - long queues when it rains, shoddy, half-working displays
    Magna - terrifying for my son due to the dark and noise and once you've seen it that's pretty much it. I bought him a pass for the outdoor play area but due to the bad weather at weekends we only managed to get about 4 times, and only once hot enough for the water park
    Cinemas or other places where he needs to sit still and quiet for any length of time are out
    Swimming - we do this regularly so not really a 'special' day out
    Countless indoor play barns where the carpets are grubby, you can never get a seat and some child has been sick in the ball pit.
    Art galleries? Museums? Yeh - like children really like being told not to run around or touch things every 2 minutes.

    So come March we are off to Florida and a friends villa for 3 weeks, and due to a mis-calculation it involves 2 weeks off for my son prior to the 2 week easter holiday. He goes to a special autistic unit and his head teacher's response was that the trip would do him good. They are even going through things with him, like what to expect on a plane.

    We are not going to lay on a beach, get drunk or get a sun tan - we are all fair skinned so Florida at high season would be impossible. We won't just be going to Disneyworld either - as he won't go on many rides. What we do want is to be able to walk around without coats and jumpers - even if it does rain. To show him a real space shuttle and let him swim with dolphins. To go sea fishing at Key West.

    There are plenty of children that miss school through bad parenting and truancy - these are the ones they should concentrate on getting back into school. Not penalising the parents who care enough about their children to want to give them a better experience than a week stuck in an overpriced caravan on a shabby holiday 'park' in the rain, with only arcades and kids clubs to keep them entertained.

    And before people go on about how great kids clubs are, they aren't. They are a way for parents to offload their kids while they stay in the bar or bingo. It's no different from staying at home and getting a child minder in. It is not spending quality time with your children. Due to lack of money in the past several years we have been reduced to a week at several Haven parks up and down the country, again in term time, and whilst they try their best they are no better equipped for rainy days than anywhere else. You are still stuck with the daily routine of swimming, caravan for an hour, arcade, caravan, kids show, and then back in the van by 8 after being driven away by the kids entertainer shouting, the music so loud you can't talk to each other, bingo, cabaret and drunks.
  • Jambala
    Jambala Posts: 28 Forumite
    edited 3 January 2010 at 5:01AM
    sleepyfrog wrote: »
    So come March we are off to Florida and a friends villa for 3 weeks, and due to a mis-calculation it involves 2 weeks off for my son prior to the 2 week easter holiday. He goes to a special autistic unit and his head teacher's response was that the trip would do him good. They are even going through things with him, like what to expect on a plane.

    We are not going to lay on a beach, get drunk or get a sun tan {...}

    There are plenty of children that miss school through bad parenting and truancy - these are the ones they should concentrate on getting back into school. Not penalising the parents who care enough about their children to want to give them a better experience than a week stuck in an overpriced caravan on a shabby holiday 'park' in the rain, with only arcades and kids clubs to keep them entertained.

    At last - someone who speaks my language - common bl**dy sense.

    Sleepyfrog - I'm going out on a limb here, and I'm also reading between the lines, but it seems like you absolutely know what your son needs to bring him on, and how to give him experiences that positively enrich his life beyond the classroom. I've worked with children who have learning/behaviour problems in the past, and I know the challenges that brings. I hope you have a great time, and from the tone of your post, I recognise a level-headed, sensible person who is dedicated to doing the best for their child.

    Of course, the 'Majorca crew' - I'm calling them that 'cos they've naffed me off by suggesting that it's OK for little Jon to be taken out of the class for three weeks in mid-September (despite his previous 6-week holiday) to mess about with his Nintendo DS while catchin' the rays - will argue that every trip to Costa Del Wherever is just fine and dandy. Well, to them, I say that no, it isn't fine at all. Their kids are not just losing the two weeks of learning they've missed - they're also losing the momentum the teacher is trying to build up. And also, the teacher will have to spend time catching them up - taking THEIR time away from YOUR children.

    Sleepyfrog, I sincerely hope you enjoy your holiday to Florida, and - like the head of his unit predicts - I'm sure it'll do your son (and you) the power of good. All the best :)
  • Thanks Jambala!

    I would like to clarify that if my child was 'normal' and in a secondary school class with a structured lesson plan I would not take them out of school during the September-December period, as I agree with teachers on this post that this is when they need to get used to new teachers/set up the topics for the year. I would also not take a child out for the final year before exams.

    However, saying that a primary school age child could not catch up is worrying. At that age I would not expect a child to be able (or willing) to concentrate for as long a period as a secondary school age one, and therefore the subjects should be stretched over a longer period with less intense learning. Younger children are also more tuned to learning just by the experience, so I don't see how a couple of weeks away would be a disadvantage.

    On the other hand, when I was at school I do remember a more relaxed atmosphere at my primary school than the one that seems to happen now, with SATs and performance targets.

    I think we should remember that children under 12 should be exposed to as much fun as possible and less stress. As long as they can read, write and do math, the four/five years at secondary are plenty enough time for specific learning. Who knows what they want to be at that age anyway? I was 25 before I knew and then learnt the necessary skills.

    I only have my children for a short period of time before they grow up and go off on their own, so sorry government and education authorities - my right as a parent to see their faces light up when they see the Magic Kingdom in the flesh for the first time outways your need for 100% attendance figures.
  • mrcow
    mrcow Posts: 15,170
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    Jambala wrote: »
    Sleepyfrog - I'm going out on a limb here, and I'm also reading between the lines, but it seems like you absolutely know what your son needs to bring him on, and how to give him experiences that positively enrich his life beyond the classroom. I've worked with children who have learning/behaviour problems in the past, and I know the challenges that brings. I hope you have a great time, and from the tone of your post, I recognise a level-headed, sensible person who is dedicated to doing the best for their child.

    Of course, the 'Majorca crew' - I'm calling them that 'cos they've naffed me off by suggesting that it's OK for little Jon to be taken out of the class for three weeks in mid-September (despite his previous 6-week holiday) to mess about with his Nintendo DS while catchin' the rays - will argue that every trip to Costa Del Wherever is just fine and dandy. Well, to them, I say that no, it isn't fine at all. Their kids are not just losing the two weeks of learning they've missed - they're also losing the momentum the teacher is trying to build up. And also, the teacher will have to spend time catching them up - taking THEIR time away from YOUR children.

    What's the difference between taking a child out of school to go to Disneyland and taking them out of school to go to Spain? :confused:
    "One day I realised that when you are lying in your grave, it's no good saying, "I was too shy, too frightened."
    Because by then you've blown your chances. That's it."
  • Bobl
    Bobl Posts: 695
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    No, don't do it, I love my Holidays out of season with no brats running around.
    Life is too short to drink bad wine!
  • 3under3
    3under3 Posts: 174 Forumite
    When I was at school in the 70's / 80's I remember my parents taking me out of school for a two week holiday in June every year. Mostly it was a caravan holiday in Wales. Now a parent of 3 I am sad that my children will not experience that. We have recently been looking at a two week caravan holiday in Dorset at the end of July. The most basic caravan is around £1400, it would be half that if we went in June.

    I can understand schools not authorising leave during important SAT / exam years but my daughter is 4 ( and her sisters are 2).

    We will obviously be looking at MSE type holidays for a long while as there is no way I can justify spending that sort of money.
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