[Closed] Taking your kids out of school during term time!!!!

Just sent them to public school, their holidays normally start before state schools.

excellent so posh folk can do cultural stuff because that is valuable but other folk cant do what they want as that is a bit chavvy....is this official education policy?
What if the attendece was due to illness and the holiday a reward and the only one they could afford?
Dont be so judgemental your job is to educate them not impose some sort of middle claaa morality on them.

my kids' schools will authorise up to ten days per academic year.
i always take mine for a weeks holiday in Cornwall, the week before Whit half term.
it is purely down to cost , i couldnt take them during half term as the price is double.
i see our family holiday as important, my children enjoy it too, and if it is instead of a weeks schooling then so be it.
i think most people who judge , saying you shouldn't go during school term , are those that have the choice to go during the more expensive times of school holidays. but in reality, lots of families cannot afford to do the same.

your job is to educate them not impose some sort of middle claaa morality on them.

Of course it does help teachers to educate them if they are actually there!

Hoist by your own petard.

i think most people who judge , saying you shouldn't go during school term , are those that have the choice to go during the more expensive times of school holidays.

Alas no. My wife is a teacher, so we just don't do expensive overseas hols. Mind you, we have lots of fun cycle touring, camping etc.

sticks fingers up runs of sulking
Damn you and your edcuated ways
I concede and lovely riposte

It's not just foreign holidays that cost more though.
UK holidays are more in school holidays too. my week in Cornwall is double in the Whit half term than the week before. its hardly a posh overseas holiday.
same for camping, they charge more when the kids are off.

I must however up my middle classness and go on holidays which we can't afford, but fund them by topping up the mortgage perhaps. Must keep up with the jones' eh

Or just go on cheaper holidays as suggested. Or none if you can't afford it, which is likely to be the situation I will find myself in when my kids are of school age. I find the arguments made by the teachers on this thread to be reasonably compelling tbh.

BTW - school attendance certificate means NOTHING in relation to a career. I have a 12yr school attendance certificate that has never ever done me any good at all ever. I have always got my jobs based on qualifications and good interview skills. Teaching your child to connect with people will do them a hell

I used to read the attendance record of the 100 or so applicants for our two apprenticeships very closely. Every school in Scotland will provide a print out of all lates and abs for the pupils last two years of school.

What if the attendece was due to illness and the holiday a reward and the only one they could afford?

So they have missed a long period of school through illness and you would take them out for a bit longer? C'mon Junkyard you can play devils advocate better than that. And from somebody who works in FE as well.
I suspect that there is a lot of people on this thread trying to justify taking their kids out of school,while knowing it is a wee bit naughty. If you think it is ok to adjust term and holiday times to suit yourself,it also tells your kids that it is ok to adjust their following of school rules.And as stated,shows them where their education comes in the family priorities.

One point that's been missed. As a teacher my wife is pretty busy with planning, teaching etc. for her class of just under 30. Can someone explain why she should have to put in [b]extra[/b] work preparing "holiday packs" to support your cheap holiday. Also you will presumably have all the supporting resources and be fully able to answer any questions that may arise? Or is a cheap holiday really that important? You would also be equally comfortable with teachers taking time out for cheaper holidays?

As others have alluded to, education is compulsory - cheap holidays aren't.

Depends on the head teacher. My mum was a head, qualified up to the eyeballs and with a track record of turning around failing schools.

Her view is generally that a holiday is easily more educational than a couple of weeks of school.

Others will have an inflated idea of what two week's schooling actually results in, and will tell you to FRO.

"I suspect that there is a lot of people on this thread trying to justify taking their kids out of school,while knowing it is a wee bit naughty" I think that about sums it up.

We won't be asking for holiday packs from the teacher. As I said right near the start my wife works in both our childrens classes for free I might add and has a general idea of what's going on in the class. However both the kids will be doing some kind of project, taking photos etc, bit of info gathering, and handing them in when we get back. They'll probably get some credits for doing this which goes towards the "certificate scheme" the school run. As I also said before we certainly won't be doing this when it's gcse/alevel time it at 9 and 6 I think they'll cope!!
One other thing though, why are holidays so much more expensive, surely these weeks have got a certainty that they'll be booked up, so it's guaranteed money for them!

One other thing though, why are holidays so much more expensive, surely these weeks have got a certainty that they'll be booked up, so it's guaranteed money for them!

Market forces - because they can!

A lifetime ago I ran a sailing holiday centre overseas. The off peak and shoulder periods just broke even and all the profit for the centre for the entire year came from the peak periods. i.e. the only reason we opened outside of the peak few weeks of the season was to get the place up and running, establish a stable staff base and secure a long term lease of the buildings. I'm not saying it's right, but that's market forces for you.

BTW - As a teacher (my choice I fully recognise) I have this problem for my entire working life, not just the few years your kids are at school. But it was your choice to have kids too - I have chosen a lifestyle choice that means that I'll never be able to afford a quality holiday at a bargain price, you have chosen one where you [u]should[/u] be making the same decision for a few years. I'll admit though I think you are right - probably only a big decision in the secondary years of education (prepares to be flames by primary colleagues!)

excellent so posh folk can do cultural stuff because [s]that is valuable[/s][b]they can afford it[/b] but other folk cant do what they want [s]as that is a bit chavvy[/s][b]because they can't afford it[/b]....is this official education policy?

Fixed that for you. That's how it works. Do I agree with it? No. Do I suffer financially as a result? Yes, same as you do.

I'm tired of arguing this point. I'm tired of parents blaming teachers for all of their woes regarding their children and education. It's a systemic issue, not a teachers choice. You want it to change? Become a governor at your child's school. Make the changes from the inside.

For the record, I'll confirm what I believe. If your child is doing well at school, and is ahead of their target levels, then you should be able to take them away - I think that holidays are informative, educational and vital for social development. If your child is constantly under-performing, or frequently away from school, then you should be responsible enough to make the decision not to. Personally, I feel the latter can be regarded as a form of neglect.

And finally.

Dont be so judgemental your job is to educate them not impose some sort of middle claaa morality on them

You're absolutely right. Teaching your children about morality is your job, not mine. Teaching your kids that breaking the rules can be rewarded is a nice start. Well done.

a holiday is easily more educational than a couple of weeks of school

I keep seeing this quoted, but how come? The holidays most people will be pulling their children out of school for will largely consist of sitting round swimming pools, parking the kids in holday clubs or playing on the beach. I doubt there'll be much touring round archeological sites or art galleries.

In relation to the tags, I give my word that I won't [i]critise[/i] the parents.

Not until I find out what critising is at any rate... 😉

i hate seeing mispelt tags i worry people will think it was me 😳
Bullheart I am a teacher [adults but have worked in schools] and I have not taken my kids out of school but I might for a variety of reasons
Re rules it really depends on the rules tbh. I would rather they grew up with the critical abilities to look at the arguments and reasons for the rule and come to their own conclusions rather than just blindly follow the rules. Some rules in school are to make the school operate efficiently rather than to benefit the pupils for example. Obviously this is a difficult area to teach people/children as many rules are excellent - which side of the road we drive on and following the highway code or green cross code for example. Other rules are less easy to explain - try explaining the rules/morality of our drugs laws,for example, to teenagers when the evidence is that tobacco and alcohol kill more folk than other drugs yet they remain legal and it is becomes much harder to explain the rules IMHO. What about the rules of contraception and sexual activity taught in relisgous schools v the rule staught in non religous schools.
Hence why you are correct moral teaching is best left to the parents and it is unlikely that you will agree with the morals of all the parents of the children you teach any more than they will agree with all your morals.
Much cultural stuff is actually free/cheap these days as museums and art galleries are free and a trip to the theatre would cost less than a trip to Alton towers for example. Disney land v a trip to Egypt to look at the history of the Pharoahs for example. Wealth is not always the deciding factor but it will give you more choices.

Teaching your kids that breaking the rules can be rewarded is a nice start. Well done.

Quote of the thread.

Well for what its worth I find the idea of lazying round a pool for a week utterly dull!! Great when we were kidless and still had a head full of last nights beer but not anymore. Our kids love the outdoors, and yes we'll no doubt visit a few boring castles etc next week but I know for a fact they'll love it and that's all that matters!!

sounds like a much better idea than giving them the best chance in life. Just what the UK needs more underachievers.

I am glad you are looking out for your own best interests ..... why exactly did you decide to have children, if you find their needs too inconvenient?

i hate seeing mispelt tags i worry people will think it was me

[b]Misspelt[/b]

😀

Yeah that's right richc, theyre just a burden on our lives, wonder why we ever bothered sometimes. Bellend!!

but I know for a fact they'll love it and that's all that matters!!

Quite right! That education thingy those uncool people insist upon doesn't matter a jot. You are the parent so you must be right, dammit.

No matter how smug you become, your kids are going to be just as painfully average as you are.

Want to go on Holiday When you want

Try These
[img] [/img]
Now Shut up and stop complaining

that one was intentional [ thought it had gone unnoticed] but they are very few and far between tbh

No matter how smug you become, your kids are going to be just as painfully average as you are

(pretentious) Quote of the thread.

sounds like a much better idea than giving them the best chance in life

So being in school the entire time gives kids the best start in life, does it?

And here's another point. If (as it does in many cases) it's a choice between going away in term time or not at all, it's still important for kids even if they are just going to a resort. Kids need fun and excitement just as much as the rest of us. Give the poor buggers a break.

Kids need fun and excitement just as much as the rest of us

Why don't you ask some 12 year olds. Would you rather stay in school or go to mega fun sun crazy amazing world?

Why don't you ask some 12 year olds

If that is your line on parenting, you should probably avoid the responsibility. Although you probably don't see it as a responsibility given the comments made.

If that is your line on parenting, you should probably avoid the responsibility. Although you probably don't see it as a responsibility given the comments made.

That's a very arseholey thing to say! If we're going to be arseholes though I could reply that if you think you can over-rule what your kids want just cos you're their parent then it sounds like you should also avoid parenting 🙂

You sound like a right barrel of laughs in the dad department!

Why would kids not benefit from doing something awesome and fun, by the way?

There are some self righteous arseholes on this forum. Molgrips is bang on. Its a shame my father never took me and my brother away on holiday whilst we where young boys out of term time. Instead he enforced a strict dictorial household regime whilst ramming home the importance of attending school which resulted in little fun. He also was never around either.

I'm taking my little kids to Wales out of term time next month for a week. We are going to have laughs, eat ice cream, hold hands for long walks and remember the week for the rest of our lives. That to me is more important than a sh1tty 5 days at a school that only really cares about fundraising events to raise capital. Life is short.

Awesome and fun all the way for me! **** education, thats the way, I only went to uni to shag birds with average looks and meet average people and then I thought chemistry's pretty average as a job, I'll become mr average builder, meet mrs average and have two average kids. Oh and I tell you what guts me most about the holiday tomorrow, I should be at an awards do tonight for the average house I built last yr that's up for best in the east midlands. I'm sure I won the same average award in the regionals about four years ago for best commercial development, however we were too average and got beat by the likes of the emirates stadium in the nationals. Bastard parents, fancy taking me to Majorca when I was nine!!!