holidays during term time
 

Parents are being reminded not to take their children out of school during term time as they prepare to book their summer holidays
they say...
"Many parents do not realise the impact it has, especially if their child is doing well.
We know that missing school can leave children struggling to catch up with their work, sometimes for months afterwards, and in some cases missing out all together"

What do you think?

iv booked my holiday and yes its during term time....why?.....because its a lot more cheaper than going in august.
and i doubt my kids will fall behind in a just a week:rolleyes:

Re: holidays during term time
 

I let my daughter go last year in May with her Nan
It was once in a lifetime opportunity for her as we could never afford to go abroad
She went to Gran Canaria, all paid for, for 2 weeks and loved every minute of it
No her work never suffered

Re: holidays during term time
 

I always struggle to understand how the schools don't make teh most of this, e.g. you take your kids to spain, let them try speaking some spanish, see some local culture, foods, etc. Take them to historical sites as well. there are loads of learning opportunities wherever you go. If you really want your child to do well let them have the opportunity to do so.

Re: holidays during term time
 

Schools generally dont have a problem with a child missing the last week of the school year.. the problem is the parents that take their children to pakistan for a few months, the child comes back after not doing any school work and not speaking any english and they are usually a long way behind their class mates, the child needs extra help to settle back in, help to catch up with their class mates and reminding that they need to use english again.

Re: holidays during term time
 

Re: holidays during term time
 

When my 3 grandchildren were in primary school the family went on holiday in term time for 3 weeks to Cyprus. This was done with the school's consent and they were each provided with some course work to do whilst away.
Any overseas travel is good for broadening a child's outlook on life -
unless it is to Disneyland :rolleyes:

Re: holidays during term time
 

Exactly Ms Whisp. We have done it before, the savings were several hundreds of pounds.

Re: holidays during term time
 

I can see the school's point of view but for many families it's a case of you either go on holiday in term time or you don't go at all.

The holiday prices in school holiday time are terrible. A holiday in August can be double the price of the same holiday in June. I don't think you'll get any hassle from the school if you take your child on holiday for one week but they can't be seen to be condoning it. The head teacher has to try to discourage us from doing it as she/he has to justify the absence figures to the government bod when they come round to inspect.

If money were no object then people would gladly go in August but unfortunately this isn't the case.

Re: holidays during term time
 

We have had to book at a silly date, because my daughter as her sats in may, so we made sure we booked after them dates, that i agree with , not booking on important days like her sats:D
but in the end what do i do...... say they going on holiday or lie and tell the schools they are ill???:(

Re: holidays during term time
 

I do the same as i have 3 kids and we as a family couldnt afford a holiday in term time.

Re: holidays during term time
 

I always missed the last couple of weeks of the school year. My mum and dad took me to ireland for the 12th July meaning i used to spend my birthday either on a boat or in ireland. I think i was 15 the first time i had a birthday over here. I'd come back off my holidays just as everyone else where going on theirs.

If its like the last week of the school year like when i went - yes dont see no problem with it seeing as everyone is gearing up to the holidays anyway and how much school work did you do in the last week - it was always school trips etc. I think the problem is when people take the kids out for 2 weeks in the middle of term - and when they come back they disrupt the other kids from learning as they have to catch up what they missed. How many kids though are going to sit down and do school work on their holidays? Could you imagine it taking all the school books in their suitcase and every morning sitting down to do school work sat by the pool. Dont really think most parents will do that - if there is room in the suitcases its for bringing back an extra 200 fags.

Re: holidays during term time
 

Tell the truth; most schools are reasonable enough about it provided they are told in advance and not just left wondering where the kids are.

Re: holidays during term time
 

seems a bit selfish to me , sacrificing a childs education for a couple of weeks of self gratification , one minute people are complaining about kids not following the rules and having no respect for anything and the next minute you have parents flouting the rules for two weeks of sun and sangria ......guess setting a good example to the kids doesn't apply in this instance and the rules are set for others :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Re: holidays during term time
 

Aren't you allowed so many days in term time ?

Think it is best if you can avoid taking them out of school during term for all reasons as already stated. As long as no longer than 5 school days (missing probably 1 lesson of importance in their curriculum) then acceptable, any longer to me is not.

'Tis sad though that holidays abroad are loaded during peak holiday times, so why not consider the UK .. wonderful place. :cool: Kids love it whether in Cornwall, Scotland, Wales as against Benidorme, Grand Canaria or Disney Land, just the parents that prefer the sun.

Re: holidays during term time
 

It's usually cheaper to take a family abroad than it is to holiday in this country, and your'e less likely to get ripped off by foreigners abroad :rolleyes:

Re: holidays during term time
 

Don't agree lancsdave, lots of caravan holidays/self-catering holidays etc., that can be done just as cheap and with facilities. Kids don't care about a sun tan or cheap drinks ! !

Re: holidays during term time
 

children are officially allowed 10 days holiday a year which consists of two school weeks, the only thing the school asks is that you get permission from the head before taking your child out of school

Re: holidays during term time
 

It depends on their age/requirements/concentration span/acne :)

Last August we looked at Haven & Butlins. We ended up camping near Paris for about £100 cheaper

Re: holidays during term time
 

Exactly, ask permission, it's always worked for me. Not much point in lying really when they are entitled to it anyway ! Plus it makes you look daft when they have told half the class they are going on holiday and then are "mysteriously " ill !:rolleyes:

Re: holidays during term time
 

Seems a bit cheeky, especially when the kids have just had a week off, presumably teachers had some time off too, then some schools had a teacher training day on the first day back, and the kids had to have another day off!! :confused:

Re: holidays during term time
 

yep, i took Reece to Belgium last year and they had no problem with it, the year before we went down south for a few days and they had no problem with that either ....JUST ASK!!!!

Re: holidays during term time
 

Another problem is that not all parents can take their holidays at the same time as school holidays. In many offices only 1 person from each department can be off at any one time, and if you work in an accounts department you can't usually take the fist week of a month off.

Also what about if you are told by your employer that you have set holidays- which are not the same as school holidays. Do you take time off work, without pay to go on a family holiday (which adds even more to the cost), during the school holidays. Or do you take the children out of school when it is your offical week(s) holiday.

Re: holidays during term time
 

If that is your situation then you haven't much choice and if you explain your circumstances to the head, she'll understand.

Re: holidays during term time
 

Have to say i was always taken out of school two weeks before the summer holidays because that is when my Dad got time off work and it never affected my schoolwork.
It was never a problem with the school either.
Is this a new problem?
Can't say i've heard of this before!

Re: holidays during term time
 

and what if you have already booked it, and ya ask and they say NO??:rolleyes:....TUFF?

Re: holidays during term time
 

You have to work out if the possible fine is worth cancelling the holiday or taking the hit.

You are not entitled by law to take your child out of school. It's only if the school agrees. Most headteachers will allow it as long as it's not during sats or other exams. There are however some headteatchers who still live in the victorian workhouse days and will not give permission.

Re: holidays during term time
 

you ask BEFORE you book it, isnt that obvious?

Re: holidays during term time
 

well its too late now, this is my kids first proper holiday, so they going whether or not they agree or not:rolleyes:

Re: holidays during term time
 

but panther this rule has been in place for at least 4 years

Re: holidays during term time
 

One rule thats bloody daft, id understand if they where hardly there, or like the sats where due or other exams but its not, so i dont know what the problem is.
If ya ask me these holiday companys should not charge so much during holiday time then more people wouldnt need to book during term time:rolleyes:

Re: holidays during term time
 

it is the holiday companies fault, the school are only abiding by rules

Re: holidays during term time
 

Last year I went on holiday at Feb half term to Goa with my daughter and her family. We went for 2 weeks, so it involved taking her chidren out of school for an extra week. The school were not very helpful about her oldest child having the extra week, but were quiet happy for her younger child to have the week off. They did threaten my daughter with a fine, but retaliated when she pointed out that they had done nothing about a neighbour's child who was persistanly truanting.

During the holiday in Goa, the children benefited from more educational experiences than they would have learnt in the week they were off school.

Re: holidays during term time
 

well iv asked the head at my sons school for the holiday and guess what?, she as given us permission;)....as for the daughters school havent heard nowt yet, but thinking they are not gonna allow it:(......never mind, cant say i didnt try....seems daft though asking the head for permission to go on holiday dont ya think:rolleyes:

Re: holidays during term time
 

Letter recieved from school.....

Holidays during term time

The Lancashire County form has to be filled in for any request for authorisation for holidays in term time. Class teachers have the forms if you need them. No holidays will be authorised in May which is the month of testing in school..

My lads school seems to be ok with time off as long as it isnt at a particularly important time. They have told me to keep him off on monday to prepare him for the op and to keep him off as long as i think he needs to. I have requested a copy of his teachers lesson plans for the week so he doesnt miss anything important.

I think they are just happy about the rest they are gunna get while he is off! lol

Re: holidays during term time
 

Not to me it doesn't, it's common courtesy, you wouldn't take a fortnight off work without getting permission would you?:rolleyes:

Re: holidays during term time
 

One is moving to Gran Canaria in April :hothothot

Re: holidays during term time
 

was never a problem for me, was never at school to be taken out.:D