Term-Time Holiday

[Rincewind]

With people taking holidays at different times of the year there needs to be some flexibility. Parents cannot always take time off during school holidays as it could mean too many of the workforce away at the same time. Years ago there used to be a July break the first two weeks factories were virtually closed now they are open nearly all year round. I think exam time have to be avoided when booking holidays and it also depends on the ages.

[Captain...]

It's called inset days where I live, but yeah it's teacher's day.

 

Kids don't have contract.  You can't make kids responsible for turning upto school, that's parents responsibility.  How many kids you got CPC?  To put kids or parents in the same catogory as teacher is not right, i'm a tax payer, I believe it is my right as a parent to decide if my child is fit enough to attend school, for a multitude of reasons that I believe I need not have to justify, just like my employment, eg bereavement, access to chidcare, sickness (parent or child), religious, special ocassions.  There is no exact science, process or protocol that you can contractually agree. 

 

Teachers on the other hand, like myself, are employed, it's a choice that we all have, and we all have to abide our contractual agreements.  Education in this country for children to 16 is by law, there is no choice, but it's governed by policies, if you go to eduction.gov you can read it, it's upto the head teacher to decide whether parent should be fined and whether there is a 'execeptional' circumstance for the holiday, there's no contract, no law, just guidlines.  And as I have stated, I know parents from other schools that are allowed term time off, and the school my kid goes to doesn't.  This is flaky as shit

 

'The Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006 currently allow headteachers to grant leave of absence for the purpose of a family holiday during term time in “special circumstances†of up to ten school days leave per year. Headteachers can also grant extended leave for more than ten school days in exceptional circumstances.

Amendments to the 2006 regulations remove references to family holiday and extended leave as well as the statutory threshold of ten school days. The amendments make clear that headteachers may not grant any leave of absence during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances. Headteachers should determine the number of school days a child can be away from school if the leave is granted.'

 

I've got the same number of kids as last time you asked.

 

You're right it is the parent's responsibility, I have no problem with parents taking kids out of school in exceptional circumstances, but it needs to be agreed with the school first and work provided where possible so they don't fall behind. If they don't have the agreement of the school then they should be fined, especially if it is only for a cheaper holiday. 

 

I don't like the idea of a quota, because if it exists then it gives parents the green light to take their kids out if they want to, not only if they need to. Schools should do everything they can to discourage parents from taking their kids out.

[Raj]

But teachers can have days off during term time..

Its called"ringing in sick!...cough cough!!!" just like all other employees!!!

[Dr The Singh]

I've got the same number of kids as last time you asked.

 

You're right it is the parent's responsibility, I have no problem with parents taking kids out of school in exceptional circumstances, but it needs to be agreed with the school first and work provided where possible so they don't fall behind. If they don't have the agreement of the school then they should be fined, especially if it is only for a cheaper holiday. 

 

I don't like the idea of a quota, because if it exists then it gives parents the green light to take their kids out if they want to, not only if they need to. Schools should do everything they can to discourage parents from taking their kids out.

CPF I Agree with everything you say about quota, I suppose in my head, there needs to be some common sense, the child's education must not be disrupted but also there must be some leaway in spending quality time with the family as and when necessary, the summer holidays may not be appropriate for all

 

I bet the same people demanding to be able to take their kids during term time, are the same people that would be banging on about how shit the education system is, and how kids aren't learning anything. If every parent has their child out of school for 2 weeks, making it impossible for everyone to cover everything, I bet they'd be the first to complain that children's education is going downhill, and it's because the teachers are shit.

 

Why the **** are teachers being blamed for this? Schools are held responsible by the Government/Ofsted if they have low attendance  - if the school has low attendance, then they'll get the shit for it. Why should they be shafted because you don't want to go on holiday during term time? 

 

If you have a problem with it, blame the Government. They make the rules.  Or just don't have kids, or go somewhere cheaper.

Not every parent....

[Merging Cultures]

Teachers have relatively a lot of time off during the year. It's a nice bonus for them. Inset days are ridiculous, they should have teacher days BEFORE the term starts.

 

The rest of us do not have much time off and have to take holidays when our offices allow, based on having certain people on call as needed.

 

It's not like children are taught a concept once (or at least they shouldn't be), it should be reinforced throughout the rest of the year. So missing one week is not likely to mean they will miss out on a lot.

 

Plus, they are my children. Unless I am a totally irresponsible adult I should be able to take them out of school as and when I see fit.

[notnow john]

Surely the point is the impact on the rest of the class when one child is trying to catch up.

One answer would be to spread school holidays throughout the year.

I'm confident all the concerned teachers would happily forgo their seven week

summer break.

[ADK]

I missed a lot of school and it really didn't affect much.

 

To be honest the biggest problem with school is retarded children taking 10 times as long to learn something and having to learn at the same pace as them. Perhaps smart kids can have holidays? Make it an incentive for them?

[Webbo]

I missed a lot of school and it really didn't affect much.

 

 

We'll be the judge of that.

[Stadt]

I'm currently in year 11 so I think I'm in a good position to comment on this, personally I think it's ridiculous to fine parents for taking their child out of primary schools and secondary schools because missing a week is hardly detrimental to your education and I'd even argue it's probably beneficial to get away for a week.

From years 1-9 a week away does not harm your education at all, if you miss some work you can catch up easily especially if the kids' attitudes are right, whereas parents that take their kids out that are in their GCSE and A level years deserve to get fined because every single week is important as it could come up in an exam. I don't begrudge parents taking their kids out in the last week of term as the prices during the holidays are astronomical and the airlines are definitely the root of the problem.

[Bayfox]

I'm currently in year 11 so I think I'm in a good position to comment on this, personally I think it's ridiculous to fine parents for taking their child out of primary schools and secondary schools because missing a week is hardly detrimental to your education and I'd even argue it's probably beneficial to get away for a week.

From years 1-9 a week away does not harm your education at all, if you miss some work you can catch up easily especially if the kids' attitudes are right, whereas parents that take their kids out that are in their GCSE and A level years deserve to get fined because every single week is important as it could come up in an exam. I don't begrudge parents taking their kids out in the last week of term as the prices during the holidays are astronomical and the airlines are definitely the root of the problem.

This is some sense on the issue. I don't think anyone is advocating being allowed to miss 3 months. Just a weeks holiday isnt going harm anyone.

all this talk of catching up. When you're at primary school you learn at your own rate.

at secondary school you can normally do most stuff as homework whilst away. Read a book do a section of maths etc.

[The Guvnor]

Piss#s me off, I have to pay ridiculously inflated prices to take family holidays. This isn't profiting it's profiteering at parents expense. Heres hoping the new Deregulation Bill will lead to staggered term dates which will hopefully help!

[davieG]

Piss#s me off, I have to pay ridiculously inflated prices to take family holidays. This isn't profiting it's profiteering at parents expense. Heres hoping the new Deregulation Bill will lead to staggered term dates which will hopefully help!

Not if you've got kids in different schools with different term dates. Even then I'm sure the holiday industry will just alter the 'high season' to cover all/most eventualities.

[lavrentis]

My dad booked a holiday the day before we went and forgot about term time Too late to back out then but the school actually rang us up whilst we were abroad Luckily they said it was okay

[The Blur]

Priced up Greece in August £4000!!!

Can do Sri Lanka for that 4 of us.Anybody been?

Take the kids out of school week before half term usually for skiing as they don't do too much that week.Apart from that stick to hols,although with the daughter now taking options I might bite the financial bullet.however,the school closed for a strike the other term so I will pro rata my fine accordingly if it occurs!

 

 

Yeah I went to Colombo and Galle last year, absolutely beautiful.

A bit run down obviously but the nicest people you will meet and it's so cheap it's ridiculous.

 

 

Visit Negombo as well! Lords is a great restaurant! 

[davieG]

I wonder if his parents will get fined

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-25794003

[Mark 'expert' Lawrenson]

I have 1 child at school and my job means I cannot take any more than the odd day off during March through to September, so every holiday we have had has always been the back end of September. Last year we went and were fined £120, I will continue taking holidays at this time because I have no choice and in future will incorporate the cost of a fine into my holiday budget. My older child has already left school and taking her out of school for a few holidays has done her no harm at all.

The fine for me is yet another way for the government to get more money out of us, hidden behind their concerns about our children's education.

One last point, during our holiday last year the teachers went on strike, so there would of been no school on one of the days anyway.

[Strokes]

How come school field trips can be deemed educational but not family holidays?

[katieakita]

Think you will find schools don't set these rules but someone somewhere will be taking notes expecting attendance rates to be this and that so the schools will have little say in meeting attendance targets. Every child has different needs, my Dad worked abroad and back in the day we took a couple of weeks off during term time, nearly 40 years later i still remember these holidays so cannot say they didn't leave an impression. Does this money actually go to the school or just into a pot, remember Mr Gove wanted an education system where more children were better than average!!

[Guesty]

Never really understood why teachers get the flak for this. I've worked in schools and most teachers don't mind if children take time off (say a week). They know it won't make much difference as long as it's not an important time, like exams, etc. Problem is, they can't really say it because then people/parents will use it against them.

 

It's the council and the government who fine people - not the school. They just make the school record the attendance and enforce their policies.

 

Of course you will get some overzealous, bureaucratic headteachers who enforce it. 

[GingerrrFox]

Just say they had the shits once a year simple.

[Rincewind]

Could take a sickie or do you have to provide a note from the doctor not parent these days?

[Strokes]

It might look slightly suspicious, returning from illness with a tan.

[Dr The Singh]

Never really understood why teachers get the flak for this. I've worked in schools and most teachers don't mind if children take time off (say a week). They know it won't make much difference as long as it's not an important time, like exams, etc. Problem is, they can't really say it because then people/parents will use it against them.

 

It's the council and the government who fine people - not the school. They just make the school record the attendance and enforce their policies.

 

Of course you will get some overzealous, bureaucratic headteachers who enforce it. 

Guesty, I don't think many on this site have........we all know this is the government and the enforcement is done by the head teacher!!

 

Someone mentioned a daft point of what if a teacher wanted term time off, which then made teachers seem they were requesting something which we all know will never happen!!

[Mark 'expert' Lawrenson]

Just saw on the news today that the number of fines for taking your kids on holiday in term time are up by 74%. I reluctantly had to take my youngest out of school for 7 days last year and was hit by a fine. Personally I cannot take holidays during April to Mid Sept so am stuffed for a summer holiday. My decision was nothing to do with getting a cheaper holiday. To add insult to injury the teachers went on strike for one of the days we had away. It should be left to parents to decide what is best for their children.

[kingcarr21]

Just saw on the news today that the number of fines for taking your kids on holiday in term time are up by 74%. I reluctantly had to take my youngest out of school for 7 days last year and was hit by a fine. Personally I cannot take holidays during April to Mid Sept so am stuffed for a summer holiday. My decision was nothing to do with getting a cheaper holiday. To add insult to injury the teachers went on strike for one of the days we had away. It should be left to parents to decide what is best for their children.

Totally agree.

 

People simply cant afford to take there kids on holiday in the school holidays. As a parent i know whats best for my kids and going on holiday to different countries/cultures is a life experience that cant be taught in school. Now its too expensive and kids are now lucky to have a holiday within the UK which are also ridiculously overpriced.

 

May i ask how much were you fined?