davieG Posted 18 July 2015 Posted 18 July 2015 Greek wedding led to two pupils being banned from watching end-of-term panto By Leicester Mercury | Posted: July 17, 2015 Greek wedding led to two children being banned from school's panto Two children were banned from watching an end-of-term panto – because their mum had taken them to her brother's wedding in Greece at the start of the school year. New rules introduced in September 2014 mean parents should not take their children on term-time holidays, but Sarah Swanson had already paid for a family trip to Rhodes in January 2014, before the new rules had been announced. Months later, the head teacher of Millfield Academy, in Braunstone Town, told Sarah she should abandon the trip because of the new rules, but she disagreed and took the children to the wedding anyway. After she returned, Leicestershire County Council decided she should not be fined because the holiday had been booked before the rules were announced. However, last week, her children, Madison, aged eight, and Zach, six, were told they could not attend a pantomime version Charlotte's Web, performed by professional actors from Curve, because it was a treat for pupils whose attendance records were 95 per cent or more. Sarah, of Shakespeare Drive, said: "I thought it was disgusting and I asked the head teacher why they had been excluded and he said the pantomime was a reward for the pupils who had good attendance. "But there were only about six of them not allowed to go and they were sitting in a room drawing for two hours, so it felt like a punishment to them. "They were really upset." Sarah said it was wrong for the children to suffer because of her actions. She said: "I was the one who took them out of school and the county council decided I didn't do anything wrong and shouldn't pay a fine because it was all booked before the rules were announced. "So why are my children having to suffer?" She said that she notified the school ahead of the trip and was given homework, which the children completed. Madison also gave a presentation to her school about the Acropolis and the things she had learned about Ancient Greece on the trip. Sarah said her children's reports were perfect for behaviour, attitude and effort. The Mercury contacted the school on numerous occasions on Thursday and Friday, but received no response. Read more: http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/8203-Greek-wedding-led-pupils-banned-watching-end/story-26919817-detail/story.html#ixzz3gEclGwtd Follow us: @Leicester_Merc on Twitter | leicestermercury on Facebook Seems a bit childish and petty punishing children for missing school. Surely there's better ways of rewarding children for good attendance, in fact do they even need to be awarded anything. In most cases haven't the parents already been punished?
Raj Posted 18 July 2015 Posted 18 July 2015 A bit of a contradiction, you can't see them being willing, yet they should do it all the time? Because it's not in their contract of employment. Voilla we have a winner!!And so should each fooking parent who wants little Johnny taught to a high standard!!! We all want cheap holidays,we all want our children taught.No rule for one and one for another!
Stadt Posted 18 July 2015 Posted 18 July 2015 Really?! So, working on the basis that they could easily fit in 3 films a day, your brother watched 15 films at school last week? Seriously? Skeptical. Well slightly over the top, they spent two days watching films
Strokes Posted 18 July 2015 Posted 18 July 2015 Voilla we have a winner!! And so should each fooking parent who wants little Johnny taught to a high standard!!! We all want cheap holidays,we all want our children taught.No rule for one and one for another! Parents are not entered into a contract, so you make no sense. Maybe the teachers should just focus on teaching at a high standard.For the record I know my kids school are against the fines and haven't issued any but it's now out of their hands. So not every school is full of spite.
davieG Posted 18 July 2015 Posted 18 July 2015 The thing is fines don't seem to be working so it ends up just being a money making scheme.
Raj Posted 18 July 2015 Posted 18 July 2015 Parents are not entered into a contract, so you make no sense. Maybe the teachers should just focus on teaching at a high standard. For the record I know my kids school are against the fines and haven't issued any but it's now out of their hands. So not every school is full of spite. If you actually read what I said, it was perhaps parents too should enter into a contract.Your not actually offering anything towards the argument against fines or anything.What actually are you campaigning For/against if there is anything of note?
Raj Posted 18 July 2015 Posted 18 July 2015 The thing is fines don't seem to be working so it ends up just being a money making scheme.They'd work if they were more severe and hence NOT financially worth taking kids out early.
Strokes Posted 19 July 2015 Posted 19 July 2015 If you actually read what I said, it was perhaps parents too should enter into a contract.Where did you say this? I can't find it.My point is that blanket fines is the wrong way to go and parents who are responsible for their children have the right to choose what is best for their development. Family holidays are very good for children, and removing the ability to go during term time, could see lots miss out completely. I don't buy that it disrupts their education and im dubious as to what the drive behind it really is. I'm suprised the left aren't more against this, as its clearly going to affect the worse off families.
Rincewind Posted 19 July 2015 Posted 19 July 2015 If the parents are responsible they will ask permission from the school and make other arrangements for their kids education making sure they do not miss out. If they are not it will not make any difference. If they are one of the poorer families they most likely would not be able to afford an expensive holiday or a fine. They would have to take holidays at the cheapest time. How many does it actually affect? Are whole classroom's of pupils missing during term time? I do not see what left or right has to do with it just common sense.
Samilktray Posted 19 July 2015 Posted 19 July 2015 Used to be bloody great as a kid going on holiday when everyone else was sat in pointless lessons like RE and Geography. Far bigger problems with school than kids going on holiday for a week in April.
Raj Posted 19 July 2015 Posted 19 July 2015 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3165463/School-use-five-inset-days-one-week-parents-children-away-cheap-term-time-holidays.html?ito=social-facebook
Raj Posted 19 July 2015 Posted 19 July 2015 Great idea for ALL the children not just the select ones!(That's the thing that that bugs me most, why one little Johnny can do it but the majority don't,this way they all can) bravo
Dr The Singh Posted 19 July 2015 Posted 19 July 2015 We always have taken holidays out of term time, because we would not want to impact there studies. However we can afford to, alot of parents possibly cannot.
davieG Posted 19 July 2015 Posted 19 July 2015 Great idea for ALL the children not just the select ones!(That's the thing that that bugs me most, why one little Johnny can do it but the majority don't,this way they all can) bravo Only if both parents can get the week off and for those that don't want to use it as a holiday as they have other plans they may then need to find sitters for a week which is likely to be harder then for single days. It'll help some but be a pain for others.
Raj Posted 19 July 2015 Posted 19 July 2015 You always have to spoil it Dave!!!. As usual your right tho...fook knows what the answer is(if there is one!)
Beliall Posted 19 July 2015 Posted 19 July 2015 if it was up to me id remove one of the bullshit 2 week half term, theres too many anyway, and allow 10 days holiday a year for kids, as long as it not around exam time. in fact, primary school ages only.
Rincewind Posted 19 July 2015 Posted 19 July 2015 How does it work in other countries? eg. France Germany USA. Why do we have a problem with it or make it a big deal. Perhaps the price of package holidays for say those in Germany do not change las much as the UK. When there was the annual July fortnight there did not seem to be an issue. OK the whole country and its industries came to a stop and people only went to Butlins at Skeggy and Blackpool but we coped.
Samilktray Posted 19 July 2015 Posted 19 July 2015 I'd much rather stay at school than go anywhere near Skeggy or Blackpool.
Rincewind Posted 19 July 2015 Posted 19 July 2015 I never went abroad until around 1973 and then it was on my own to Austra to a place called Seefeld.
Raj Posted 19 July 2015 Posted 19 July 2015 How does it work in other countries? eg. France Germany USA. Why do we have a problem with it or make it a big deal. Perhaps the price of package holidays for say those in Germany do not change las much as the UK. When there was the annual July fortnight there did not seem to be an issue. OK the whole country and its industries came to a stop and people only went to Butlins at Skeggy and Blackpool but we coped. Your right about how it was in our days.But perhaps there is more access to exotic places than our era.I mean little Johnny needs his 2 weeks in Sharm el sheikh nowadays as a given. We were happy with a few days in Skeggy
Soar Fox Posted 19 July 2015 Author Posted 19 July 2015 Who's this little Johnny you keep referring to Raj? And why would anyone be happy with a few days in Skeggy these days? You saw the pricing of holidays in England. My parents have just got back from 4 days in Devon (Chillaton) and what they paid for that I could have a week in Majorca for the same price.
RowlattsFox Posted 19 July 2015 Posted 19 July 2015 Do school terms finish much later than they used too? Pretty sure I used to finish early July. I used to miss the last few days every year, never did me any harm. I even spent a week in Spain with the school one year, which is a bit ironic.
Raj Posted 19 July 2015 Posted 19 July 2015 Who's this little Johnny you keep referring to Raj? And why would anyone be happy with a few days in Skeggy these days? You saw the pricing of holidays in England. My parents have just got back from 4 days in Devon (Chillaton) and what they paid for that I could have a week in Majorca for the same price. Everyone knows "little Johnny"! You try getting a week for a family in Majorca when schools finish,you need a second mortgage. People do still go to British seaside resorts you know,but yes your right even them prices are getting stupidly high
Raj Posted 19 July 2015 Posted 19 July 2015 Do school terms finish much later than they used too? Pretty sure I used to finish early July. I used to miss the last few days every year, never did me any harm. I even spent a week in Spain with the school one year, which is a bit ironic. I used to love the last few days at school! Only days I used to turn up!!
davieG Posted 19 July 2015 Posted 19 July 2015 Back in my day when we used to have proper school dinners I used to love it when people were absent. We had tables for 8 and you got serving dishes with 8 portions in no matter how many turned.
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