Re: Taking kids out of school for holidays : Tue Aug 28, 2012 10:32 am  

kirkstaller wrote:

Can you give me an example of what does?

Are you asking people to provide you with plausible lies?

Re: Taking kids out of school for holidays : Tue Aug 28, 2012 10:34 am  

kirkstaller wrote:

Can you give me an example of what does?

Use the power of prayer...

Re: Taking kids out of school for holidays : Tue Aug 28, 2012 11:30 am  

We were allowed to take our eldest daughter out of School for a holiday. My wife would have been heavily pregnant had we gone in late July or August and our daughter's headteacher allowed us to tack a week on the end of the Spring Bank holiday week. She was only in year R at the time though.

I don't throw sickies at work so I wouldn't use that tactic to take my children on holiday out of season. I recommend telling them the truth, you never know as it is an important milestone/occasion they might actually say yes.

Re: Taking kids out of school for holidays : Tue Aug 28, 2012 11:47 am  

littlerich wrote:

It costs £35k pa at Eton & Harrow.

Are your kids being privately tutored by Stephen Hawkin, Brian Cox, Dr Robert Winston, J.K.Rowling, Sir David Attenborough, Mervyn King and Usain Bolt?

Since when has a Darts player been able to educate kids ?

Re: Taking kids out of school for holidays : Tue Aug 28, 2012 2:13 pm  

Depends on the type of holiday, but the life experience the child will encounter assuming your not just lying on a beach all day but rather doing something a little more meaningful, will out way missing five day's of school. Particularly if the absence is properly prepared for before hand.

Re: Taking kids out of school for holidays : Tue Aug 28, 2012 3:08 pm  

Kosh wrote:

Wrong. It was introduced because taking children out of class for a holiday disrupts the education of the entire class.

Many things disrupt the education of a class, including various proper inclusion policies, teaching strikes, lack of proper funding etc.

I personally find "teacher training days" that are not taken during school holidays very disruptive to my kids education, not to mention my families childcare plans.

I think the 4 days before next May's half term that I've decided to take my daughter on holiday, with the head's consent, during term time, are fairly low down on the list of what will cause the most classroom disruption. Particularly when those days lead up to half term and games are played and movies are watched etc.

I also took my son on holiday during his preparation for GCSEs. he took some work with him and he flew back early. He got fantastic results and starts University in September.

Parents play a large role in the education of their children. Some parents are able to instill proper values into their children about the importance of education and schoolwork away from the class. If they do and they take holidays at a time they can afford then good for them.

Play the game, make the request and i it's denied pay any fine. It will be cheaper anyway.

Re: Taking kids out of school for holidays : Tue Aug 28, 2012 3:34 pm  

G1 wrote:

Many things disrupt the education of a class, including various proper inclusion policies, teaching strikes, lack of proper funding etc.

I personally find "teacher training days" that are not taken during school holidays very disruptive to my kids education, not to mention my families childcare plans.


Parents play a large role in the education of their children. Some parents are able to instill proper values into their children about the importance of education and schoolwork away from the class. If they do and they take holidays at a time they can afford then good for them.

Play the game, make the request and i it's denied pay any fine. It will be cheaper anyway.

I completely agree.
As I said earlier, we chose to take our 6 year old out of school during term time for a holiday.
My husband is self employed & works away Monday to Friday, we arranged the holiday to fit in with a quieter time in his work schedule.
I honestly believe the disruption to his education was minimal at that time, he's in all the top groups within his year & his overall attendance even after the holiday was 95.9%.
Yes, we did save money & yes we told the truth & paid the fine, but I do believe that both our sons benefited from spending some much needed quality time with both of their parents. TBH, that's all I'm concerned about.

Re: Taking kids out of school for holidays : Tue Aug 28, 2012 3:55 pm  

Little Robin Redhead wrote:

Yes, we did save money & yes we told the truth & paid the fine, but I do believe that both our sons benefited from spending some much needed quality time with both of their parents. TBH, that's all I'm concerned about.

Quite. Not seeking sympathy votes here but as full time bread winner in the house I get to see my 8 year old about an hour a day. Weekends are tough with various things to be fit it.

That full week or two we spend together as a family is irreplaceable in my eyes. I am sure it is for other families. If that can only be afforded in term time then I think it's fairly important that it's taken.

[Kosh]

Re: Taking kids out of school for holidays : Tue Aug 28, 2012 4:22 pm  

G1 wrote:

Many things disrupt the education of a class, including various proper inclusion policies, teaching strikes, lack of proper funding etc.

I personally find "teacher training days" that are not taken during school holidays very disruptive to my kids education, not to mention my families childcare plans.

Nobody suggested that all schools are perfect, but that's hardly a justification for additional disruption.

G1 wrote:

I think the 4 days before next May's half term that I've decided to take my daughter on holiday, with the head's consent, during term time, are fairly low down on the list of what will cause the most classroom disruption. Particularly when those days lead up to half term and games are played and movies are watched etc.

I also took my son on holiday during his preparation for GCSEs. he took some work with him and he flew back early. He got fantastic results and starts University in September.

I can tell you right now that you're the exception and not the rule. The vast majority of parents who want to take their kids on holiday during term time have no plans and no intention of compensating the way you did. And the timing is important as you mention. Which is why each request should be dealt with individually.

G1 wrote:

Parents play a large role in the education of their children. Some parents are able to instill proper values into their children about the importance of education and schoolwork away from the class. If they do and they take holidays at a time they can afford then good for them.

It's not just about the kids that go, as mentioned earlier.

G1 wrote:

Play the game

Education is not a game.

[Kosh]

Re: Taking kids out of school for holidays : Tue Aug 28, 2012 4:23 pm  

G1 wrote:

Quite. Not seeking sympathy votes here but as full time bread winner in the house I get to see my 8 year old about an hour a day. Weekends are tough with various things to be fit it.

That full week or two we spend together as a family is irreplaceable in my eyes. I am sure it is for other families. If that can only be afforded in term time then I think it's fairly important that it's taken.

There are other ways to afford a holiday. Going somewhere cheaper, for instance. All a matter of priorities.