school holidays - General Holiday Enquiries, Hints and Tips, Holiday Forums

school holidays

Justval

2007-01-25 15:41:46

i know this is an old topic that has been flogged to death and eventually was locked..but i just want to say something to emphasise school double standards..

We went over Gav's allocated allowance by 1 day. This was because the flight was late back and we ended up getting home from Manchester at stupid o clock in the morning and he was too cream crackered to go to school the next day. It was the last day of term before they broke up at Christmas and so it wasn't as if he was doing anything majorly important that will shape his future. So, imagine how upset i was to recive a letter from the Head saying how unhappy he was blah blah blah, holidays blah, term time blah and education welfare officer blah....ok point made.

We recived a letter this week from the school. They are moving to a new site and so Gav will not be at school from 12th Feb until 2nd March unless he gets invited in for 3 days worth of extra Maths revision..which he hasn't as he doesn't need it as he scored Level 8 in his SATs earlier this year and is on Fast track GCSE ( or something like that). Apparantly, this is to ease the transition from one school to the other ( about 600 yards up the road, a brand new school building). All other school years are not disrupted in this way, but apparantly Year 10's will be the last to move. I know someone has to be last etc but how dare they lecture me over one day and then, because it suits them, they give my child an extra couple of weeks either side of half term...talk about double standards

So, we are intending to take a weeks holiday at the end of May as it goes into half term, however, the best we can get means that Gav will miss the last day of term..just let them dare write to me......

There, rant over.. sorry peeps but that one really bugged me..wouldn't it you?

SandC

2007-01-25 16:38:28

Yes it would and how many parents will have big problems with childcare for those couple of weeks? It's hard enough for many families to be able to be off with them for part of their holidays never mind sticking more days on.

fatcodycat

2007-01-25 16:39:46

Yes it would have annoyed me too but the schools seem to do this all the time - i dont know about where you are but the amount of inset days our school take is ridiculous :roll:

And i had the same as you last year when i took my daughter out of school and we had to go over our 10 days because of a late flight - i got hauled into the headmistresses office to explain myself :no

By the way my daughter is 5 years old!!

We look at it in the way that we are taking the children to experience new cultures and sights which is good for them to learn about anyway so you can argue going on holiday is educational to a certain degree :wink

fatcodycat

Justval

2007-01-25 17:21:39

Well, instead of the usual Canary Islands, Gav had been to Egypt for the first time ever with the scuba diving school that Rob belongs to. He experienced different cultures etc and said it was one of the most fantastic holiday's he had ever had. He also learnt about the conflict in the area ( we were right by the israeli/egypt border) and also about the fantastic sea life..he would not experience that in his school in the middle of December being taught in a porta cabin i might add...

So, in May we are off to Malta for him to explore the history and culture of somewhere where he hasn't been before...

I have also checked that he has no exams at that time either as naturally we would not dream of holidaying then. Next year will be right slap bang in the middle of GCSE's so we may not get a holiday at all in his final school year...

cyberspacekadette

2007-01-25 18:25:08

I was very careful to book within the Easter school holidays this year, and I would only book a Saturday flight, not wanting to be flying out on a Friday and missing a day of school or flying home late Sunday and having to keep daughter at home to sleep on Monday. Obviously this limited my choice of destinations, considering Saturday flights only and good weather for March/April. It came down to Gran Canaria or Fuerteventura, and we did GC last Easter, so Fuerte it had to be...
Then, just a couple of months ago, the school sent a 'revised' calendar - they now finish on Wed 28 March and don't go back until Wed 18 April - due to the brand new school building opening after the Easter break and teachers needing a few extra days to prepare classrooms etc :roll:

So, my daughter will have almost 3 weeks holiday at Easter and I could have had a lot more choice in booking our holiday (could have gone back to our lovely Tenerife or Lanza, with Thu, Fri or Monday flights) Anyway, at least it gives me a bit more time to sort out holiday hairdos, last-minute bikini shopping etc. But I do agree with you about the double-standard thing - it's OK for the school to add on extra days off to suit them, but they still pull a face when my daughter has a morning off for her orthodontics appointment

fwh

2007-01-25 19:28:41

I do wish people would stop playing the educational card as an excuse for going during term time. You are going on holiday - yes there will always be some educational aspect in it - but that is not why you are going.

I am 66 and still find things about countries and cultures I visit that I did not know. When I come home I also spend a little time researching the things I have learnt. It is called Life Long Learning.

I have sympathy for parents caught in the trap - I have been there with my own kids, and grandkids for that matter.

The question I have is how many of those who complain actually try to do anything about the situation they are in. It may be that government and LEA policy is to discourage children being away in term time, but the schools also formulate their own policy. Here on HT I have read of the disparity between them.

How many of you are school governors? How many even know who the school governors are at their child's school?

The only way you can change things is to be involved. You do have a chance to effect the policy if you are.

The problem is that like councils and governments. There are plenty of critics yet so many cannot even be bothered to vote. If you do not then how can you complain?

fwh

Chivas69

2007-01-25 20:22:32

Just a point,

A school has lots of things to get through in a term/year! Now if a school has to shut for a while the lessons it needed to get done in the term will be done at another time when the school is open (all be it a bit rushed?)
but
If you have 10/11 days off for a holiday the lessons are going ahead WITHOUT you!

That maybe the point of the school!

I'm not saying it's correct but you can see there point of view! If everyones away then you won't be missing lessons that others are getting!

We always used to use our 10 days during school time as it was so much cheaper!!! but now my wifes a teacher it's impossible!!!

Hi De Hi

2007-01-25 23:30:46

Yes I agree that often schools do apply double standards with regard to this. They probably chose yr 10 for the disruption as they could be regarded as old enough to look after themselves. Yr 11 are older of course but the move is right on top of their GCSEs. I doubt that the timing of the move was under the control of the school although the application of a little common sense by someone (probably in the LEA) could have postoned the move until July when most years are winding down for the hols, yr 11 have left and yr 10 could be on work experience.
But that would mean applying some thought!

Loulou

2007-01-26 11:53:10

I always end up using a few days of Term time when we go on holiday for the simple reason i cant afford to go any other time, nor would i pay the prices even if i could.
I have been moaned at by the Head Teachers but so long as its not a threat to my childrens education i will continue to do so.

My eldest son informed me yesterday that he will be at home next wednesday.
Why...
Because the school heating is getting a thorough check :shock:

why cant they do it with the kids in the school? or better still on a weekend.
Double standards? i think so.

srhjnmgn

2007-01-26 12:55:29

My daughter will start nursery full-time in September and so this year will probably be the last time that we will be able to holiday during term time. We are lucky this year in that her start date is staggered so we can chose for her to start at mid/end September rather than at the beginning and we are able to have a holiday with a reasonable price tag.

It is not the schools fault that they are taking a stand on absence. If the local school didn't care about unnecessary absence, then this would be another issue altogether that would cause problems. I think that issue should be taken with the travel companies. They are the ones that are cashing in and making money with ridiculous price hikes during school holidays (and I don't only mean for holidays abroad either) mainly, because they know that schools do not like absence during term time and there are parents/guardians who take stock in this. The holiday I am going on this year is for two weeks. We priced it up and it would cost £600 more for only ONE week if taken during August which would have been well above our budget for two weeks. Its disgusting.

fatcodycat wrote:
By the way my daughter is 5 years old!!

This comment did make me chuckle. I know that school is important, but surely at age 5 one or two days absence is not going to be detrimental to his/her education? If she was older then it would have been different. Wouldn't the school rather a fully alert and refreshed child to a child who is tired, not paying any attention and probably being a distraction to his/her fellow classmates?

What a subject ( sorry :wink:

). I think parents should join the schools (as fwh said) and make a stand against the travel companies.

doe

2007-01-26 13:45:11

Its naive to think that schools can influence travel companies pricing policies.

They are organisations that operate at a complete variance to each other. With one to Educate children and the other to try to make at least some kind of profit to stay in business.

I can't beleive central government will intervene on an issue like this. The only place that a parent can be heard is by either writing to their local LEA who probably advise the schools on how to deal with cases where pupils are taken out during term-time, or send a letter to the Chair of Governor's at your child's school.

Generally speaking school governors (who are all unpaid volunteers anyway) do not want parents to feel disgruntled with how they are treated.

fwh

2007-01-26 14:33:22

Generally speaking school governors (who are all unpaid volunteers anyway) do not want parents to feel disgruntled with how they are treated.

More important, they are in the same position as you.

If people would talk to them, the policy help they formulate would be nearer to what parents need.

It is no use having a confrontational approach, that only makes people less likely to help. The government and LEA set down the rules so there is only so much they can do.

Some years ago I knew of a school that organised training/occasional days to coincide with Spring Bank holidays and gave parents plenty of notice. It was an attempt to address the problem. Many took advantage and were able to arrange holidays that did not bankrupt them.

fwh

lynwestie

2007-01-26 15:39:09

I totally agree about double standards and up until recently I have always taken my children out of school for anything between 1-7 days. unfortunately my children are now at crucial GCSE times and every lesson for my eldest son at the moment is extremely important . but once his GCSE,s are over in June I will not worry about taking out my younger two until they are faced with the same.

I do agree tho that I dont think its always the school . My youngest sons primary school comes under the london borough of Redbridge and THEY not the headteacher have decided NO absenses will now be authorised. the headteacher knows that parents will still go on holiday and totally respects their decision to do so but her hands are tied. I still dont like her but thats another story :wink:

Funnily enough my eldest 2,s secondary school comes under Essex Council and is grant maintained, foundation or whatever it is you call these type of schools nowadays and they will still allow them time off with valid reason. they certainly dont encourage it in fact they positively discourage it but they do threat you as human beings , dont treat you as stupid and will allow the time if your child has maintained good attendance. this way the school maintains the excellent relationship it has with most parents and the absense figures are actually very low as there is respect both ways. I wish the same could be said for my younger sons primary school as unfortunately the head is always seen as the bad guy

.

lyn

Justval

2007-01-26 16:25:13

well FWH..you mentioned about becoming involved..well for umpteen years, i was chair of the PTA..and i can tell you it made not a blind bit of difference...the rules are still the same..as i would expect them to be. The Governors of the school were divided with some applying common sense and others following LEA guidelines on policy. ..and of course, nothing got done and nor has it been. I would dearly love to be able to take holidays in August..but for a number of reasons, i can't..the cost is too high, i work in a hospital and many staff with younger kids get carer's leave during the holiday's so the rest of us have to work ( my kids are older and don't really qualifiy as they are over 13) and finally, Rob has to fit his holidays in too with his work colleagues. The times we don't generally have a problem getting time off are usually March, May ( half term) and November or December...in fact, the last 4 years, our holiday has been in November or December as it was the only time we could get and it did not cuase to much disruption to schooling. In 2005, while we we on holiday, the school was closed due to a strike and Gav could not have gone anyway, but we still got a letter saying that Gav had had 11 days instead of 10 ( well if the school had been open he would have gone..and would have only had his 10)..this is the same school that rang me up at work and said Gav had got an unauthorised absence for 3rd Jan and upon checking, the whole school was off on that day as the kids didn't go back until the Wednesday 4th (2006)..double standards...

debbg

2007-01-26 19:08:16

I got a red letter today, because my sons attendance was poor. He had 2.5 days off sick, one of them I had to take him home with me from school. But also was excluded twice for things he was not guilty of, and that came into the final score. He was willing and able to go to school but was not allowed.

I mentioned it in school, and was told not to take any notice!!!!!!!! Why waste the postage??????????

nodocdoe

2007-01-26 19:36:16

Double Standards------------ My sons school has a school trip to Spain the week before they break up for Summer, the cost was near enough £600, so we decided it was too expensive!!!!!

Then we decided, maybe we could all have that week away,as it is cheaper than the following weeks---------The Schools Answer---"It's an educational trip"""""

They're staying in Salou, a 1 day trip to Barcelona[mainly the Football Stadium], but they have at least 1 day plus 1 night in Portaventura!!!!!!

Tell me How that is educational?

Yet, we can't take our son out for a weeks holiday when alot of his year aren't there anyway!!!!!!!!!!

Chivas69

2007-01-26 21:45:09

The Barcelona trip is actually very educational!!!
A bit like a museum with all the old trophys, pictures etc!

As For Portaventura, they'll learn that even the longest queues are still shorter than Alton Towers!

nodocdoe

2007-01-26 22:23:23

He's already been to Barcelona---------My argument is that if 70% of the year aren't in school that week. How can they object to a pupil been taken out for a holiday, to exactly the same place!!!!!!!!!

Alex uk

2007-01-27 00:11:21

We had a new Headmistress start at my sons primary school this year.

Within the first week of her starting she sent letters home to say there had been an alarming amount of requests for holiday forms so far this term, and that the school would no longer be giving them out. If you want to take your child out during term time you now have to book an appointment to see her.

I've already told my other half that he can go and do all the explaining, I'm too much of a chicken

The problem is that we like to go for a week or 10 days twice a year so I don't think shes going to be very happy with this at all.

To top it off she sent a letter home this week to tell us that his attendence for last term was below average at 84% and this is not acceptable (he's 5 by the way).
For one week of that we were on holiday but the rest of the time he was genuinly ill which can't be helped.
If you sent them in to school ill that would be wrong because of the spread of virus'.
Its really annoyed us because at the parents evening we were told he is one of the best in his class for his reading and hard work.
He is always on time and his homework/reading is done every evening without fail, so its not like he has been affected in any way by this.

Is there anything they can do to stop you taking them out ?

doe

2007-01-27 00:24:46

The LEA cannot really stop you taking the child out in the physical sense. But they are allowed to make you pay a monetary fine, which I think works a bit like a parking ticket. i.e. if you pay by a certain date it's a set amount but can increase if you don't. Haven't seen many cases reported in the press of where this has happened though. I would imagine they have a fair amount of discretion.

General Holiday Enquiries, Hints and Tips

Get the best deals!

from our cruise, ski and holiday partners