Yes I have taken my kids out of school for holidays but only for a few days and not a whole week. My youngest son who is in year 10 will also be missing 3 days before breaking up at Christmas so I don't think much harm will be done as they tend to start winding down in the last week.

hi fwh.....it is a known and researched fact that children learn through play.....that is one of the philosophies of the montasuri ( sorry cant spell it ) schools.....so we need to give the opportunities for the right sort of play....when children are happy and relaxed they also learn better....my childrens teachers used to comment about how knowlegable they were and how well they did in disscusions...

Say for instance you put a child in an empty room with a book about elephants ....and they had to read it over and over.....they would become bored and the initial interest would fade away and what they had read would mostly be forgotten in the future....in comparrison ....if you take a child to see a real live elephant....to touch and feel and hear it....they want to know more...they ask thier own questions....they want to go see it again....they get mentaly involved and motivated by what they learn...and it stays with them for the rest of thier lives...

Im taking my son and a friend for his 16th to Salou....yes it will be great fun for them....but I will take the oppurtunities to go into how salou has develpoed and changed over the years.....( my son first began going there when he was 2yrs old )....what effect opening reus airport has had ...how that changed things ect.....what affect ryanair and cheap flights have had ...what effect the euro has had...buissiness study and having fun at the same time...

Like I said earlier it depends on how you use your holiday time with your children that matters....kids in the pool and you in the bar all day hoping the reps will keep them out of your way for 2 weeks...wont do any good....but if your wanting quality time with your kids they will gain more than they loose by being out of school......tweetie

TWEETIE PIE

Hi

I have to agree with you about how children can learn while on holiday,when we were last in Gran Canaria we took our 2 kids to Palmitos Park and all those animals that were there have information about them,my kids read up on all that and find it quite interesting and it has stuck in there minds,also travelling around different resorts seeing the ways other people live learns a lot if that makes sense.

We mostly take our kids out of school for there holidays which is normally once every 2 years and they never ever have any other time off so our headteacher is very supportive,and has actually commented in how well they do in there lessons regarding the knowledge they have picked up while on there hols.

I will be doing the same again in 12 days when we head Back th Gran Canaria without the need to feel ashamed for doing so

Totally agree with what tweetiepie has just said. Sure, 2 weeks lazing round a pool can't justify taking the kids out of school, but exploring the country, ( especially regions with historical relevence ) even kids tasting different foods, practising languages with locals ( my daughter has been learning spanish at school ) is a fantastic learning experience, for example, we took her out of school for a week in march to go to mexico, she talked her known spanish with mexicans, she visited mayan ruins ( one of which is now considered a wonder of the world ) got close to animals she'd only seen in school books, and we made sure she recorded it all in a scrapbook to take back to school to show classmates, teachers and anyone else who was interested. That, to me, is an education no school can give.

hi juby5.....That to me, is an education no school can give.....exactly my point....tweetie

I agree with fwh.

I think that children 'learning' on a holiday is a totally spurious argument for taking kids out of school during term-time. I've got no problem with people talking kids out of school for a holiday they should just be honest and say that they are doing this to save money and not try and justify it in this dubious was.

Really don't see how it can compete with a fortnight in a class room being dragged round a few ancient sites by parents who presumably aren't qualified History/Geog teachers etc

How is the 'learning' any better on a holiday during term-time than if the holiday has been taken during school closure periods anyways?

Then the children concerned would have had 4 weeks learning/education - the two weeks whilst at school, plus the two weeks (marginal/subliminal) education whilst on holiday during school holidays So double bubble.

A holiday should be just that, not a something where a kid is forced to fill in some kind of dubious diary so that a parent can ease their own conscience.

I hated Palmitos Park, the only thing I felt it taught was cruelty to parrots

Doe

Well Doe, have felt my wrist being truly slapped there !! Our daughter wasn't dragged round any ancient sites, it was her choice as an interest of hers and we had a local knowledgeable guide with us .
As for the 'dubious diary' as you call it, that scrapbook has a lot of very happy memories in it, photo's and her account of the great things she did and saw on that holiday.
And yes, we wouldn't have been able to afford that trip had we gone the week later, as it was almost double the price.
Not sure if anyone has said the learning is any better on a holiday during term time than if it was taken when the school is closed .

LOL juby I really dont have a problem about folks talking kids out of school for hols. At the end of the day it's there business. I just dont buy the 'but I educate them while I am there' ticket.

And surely 4 weeks Education are better than two if folks use that argument.

I remember taking my kids to Knossos in Crete in July 2005 (not in term-time though lol) and my son saying something like 'what on earth did you bring us here for ? It's just like a flippin school trip and I am supposed to be on me holidays '



Also remember being in Kos pre-kids and looking round an archiological site. This was in late September and some little kiddy sitting on a stone writting a post card saying ' Mummy and Daddy dragged me out to see some old stones today '

Personally I think if you have to go to a zoo at least the ones in England that are part of the Royal Zoological Society put something back in to the animal world in terms of conservation and are not just expolitative money making machines like a lot of the ones abroad are.

Doe

hi all.....the point is learning should be fun....and I never dragged my kids anywhere....most often was them wanting me to go......but I had some great times and learnt a lot myself in the proccess....and I have given my kids the hump....but not because they were bored and thought they were on a school trip....but because I forgot to bring the camers the night they found the mole cricket....or not getting somewhere quick enough to get the photo they wanted....and what the child said compering a boring excursion to a school trip says more about how they felt about a school trip.....they found them boring and not a fun or interesting thing to do.....tweetie

In the end it depends on the child. I teach ones who miss a couple of weeks but within a week of coming back have copied everything up and are back up to speed. On the other hand I teach more than a few who miss 2 weeks then spend the rest of the year blaming the time the missed for the fact that they have not done any work and got poor grades. I don't mind parents taking their child out of school as long as they appreciate that I won't be doing anything special for them when they return! (of course our school management does not take that view and will expect the teachers to make up any shortfall in that childs work because it effects the league tables)!!

Suggestion for those of you who take the kids out of school just to save a few quid.

Why not take them out of school for a few days in Mid January too and have your Xmas break outside the school hols! Cheaper presents in the sales, no queing for the supermarket on (the real) Xmas eve and no traffic jams!!!

Makes you think, eh!

I HAVE to holiday in the school hols as my partner is now a teacher after a career change. We used to holiday in June/Sept and it really annoyed us if there were loads of kids (a few is OK as you don't get that 'mobbed' feeling), we booked outside school hols for 2 reasons, 1) cheaper, 2) no kids.

Now, that we have to go in the school hols we try to book places that will have fewer kids so we still enjoy the holiday BUT.... we accept that we have to pay the higher prices as one of us is a teacher.

How would all of you parents who take the kids out during term time feel if your kid came home from school and told you that they were having a supply teacher for a couple of weeks as their teacher had gone on holidays?? IT is term time.. the school is open.. the teachers and the students should be there.. end of.

LOL to Phil at his Xmas suggestion.

Another reason for not taking kids out of school during term-time is that the six weeks of the school summer holidays are a long time to be at home. At least if you have your two weeks annual holiday during that time, there is only another four weeks to get through. That cuts the time kids have to spend being with Granny, childminder or at a loose end by a third.

I do feel sorry for teachers and teaching assistants that have to help the kids that have spent a week or two in Spain et al during turm time catch up with the work they have missed, it isn't really fair on the staff and isn't fair on the other kids either. Presumably the staff have no control on how many kids are out at any given time and just have to put up with it and then try and help them make up the 'lost/missing' work.

Apparently it has been suggested that we reduce the Summer break and add wekks onto Christmas and half terms. So if that happens expect more kids to be taken out of school and the peak cost times to spread out even more!

Congratulations everyone, a pleasure to read an interesting debate, with different opinions, but no one getting their backs up - really good reading. Holiday truths is just brilliant..... that's all I wanted to say..
Hilshols

I work as a support assistant in the reception classes ages 3 1/2 - 5. Just an idea of what they do in one day - yesterday: They each had a turn to tell the class what they did after going home from school the previous day. This nurtures confidence in the child. The theme this term is light and sound - so they looked through catalogues finding things that give us light, cut them out and glued them into a book. It's surprising how many children can't use a scissors. They buried cubes in the sanpit, then counted how many they found, and sorted them into colours. They painted pictures of their favourite foods onto plates, in order to decorate their cafe wall. They had a music lesson - each child in turn being given a coloured bell and following the coloured notes on a sheet. The have been reading a book about an Elephan's birthday, so they made invitations to his party - which they will have next week, after they have made jelly etc. They also had a story at the end of the day, about how to say no and keep themselves safe. This is just one days activities, so it involves a lot more than colouring in. Imagine how much they get through in 2 weeks, and even at this age there is loads of stuff to catch up with when they return to school.

hi all.....I think the 6 weeks summer holidays are too long.....especially as we dont seem to get the weather these days......somethig I hear is " well the kids are back next week....the rain will stop and the weather will be great ".........but taking weeks off the summer holidays and adding it on to the christmas break is not a great idea.....I dont think who ever suggested it has the childs interests in mind ....more like saving money on the school heating bills.....

I think there should be a whole rethink about the main holidays and the half terms.....

Christmas/newyear is working out right and still makes sense.....
The half terms should be be scrapped
Easter should be good friday and the following week......the 3 weeks they have now is too long...
The early may bank holiday should only be 1day
The end of may bank holiday should be 2 weeks not 1...giving families the opurtunity of a full holiday
The main summer holidays should only be 4 weeks
The half term should be 2 weeks begining of october not the end

Im sure someone can do a better job of it than I have

If left to me all bank holidays would only be only the 1 day off school...and the only other holidays would be christmas as it is now .....easter would be good friday , that weekend and the bank holiday monday ......there would be no half terms....

School would start middle of september....break for christmas......restart on 2nd january.....break for easter..... restart the day after the easter monday bank holiday.......school would end in the middle of june..

There would be less stopping and starting in the childs education......there could be summer school for parents who worked....where the emphasis would be on having fun, acting workshops, sport ,art , bike safety ect...( I remember our local catholic church ran one in the big school holidays when I was a kid...so its not a new idea )....the way things are now working parents seem to be constantly working out what to do with the kids next bank holiday , easter , half term.....they are lots of breaks that are too short to make it feasable to arrange proper provision for the children of working parents....you would just get things working and then they stop....with the long break its worthwhile making the effort to put something really good and of benefit to both the child and the parents.....there could be remedial classes run alongside all the fun stuff.....children who had gotten behind through illness could catch up....

Children of non working parents could also benefit....non working parents could volunteer to staff it under proffessional supervision......better than trying to keep the kids amused and occupied at home....

I would love to run one of these summer schools....it gives me a buzz just thinking about it...

The problem with all of this is money.....our goverment wouldnt even consider it....they talk about raising standards....improving our childrens education....getting mothers to go out to work...but wont
do the things needed to make it possible..

Well me soap box just caved in ....so thats my rant for this week...till I find another box....

Easter should be good friday and the following week......the 3 weeks they have now is too long...
The early may bank holiday should only be 1day
The end of may bank holiday should be 2 weeks not 1...giving families the opurtunity of a full holiday
The main summer holidays should only be 4 weeks
The half term should be 2 weeks begining of october not the end

Tweetie - obviously the schools round your way have different hols to us here. We have 2 weeks at Easter, which I do think shoudl be swopped with the one week at Whitsun, as there is a chance of better weather. We only have the 1st Monday off at the beginning of May, and we only have one week at the end of October.

There would be less stopping and starting in the childs education

OK- but taking them out of school for holidays creates even more.

the way things are now working parents seem to be constantly working out what to do with the kids next bank holiday , easter , half term

Fair enough- but a school is an educational establishment, it is not a child care facility, for parents to drop their children off because they have to go to work. It makes my blood boil when kids turn up in school really ill because parents have to go to work. We have 4 year olds who arrive in school for breakfast at 8am and they're still in the after school club at 5.30pm.

I've taken my kids out of school - they can learn far more on holiday than in the classroom.

Took dd2 out for the last two weeks of year 5 (she went in on the last afternoon to say bye). Do I feel gulity? No. Becuase I know perfectly well she didn't have any work to do - she finished all year 5 work by May, as well as all year 6 extension work, and was spending most lessons helping the teacher do jobs. Though I never normally take both girls out, it was just dd1 finished exams early.

In year 10, my eldest missed both the beginning and end of the school year as she was in turkey....she didn't miss much at all.

To be honest, I don't mind taking them out a few days before end of term, or coming back a few days into term, but taking a random two weeks off isn't something I would generally do.

My son is 23 now but when he was at school age, and we had our annual holidays they were taken in term time, ocassionally if we holidayed late it may have overspilled and a day or two was required to be taken off (with school permission), but by and large it was within term time. It would have been cheaper to go other times of the year of course, but I didn't see that it was right for him to miss schooling by two weeks or longer.