holiday from school

[eyore]

in answer to your reply,i do not take my children out of school when i feel like it ,we as a family have not been abroad together for six years we have had 2 big loses from our family and our relation has paid for us to go on holiday,we are people that do everthing by the book but some times i start wondering why ,people are too easy too judge.

[IggyB]

you can add a post to your own question rather than posting another question, this would keep the thread flowing smoothly.

[noxlumos]

Why do you do "everything by the book" when clearly it's eating you up so? The sky will not fall if your child goes on holiday so simply take her on holiday. I had so many disagreements etc with the schools my kids attended we withdrew them and have been home educating for years now and my children go on holiday frequently, yet the older ones have all managed to gain good degrees, so just do it and stop worrying so much, or accept that you are prepared to allow the people at the school to tell you what you may or may not do.It's your call at the end of the day and only you can make it.

[spudqueen]

Sorry - you've not been abroad for 6 years? I didn't go abroad from 1987 - 2005, I was too busy spending my money buying a house, getting married and having children. We only went abroad last year when I was left some money when my Mother died and that's what I chose to spend it on. Sorry, but I can't feel that sorry for you if you are unable to afford a holiday abroad, there are plenty of holidays you can take in this country, like millions of other people have to.

[eyore]

thank you spudqueen for your coments you are so right why i worry so much only knows,but we are going on the holiday and we will enjoy, thank you

[kazza12345]

i would say that this question has been answered fairly fully, and with both sides covered here It is an interesting debate, and i guess like most topics there will always be two or more trains of thought over how to proceed

[Gef]

Just a couple of points.

I am a teacher and therefore MUST take my holidays when prices are highest. I have no problem with this; it is up to me to decide what I want to spend my money on. If it is too expensive in July then there is nothing I can do about it.

[Gef]

Secondly, if parents take their children on holiday during term time can they please make sure that their children realise that it is their responsibility to catch up on the work missed. It is not up to the teacher although many actually give up lunchtimes etc to help pupils who have been absent.

Ask a pupil a question and the most irritating answer you can get is, "I was off when you did that".

[Gef]

Sorry had to post in two parts as AB is acting up again. Keep getting Timeout messages.

[kazza12345]

and if taking your children out of school to go on holiday isn't "because you feel like it" i don't know what is!

[electricblue]

EYORE, go and enjoy!!!have a great time,go paddling,stuff your faces do what the hell you please!!ENJOY!!!!!

[Pippa68]

Just do it :o)

[nect4r]

Are you going on holiday near to the end of term? If so, I wouldn't worry about it - the schools do hardly anything at the end of term as mentioned in another question, they just sit around, have sports days, watch videos, etc. This is speaking from experience - I left school in 2002, a private school at that, and even *they* didn't bother giving lessons at the end of term!

You say your daughter is 13, so I'm assuming that she'll be starting her GCSEs next school year. That's when she really needs to be in school - so she should enjoy a good holiday while she can!

Enjoy yourselves!!

[JudgeJ]

I�m not going to get bogged down in all this again as it was fully aired last week and kazza12345 has kindly provided the link. I would recommend, eyore, that you read the entire posting as it will provide you with a number of differing views as well as mine.

However, I don�t suspect for one minute it will have any influence over your decision. The time to ask yourself these questions was before you booked the holiday, not afterwards.

My views, which I posted at length, have not changed (and nor are they likely to). If anything they have become more entrenched after reading some of the most recent replies to eyore�s dilemma. I do find it astonishing, however, that something which started out (and indeed still is) a privilege granted at the school�s discretion to cover exceptional circumstances, is now viewed by some as a �right� to which everybody is entitled.

As has been pointed out, it is no such thing.But those who do have rights are the other children who remain at school. They are entitled to their teachers' full attention without those teachers having to spend valuable time bringing the holidaymakers back up to speed.

Finally, eyore, you must not be surprised if people are �quick to judge� you when you post questions such as this. You stand yourself up to be shot at and must be robust enough to hear things you may not like.

[Pippa68]

I was waiting for you JudgeJ :o)

[JudgeJ]

Praise indeed!

[Pippa68]

Not that I'm a stalker or anything...LOL!

[Gef]

Thanks for that judge.

I understand nect's comment if it refers to the last week. Many schools offer children lots of different activites then and if a child is away on a school organised activity then I have to accept that.

However, if the only absences in my class are due to family holidays then I teach as normal and expect the pupil to make the effort and make up the lost time.

[eyore]

thankyou for your replys, to taking holiday in term time, i went in to school to see the attendance officer,she told me as it is the last 5 days of term she will miss not to worry any letters she misses will be sent on,as her attendance is excellent and it is a one off,next year no days term time are allowed,as we all ready knew as the really hard wok begins, thank you

[madham]

I have just come back from my holiday in school time, I am too a hard working single parent.

My Mum paid half towards my holiday so I wasn't going to say no I can't go, after not having a holiday for a couple of years.

As long as it doesn't interfere with exams, sats etc. i don't see the problem.

My personal thoughts, I don't like school holidays, the're too many other children on holiday, too expsensive, boiling hot in July and August too, oh and I couldn't get more than 4 days in the 6/7 week hols. Go and enjoy and make sure you fill in a holiday form and send a covering letter with it.

Hope this helps.

[mumma]

This may not be relevant but I feel that it should be remembered that holidays are a luxury - whatever the circumstances!

My elder sister has brought up two children single handed as a widow, while working and has NEVER had a holiday abroad in her life or even a day trip! I have had one holiday abroad 14 years ago as a teenager for which I saved my Saturday job wages for 10 months to pay for it. She has had one or two holidays within Britain with her children to caravans etc and I take my daughter to see family elsewhere in the country when I can. When we were kids in the 70's and early 80s we were taken away each year for Whitsun week (school holiday) to a Pontins or Warners camp by our grandparents because our parents couldn't afford a family holiday - even though they were both working - the last one of these was when I was 9.