School rules . .

[ChipnDaleRule]

I will start this by saying I have daughter in year 1 so do have some experience in this area

I honestly do not understand by people are so surprised by the change in rules and fines for removing children from school.

I can't see anywhere on this thread people expressing surprise over the fine,only their opinion.I think everyone is well informed and up to speed here.

 

[marcgiu]

Many schools still give a hard time about this. Bottom line for me is I am the parent. I will decide.

Giving me a hard time is not going to change my mind.

FWIW, DD is now in first year secondary school. Last session a classmate was off for 2 weeks to go to WDW. When she returned DD was asked to be paired with her and help her catch up. It was holding DD back. I sent a note in and said, basically, find someone else to help the kid.

It cuts both ways. If I take my child out (and I have done over the years) it is ME who is responsible for missed work being caught up, not the teachers and not other pupils. If you're fine with that, I think less folk have a right to get their back up about it

Thats maybe a little harsh on the school - they sound like they are trying to accomodate children being out on hols during school time by helping them get back up to speed. It also sounds a good way of getting children to help their classmates

 

[2Tiggies]

Thats maybe a little harsh on the school - they sound like they are trying to accomodate children being out on hols during school time by helping them get back up to speed. It also sounds a good way of getting children to help their classmates

I don't have an issue with classmates helping each other. I had an issue when DD came home with a note explaining that she was not progressing to the next level in a couple of subjects as she was helping someone catch up, blah blah blah. If it had not been holding her back, no problem.

But not at someone else's expense. Or at least not at mine

 

[sarah4291]

There is a couple major differences the number one being the teachers are PAID to be there it's their JOB. Number two I would have a hard time being dictated to about what I can do with MY children. Unless you are the one raising them and paying for them (including paying for their holidays) then you should have NO say.

As a teacher I do kind of have to disagree with you! Yes I am paid to be there but it still means I have to pay a ridiculous amount to go on holiday (not through choice)! And yes I am aware I get huge quantities of holiday - yet during all of them prices are hiked! Yes I have a decent enough wage but its still not the best in the world and doesn't mean I can afford a Disney holiday every summer! I can also vouch for the fact that for some children taking 2 weeks out really can make a huge difference and I am only reception teacher! I have on a couple occasions had to move children down a group because even in that short time their friends have over taken them! So yes, some children it will not effect (especially in times like the last 2 weeks of term) but other chn it can have quite a significant effect on!!! You will also get some parents blaming the teacher for not making enough progress!!!

Sorry if this sounds ranty but people always seem to have it in for teachers!

Oh and I really don't have any qualms with taking holidays for special circumstances such as illnesses and weddings!!!

 

[LeaversOnTour]

My daughter started reception in September and we are taking her out for the first 8 days of the January term.

The school have authorised it due to exceptional circumstances, but we would have taken her out anyway. She is a bright girl who is ahead of many of her class mates. I do not believe that she will "suffer" in her education for missing this time. But the school will also not supply work for her to do while she is away.

My kids mean everything to me I would never do anything that I thought would hold them back. No amount of saving is worth that. But my Husband works hard and our holiday is one of the few family times we get, so I will make the most of them.

We will also work very hard with her to make sure she doesn't fall behind.

I agree with the lady who asked the school not to hold her child back, while its nice to encourage peers to help each other, it certainly shouldn't be done so to the detriment of another childs education.

 

[Kath2003]

Surprised the mods have kept this open since schools have no option to authorise any holiday requests...

 

[wayneg]

Surprised the mods have kept this open since schools have no option to authorise any holiday requests...

Unless posts go against the forum guidelines there is no reason to close it.

 

[tinkerpea]

Surprised the mods have kept this open since schools have no option to authorise any holiday requests...

Schools do still have the option to authorise as the head authorised our trip we just took in November, for both schools that my youngest attend and the middle school my oldest attends.

Not every school had to go with the choice to have decisions taken away from the head, it was a choice that some school's have went with.
My sister is a teacher of 14/15 yr olds and her school has decided to keep authorisation in house, so the head will have the final decision after talking to the child's teacher, and looking at attendance etc.

 

[cjbcam]

As a teacher I do kind of have to disagree with you! Yes I am paid to be there but it still means I have to pay a ridiculous amount to go on holiday (not through choice)! And yes I am aware I get huge quantities of holiday - yet during all of them prices are hiked! Yes I have a decent enough wage but its still not the best in the world and doesn't mean I can afford a Disney holiday every summer! I can also vouch for the fact that for some children taking 2 weeks out really can make a huge difference and I am only reception teacher! I have on a couple occasions had to move children down a group because even in that short time their friends have over taken them! So yes, some children it will not effect (especially in times like the last 2 weeks of term) but other chn it can have quite a significant effect on!!! You will also get some parents blaming the teacher for not making enough progress!!!

Sorry if this sounds ranty but people always seem to have it in for teachers!

Oh and I really don't have any qualms with taking holidays for special circumstances such as illnesses and weddings!!!

Sorry but you chose to be a teacher knowing what your holidays would be. It's your job, you get paid to be there. The parents of kids going to your school may not have options of when they take holidays and sorry but you have no say in weather they take holidays or not.

 

[Kath2003]

Schools do still have the option to authorise as the head authorised our trip we just took in November, for both schools that my youngest attend and the middle school my oldest attends.

Not every school had to go with the choice to have decisions taken away from the head, it was a choice that some school's have went with.
My sister is a teacher of 14/15 yr olds and her school has decided to keep authorisation in house, so the head will have the final decision after talking to the child's teacher, and looking at attendance etc.

Schools cannot authorise leave for holiday, they can only authorise leave for exceptional circumstances, compassionate leave, illness, medical etc. That's still all down to the Head. It all changed in September 2013 when the amendments came in which omitted the "for the purpose of a holiday" part of what schools/heads were able to authorise.

 

[LeaversOnTour]

Surprised the mods have kept this open since schools have no option to authorise any holiday requests...

Wow - That's massively incorrect!

Head teachers have 10 days that they can authorise for "exceptional" circumstances. It is down to the head teacher to determine what is considered "exceptional".

As I said my daughters head teacher has authorised us taking our daughter out for 8 days and has used her discretion due to the reasons behind this particular trip

 

[luke]

Sorry but you chose to be a teacher knowing what your holidays would be. It's your job, you get paid to be there. The parents of kids going to your school may not have options of when they take holidays and sorry but you have no say in weather they take holidays or not.

Sorry but you chose to have children and be a parent knowing what school holidays would be...

 

[ChipnDaleRule]

I can see both sides to this debate.Teachers have chosen to be teachers and parents decided to be parents.We all knew what we were letting ourselves in for (well most of us!). The problem is parents do not like being told by politicians what they can and can't do with their own children.Every parent has a unique set of circumstances which are important to them and only they understand,and should be respected by teachers and Disers alike!,it can become very emotional. Most responsible parents would not take their children out of school if they thought it was going to be detrimental to their future.That decision has now been taken away, and parents see it as being dictated to.Teachers jobs are tough and it probably does make for extra work for them.
Lets be respectful of everyones own opinion.What goes on in your house only you can fully understand

 

[2Tiggies]

The problem is parents do not like being told by politicians what they can and can't do with their own children.Every parent has a unique set of circumstances which are important to them and only they understand,and should be respected by teachers and Disers alike!,it can become very emotional. Most responsible parents would not take their children out of school if they thought it was going to be detrimental to their future.That decision has now been taken away, and parents see it as being dictated to.Teachers jobs are tough and it probably does make for extra work for them.

Well said

 

[Kath2003]

Wow - That's massively incorrect!

Head teachers have 10 days that they can authorise for "exceptional" circumstances. It is down to the head teacher to determine what is considered "exceptional".

What I said was perfectly true - schools may not authorise time out of school for the purpose of a family holiday. All references to this has been removed from the regulations - it is therefore not possible for schools to authorise "holiday" requests. The only leave that can be authorised is under exceptional circumstances.

I really need to wade out of this one because it is becoming fraught with emotion for many parents. Unless the law changes back, I think the next year or two will be interesting if families continue to travel during term time.

 

[marcgiu]

It’s obvious most parents entrust the education of our children to the schools and the teachers , want the best for them and obviously are keen for them to get the best results possible.

What I don't get though is that by removing Children from school during term time for a family vacation (and TBH I'm talking about people who take them out for more than a week) Parents are basically dismissing the classroom standards and structure and indicating that they know better than the teachers what is right for their child’s education.

I realise that there are sometimes emergencies and exceptional circumstances etc but anything more than a week during school for a regular family holiday is excessive and hampers the teachers ability to do their job.

 

[cjbcam]

Sorry but you chose to have children and be a parent knowing what school holidays would be...

Sorry but I had children so I could raise them. Not be dictated to on how to raise them. They are not paid to be at school and I am fully capable of helping them catch up. And many schools have different holidays so no when you have kids you don't know the exact holidays and don't really care actually. To put teachers and students on equal ground is ridiculous. We take our kids out when we get holidays if it happens to be when schools out great if not too bad.

 

[flortlebap]

Sorry but you chose to have children and be a parent knowing what school holidays would be...

What about home schooled children? Or private schools? Not everyone wants to stick to the same timetable, you know...

 

[luke]

I'm gonna make Wayne's job easier and stay out of this.

 

[lolainkent]

Sorry but you chose to have children and be a parent knowing what school holidays would be...

The problem with that kind of thinking is that the rules have changed over the years. Holidays were sort of okay, then limited to 10 days max, then only for "exceptional circumstances." When I had my eldest 8 years ago I couldn't have predicted that we'd be denied (today!) our request to take our kids out of school for 5 days to spend Christmas in Australia with family. I made a request to take my kids out of school in November of 2012 for 4 days, which was approved no problem.

So sure, you could plan to never take them out of school but the rules have changed and will likely keep changing. You can't go into parenthood thinking "I can only take XX days off at XX time of year" because the government/council will likely change their minds by the time the kid gets to school!