Do you take your kids out of school for Disney?

[PJackson]

OK, I don't want this to be a 'right or wrong' post really so please no-one 'shoot the messenger' or anyone else

But, I just wondered if many of you take your children out of school to visit DLRP? I ask because my DD1 starts school next September and I've read so many comments about DLRP being a scrum in school holidays etc that to me personally I don't think it would be so magical. There's also the increased cost to consider I guess...

We've only done one trip and are thinking about Jan (I really want to see the Christmas decs!) but tbh I haven't been too well and not sure I'm up to a trip then. So we are then thinking about early May but someone said the French kids are off then so who knows! I just know I'd like to go back at least once before DD1 starts school!

If you do take them out of school do your children mind? I, for one, hated missing school (swot!) and although I'd have loved the holiday, I would have worried what I was missing as a child and then as a parent I'd worry what the school thought etc. I believe they are v strict these days on holidays in school time??

Thanks for any answers/advice

PS - Almost makes me wish we'd discovered DLRP much earlier - we did plan a visit for DD1's second bday but people put me off at the time saying she was too young/wouldn't enjoy it etc

 

[lilo68]

We nearly always take ds2 out of school to visit dlrp, he's autistic and does'nt cope with crowds very well. Last time we went during the christmas holidays it was a disaster, he kicked off big time and refused to do anything, so now we just take him out of school, we are booked to go on the 4th Jan 08.

 

[Rachie B]

Hi

I have taken term time holidays in the past

my eldest son is now in secondary school, and i wont / dont take him out during term time

but always did in infants / junior school,it was always authorised

and we only ever took a week holiday at a time,so 5 days max off school

maybe find out what the policy is at your daughters school ?

xx

 

[mummyal]

I personally don't really like taking them out of school to go on hols but on the other hand, at this young age, I don't think it really matters too much. As it is, we'll be taking DD out of school in December - it's the last 2 days of term anyway, so they won't be doing much (haven't applied for approval yet though lol - but don't see it to be a problem as her attendance has always been 100% or very close to 100% all year). This will be the only time we'll be doing this I reckon (not just for DLRP, but for holidays in general). She's in Yr 2 this year, so there'll be blimin' SATs at the end of it and I doubt they'll allow any time off anyway.

She started Reception in Sept 2004 and we did make our 1st trip to DLRP right at the beginning of that month. She started school 3rd wk of September, so it was good timing really. It was great as it was just after everyone went back to school and weather was great too. Maybe you could do that? Find out when she starts school and try and squeeze in a trip then?!

 

[lilo68]

Oh, and no he doesn't mind, he would much rather be in dlrp than in school.

 

[A Small World]

Oh, and no he doesn't mind, he would much rather be in dlrp than in school.

Im sure they all would

 

[britchic4]

I did for a couple of days when DS was in Yr 1, won't do it anymore now he's getting older. You could always go in May half term if you weren't sure, it won't be awful.

 

[Pinkradleygirl]

Before the job I'm in now (work term time only) we always took our 2 out of school for holidays - the price for holidays is always so much cheaper. Since I've been in my present job we've had school holiday trips - usually May half term or October half term.
We did do August this year but the crowds were so manic I doubt we'll do that time of year again for a long time .

I managed to wangle a week off in Jan (had to work a week during the 6 week hols) so we can finally see DLP with all its christmas magic!

 

[joolz1910]

Hi Patsy,
I have taken my children out of school before and will be taking them out for three days in January. My two will be 9 and 4 - the youngest started school this year. Their school is very good about it - you simply fill out a holiday request form and that's it. You get a standard letter advising you to take your children on holiday during school holidays but I don't take it personally. Before the age of 5 you don't need permission but it's courtesy to ask.

I decided to take mine out because I couldn't afford to go at other more expensive times of year. They don't have time off school (touch wood) so I don't see it as having a huge impact on their education. I justify it by this: when I took my eldest to DLRP she was 4 and she could tell you everything about that trip but she probably couldn't tell you anything else about that year!

It's a personal choice, but it's one that I don't lose sleep over (and I'm a teacher!)

 

[Cyrano]

Most of our trips are in the summer during school holidays.
We did take the troops off for one Christmas visit as the school did not give advance notice of the in-service days. We miss timed the break but did not have a personal problem taking them off for a few days.
I don't think the kids said anything about missing school. The school sent us the fairly standard letter that this would be recorded as unauthorised absence blah blah blah , as required by the Education authority

 

[scream machine]

My children were 8 and 5 when we last went on holiday to France in Sept/Oct 2006.
We were away for 12 days so all in all they had 2 weeks off school, I must admit I felt twinges of guilt about this but on the other hand I feel they also gained alot learning about a different country, the language (which they picked up very quickly), and we went to Paris on a day trip where they experienced so much.

We asked for reading books to take and some homework including a diary that they each kept of the holiday.
My son was given the school teddy bear, Barnaby and he had to take pictures of Barnaby in different places that we went to.
He ended up with a lovely holiday diary with lots of pics which he really enjoyed showing off in assembly at school.

I had no problem with getting them time off, my daughter goes to a special needs school and has a statement of special needs so legally she can have time off whenever (not that she does have much time off).

My son is now 7 and has just started junior school so I really didnt want to take him out of school 3 weeks after he started this year so we are leaving our trip back to France till Sept 09. 10 days in Berny Riviere and 5 in Disney (hotel cheyenne).

I will ask for homework again and reading books. Some will probably not agree with me but each to their own at the end of the day. We simply could not afford to take them in school holidays, so its either take them out of school or dont go, and then I would feel guilty for them never going on holiday!

Its a hard decision but if the school dont have a problem with it and your kids are happy with it then go for it. I must say that I probably will do a total turnaround when they are in senior schools when everything they learn is so important

 

[Daisy78]

My daughter is now in year one and we are taking her out for a week. Had to give the school 14 days notice. The head has approved it, thanl goodness. In my local authority you are allowed to take them out of school for 10days during term time.

 

[Melodyuk]

yes.

Last year my youngest was 5 and just started school and my 9 year old was in the last year of his primary school.

This year we are going again and I have applied for the last 2 days off before Xmas, which they dont do anything that week anyway, and both have been authorised too

 

[Ware Bears]

I've only taken mine out when we've gone to WDW, but all three schools have authorised the time. It probably helped that both times I asked for the last few days of the spring term and will be doing the same next year, except it will be the last few days of the autumn term, so they don't miss much in the way of lessons, those days seem to be spent doing little more than watching DVDs, even at secondary school!

 

[Dianetigger]

The first time we visited DLRP (1993) I took my two eldest out of school (it was May) but had a chat with the teachers beforehand to make sure they weren't missing any tests etc., then got the standard letter (as mentioned by others here) after 'approval'. It was 10 years later before we managed to go back and now it's ME that has to go during holidays as I work in a pre-school and our contracts are for term time. We can take holidays during the term BUT (and it's a big but) because of ratio etc., I have to have someone cover my session, which means either I have to do their sessions as extra or have to pay them, it gets too expensive to be honest. Although I am considering it for one day next summer if need be!

 

[Tinkjon]

I just took DD out for 5 days. She's just started Year 1 and personally I don't even think they need formal education at this age anyway, so I have no problem whatsoever with taking her out, and I would do so for some years to come. They get to speak French to real French people - that's worth a few weeks worth of school for starters! Luckily my school agrees - apart from the last year when all term time leave is considered unauthorised, the head has no problem with you taking a week out. And FWIW, even if your head refuses you can still take them anyway, it's merely classed as unauthorised leave. Usually nothing would come of it but the worst that would happen is that you and DP would be fined £50 each.

The crowds are horrific in holidays so they wouldn't get nearly as much enjoyment out of it, you couldn't do half as much as you could in term time.

The only thing I would say is not to take them out immediately before or after starting a new class - they can take a while to settle in and being absent won't help with that.

 

[Li-sa]

For our main holiday, we normally take our kids out for school for one week following or before a week of school holiday, but DLP is an extra treat for us, so we'll be going in half term.

I like to think of term time holidays as 'educational trips' Think of all that Disney history, a new language, different money and new experiences...now does an average week in school teach all that?

Here's the official line on term time holidays if you want it!

 

[hildasmuriel]

Usually nothing would come of it but the worst that would happen is that you and DP would be fined £50 each.

I would check your Governor's and LA's stance on this - a lot of schools in this area take children off roll if they go on unauthorised leave. They come back to find themselves without a school place.

In our school we have only done this twice since January. In one case the child is still abroad but in another it took the parents 5 months to get another school place for their child - and it wasn't in our school.

 

[Tinkjon]

hilda'smuriel, goodness that's harsh! But yes our LEA definitely only fine you. Also my mum works in the local education welfare department and she says that parents are almost never fined, except for repeat unauthorised absences.

 

[joolz1910]

Wow, that is draconian! Perhaps the families were 'repeat offenders'? I know we keep places open for a long time, even when parents haven't officially withdrawn their children. I suppose it depends on the school but I would imagine you could appeal that sort of decision.