Do you take your kids out of school for Disney?

[hildasmuriel]

Sorry - I have taken this way OT - these people were not on short trips to DLRP.

I would be surprised if any school would take you off roll for a short trip to Disney, but if you are planning it as part of a longer trip abroad, check what your Board Of Governors say about extended holiday.

 

[DLPdaft]

I do take DD out of school to go to DLRP. She is only absent 3 days, and not at any time around exams (she had SATs last year, and so I didn't plan a trip until they were done and dusted).

DD's school has no problem at all in allowing up to 10 days per year unauthorised time off. I just have to complete a slip with the dates on it, in advance.

If her teachers told me she was falling behind, or struggling to keep up in class, I wouldn't take her out of school to go to DLRP.

Luckily for both of us, up to now that hasn't been an issue

 

[spinneruk]

For our recent trip last month (September) we took both kids out of school for 2 days (friday & monday) but it was authorised before hand.

For our next trip December 18th the 12 yo will be taken out of school for the day but it is the end of term before christmas plus would only be half day so the school were fine.

Providing the school are ok with it there shouldn't be a problem, most secondary schools now send work home for when a child is taken out of school (down here they do anyway)

 

[Rachie B]

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!

awww no what date were you there ?

we were there 7th aug ( for a weekend !! ) and it really wasnt as bad as i had expected / been told !

we made good use of EMH and loved the warmer weather / late closing etc

went on everything we wanted ,cept crush which was always faaaar too big a queues even early on !

 

[marcus.ka]

I am always surprised that it is possible in the UK to take your kids out of school during the year. I had one year ago also a chat with a lovely Mom from the UK and she told me this while we were waiting for Crush.
This is not possible in Germany. You can only take your kids out of school if you have a very special reason like Weddings or Funerals, but not for reasons like "If we fly to Italy in August it is much more expensive than in September" or "I want to avoid the crowds in DLRP".
And I think that there is also a rule that you only can take them out up to 3 days per year even if you have such a special reason.

 

[Cyrano]

I am always surprised that it is possible in the UK to take your kids out of school during the year. I had one year ago also a chat with a lovely Mom from the UK and she told me this while we were waiting for Crush.
This is not possible in Germany. You can only take your kids out of school if you have a very special reason like Weddings or Funerals, but not for reasons like "If we fly to Italy in August it is much more expensive than in September" or "I want to avoid the crowds in DLRP".
And I think that there is also a rule that you only can take them out up to 3 days per year even if you have such a special reason.

The reality is that it is frowned upon in the UK also, but most head teachers are reasonable enough to know that family holidays are also quality times in a child's development also.
The choice to take your child out of school comes down to personal conscience

 

[lilo68]

Forgive me if i am wrong here, but I think if you fill out the form and the head teacher says it's ok to take them out of school then it goes down as authorised abcense and that's ok. Ds2's school allows upto 10 days authorised anything over that is noted as unauthorised. They may also take into consideration how often the child is off sick. We always try to include a weekend in our dlrp holidays as it means fewer days off and it's even better if you can pick a week with and inservice day.

 

[hildasmuriel]

It's a bit like Captain Barbossa says - they are 'guidelines'.
The guidelines are that leave can be allowed in special circumstances, and things like cheaper holidays are not special circumstances. A great number of Heads take this with a pinch of salt and allow the leave.
Our borough has issued further guidelines that say only ten days leave to be taken during a child's entire primary school career, not just each year.

You may see Heads clamping down on it more, as increasingly their pay rises are linked to school stats - and one of those stats is the attendance figure.

 

[lizpat]

We have decided to take DS (8) out of school for our next trip to disney.He is only missing 3 days after xmas hols, but this is classed as 6 sessions! Our head will not authorise any abscence other than funerals etc, but has sent a diplomatic letter home to state that if more than 10 sessions (five days) are taken in one term, then "action will be taken"!! I found that to go in feb half term was about £150 more next year than when we went this year, so felt that now was as good a time as any before he goes up to middle school!!

 

[PJackson]

Wow thanks for all the replies. It's a tough one isn't it. I know most of you mention that you take them at the end of term but that was some of the 'fun time' at school that you didn't want to miss (unless it's changed since I went to school!).

I guess we'll see how it goes and try and fit in at least one more trip before she starts next September. We are lucky that the cost isn't too prohibitive (well, until the credit crunch hits us lol) but it's the fact it's sooo busy puts me off enormously. Actually, the point about when she starts is a good one as I know they stagger the start dates so she may be a 'later' starter and so we could miss most school hols then.

I sometimes wonder if it would be better for schools to stagger their holidays by county - I know they often do the Feb half term but not sure about the rest? Say stagger by a week or so by county for the summer ones could make a difference... It could make things a bit better for families/easier to plan family vacations.

I agree that family holidays are a part of a child's learning. I don't recall much of my v early family holidays but without being rude they weren't really 'Disney' standard (They weren't then were they - a week in a caravan somewhere was considered the 'norm'!!).

 

[jillrobinson]

I found that to go in feb half term was about £150 more next year

Perhaps if someone were to intervene and stop the travel operators unfairly hiking up the prices during school hols this wouldn't be such an issue, although I agree with OP the thought of queues and crowds is a little off putting.

I have taken my children out of school for DLP the longest being 5 days in March 2006, since then we've stuck to weekend visits to minimise the days lost. I'm lucky both my children manage very well at school and have been fortunate to have very good attendance records, if I either were struggling I don't think I would take them out.

 

[emanlu]

I will be taking my two girls out for 2 days in November, this is an early trip for DD's birthday and my mum is coming with us so will give the girls quality time with her as we don't see her very often. They have an excellent attendance record with only a couple of days off for sickness, but this will probably be the only time I take them out for holidays.

 

[Disney Princess Elli]

I'm 14 and I've been to DLRP every year since I was born and I'm going in 2 weeks!

Sometimes I go during school term but primary school don't seem too bothered. When you get to high school though they really don't like you missing school! But I'm missing 2 days next month when I go for 4 days!