Do you take your kids out of school to go DRP?

[Cyrano]

Sorry - forgot to add I couldn't answer the poll.

I can't take term time holidays in any circumstances. I could probably get leave for the children but the Head won't let me go.

I'm her P.A, btw.

Thanks for the insight into the system.
In our case all absences for holidays are treated as unauthorised

 

[mark&sue]

I can't believe you need a sick note for a day or two sickness!!!

You wouldn't get near the doctor's surgery if that was the case here for both children and working adults!!!!



susan

 

[tfortracey]

we have and are again taking our kids out of school for two days at the start of the next holidays here. my son has aspergers so will not cope with the noise, crowds of full on holiday time at disney, yet desperatly wants to go. also my dd is only in reception and not really struggling. the teacher agrees with us that the exposure to a foreign culture will be more beneficial than any lost time at school for those two days. also the head is on board in my sons case as he has already completed all the work for this academic year in his advanced programme. if the school refused then we would not go. as they are on board we are happy to have a symbiotic relationship with them in regards our childrens education.

 

[Booknut]

Our daughter is only 12 weeks so not an issue yet

However I don't think we would unless it was ok with the school and the teacher because if its for a few days the teacher might have to put together a study pack/notes to help the student catch up and its unfair to have to make them do that so i'd only do it if they were cool with it.

If some schools allow up to 2 weeks I think that's quite generous. It's hard for families to afford a trip to say WDW during school holidays as flights are outrageous! Whereas a flight in January might only be £320pp that same flight during school holidays can cost up to as much as 3 times the amount. It might make the trip of a lifetime possible for some families so i'm all for it - maybe not on a regular yearly basis but once or twice in your kids childhood might be ok and like mentioned above a great learning experience - one can learn a lot from the Mouse

 

[sjaakie]

so even if it was just a tummy bug etc,you had to go and bother the GP for a sicknote ?!

Yes and it was also a good way to rule out that children "skip school".
(don't know how this is called in UK )

If a child was not in school and you did not call, the school called the parents at 10 am.

It was a school abroard ( we live on the border) and there was a waitinglist for children who came from other countries.
And no it was no jail They just have a very strick policy.

 

[Rachie B]

Yes and it was also a good way to rule out that children "skip school".
(don't know how this is called in UK )
If a child was not in school and you did not call, the school called the parents at 10 am.

It was a school abroard ( we live on the border) and there was a waitinglist for children who came from other countries.
And no it was no jail They just have a very strick policy.

truanting or "mitching" lol

the idea in principle is a good one,but i couldn't see it working here !

it is very hard to get a GP appointment at the best of times

so for every child off school with tummy bugs / throat infections / chicken pox etc ("genuine illness" not just a cold / cough etc ) wanting a sick note ............?!

 

[sjaakie]

I can't believe you need a sick note for a day or two sickness!!!

You wouldn't get near the doctor's surgery if that was the case here for both children and working adults!!!!



susan

My husband and i work full time.
You had to accept the school rules and sing them. If you disagreed with the rules you were free to take your child to another school.

And we have no regrets it was a good school with a very high responsibility for the children.

 

[sjaakie]

truanting or "mitching" lol

the idea in principle is a good one,but i couldn't see it working here !

it is very hard to get a GP appointment at the best of times

so for every child off school with tummy bugs / throat infections / chicken pox etc ("genuine illness" not just a cold / cough etc ) wanting a sick note ............?!

Diffrent countries diffrent rules.

 

[Cyrano]

Diffrent countries diffrent rules.

That's it exactly Doctor's surgery here would not entertain providing a note for adult or child unless longer than 1 week.
Anyway I'll give myself a sanction for drifting the thread into a discussion on the differences of healthcare

 

[Rachie B]

you cannot be perfect ALL of the time

 

[mulan1]

thanks for the replies everyone, it's really interesting, i think we might at some point request to take DS out of school during term time, maybe take him a few days earlier than the end of a term, and make sure he's given work to catch up on anything missed, he goes to a private school so I'd have to review their policy as it's likely to differ from public school.

 

[mark&sue]

My nephew went to DLP with his school two weeks ago and apparently my daughter's school went last year. Not sure if the subject was geography or french!!! So it must be educational.

by the way I work for the local council and someone seems to off sick nearly every day. My daughter has a friend who takes at least a day sick off school each month at around the same time of the month. Just can't imagine how busy the doctor's surgery would be if everyone had to get a sick note.

We are lucky as in the nine years my daughter has been at school she has only ever taken two days off sick for an ingrowing toenail operation. No sick note was needed but she did hoble back to school. Sadly though she has been off "sick" for three days when I needed her to come with us to Spain to sign the papers on our holiday home and I was too scared to ask for the time off school in case they said no and I just could not leave her alone in the house. I had no control on when it was due to complete. I made DH phone the school from Spain as I just can't lie. I still feel guilty but love my new second home, so worth the guilt!



Susan

 

[Rachie B]

thanks for the replies everyone, it's really interesting, i think we might at some point request to take DS out of school during term time, maybe take him a few days earlier than the end of a term, and make sure he's given work to catch up on anything missed, he goes to a private school so I'd have to review their policy as it's likely to differ from public school.

does he not get more school holidays than public school anyway? so you could go during a time when most other ( public) schools are still in term ?

it would be less busy / quieter than main school hol time

 

[mulan1]

no not really, talllies up pretty much the same as other local schools, but since ramadan is earlier this year they will be back at school end of august and will probably have a week off for eed early october, which is why i'd previously asked on another thread what it's like early october.
But i do wish they did make their hols different from mainstream so we could go away while its quieter, but then at the same time it would be awkward for other parents i guess.

 

[Rosie]

I work in the Schools Service in Essex. my immediate line manager has responsibility for recording School absence both authorised and unauthorised and my departmental Manager set the School term dates. i also work term time so taking children out of school is only part of the decision for me.
I fully understand all the issues, but I have taken my children out of school and would again if it was the only way we could go away together. I know exactly how important education is but there is more to life and to learning than School.
I find it infuriating that my DS spends the last week of every term watching Adam Sandler dvds rather than learning!

 

[tetley02]

I think as long as children are regular attenders and keep up with their school work there isn't really a problem. I arranged with school for my daughter to have her 2 days off school when we first went in November last year. She is only in reception but she is going to be in year 1 in october and we need to take 4 days off!

 

[kazdudds]

I have two children of school age, 9 & 4 and we are taking them off school for 3 days in March to go to DLP. I had to ask the school for permission before we booked and they are only allowed 5 days in total per year for authorised absences. I am lucky as both my sons do very well at school, but have a friend whose daughter is not doing so well and when she asked for three days for a long weekend break they refused on the grounds that she is behind at school and could not afford to miss out!

I do think however that if a child is doing particularly well at school that it does them good to have a reward for doing really well and can be used to encourage them to keep at it!!!!

I do have to add though that we are planning to go to WDW next in 2010 and we be taking the children out of school for 2 weeks, bit naughty really but hopefully they will still be doing well and not miss out on too much that they can't catch up on!

 

[Ware Bears]

Can I just say how lovely and refreshing it was to read through this thread and find that everyone posted their opinions and personal experiences without any flaming or cross words.

 

[hildasmuriel]

Can I just say how lovely and refreshing it was to read through this thread and find that everyone posted their opinions and personal experiences without any flaming or cross words.

We're all too scared of the mods. They're a strict lot on this board.

 

[Ware Bears]