help !!!

[princessjodiebo]

i have a major issue with our holiday

the teachers at my daughters school were aware that we were taking her out for 2 weeks but as it was exceptional circumstances - last years family crisis and therefore it was a postponed honeymoon they were fine as long as she took some work to do etc etc
the problem is she is supposed to be taking her options this year - at her school they do it in year 8 and the meeting and info about it is while we are away !
i am now wondering if i should alter our holiday as i am getting worried
if i postpone it til the 19th may we would then be going in half term week which runs into june this year
whats that like crowd wise ?

i know some people have said it gets busier and starwars weekends are on but is it really that bad ??

the only other real alternative would be august but i dont know how my son would cope with the heat as he used to fit as he has difficulty controlling his body temp

any advice much appreciated !!!!!

 

[Pegasus928]

As the school have already given you permission to have the time off will they not be willing to allow your DD to sort her options out before you go?

There are loads of teachers who come on the boards so I am sure one of them may have some advice for you - but can I ask in advance that we stick to the subject in hand and not turn it into another debate on the rights and wrongs of taking your children out of school

 

[joolz1910]

I am sure that the school would allow you to select her options before you go. It would be the same scenario if she was off ill. I wouldn't start changing your holiday dates.

 

[2Tiggies]

As the school have already given you permission to have the time off will they not be willing to allow your DD to sort her options out before you go?

There are loads of teachers who come on the boards so I am sure one of them may have some advice for you - but can I ask in advance that we stick to the subject in hand and not turn it into another debate on the rights and wrongs of taking your children out of school

I think this is your best option. The school clearly recognises that the family have been through a lot. Why don't you rather arrange a meeting/phone appointment to discuss your concerns. They will be aware that the dates for the school meeting were not known to you at the time of booking since you have already notified them and had it approved. To be honest, I think any school or teacher would appreciate the fact that you care enough to be concerned.

 

[princessjodiebo]

we are going in with my mum on tuesday to discuss it all and she is going to bear the brunt of the blame lol

i wouldnt normally take her out of school but her gcses are 3 and a half years away and can remember taking your kids out for even 2 weeks was the norm ???!!! they have an online learning platform so if you are off due to illness longterm you can complete work on there that they have set and she has already told me she is not planning to do anything in half term but schoolwork - she treats it like her job (i think she watches too much apprentice lol)

it frustrates me because her attendance is high all the rest of the year and she is quite a bright student but hey we will see

 

[Kath2003]

i have a major issue with our holiday

the teachers at my daughters school were aware that we were taking her out for 2 weeks but as it was exceptional circumstances - last years family crisis and therefore it was a postponed honeymoon they were fine as long as she took some work to do etc etc
the problem is she is supposed to be taking her options this year - at her school they do it in year 8 and the meeting and info about it is while we are away !

If the school has authorised 10 days of school for holiday,that's a lot and it's rare so they must be happy for you to take her. Your daughter will need to talk to whoever her form teacher/tutor is about the options process. She will need to speak to the subject teachers in advance if she wants to ask questions about the GCSE curriculum to aid her in making her decision. If you have any questions, you'll have to try to speak to the appropriate staff member whilst school is in session. You will have to read the paperwork carefully but there really isn't much to it. The only issue you may have is that, if she misses the deadline for handing in her GCSE choices, it may be that some classes are full and that she needs to choose an alternative (although the chances of that happening are extremely slim - and could happen even if she were in school!). To summarise, if the school - who guide hundreds of students through this process every year - aren't worried than chances are you shouldn't be either (assuming you've already made the decision that you're happy for her to miss that much of the school year...).

 

[princessjodiebo]

normally i wouldnt take her out for such a long period of time but for 8 of the days her year are doing a french exchange and the pupils who are left behind will be doing activitys rather than work etc

any other time especially after she chooses her options i would not do it but without going into too much detail again we have had an exceptionally hard year as a family and this holiday is actually our very belated honeymoon from last february lol

she knows what options she wants to take and i have told the teacher i am happy to submit the form early or email them her choices while we are away
(luckily one of her friends is in the year above and has given me all the info i need as a confused parent )

 

[2Tiggies]

normally i wouldnt take her out for such a long period of time but for 8 of the days her year are doing a french exchange and the pupils who are left behind will be doing activitys rather than work etc

any other time especially after she chooses her options i would not do it but without going into too much detail again we have had an exceptionally hard year as a family and this holiday is actually our very belated honeymoon from last february lol

she knows what options she wants to take and i have told the teacher i am happy to submit the form early or email them her choices while we are away
(luckily one of her friends is in the year above and has given me all the info i need as a confused parent )

It looks to me like you have taken a great deal of care and consideration over this decision and nobody seems to be unhappy with it. I think you perhaps you should just trust yourself that of any less than perfect time to go away, this is possibly the best you could have picked. I honestly think you need a little faith in yourself, maybe some encoragement and a GOOD CAREFREEE HOLIDAY with your family. What Kath posted is very helpful information. Hopefully this is one less thing for you to worry about.

 

[princessjodiebo]

thanks lee

i think that it was the wrong week for them to be awkward as it was my bros first big scan to see if anythings come back if i had gone in this week i dread to think what state they would have been in once i had finished

im probably worrying over nothing but i dont want this desicion to hang over me or her for the rest of the year

its amazing how much better the boards can make people feel

now just got to wait for the results on wednesday for broski and then i can really start to get excited

 

[2Tiggies]

I wouldn't call it worrying for nothing from the point of view that you have your daughter's best interests at heart. But as everyone has pointed out, you have not been negligent in any way in your planning of this trip and the school appears to recognise this.

Thinking of you and hoping all goes well for your brother. The waiting must be the worst.