School holidays vs taking child out of school?

[foxxxy83]

People are probably goin to hate me for it but am takin my son out of school for two weeks to take him. My son has speech, learning and social difficulties as he's on the autistic register and I have multiple sclerosis (both of which were only diagnosed this year). Every holidays from school is plagued with hospital appointments, speech therapy clinics, social skills lessons. My son doesn't get 6 weeks to just be a child like his classmates so I think he should be able to have some fun. I also don't know how long I can do things like this with him due to the rate my health is deteriorating.

 

[Lucys dad]

They say that travel broadens the mind. Therefore, I'll be hauling my DD out of school next June to attend a family "travel & leisure education programme " at WDW..................It'll also save me a good few quid.

 

[kristieuk]

It is great to see this thread has not provoked any of the criticisms and arguments that used to get these threads closed as soon as they were started in previous years

I think it is (as it should be) the personal choice of responsible parents. Many parents have their reasons for taking children out of school for family holidays, others have their reasons for not doing so, and the important thing is that each respects the other.

Personally, DH and I work for the same (small) company and for us both to take off together is very difficult, and usually impossible when other staff are also off during school holidays. We work hard, and family time is very important to us. We are careful to combine Florida trips with half term breaks, and when DD13 starts her GCSE course next year, we won't go. We are fortunate that both our girls are bright and have missed virtually no school at through illness.

For us, a family holiday, the experience of travel and the memories it creates far surpasses two weeks of school, but I do understand that others will feel differently

 

[crabbie1]

Nice to see nobody has been stroppy and gone off the handle. Iv taken my daughter out of school since she started and she has just got top in her sats. Hence I have no concerns with her missing school.
Saying that she starts year 7 and a new school in september and due to her settling in we decided to go earlier this year in order for her to not miss the start. However her new headmaster sent a lovely letter saying he had never not granted holidays in school time as he understands the financial strain it can have on some families and feels if it meant not going he would always authorise. Saying that he has put that though he wont be able to authorise it if patents want to pay the £60 fee he has no issues.
I dont intend to take DD out next year but probably will in year 8 but will tag onto a half term .

 

[scottish mum]

When I only had primary school age kids we often took them out for holidays, often for the whole 2 weeks. It never used to do them any harm and our head teacher had no problem with it. Now I have 2 in secondary school and I won't take them out for 2 weeks now but i will still take them out so that we leave 2 or 3 days before the end of term. The difference in price is ridiculous and I am not missing out on it. They are my kids and I decide on their life.

Luckily for us in Scotland we don't seem to have the strictness of the English schools, we don't need to ask permission we just inform them that we are going

 

[Bridgey]

I was always taken out of school during term time due to my mam and dads work. Never did me any harm. Love the fact that nowadays parents can be fined for taking their kids out of school but teachers can go on strike whenever they feel like it.

 

[crabbie1]

I was always taken out of school during term time due to my mam and dads work. Never did me any harm. Love the fact that nowadays parents can be fined for taking their kids out of school but teachers can go on strike whenever they feel like it.

I agree although I dont think all teachers want to strike its a case of those above giving the orders.
Iv had 2 inset days dropped on me in the last 8 weeks. One of which I had to take annual leave.
Some schools deny leave yet they have inset days when my child is available to go to school but she cant go because they have a training day. Another totally different debate. My best friends a teacher and she gets as frustrated as I do sometimes. She also gets annoyed that she is tied to school holidays and the ridiculous high prices but knew that when she became a teacher.

 

[MrRomance]

Speaking as a parent and a former teacher (my DW was also a teacher until our car accident) I think the problem with this whole situation is people taking their kids out too often, for too long or at bad times that has led to the "fining parents" mentality.

We have (and will this year) pull our daughter out for a week. We go to WDW for 2 weeks and we make our trips coincide with one of the half term weeks. We didn't have this luxury when we were teaching!

Parents should be allowed to take their children out for up to 10 days without being fined in my opinion, but it should be a once a year thing and should not coincide with important school events, such as exams, exam prep, or in the case of secondary age kids, during their GCSE years. If all parents stuck within these parameters, then I don't think the fining thing would be needed.

I had students who were pulled out for 2 weeks at a time, several times a year and missed vital work. From a teaching perspective, this is a huge problem. However, if parents act responsibly, then should be no reason why head teachers could not approve holidays in my opinion.

Speaking as a parent, paying the £100 fine to save £1000 on your holiday cost, is totally worth it!

 

[arieliwish]

When my two were small one of their primary teachers always said she felt they benefited far more from a family holiday than not having one due to the additional costs of school holidays. We did take them out a few times while in primary school but haven't done so for more than 2 or 3 days since our last WDW trip 8 years ago.

DD has just finished her A levels and may well be going off to uni in a couple of months so we took the decision to book the last week of August/first week of September as a final big family holiday (prob not knowing DD!) plus we've been married 20 years in August so it's kind of a celebration for that too!

We have told school for DS and know that it will be recorded as unauthorised absence but so far school hasn't started issuing fines (fingers crossed this continues!).

 

[2Tiggies]

Personally, DH and I work for the same (small) company and for us both to take off together is very difficult, and usually impossible when other staff are also off during school holidays. We work hard, and family time is very important to us.

I had this problem up until this summer whereby I wasn't able to get 2 consecutive weeks off between June and August. That left Easter which we did twice but I eventually went for October and tagged onto October week or late September tagged onto the September weekend which also had 2 inset days at DD's school making it 5 week days where she wasn't missing.

Each to his own

 

[dixonsontour]

We are fortunate DD gets 2 weeks in October so have been every October since she started school.

School have been fine and authorised a couple of days off either side if we have flown on a Friday etc.

School also ok'd our last minute trip in May 2012 - she missed 4 days. They even asked her about her trip in assembly.

I'd not hesitate to tag a day or two on to halfterm.

Work is more an issue as they are now enforcing 2 weeks max leave so this time we are going saturday to saturday and DD isn't missing school.

DD is at a private school so it is down to the head - no fines. Seems to work well - people may tack a day or two on to hols but don't abuse it imo.

 

[Magic Megadegs]

I'm a secondary school teacher and have no problems at all with students being pulled out in any year except years 11 and 13 (GCSE and ALevel) and NEVER in the first week in September in any school year. Little people miss that first week of ground rules, pegs being allocated, trays being given to them, seats and tables being sorted and all the settling in, context setting activities and it can and largely does knock their confidence and throw them. Ditto for secondary students (replace peg and tray with lockers and books / the best seats next to chums) etc. Pull them out anytime (except week 1 in September or Years 11 or 13) pay the fine and enjoy the magic!

 

[arieliwish]

Meant to add that our school moves the kids up into the next academic year in June when all exams are over so the last 5-6 weeks of the term is for the kids to get used to new teachers, classes etc so when they go back after 6 weeks off they can slot back in. We've done that for a couple of years now and as the mother of a worrier I can honestly say it makes the summer holidays so much easier for us!

 

[luke]

I'm not going to say much as I don't want to derail the thread so I'll add my most positive thoughts on it by saying at times like the last week or so before summer I don't see the problem with taking kids out of school

 

[sammie1884]

When I was a child we were taken out of School for a holiday at least once a year. It never did me any harm!

DS starts Reception class in September and we are going to WDW in November! I will never have a problem taking him or his sister out for holidays. Apart from exam times.

 

[ChipnDaleRule]

Our council (not the school) have imposed a total ban on taking children out of school, or face a fine.The problem lies with people abusing the privilige, like everything else the minority spoil it for people who do actually care and want to make the most of their family life as well their childrens education.

 

[Laurafoster]

like everything else the minority spoil it for people who do actually care

Exactly!

My DD is due to start school next September and as such we will aim to take our holidays around half terms. Luckily the school we want her to go to has an inset week following the May half term which will allow us to do 2 weeks then.

However i wont worry too much about her missing a day or two at the end of term.

 

[tinkertaylor05]

I am taking dd out of school for 2 weeks next year

I went in to see her head, just said cards on the table I don't expect you to authorise anything but can you tell me the implications to both her and I. He said it will be fine and appreciated my honesty, she'll be in yr 4 so no major exams etc

Have never had her out except when she's been ill, I realised pretty much everyone else has taken some time for holidays so thought I would go for it as really wanted to do a transatlantic cruise and add on our first time to wdw.... just wish the DCL panama canal cruises fit better with our school holidays ..... only another 8 years until we can try one of those

I agree that the start of a school year would not even be a consideration for us .... end of term dd seems to do nothing much except watch dvd's and do crafts anyway!

 

[luke]

I will never take my child our during term time...

 

[wideeyes]

We are tagging a week on to the October holidays when we go in 2015. it is a one off though so it will be only one week in whole time she will be at high school as we are not going every year. if nearer to the time, it looks like it will have a negative effect on her work , attendance record then we won't go as putting her education first or postpone the trip.