Taking children out of school

[Candy]

just a question? how many parents take their children out of school to go to WDW. thinking about taking dd15 and ds13 out of school two weeks in sept.like to know your thoughts.

 

[Miffy2003]

Funnily enough there is a similar thread to this just started on the Community Board Candy!

 

[Hilary]

Yes, I've done it but not without some careful thought.

Personally, I wouldn't choose September to take them out of school as it means they'll be missing some early term work and may not be there when new year groups are getting established, etc., etc. Much better, if possible, to wait until some time around the October half term when things will have settled down a bit in class.

Yes, I would do the same as we did again.

 

[slinky101]

I,ve done it, try to combine it with their holidays, going week before whitsun this year, did the same last year, so kids miss 1 week and two days, my kids are only 7&9, not sure if I would do it when they go to comprehensive (or whatever its called now!) but then again, the price of school holiday flights would make me think again!

 

[kristieuk]

I have done this with my daughter aged 5. We holiday in Florida every November, and 2004 was the first year we have had to take her out of school. It's not an easy decision I know, but we spoke with her teacher beforehand and she was fine about it. She basically said that so many of the children go on holiday in school time over a year, it was not considered a problem, provided time out was limited to 11 school days per year. The school's view is that it is good for children to travel and experience different cultures and countries.

I think at the end of the day, if your children are settled at school and will settle back in without any difficulty, go for it!

Notwithstanding this, I know that it will be different story when dd reaches 'big school'. I don't know what we will do then - to me, Florida is too packed and too hot at the obvious times to go.

 

[vicky1bfc]

Yes we have taken ours out twice(in different school years) now.We have gone in feb both times though ,so, they have had plenty of time to settle into the new school year.They are both still only 6 though so i don't think its an overly important time at school.i'm not sure i would if they were same ages as yours though and not in september.

 

[alisonbestford]

I always took my older kids, now 17 and 21, out of school until they were at secondary school but it wasn't such a big issue in those days After that age their Dad, who is a teacher, said no, so that was that - school hols and high prices
We just took DD (6) out to go to Florida in February (cleverly merging it into the half term break!) but had to go through the performance of writing and asking for permission and waiting with baited breath for the form to return signed
Personally I'd hesitate to take them out in Sept as I think the start of the school year can be the make or break time for making friends and settling back in to school.
What do your children feel about it? I know many will say that kids will do anything to get a couple of weeks off school but, if there's pressure at school from teachers etc to not take time off I think you find that there are a lot of conscientious kids out there
IMO, at the end of the day, the main thing is that they're your kids, you know them best and whether they will be able to catch up on any missed work and settle back in to school ok if you take them out for a holiday
Alison

 

[DisneyBB]

We always have taken our daughter (11) out of school. However I am aware that this will all change when she goes to secondary school. We are taking her out just before Christmas this year, she will have had time to settle into school. The first term of secondary school is usually covering old work to make sure that all the children are caught up. Also she is doing really well so the teachers have no problem with her taking time out. This may well be the last time for a significant period. If we do take her out it will be just for a few days at a time.

 

[Celestine]

We took DD (5) out of scholl in early Dec. The headmistress said she could authorise up to 10 days & was happy to do so, but not for a day to logoland because the weather was good!
That said, our LEA is obviously not happyabout this & has joined with other LEAs & tour operators to offer incentives to go durng the summer holidays in both 2005 & 2006. We had booked with Virgin for next summer & managed to get them to apply the discount - £400 off & if you bought park tickets (we didn't) you also got $100 disney. Most the "major players" were offering deals of varying kinds, but that sort of discount lmost took the price of the holiday to out of school prices (esp. as we go the first day of the price drop (21/8/05).

 

[sharon-o]

I am a teacher and we have to pay the extortionate term time prices , i would without a dought take my kids out of school if i could.
Secondary kids can always copy up work and primary school kids repeat so much work through each year group i would'nt hesitate...personal choice at the end of the day and why should'nt it be!

Happy decision making sharon

 

[SammieG]

Ipersonal choice at the end of the day and why should'nt it be!
:

Um.. because its against the law?

Can you imagine if we all decided to just not send our kids in to school because it wasnt convenient for us?
Or we didnt feel like it.. or the bus was too expensive.. or any other reason.

If your kids were seen wandering around Alton Towers or legoland for a day bu the relevant people, you would be questioned as to why your children were not at school. Surely we cant have some rules for some people and other rules for other people?

The kids should be in school. Thats what the law states and that is what is mostly best for the child. My SIL keeps her kids off school every time one of her children has a birthday.. thats totally ridiculous in my opinion.. thats 3 days a year missed by each child because of Birthdays...

The holidays are long enough.. 6 weeks in the summer and at least two at christmas and Easter.. thats 10 weeks of the year, forgetting half terms - so 13 weeks a year.. and you cant find the time to go on holiday in that time?

Sorry, no offense to all of you who happily keep take your children out of school.. but as you can see.. this is one subject i feel really strongly about!!!

When we go to WdW in term time which we have always done until our last trip (as my son was just about to start school) - I was amazed how many kids were around and about - I wonder for who's benefit its done...? Certainly not the childrens. The children have to catch up on work, or miss out on stuff at school.. and miss out with being with their friends...then get thrown back in to the school system...

Sorry.. rant over!!!!!!

 

[dor1]

Take them out of school if you need too.
The experience they get by travelling and experiencing new ideas is invaluble.As for having 13 weeks holiday to choose from no doubt those 13 weeks are the most expensive(xmas,easter)and the worst for being busy and hot(august).
Ive taken my kids in October and they miss 1 week of school as the other is a holiday week.It cant be against the law as our kids school gives us a holiday request form.

 

[lagunn]

well what do you think of me then sammie?
my children do not go to school full stop.
why?
because i teach them at home myself and do not leave my childrens education down to somebody else like you do!!!!!
and before you start ranting on at me it is perfectly legal to do so.
you obviously do not know the law so please do not state it.
as for the children you see around wdw when you are there they could all be home educated....there are at least 80,000 children in britain alone that are home educated..so i suggest you go along minding your own buisiness and if people want to take a holiday in term time it certainly has nothing to do with me or you.....

 

[alisonbestford]

The holidays are long enough.. 6 weeks in the summer and at least two at christmas and Easter.. thats 10 weeks of the year, forgetting half terms - so 13 weeks a year.. and you cant find the time to go on holiday in that time?

Please bear in mind though that it's not always about money or 'finding time' to go on holiday
DH has a brain tumour and can cope with neither the heat nor the crowds that often accompany school holidays abroad. We just took DD (6) out of school in February - with the head's permission - to go to WDW and we had the first 'family' holiday I've ever experienced with him as it was neither too hot, nor too crowded
We were looking to go back in August 2006 but I know that he won't be able to cope and will, consequently, spend his days asleep in the room and just emerge for the evening - not much fun for DD who wants Daddy to play - so I'm going to look at the Easter hols plus 5 days which I shall ask to be authorised .
I think that, as long as it's okayed at school, and children are below secondary school age memories are too important to pass up on
Alison

 

[stevechase]

We took ours out of school in March 2002 for just over a week, tagged on to the end of the Easter hols. I have to be honest, I in no way am worried about them being out of school for 2 or 3 weeks extra each year. If that has a detrimental effect on their education then I will take the blame. I doubt it will though. When they have exams as they get older maybe not, but at them moment and for the next few years yes, no probs, Beth has just gone 8 and Ellie is nearly 6 Josh is 1 so he is not counted in this debate.

If the travel companies did not bang up the prices so ridiculously for hols time then we would all be happy to go in August. I have had a rough price for July next year for 3 weks at the Carib Beach Resort. The adult prices jump up by nearly £ 300.00 each and the kids by £ 200.00 each if we go after 16th (or similar) of July, thats £ 1000.00 more expensive. I will book the more expensive option if the education secratary wants, but will he give me the extra grand. This really annoys me, yet again penalised in the UK for having kids and take them on hols. It already costs us with speanding money about 5500.00 - 6000.00 to go to Disney., but they still want that bit more.

ARRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!
Steve

 

[mandymouse]

We're taking our 2 DD's out of school in May. One DD is in Year 7 and the other in Year 9, we are going away the week following her SATS. We'll be away for 2 1/2 weeks, 10 days are authorised and 3 are unauthorised. I've never had a problem with taking them out of school as long as there are no exams on, but now oldest DD is going into Year 10, I think I will have to add our holiday to existing school holidays so she doesn't miss out on her course work.

mandymouse

 

[SammieG]

Alison..

As I said in my original post I think.. of course there will always be exceptions.. and of course, your husband has a good reason.. there are other people that work within industrys that do not allow them to take school holidays off..
of course, in those cases an exception should and is made.
I also agree with you Steve, in that it is disgusting that the travel companies charge so much extra to travel in that time.. I know that they are trying to give people the incentive to go at quieter times, but its still shocking the difference in price.

I have to say that as we own a timeshare and get mostly free flights to Orlando, the price issue does not really affect us..although free flights are harder to get in the holidays. We have to be a lot more organised!!!

My father is getting married in September..3 days after my son goes back to school.. and my father is only having immediate family at the wedding.. I am so cross that this has been arranged for a school day! He will only be missing 2 hours of school if I decide to take him out.. but I am so cross about it.. I dont think its fair that in that important week back at school in a new class, that my son should have to miss an afternoon of school.

Anyway.. sorry.. I keep doing this...ranting about it. I just get so cross. Mind you my son is only 5 and I will probably change my mind as he gets older..!! We parents have a habit of doing that!

 

[TinkTatoo]

This is a very emovite thread and I have already posted this on the community board one but....

I've seen many parents justify taking their children out of school using arguments about the educational value of the trip but you get the same valuable learning experience taking the kids during school holidays.

We plan our trips in August so that the kids won't miss school and will have plenty of time to get over the jetlag when we get back. It is more expensive than taking them out of school but it is not an option for us so we just save harder for our summer trips.

I know this opinion won't please everyone but I don't feel regularly taking kids out of school for a family holiday is justified. I do agree with alisonbestford's post that in some circumstances there are valid reasons for taking kids outside school holidays (my own two children have autism so I understand about needing quiter / cooler times) however I think for most parents it is about saving a few ££££ rather than going in the school holidays

 

[alisonbestford]

........ Mind you my son is only 5 and I will probably change my mind as he gets older..!! We parents have a habit of doing that!

Kids certainly have a way of making that happen

I was quite looking forward to the prospect of 3 out of the 6 week hols being taken care of, having Disney fun, until I looked at our circumstances realistically Skeggie in the rain here we come....
Alison

 

[vicky1bfc]

This is a very emovite thread and I have already posted this on the community board one but....

I've seen many parents justify taking their children out of school using arguments about the educational value of the trip but you get the same valuable learning experience taking the kids during school holidays.

We plan our trips in August so that the kids won't miss school and will have plenty of time to get over the jetlag when we get back. It is more expensive than taking them out of school but it is not an option for us so we just save harder for our summer trips.

I know this opinion won't please everyone but I don't feel regularly taking kids out of school for a family holiday is justified. I do agree with alisonbestford's post that in some circumstances there are valid reasons for taking kids outside school holidays (my own two children have autism so I understand about needing quiter / cooler times) however I think for most parents it is about saving a few ££££ rather than going in the school holidays

If only it was only a few pound's im sure most would go during the hoilday's,but its not, its usually alot more than just a few pound's.


I for one take mine out of school for the simply fact i could not afford the extra £££££'s to take them during school holiday's.If that makes me a bad mother,so be it.