Taking your child out of school for holidays.

[vicky1bfc]

I'm in the middle of filling my daughters holiday form in and have been hit with a guilt trip as im taking them out of school for 10 days.

We just couldn't afford to go during school holidays even if we wanted.

I also think that family holidays are important part of family life.They have both of us for 2 whole weeks with no interuptions and our main focus is them for that time,but why do i feel so guilty for doing it.


How does everyone else feel about it,right or wrong to take them out?

 

[SEVANS2208]

IMHO it depends very much on how old they are and whether they'll "catch up" at school.

Sometimes the teachers don't like it much but we took our daughter out of school for 1 week when she was 7 and the school were ok about it. We did ask them though what time of year would be less disruptive for them and they were very good about supplying extra work for her to do when we got back. She also was asked to do a little project about her trip while she was away.

I don't think I'd want to take them out for longer than a week though. We managed to go away for 2 weeks by taking our daughter out of school the week after the May half term when all of the SAT's etc had been completed. Also, our eldest is 11 now so I would be very reluctant about taking her out of school for any length of time (actually, she's at a different school now and they won't let us anyway!)

 

[vicky1bfc]

Mine are both 6,i would think again if they were at high school.

 

[FloridaSam]

Hi there!

There is no right or wrong argument! I have taken my sons out of school before and their headmaster believes that children can gain so much from seeing the world. I spoke to the school to check that there would be not SATS etc and asked them to keep any work for my son to do when he got home. (We had a lovely pile waiting on the doormat!)

I think you have to do what you think is right. To be honest if we hadn't taken the boys out we would not have been able to go to the World!

Sam x

 

[natalielongstaff]

i am a childminder so i lose sooooo much money by going away during school hols that we have always taken dd out of school,however ds starts school THIS september (hurray ! ) and i may find it difficult the taking them out at a time not disruptive for either of them.
anyway being a parent is all about huge guilt trips isnt it so dont worry to much

 

[mandymouse]

I must admit that I always take my DD's out of school for a WDW holiday - and I don't feel guilty about it. The holidays are alway so much cheaper, and I couldn't cope with the heat of the summer months. At the end of the day it is only two weeks, and so long as it doesn't intefere with SATS or tests, then I don't have a problem with it.

mandymouse

 

[angel659]

Hiya

I wouldnt feel guilty about it. 10 days is not that long. I am taking my daughter out of school for about a week. We didnt want to go during the summer it is just too hot, especially taking 1 yr olds with us. We decided to go away in October holidays. She will be in yr 1 then.

Dont worry I would only worry if they were in Senior school in last 2 years, then again a week in October is not that much of prob as long as your not affecting there mock exams or any study time or exams in April-June.

Have a nice time and just think your children will love it and they can always catch up with the home work when you get back.

Regards
Michelle

 

[Flo_and_co]

I always take mine out of school - I must admit - couldn't afford to go in holiday time

That's the main reason I always go in October (that and the pleasant weather, short queues and Halloween!) - because that way they have loads of time to catch up before exams in May/June

 

[Hilary]

Our next trip (this year ) will be one of the only times we haven't taken DDs out of school for at least a few days - and we're only resorting to going in holiday time this year because eldest DD is now in second year at university and youngest DD is doing her GCSEs this summer! We started off by saying we wouldn't take them out of school when they were older, but carried on because it didn't seem to be a problem for them or the school - but I know others have different experiences.

I know we are fortunate that both our girls coped well with school work and were always happy to catch up with any work missed by being on holiday during term time. They have also been blessed with good health through their school days and have rarely been away for long through illness. Maybe if they found lessons a struggle or had a lot of other time away from school we would have viewed things differently.

For our family the time spent on a holiday together is a precious time and I have no regrets about taking the girls out of school, but I respect others may have different opinions.

 

[allie5]

Its not been an issue for us yet as DD has only been at Nursery so far...she starts Big School TOMORROW though! However, the head at her school is totally fine about holidays....I felt the need to check! She doesnt believe parents should be held to ransom over holiday prices and at infant and junior level, believes it does the average child no harm whatsoever taking 10 days out. She is a sensible woman!

My parents always took me out of school for holidays and it didnt do me or my brother any harm at all. Unless its an important exam year, then I dont see that is any guilt required. In my opinion, 2 weeks spent in the company of a childs family builds other skills that schools cant teach but are just as important. At the end of the day, when our kids look back on their childhood, they will sure as heck remember the "great holidays" rather than the 10 days they would have spent at school.

I for one, wont have a single twinge about filling out DDs holiday form!

 

[florida sun]

I only wish my daughters school was so understanding, but they are not. They totally disapprove of taking children out of school, that said, she is in High School and they are not as leanient as prehaps the junior and nursery schools. So far this term since she started back in August every parent has had about 3-4 letters sent home reminding parents that they will not give their authorisation for children to have family holidays in school term and that the children will be marked with an unauthorised absent should this happen.

I can understand as I know these are important times for her, but it does make it hard on the pocket when trying to book in July/ August.


Sue

 

[vicky1bfc]

Thanx for all the reply's.
I don't really know how DD's school feels about taking them out,iv never asked.


I don't feel THAT gullty any more but i will speak to the head tomorrow about it, though its really too late now as we will be with mickey and co in a few weeks.

As already been said its not an overly important school year the age they are at and spending time as a family i feel is quite important as well.

 

[AndRu]

My children are almost 10, 7 and 6 and all at the same school. The head teacher is very strict about taking children out of school for holidays and I understand her attitude as it 'can' make teaching slightly awkward if kids have to play catch up.

However, what schools don't seem to want to appreciate is the fact that a holiday anywhere during break times is so expensive. If we were to go to Florida in July/August I reckon we'd add a minimum of £2000 to the cost. Even for a single week in a cottage in Wales at the end of August is £800 - the following week after kids have gone back to school it drops down to £250. And they don't class that as a rip-off for parents?

I don't feel guilty about taking my kids out of school to goto Florida. My wife and I work hard throughout the year and I have carried 6 days holiday from '04 into '05 as I didn't have time to use them. Our kids are doing reasonably well at school and we want to be able to treat them (and us) to a good family holiday. Our children won't be children forever, we all know how quickly they grow up these days, and I want to make the most of this time. My parents could never afford to take my sister on holiday anywhere other than Skegness (not knocking the place, its is my second home and I love it!) but we can afford a foreign holiday and want to go.

Its not just about money, its about quality of life. The media and government moans at us for not spending enough time with our children, for not taking an interest and leaving them to fend for themselves in front of the TV or games system. I, as many of you will, work hard for your families. If we want to take our children to the greatest holiday destination on the planet and we can afford it, then why not go? 10 days out of school, as long as its not during examination/critical period time, is hardly going to destroy their education.

The time we spend with our children is special and I intend to cherish this time of their lives - seeing their faces light up at Buzz Lightyear and Woody was a spectacle to behold. They won't be like that forever, if we wait until we can afford to go during a summer holiday, the age of 'magic' will probably be over. Kids grow up all too quickly these days and can lose that innocent sparkle as dey becum street wise kidz from da hood. Word. in'it man. (sic- shudder). A trip to Disney can rekindle their child spirit, even walking down Main Street USA with the castle in front of you brings back the memories of watching Bambi/Dumbo/Toy Story for the first time.

We love our children. We want them to have a good education. But we also need to live and be a family. If that means taking them out of school for a few days, then so be it.

 

[patdavies]

Two points

1) Despite bluff and bluster, it is extremely unlikely that any school will post a pre-booked family holiday as unauthorised absence. This is because the school is measured on absence and will do everything it can to ensure that absence is authorised as this is less detrimental to their measurement.

2) For all those of you who willingly take their children out of school in term time simply because it is cheaper. How would you feel if teacher's took 2 weeks off for the same reason? Education is a contract; the school will provide the teaching and you provide the attendance of the children.

 

[AndRu]

What about the 7 days a year the school is closed for INSET (used to be called 'Baker Days') for teacher training? Why can't they have these sessions during holiday periods? These training days are an inconvinience to parents as we either have to book days off or find child care alternatives.

If its OK for schools and teachers to break your precious "Education Contract", then I do not see why parents shouldn't be allowed to do the same.

 

[patdavies]

What about the 7 days a year the school is closed for INSET (used to be called 'Baker Days') for teacher training? Why can't they have these sessions during holiday periods? These training days are an inconvinience to parents as we either have to book days off or find child care alternatives.

Teachers are contracted to work 195 days/yr. Kenneth Baker introduced (imposed) these training days without first negotiating with the unions to increase the teacher's contracts to 200 days. Expecting teachers to take these 5 days (usually tacked onto school holidays) is the same as someone working Mon-Fri being asked to work for nothing on a Saturday or Sunday.


BTW, it is not my 'precious contract'; it is your children's education that is at stake - not all kids can easily catch up and now with modular subjects, exams take place all year round.

The people you should be compaining about is not the schools, but the holiday companies/airlines who push the supply/demand during holidays way beyond reasonable limits.

 

[vicky1bfc]

Her,here AndRu


They have a weeks holiday then another day is added on for INSET.Why couldn't they have teacher training days in the hols instead of the extra day.


Teachers chose too be teachers,we chose to be parent's but that didn't mean we want to be charged double for our holidays.It annoys me when teachers complain that they have to take holidays during school hols,you knew that when you decided to become teachers.

Im also fed up with my daughters teacher's taking morning's or afternoons off to go to the dentist or doctor's.Why school finishes at 3.15 i'm sure they can go later.


Teacher rant over.

 

[vicky1bfc]

The people you should be compaining about is not the schools, but the holiday companies/airlines who push the supply/demand during holidays way beyond reasonable limits



Think you hit the nail on the head there.Really we are not given much choice,pay double or take our child out of school.We for one couldn't afford to pay double, so our chice is take them out for 10 days or have no holiday.

 

[florida sun]

1) Despite bluff and bluster, it is extremely unlikely that any school will post a pre-booked family holiday as unauthorised absence. This is because the school is measured on absence and will do everything it can to ensure that absence is authorised as this is less detrimental to their measurement.

Believe me, it happens, I would'nt have said it if I did not have proof, but my daughter had 2 days off last year to go away with her grandmother, I ask for the schools permission, it was not given and when I had her end of year report at the end of the year, she had 2 days unathourised absence, they work on a brom com system,so every lesson is accounted for. so not so unlikely.

 

[patdavies]

1) Despite bluff and bluster, it is extremely unlikely that any school will post a pre-booked family holiday as unauthorised absence. This is because the school is measured on absence and will do everything it can to ensure that absence is authorised as this is less detrimental to their measurement.

Believe me, it happens, I would'nt have said it if I did not have proof, but my daughter had 2 days off last year to go away with her grandmother, I ask for the schools permission, it was not given and when I had her end of year report at the end of the year, she had 2 days unathourised absence, they work on a brom com system,so every lesson is accounted for. so not so unlikely.

I did say unlikely rather than it wouldn't happen. I am a governor at two schools and you should see the twisting and turning that goes on to minimise unauthorised absence