Unauthorised School Absence

[MrsJobba1]

Hi
I have been a teacher for ten + years and these are my own experiences.
Today the curriculum is so full that you would be amazed at how much a child would miss in a 2 week period.

I however totally understand at the massive price increases for school holidays. My LEA in order to encourage parents to take vacations in school holidays have gotten together with a local travel agents who offer 10% discount on all hols outside of school hours.

If it is necessary to take hols within term time please avoid September & May. In September a new teacher establishes a class. I teach KS1 and have seen many a young child who has missed the beginning of term, become very upset at starting school after the other children. Relationships have been formed, friends made. Through out May we as teachers are required to carry out Stat assessments. Actually we often start March / April in order to prepare children for these. So that children are not overtly worried or stressed.

I hope this helps.

 

[alisonbestford]

Hi
Actually we often start March / April in order to prepare children for these. So that children are not overtly worried or stressed.

Hi there MrsJobba1.
Yes, that did help - me anyway
So, if I were to take DD (6) out of school for 1 week, prior to Easter next year, what type of thing might she miss, SATS wise, if she were at your school?
Obviously all schools, and teachers, work differently but, to be totally honest, I'm a little hazy about what happens when
Thanks.
Alison

 

[MrsJobba1]

hi Alison,

Stats test reading, writing & Maths. Alongside teachers own assessments.

In my school we tend to look at past papers and explain how to answer them and what type of answers they are looking for.

A child might recognise 23 + 21 = but on a paper they may be asked ' What is the total of 23 + 21'?

We go through procedures so that the child is not phased. It is important to remember that some chn are only 6 when doing these and we try to build them into the childs routine.

 

[alisonbestford]

Thank you.
I'll have a word when they go back, after Easter this year
They have the first 2 weeks in April off next year so I'd be looking at the week previous.
Alison

 

[DisneySurfGirl]

Well I'm 21 and a university student and I still take a week off school to go to WDW and avoid the crowds!

My Dad used to get me and my sis out of school early every year at Easter. This way we avoided the crowds I went to a private school and although they were pretty good about giving us the odd week off, we once had to pretend both my sister and I had come down with something. As the flight was so early on a Thursday morning, we had to ring the school from Gatwick airport saying we'd come down with a stomach bug Those were the days.

Peace and Love and a Piece of Love

 

[lagunn]

my son was not at school for year 6 sats....(we were in wdw) and he still went to a grammar school!!!!
sats are for the schools sake more than anything.....

 

[alisonbestford]

Well I'm 21 and a university student and I still take a week off school to go to WDW and avoid the crowds!

Well, I'm 42 and this is the last year I have to worry about taking time out of Uni to go to WDW as I should, at this very moment, be writing my dissertation Yippee
Not too easy with DD nagging me to take her ice skating though The fact I keep popping back onto the forums isn't helping much either!!
Now I don't have to worry about me it's turn to worry about DD!
Good luck with your studies
Alison

 

[vicky1bfc]

I agree Lagunn,they are a complete waste of time.Even my DD's teacher hates them and says the same thing.

She also told me at parent's evening that they don't actually have to do them any more.She said the only reason she will be doing them with her class this year is she wants to see the result's for herself but she doesn't need to pass them on anymore.

My dd's are in year 2.

 

[Truly]

she wants to see the result's for herself but she doesn't need to pass them on anymore.



She does

 

[alisonbestford]

I was under the understanding that SATS were being stopped - Year 2 ones anyway - as children were getting too stressed out by them?
Maybe this is why she doesn't need to pass them on if her LEA have stopped them?

 

[Truly]

Not in England, so far.

http://www.qca.org.uk/2632.html

 

[alisonbestford]

Wish they'd make their minds up!
The sooner they stop them for the little ones, IMO, the better.

 

[Tiggernut_jadie]

I don't feel the need to justify taking my DD out of school! She's MY child, she does not belong to the LEA so if I wish to take her on holiday in term time then I'll do so! If they 'fine' me £100 so be it - it's still cheaper than paying to go in the holidays. Besides which both my DD and I are VERY fair skinned so need to go when the weather is cooler - so November it is!

I don't agree with the reasoning that children get taken out of school because parents 'can't afford to go on holiday during school holiday times because the prices are so much higher'. Surely that should be 'parents can't afford to go on the holiday of their choice during school holiday times'. Florida's not the only place to take children on holiday!

In aswer to this one - you're right, it isn't the ONLY place to take a holiday but it IS the place we choose! As someone who lost both her parents before the age of 20 I beleive life is for living and you only get one chance. I intend to make sure that my DD has the best childhood I can give her - and if that includes 2 weeks at WDW in term time then so be it. You're a long time dead!!!!!

 

[alisonbestford]

She's MY child, she does not belong to the LEA so if I wish to take her on holiday in term time then I'll do so! If they 'fine' me £100 so be it - it's still cheaper than paying to go in the holidays.
I intend to make sure that my DD has the best childhood I can give her - and if that includes 2 weeks at WDW in term time then so be it. You're a long time dead!!!!!

I agree



Alison

 

[Miffy2003]

I do so totally agree that one's child is one's own, and not belonging to the LEA / school / whatever and it is up to parents to make the decision.

My only consideration when deciding whether to take my 2 daughters out of school is whether I think they will be disadvantaged educationally by missing school time. I don't care what the school "thinks" of me.

So I think this decision is very personal to each family and their values and what they feel is important and what their children coud cope with.

I am lucky that my daughters enjoy school and I believe they are doing pretty well. If however they were struggling at all, I wouldn't take them out. End of story, money saved or not. How well they do at school can affect the rest of their lives - college, universiry, career, confidence, lifestyle etc....

I would certainly not miss SATS, wheteher I agree with them or not is another matter!!!

 

[allie5]

I agree as well.

This whole thing started because this government wanted to "get tough" on truancy. Any absence from school (be it from illness, holidays, whatever) was recorded. To combat this the easy way, they suddenley got tough on parents taking their children out of school for holidays. It is purely an excersise to make the absentee figures look good without having to tackle the real issue of the persistant "real truant".

Think back a few years, taking holidays in term time was an issue for parents, schools didnt get involved. Its simply another political game where the innocent are once again hounded whilst the core problem is swept aside convienantly. Sorry if this sounds cynical, but its my opinion.

I do agree that there should be some "cap" in place to stop parents abusing the rule and their kids taking time off right left and centre. I really think 10 days is reasonable and out of a non exam school year, really doesnt make a great deal of difference.

My DDs Reception teacher has now been off sick for 3 months....now that DOES make a difference......

 

[magicmouse2]

The teachers at DD school (Catholic primary) will not authorise any holidays for my family anymore. We did have a lot of time out of school (family reasons)until a year ago. I requested a few days last Nov for DDs BDay at DLP. I was declined and reported to the education social worker, who I contacted and was told it is at the headteachers discretion. She told me though it was unauthorised not to worry and that the experience would probably be more educational for DD than those days at school. Our next trip is 2006 so I have booked 2 weeks - one of which is half term. I didnt particularly want to go in January but have no choice due to flight costs during other school holidays. I am dreading asking permission for 1 week holiday as I know the Headteacher of this school has a personal grudge against me and DH. As it happens my kids are never off sick and go level 5s in their SATS and are top in their classes so there is no worries about there performance. I think it is terrible that the difference between term time and half term can cost as much as £1500 for flights.

 

[Frances999]

Even though my children our very young, their school will not allow any days absent for holiday for any reasons whatsoever (not even one day). I appreciate this "rule" and ensure our holidays are booked outside of term time. I believe that the travel agents/airlines are the ones to blame, and should be forced to set the prices to a lower level for the school holidays. It is unacceptable how much extra is charged for outside of term-time, but for many there is no option but to travel during this period.