Write a letter to School

[eyoreaud]

Sometimes a family holiday IS as important as missing say, 5 days of education? 5 or even 10 days is not life threatening or even (educationaly speaking) wrong, and can give children and parents a breather so that when they arrive back at work/school they are more likely to knuckle down and work hard.

If we had stuck to scheduled school holidays, we would NEVER have a family holiday and that, i'm sure would be soul destriying for us, my husband works VERY hard and does a difficult, dangerous job, my daughters are VERY hard working and very well behaved and NEVER have unauthorised time off school. We don't only want to go on holiday, we NEED to go on holiday, and not only abroad, but in the UK too, although we prefer to go to the US nowadays. I find going to the US for a week or 2 to be much better value for money because most holidays in the UK are very expensive in comparison

This is just my opinion Good Luck in whaterver you decide to do and enjoy planning your vacation

 

[tink too]

I too will be taking our DD6 out of school in May for the DCL Repo. I haven't sent in a letter "requesting" the time off yet, but will do soon and I am already anticipating receiving a letter saying that her time off is "unathorised".

This however does not mean I can't take her off school, just that the absence will be marked down as such.

Personally, I think that this cruise will be a great learning/life experience for all of us as a family, not just for DD. There is more to life than sums and spelling!

And before I get flamed for my comments, my DMum is a primary school teacher, I have many friends who are teachers, and I am well aware that a child's education is extremely important. My point is that not all lessons are learnt at school - parents also have a responsibility to educate their children and not leave everything up to teachers!

 

[Freaky]

The system over hear in N.Ireland obviously works slightly differently. Can anyone tell me what are the consequences of having 'x' number of days marked as unauthorised? Does it effect what school they will be accepted into when moving from Primary school? The only thing that really matters here is what grade is achieved in the 11+ exam.

 

[CustardTart]

...I suggest that the OP accepts the decision taken, postpones her Disney trip for another time and is thankful that the school believes education is more important than a family holiday.

As an ex-teacher, I suggest that a trip of a lifetime thro' the Panama Canal is more educational than two weeks in primary school...

Good luck, Deborah and try not to worry!!!

 

[PoppyAnna]

As a parent of a child that has just started primary education we find this a very bitter pill to swallow.
Our Headteacher hasn't given us much information on this but did make it clear (albeit at a very informal pre-term meeting) that no time off during term time was authorised. I have heard from parents that have been associated with the school for longer that the Head fines parents £100 a week for time taken off. How is this enforced? How is the fine collected? What does she do raid my daughters piggy bank
TBH a £100 per week fine is cheaper than school holiday time price increases.
My DD goes to school with a number of children whose fathers are pro footballers and their holidays are at the end of the season (may) and they are back in training in July - lets face it fining them £100 is laughable. Those children only have a small window of a holiday with their fathers (unless they are injured) I don't blame their parents for taking them out occasionally.
We have no plans to go on holiday (in term time)this year whilst DD is in reception as we went to WDW twice in 2007. We will definately take her out of school (probably the last week of summer term) at some stage and will suffer the consequences. I will only do this providing her attendence and work is up to scratch.
Teachers and education staff know what they are getting themselves into when they choose their career - sometimes the way that teachers and headteachers go on about this issue it smacks off "well, if we can't, you can't". Well, I'm afraid not all families fit a standard model and getting a family holiday together can be difficult and schools and heads shoud have a degree of reasonable power to be flexible.
I believe our childrens education is a thing that involves different parties, (schools, parents, grandparents) and experiences - education isn't something that's done in four walls in a school institution. I'm already heavily involved in my DD's learning and she is only in R - if the parents also have a good record (lets face it some parents put the effort in and some don't) I think this should be taken into consideration too.
Rant over.
Good luck to the OP - hope you get it sorted.

 

[lawlesslovewdw]

We have a 3 week holiday booked this year from 1 -21 dec. I wrote to the school and asked for leave, i included the fact that my autistic son (who the letter was for) got really upset and disturbed by the xmas planning this year at school and we cant holiday when it is busy (he doesnt do crowds). I know the 2nd week we are there is pop warner but we will do none disney things.. It wasnt an excuse but a reason, he will only be in reception class and already knows his classmates as they are all in nursery together. It was refused, we are still going, we need quality family time together as much as he needs schooling. The worst thing they can do is withdraw his place at the school, which they cant do for one holiday. Not sure how we are going to holiday in future, will probably be one week half term, one week holiday. Cant face the heat of late aug!

 

[Merylj]

I think the problem is schools can`t be seen to give permission to allow parents to take kids out of school.
I`ve always been a rule follower - however if I was in that situation now (DD is now 20) she would be having a period of sickness for however long it needed to be.
I`m sorry about your problem though - its always better to go with a clear conscience

 

[natalielongstaff]

A childs learning potential never has, will be, or ever can be based solely on what they learn at school

Parents are first and foremost the main key person in the childs life and should be free to make choices for them (within reason obviously)

 

[Vicki1971]

We had a similar problem last year. Due to illness I was recovering frrom I stupidly, in a haze used Easter 06 dates to book Easter 07 hols. When I realised my girls (two at high school, at the top of their classes in NAGTY etc...) and one at junior school would miss a week I wrote to both schools.

Junior school said that was fine. High school said NO WAY. It didn't matter what had happened they were not allowed to be off. There were several months of discussions between us and them. The head master is very unreasonable/power hungry. We were told it would be better if we telephoned each day to say the girls were sick. So here's a catholic school, who is preaching to us to lie and not practising understanding and forgiveness! In the endd they relented after some seerious reglious debates.

What I HATE though is the number of days wasted in schools. The number of DVDs watched before Xmas or games days at the end of term AND don't get me started about the number of non lessons in July.

 

[Verity Chambers]

PLEASE, don't always blame the teachers, it's not our decision, but the local eduactio authority.

 

[cornish pixie]

Thank god my head is understanding!! I work in a primary school , I am not a teacher and not on teachers wages! I like the majority of teaching assistants are on a pittance for the actual job we do , but I love my job , i choose to do it and yes I get long holidays.
But on my wage I could never afford to keep going in major holiday times.
Thankfully our head understands that money plays a major part in familys going away,so we generally try to go a week earlier or come back a week later than the start or finish of the school holidays this affects the price quite a bit and enables us to holiday as a family.
My girls work hard when there at school and very rarely have time off.
I also work hard and put in a lot more hours then I am actually paid for so I don't feel guilty at all for taking time out.
My children have experienced the most amazing things in there very young lifes, this has helped them enormously, social interaction, confidence,history, science, maths,English, you name it you can totally cover it on holiday
Nearly forgot FUN FUN AND MORE FUN

Anyway enough of my waffling, My personal opinion is that you go for it, family time is so important in the busy lifes that we all live.
Life is to short so enjoy every moment
Cornish Pixie

 

[thelittlemermaid83]

I remember when i was at school you didnt need to write a letter just fill in a holiday form and from what i can remember my HT never said no.
Im guessing things have changed in the last 8 or so years.

 

[mark&sue]

I believe the government has changed their targets etc. They want to clamp down on the amount of days children are not at school so we are being penalised for those children who truant. If children do not take time off school for term time holidays then the figures of children missing school will go down. It is not about education it is all about government targets and figures. It is true schools would prefer your children to lie and say they are sick as at present as there is not a government target for sickness.

When my daughter was young it was no problem and we always took her out of school. I have trouble taking annual leave for a two week period during school holiday time. This clamp down is now here to stay and we have now accepted we will not be going back to WDW until my daughter leaves school in 2010.

We are DVC members so our accommodation is paid for (money is not an issue just an annual leave problem)

We have been awaiting to complete on our property in Spain and will need to take a few days out to sign up the paperwork etc. and will not be able to chose the time of completion. We were thinking of asking permission from the school for this time off but thought they might say no and after reading this thread it may be my daughter will "be sick" during this period!

Good luck everyone. I can't wait to go back to WDW. 2 years and counting!!


Susan

 

[rpbert1]

I work in local primary school, the head is excellent ,as long as it is put in writing he will allow time off, he then informs the BOG and no one has ever had a problem. Like someone else said it could be the schools Board of Governors who are not allowing it.
I would either call and make an appointment with the head or phone and talk with him, if you get no joy ask for a meeting either with the Chairman of the BOG or with all of them to put your case forward.
Our head says he cannot really stop people taking the child out of school for holidays, but appreciates them writing to ask, but then it is probably different here in Northern Ireland.

 

[ScottishDisMam]

Hiya,
I live in Aberdeenshire, and have taken the children out of school a few times for holidays, but it is only lately that it has been a problem. The last time it was 'UNAUTHORISED' which sounds very serious, but privately the teachers were very understanding with one saying I wish I was going too!
My sons are in Secondary school now, so I would think long and hard about taking time off, but I really think that primary school children with caring and conscientious parents can only benefit from some family time away, especially when it is quieter in Florida when you go, and I think that the School just can't be seen to publicly condone this.
Go and enjoy yourselves - it's not every child in Geography class can say that they'ved travelled through the Panama Canal.

 

[Miss Stitch]

I remember when i was at school you didnt need to write a letter just fill in a holiday form and from what i can remember my HT never said no.
Im guessing things have changed in the last 8 or so years.

My kids school in Yorkshire still have holiday forms. You just ask for them and fill them in. You still have to be given permission but it is just a formality. On our holiday forms it states that children are allowed a maximum of 10 days per school year for holidays. We are lucky, we can holiday at any time during the year but like to go the first couple of weeks in Sept to WDW as it is very quiet and the weather is great. My kids all usually have over 98% attendance the rest of the year so probably have less days off than most kids.

We have no problems whatsoever (my kids are in High School and Primary).
In fact, or DS8 teacher was very excited for him to go to the US, and she told us what a great opportunity it was for him, she even got maps and stuff out to show the class where he was going. She told us that she thinks that a holiday is a learning experience that cannot be taught in schools and obviously we have all heard the phrase "travel broadens the mind". Not everything can be learnt in schools.

Obviously I wouldnt take my kids out of school when sats/exams are on but I think that with a bit of give and take between parents and the local authority
solutions can be found without threats of court action etc.

 

[disneyholic family]

I am not in scotland, but the only time i did this was when my son was in primary 6 (we were taking the kids out of school for 4 weeks in November/December).
I went in to speak with the head, telling her that my son would be out of school for that period.
She told me she couldn't give me authorisation for it.
I told her i wasn't asking for authorisation, merely informing her that he would be absent from school.

We were going to the states for the month. I didn't care what she had to say on the subject.

I didn't even speak with my daughter's head, she did that herself (she was 14 years old at the time). Same thing. Told him we were going to the states for a month (visiting my sister for thanksgiving day and the month that followed).
By the way, we did NOT mention to either school that we were going to WDW in addition to the family visit. They didn't need to know that.

Had they put up a fuss about it, I would have been less than polite about it.

Family is FAR more important than a few weeks of missed school --just ask my sister who is in chemotherapy for the third time in 4 years - the time we spend together is all that matters, the rest is nonsense.

 

[Lizzy Lemon]

The grief my special needs son is giving me this weekend over homework that needs doing makes me feel like going away on holiday and never coming back to be faced with more grief over homework! If I put in for annual leave early enough I usually get holiday times but my DH's employers drag their heels over sorting annual leave out and we don't always get school holidays. For our own sanity we need a break from routine be it school holidays or term time. Authorities have got to learn we can't always choose the perfect time, it's not just about cost.

 

[tinkerbell 766]

I must admit, I am a bit naughty and don't ask for permission to take my 8 year old out of school, I just tell them I am doing it. I write something like "Just to let you know that Alfie will be absent from school between (dates) to enable him to accompany us on a family occasion." Never had any trouble yet. What can they do?

 

[loadsapixiedust]

Please try not to worry Deborah, go and enjoy your holiday.

Just to correct a common misconception the law states that parents must ensure that their children are educated not that they must attend school. There is no legal requirement in the UK to send a child to school. Education does not only take place in schools!

The issue is not whether you can take children out of school or not but whether the absence will be recorded as authorised or unauthorised. My children have had several absences for holidays in term time and I can't see that it did them any harm academically, quite the opposite. In some circumstances time spent with family rather than at school is in the very best interests of the child.

As with all rules there will be those who abuse them, but I'm sure the majority of parents only seek to do what is best for their kids.