[c4rv]

Originally Posted by susie-4964

Totally agree, stuff them. Schools these days are rubbish, kids learn nothing, so a few days off won't do them any harm at all. I despise the arrogance of these teachers who complain about kids not being in school, who the heck do they think they are? People should be able to do exactly what they want with their time and THEIR children, shouldn't they?

do you have kids in school ?

[shmisk]

Originally Posted by cnbcwatcher

changed my mind!

[Lushness]

Originally Posted by Evo102

Well said. The OP's child is only 4 so it is hardly going to impact on their learning.

Originally Posted by c4rv

do you have kids in school ?

I think Susie is taking the mick!

[Evo102]

Originally Posted by c4rv

do you have kids in school ?

This quote from the poster from another holiday related thread will probably give you an idea where she is coming from.

Originally Posted by susie-4964

Personally, I prefer my private hotel time (for which I've often paid a lot of money) to be uninterrupted by screaming children. When I'm on holiday, my hotel is my home and my retreat.

http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showt...=#post57783160

[Dave 909]

To member c4rv no it's not BS to say that in some cases Scotish people dont get cheaper half term or school term holidays than the English. Do you want me top provide dates or can you check last Octobers half term holidays for Scotland against England?.

I'm not saying Scotish people got the same week as us cheaper. What I said was that Scotish half term last october was staggered to that of England. The result was that for the rest of the country barring Scotland the week we went on holiday was reflected in price due to the fact it was term time in England and Wales thus the week we took in Scotland was cheap reguardless on if being half term in Scotland and ALL scotish families could take advantage of that price of it being term time in England yet half term in Scotland situation. In Scotland it was half term bank holidays and the train fairs reflected this. The cost of taking a holiday in Scotland was not reflected in price despite there being 3 times as many Scotish families on holiday on the same Scotish holiday camp in Scotland despite it being in scotland and half term compared to the same prices for the same week in England during half term in october.

So while Scotish families taking a family holiday in Scotland were paying the same price as those in England. The clear difference was that the Scotish families were paying term time prices during Scotish half term while in England the prices would have been near double that during the same half term holiday week reguardless of the demand argument.

[nvingo]

My ex-wife's four children by her previous marriage, who are resident with their father, have had 3 week's term time absence in 2009, 2011 and 2012 due to their father going away alone on holiday and leaving the children with their mother in a different town and without the means to get them to school. After the 2011 trip he was investigated by Social Services due to the mother having exasperated mental health problems whilst the children were in her care but he still went the following year.

The school my children attend have a blanket policy of 48 hours absence after a tummy bug. My son has had enforced absence several times after chucking up a risky meal (delivered Chinese, pizza, and home cooked chicken) when actually had he been fed sensibly he could have attended.

[daisyduck1976]

Originally Posted by horwichallstars

Never in a million years will a shcool take a child off the role for having a few days off. Should any school try that you'll just see the "sickness" rates going up .

Sadly, schools in my area are already doing it. Places at outstanding schools are much sought after, so parents are reluctant to lose them. It's very hard to stop small children from telling their teacher about their holiday, even if you might want to keep it a secret. They are excited, understandably.

As others have said, if the holiday industry was made to make some changes, then the absence rates would go down, the government would stop ranting about attendance figures and schools wouldn't be under such pressure to have these awkward conversations with parents. We certainly don't want to!

[daisyduck1976]

Originally Posted by nvingo

The school my children attend have a blanket policy of 48 hours absence after a tummy bug. My son has had enforced absence several times after chucking up a risky meal (delivered Chinese, pizza, and home cooked chicken) when actually had he been fed sensibly he could have attended.

48 is a bit overkill. The NHS advice to schools is that children must be off for 24 hours after the last incidence of vomiting or diarrhoea.

[c4rv]

Originally Posted by Dave 909

To member c4rv no it's not BS to say that in some cases Scotish people dont get cheaper half term or school term holidays than the English. Do you want me top provide dates or can you check last Octobers half term holidays for Scotland against England?.

I'm not saying Scotish people got the same week as us cheaper. What I said was that Scotish half term last october was staggered to that of England. The result was that for the rest of the country barring Scotland the week we went on holiday was reflected in price due to the fact it was term time in England and Wales thus the week we took in Scotland was cheap reguardless on if being half term in Scotland and ALL scotish families could take advantage of that price of it being term time in England yet half term in Scotland situation. In Scotland it was half term bank holidays and the train fairs reflected this. The cost of taking a holiday in Scotland was not reflected in price despite there being 3 times as many Scotish families on holiday on the same Scotish holiday camp in Scotland despite it being in scotland and half term compared to the same prices for the same week in England during half term in october.

So while Scotish families taking a family holiday in Scotland were paying the same price as those in England. The clear difference was that the Scotish families were paying term time prices during Scotish half term while in England the prices would have been near double that during the same half term holiday week reguardless of the demand argument.

OK, what you wrote sounded like you paid more for your holiday then the locals. The rest of my comments still stand.

[academia]

Originally Posted by supertrampers

I also had trouble with this I got married last week and asked my daughters secondary school for two days holiday and it was refused - got a standard letter and went to speak to the man in charge - he told me that it wouldn't be considered under any circumstances. Offered to compromise on the day of wedding authorised and the day after as not and he refused point blank. Both my girls had 100% attendance at this point. Yet my sons primary school authorised both days as deemed it special circumstances. It just takes the biscuit.

A parent's wedding, or any family wedding or funeral is ALWAYS granted. You should speak to the authority about this.

[EastEnders-1105]

Just take her on holiday

I remember once my mums friend had 3 kids and 2 out of 3 got permission(They went to different schools 2 in the juniors 1 in high school) for time off
she just took her other kid and said he was Ill

[Odyssey2001]

Just remember at the end of the year, when you get the end of year report, anything less than the highest grades will be partially your fault. I wish parents would stop vilifying teachers and schools. Unless you have taught a class full of kids you have no right to cast judgement on how it will affect teaching or learning.

[cosmicsoup]

I'd take her on holiday any time you want to despite what the school says. They're not bothered about any impact on your childs education when it comes to teachers striking.

My wife and I work shifts so we cannot always guarantee time off during the school holidays. I think quality family time is just as important as education when raising children. Sometimes because of the kind of holidays we go on they are more educational, in my opinion.

[LIZALYNN]

If schools can boast having a no bullying policy when clearly it goes on in all schools then why can't they also turn a blind eye to the odd day off a child has for holiday?
Should parents be teaching their children to lie and pretend they have been off sick?

[Mrs Mackintosh]

Originally Posted by nvingo

The school my children attend have a blanket policy of 48 hours absence after a tummy bug. My son has had enforced absence several times after chucking up a risky meal (delivered Chinese, pizza, and home cooked chicken) when actually had he been fed sensibly he could have attended.

The school I work in has this too...but it doesn't extend to staff. If a staff member has a sick bug they're expected to return to work the minute they've stopped barfing which makes no sense whatsoever considering they probably caught the virus from a pupil in the first place.

[pugamo]

Good grief, I can't believe you have to ask for permission to take your own child, who you gave birth to, out of school for a week.

[Jillie Bean]

Originally Posted by Odyssey2001

Just remember at the end of the year, when you get the end of year report, anything less than the highest grades will be partially your fault. I wish parents would stop vilifying teachers and schools. Unless you have taught a class full of kids you have no right to cast judgement on how it will affect teaching or learning.

You need to have read the thread (like you do with most threads on DS). His child isn't even five yet.

What people of the opinion like yours are forgetting is how beneficial a family holiday can be to children. School may be the be-all and end-all for the staff involved but for the parents of pupils, they have a life to lead too, and those who could never afford to take their children away during the school holidays shouldn't be denied the chance to do so by people on high who haven't the faintest clue.

[goldielox]

I still say the most obvious compromise to this is to take a holiday every other year instead. The holiday cash not spent one year will fund a holiday in peak times and problem sorted.

[Jillie Bean]

Originally Posted by goldielox

I still say the most obvious compromise to this is to take a holiday every other year instead. The holiday cash not spent one year will fund a holiday in peak times and problem sorted.

So children of poorer families should suffer while the richer ones (and the likes who implement this policy) get to go every year?

[Sue_Aitch]

Originally Posted by pugamo

Good grief, I can't believe you have to ask for permission to take your own child, who you gave birth to, out of school for a week.

We always had our one week's holiday as a family at the May Holiday as my parents couldn't afford August rates. This was in the 70s and we stayed in England.

[vintage_girl]

Just take her on holiday and then say she's been sick. How will they ever know?

I think the policy of fining parents who take their kids on holiday is ludicrous. Not everyone can afford to go on holiday during the school holidays, so term time may be the only time a child will ever have the chance to go.

Plus, travelling is good and can be just as educational, if not more, than a week at school. My mum often took me along to her work conferences, which were during term time. I went sight seeing in Paris, Budapest, Edinburgh and others. I learnt lots about history, art and culture and met lots of interesting people. (I was a teenager though, not 4.)

Still, even a young child would benefit more from travelling than sitting in a classroom. Just do it and don't worry about the school.

[Sue_Aitch]

Originally Posted by pugamo

Good grief, I can't believe you have to ask for permission to take your own child, who you gave birth to, out of school for a week.

We always had our one week's holiday as a family (mum, dad, my two brothers at the May Holiday as my parents couldn't afford August rates. This was in the 60s and 70s and we stayed in England.

School policy at the school where I am a governor, like a lot of schools now is not to authorise absences any more as we're needing to improve attendance rates.

[Jillie Bean]

Originally Posted by vintage_girl

Just take her on holiday and then say she's been sick. How will they ever know?

I think the policy of fining parents who take their kids on holiday is ludicrous. Not everyone can afford to go on holiday during the school holidays, so term time may be the only time a child will ever have the chance to go.

Plus, travelling is good and can be just as educational, if not more, than a week at school. My mum often took me along to her work conferences, which were during term time. I went sight seeing in Paris, Budapest, Edinburgh and others. I learnt lots about history, art and culture and met lots of interesting people. (I was a teenager though, not 4.)

Still, even a young child would benefit more from travelling than sitting in a classroom. Just do it and don't worry about the school.

I almost took my 5 year old daughter out of school the other day to go see the queen, once in a lifetime opportunity stuff...The only reason I didn't is because my daughter is less of a fan of inclement weather than me, and I didn't fancy being trapped in heaving crowds in the rain

[neo_wales]

Children have enough holiday time as it is without taking them out of School. If you can't afford the holiday you want during School holidays then either lower your sites or stay home and save for the following year.

Its sad to see such a slip shod attitude from some parents, the "take them anyway" sort of approach is appalling and demonstrates to a child that you can just do as you please, not a good start for a youngster.

[c4rv]

Originally Posted by Jillie Bean

So children of poorer families should suffer while the richer ones (and the likes who implement this policy) get to go every year?

but your saying that people who work should pay more for their holidays and if you are on benefits its OK to go during term time ?