As a low income family, we struggle to pay the summer holiday prices for our single, annual holiday in the school holidays. We're only talking about a caravan holiday in the UK, nothing flashy and not abroad. I resent the price hikes around the summer holidays. Yes, it's the way of the world but it is unfair.
I would not dream of taking holiday in term time if the school did not approve it and I would certainly check with the school before I booked. Our son is in YR1 and I can see how important his education is. However, he is autistic and I have found that whenever we have had a week's family holiday, he has become much more communicative and "switched on". I would hope that our school would understand the argument on this basis for taking him out in term time, if the difference in prices from term time to school holidays meant we risked not having the holiday one year.
Just a thought, but as this seems to be a primarily financial issue, perhaps the answer lies in anational school holiday voucher scheme and not to simply penalise those parents who genuinely can't afford to take their children on holiday in the approved holiday period. Perhaps parents could apply for a means-tested voucher. If you earned over a certain amount, you don't qualify. A bit like free school meals. Not for the whole cost of the holiday, but to cover the difference in prices (on average) between term time and school holiday period.
I understand that this is hardly the time for the nation, ie taxpayers, to fork out more but then if school attendance is such a burning issue, perhaps it's worth it? Wouldn't it be worth it for a generation of well-educated and well-rounded children, who all had holidays and saw places outside of their narrow existence - new cities, new countries, whatever, but also got all their education?
As to the arguments about whether or not a holiday is a right, or whether you can have quality time as a family without a holiday. Sure you can have fun times at home, or day trips away, but there's a limit to how far you can go and how much you can do on a day trip with young ones. If you start staying anywhere overnight, it gets expensive and you need a lot of equipment if you have a baby or toddler too. It's much easier to book a week somewhere as your "base". And why should poor families be restricted to the same old trips and environments? There's only so many times I can take the nipper to the local park, or the museum, or a day trip to the beach, etc. If that was all there was for years, it would get awfully stale quickly.
as a single parent I have found it hard and simply not had a holiday every year as generally have had to pay adult prices for my son (though now am in a relationship). He too is autistic. its been a case of just getting on with it when I havent been able to save up - and I have explained to him why we havent gone at the relevant time.
as a single parent I have found it hard and simply not had a holiday every year as generally have had to pay adult prices for my son (though now am in a relationship). He too is autistic. its been a case of just getting on with it when I havent been able to save up - and I have explained to him why we havent gone at the relevant time.
I take my hat off to you. I wonder how I would cope with our demanding little boy as a single parent - probably not very well.
I hope no-one's taken my post as whining or demanding a holiday as an entitlement. I'm simply saying it's a shame holiday price hikes force some into such a choice between holiday and no holiday, or risk the school's wrath. Also trying to do some "blue sky thinking" (horrid term, I know) on a way to rectify the situation.
I take my hat off to you. I wonder how I would cope with our demanding little boy as a single parent - probably not very well.
I hope no-one's taken my post as whining or demanding a holiday as an entitlement. I'm simply saying it's a shame holiday price hikes force some into such a choice between holiday and no holiday, or risk the school's wrath. Also trying to do some "blue sky thinking" (horrid term, I know) on a way to rectify the situation.
Don't take your hat off to me- any time with my son is a pleasure for me
I just genuinely don't understand that holidays are a necessity
I never get annoyed about the fact as a single parent I have had to pay adult price for my son- at the end of the day holidays are an extra and that's the way of the world. you can waste energy and effort being annoyed at the way the world is or spend your time on positive things- I prefer the latter!
I d just take them on holiday and tell the school thats what your doing.Your child is 4 not 16 and in the middle of exams. Its not going to impact on their future.
If the school has an issue with this then i would ask them to pay the extra needed to take a holiday in the school holidays.
I wouldnt give it another thought and I wouldnt give a stuff about school attendance targets or other such drivel.
As someone who works in education I can only take my holidays during the holidays, I would love to take a cheap holiday during term time, me and my partner could save hundreds but I am NOT ALLOWED to take holidays during term times it states in my contract that holidays longer than a couple of days have to be taken during the University's closure times. If staff aren't allowed then neither should the pupils/students be.
I've also not had a holiday in a good few years simply because we can't afford it.
Well I sent the letters in this week telling both schools about our holiday, the special needs school then sent a form home to fill in, we had to give valid reason and we have to now wait for permission from the head, the mainstream school, we are still waiting on a reply, we were told they usually read the request then send a letter home granting permission,
We didnt request permssion, we just told them in the letter of our intentions. Seems to be an awful fuss over 5 days off, when their attendance is at almost 100%.
Comments
as a single parent I have found it hard and simply not had a holiday every year as generally have had to pay adult prices for my son (though now am in a relationship). He too is autistic. its been a case of just getting on with it when I havent been able to save up - and I have explained to him why we havent gone at the relevant time.
I take my hat off to you. I wonder how I would cope with our demanding little boy as a single parent - probably not very well.
I hope no-one's taken my post as whining or demanding a holiday as an entitlement. I'm simply saying it's a shame holiday price hikes force some into such a choice between holiday and no holiday, or risk the school's wrath. Also trying to do some "blue sky thinking" (horrid term, I know) on a way to rectify the situation.
Don't take your hat off to me- any time with my son is a pleasure for me
I just genuinely don't understand that holidays are a necessity
I never get annoyed about the fact as a single parent I have had to pay adult price for my son- at the end of the day holidays are an extra and that's the way of the world. you can waste energy and effort being annoyed at the way the world is or spend your time on positive things- I prefer the latter!
As someone who works in education I can only take my holidays during the holidays, I would love to take a cheap holiday during term time, me and my partner could save hundreds but I am NOT ALLOWED to take holidays during term times it states in my contract that holidays longer than a couple of days have to be taken during the University's closure times. If staff aren't allowed then neither should the pupils/students be.
I've also not had a holiday in a good few years simply because we can't afford it.
We didnt request permssion, we just told them in the letter of our intentions. Seems to be an awful fuss over 5 days off, when their attendance is at almost 100%.