When I was at school over 20 years ago you weren't allowed to take children out of school to go on holiday. After all that is what the School holidays are for.
I would love to take a holiday during the cheap seasons however as someone who works in education I am unable to as I am needed to keep people's children (albeit 19/20 year olds) in their education. If we all decided to take holidays during term times parents would be up in arms but when they want to it's another matter.
Aren't holidays beneficial to children too? When I was a kid (a while ago now, sadly) my parents couldn't afford to go away in the big school hols either, but I still got to go away. They just took me out of school for a week a year. We'd go to Devon and I'm not sure about the suntans they got there (:D) but they'd spend the week taking me round the local attractions. I remember visiting a farm (one of those petting ones for little kids) and being taught about the animals from the girls that worked there. We'd visit the local towns, any sort of museums etc. I used to do a scrap book on the evenings back at the caravan so I'd be able to look back through it and remember it when I got home.
Here I am, an adult in a full time job and I don't think I was damaged by any of this. In fact I have lovely fond memories of these trips away with my family. Looking back my parents never really got a break from me, the holidays were all for me. We don't fully appreciate that when we're kids but looking back I'm sure they had a limited interest in any of it, they just wanted me to have the experience.
The problem is too many parents have abused the system so now everyone loses out.
Also how would you feel if teachers swanned off in term time for a cheaper holiday?
I know of at least two teachers who have taken holidays in term time! One of them went off to the USA for two weeks. He is also frequently off sick even for such things as a mild cold, yet he doesn't like it if childen in his class are away on holiday. Talk about double standards.
We took the kids out a week before Easter for a 3 week holiday, wrote a letter to the school letting them know of it. Although unauthorised, the school were ok with it, as long as they know where the kids are. When I took the letter in the receptionist already knew about the holiday because the kids were telling the teachers that they were going away.
I was speaking to someone elsewere yeaterday and appertently teachers can or used to be able to take 2 weeks holiday during term time?. If this is or was true then double standards of sorts I feel if teachers can take term time holidays themselfs?.
There could also be a few other solutions that are easily workable that have come to mind. Firstly allow as I suggest a maximum of 1 week holiday leave authorised for every child during the school year. And that authorisation could be excluded from any childs or schools attendance records so the decision is not target motivated if at the time of asking in advance the request is backed up with proof of there being a genine family holiday that has been booked and payed for.
Also why not compensate that such policy by knocking a week off the main summer 6 week holiday making a weeks less holiday and a week more in school?. Have there not been mention numerous times about doing that, knocking a week or 2 off the main summer school holidays as they are thought of as to long a break period these days?.
Why do all the teacher training days have to be during term time?, any reason they cant be done on the first or last day of listed school holidays?, Do the schools themselfs, LA's decide a training day has to be during term time?. Do children also really need these odd days here and there off as bank holidays, we have a lot of them in this country do we really need as many as we have?.
For me the easiest solution is to extend the school year by at least a week, stick "teacher training" days to school holidays, no pointless bank holidays and surely you'll more than make up a weeks authorised leave per year?.
Btw, I called in the school office this morning (forgot to take our notification letter in lol) to ask for a list of school holiday dates for september 2013 onwards as we are thinking of taking a later main holiday next year (with an option of a weekend in a b&b in a half term break sometime to bridge the gap) during the october half term leaving more time to save for a cheaper half term holiday. Seems they wont be confirming those untill sometime next year according to the person I spoke to and they dont know when next year they will confirm half term dates for september 2013 onwards. Seeing as most families book there holidays well in advance it does'nt help the schools or teachers argument if a school cant confirm for sure when there half term dates are going to be at a point where to book the next years holliday via time limited special offers when your on your current holiday will have long expired. In fact the current school holiday calander we have off school has no confirmation of when they go back this september yet!.
So having took note of some of the more school defensive posters on the subject to try and think ahead as we would like to, to get the offer price have to book next years when we go in a little under 3 weeks while we are there. Yet that effort to even help the schools position by checking later in the next school years prices for a holiday is gone out of the window if they cant confirm half term school holiday dates untill a good several months after they would be needed and well into the next calander year, many months afer 90% would have booked or wanted to book a family holiday for next year!.
Anyways the reply to the school went along the lines of politely asking them to rethink the decision and pointing out the childs age, there policy at the time of moving to the current school and a basic outline of any educational matters, outings and benefits we feel our daughter will receive by this holiday and the intention of her taking into school a holiday diary of sorts to show the school what she did, where she went and what she learnt during the week. And if they still cant grant it to take the letter as a notification of that we are taking our daughter out of school for those dates anyways but would sooner do so with the schools concent.
There is only 4 legal defences for school abscence
One is Holidays, with permission given by the school, 10 days is not a automatic right.
Also, just for informations sake, if a child is constantly having odd days off Ill, ( and I am not saying it happens in this case) a school can ask for medical evidence and if none is provided then the abscence can remain unauthorised
It is unauthorised abscence that can lead to legal proceedings.
And such a parent would get the short answer. There would be no extra tutoring, no home learning on the teacher's time, and no disruption in class when child returns from holiday because lessons for the rest of the class will continue as usual (why on earth would a teacher allow the work of the class to be disrupted because of a truant?)
Teachers are not private tutors - we only do any of the above for children who have been ill. You want your child educated, you get your child into school. If you don't, and he/she misses out , that is the parent's responsibility.
Couldn't agree more.
If a parent chooses to remove their child from school in term time it is down to the parent to help them catch up with the aid of private tutors if necessary not the schools.
I have already said I'm not talking about a couple of days off at the end of term. I am talking about the annual 2 or 3 week holiday being taken in the middle of term.
And I've already said this type of truancy doesn't screw up my work or my classes' work. If a child misses something important while off on a jaunt, then he's missed it. No one is going to hold an entire class back by going over work already done for the sake of a parent greedy for a cheap holiday.
Such parents can console themselves with the knowledge that the suntan gained is more benficial than education.
You know, children take seven or eight subjects in High school - think about it. A fortnight or three week absence means missing all that work for all those subjects. Parents are deluding themselves if they think a child can ever make it all up. Or perhaps they aren't - maybe they just don't care.
I used to have three weeks off a year quite regularly when I was in secondary school. I left with 11 GCSEs and three A-levels. So I can't say my parents were particularly deluded.
There could also be a few other solutions that are easily workable that have come to mind. Firstly allow as I suggest a maximum of 1 week holiday leave authorised for every child during the school year. And that authorisation could be excluded from any childs or schools attendance records so the decision is not target motivated if at the time of asking in advance the request is backed up with proof of there being a genine family holiday that has been booked and payed for.
Also why not compensate that such policy by knocking a week off the main summer 6 week holiday making a weeks less holiday and a week more in school?. Have there not been mention numerous times about doing that, knocking a week or 2 off the main summer school holidays as they are thought of as to long a break period these days?.
How would that work with different kids having different weeks off and having to catch up on different work ? Sorry but I can't see how having kids out of school at random times is going to work.
Also to note that our summer holiday is already one of the shortest in europe, with most european countries have 8 weeks and in the US its 3 months.
Why do all the teacher training days have to be during term time?, any reason they cant be done on the first or last day of listed school holidays?, Do the schools themselfs, LA's decide a training day has to be during term time?. Do children also really need these odd days here and there off as bank holidays, we have a lot of them in this country do we really need as many as we have?.
Schools decide on teacher training days, all the schools I am aware of tack them onto the beginning / end of holidays where possible and try and make them mondays and fridays to help deal with job share teachers.
As if you asked, 5 days barely covers the amount of extra admin in terms of reports, assessments, lesson planning, testing etc that teachers have to do. So no the children don't need the time off but the teachers do.
Btw, I called in the school office this morning (forgot to take our notification letter in lol) to ask for a list of school holiday dates for september 2013 onwards as we are thinking of taking a later main holiday next year (with an option of a weekend in a b&b in a half term break sometime to bridge the gap) during the october half term leaving more time to save for a cheaper half term holiday. Seems they wont be confirming those untill sometime next year according to the person I spoke to and they dont know when next year they will confirm half term dates for september 2013 onwards. Seeing as most families book there holidays well in advance it does'nt help the schools or teachers argument if a school cant confirm for sure when there half term dates are going to be at a point where to book the next years holliday via time limited special offers when your on your current holiday will have long expired. In fact the current school holiday calander we have off school has no confirmation of when they go back this september yet!.
2013/2014 term dates have yet to be formalised (these are set by the LA unless your school is an academy) though you can pretty much guess them.
BTW, those claiming huge amounts of profiteering by the holiday companies. Most holiday firms would go bust without the increase revenue over summer, just look at the news week in, week out there are more companies going bust. For example Thomas Cook has a market capitalisation of around £200m, turnover of £9.8bn and still lost £400m. There are very few holiday companies making vast profits off the price hike.
So your option is up the prices in non-school holidays and erk all of those customers or keep the pricing as is for peak demand.
BTW, those claiming huge amounts of profiteering by the holiday companies. Most holiday firms would go bust without the increase revenue over summer, just look at the news week in, week out there are more companies going bust. For example Thomas Cook has a market capitalisation of around £200m, turnover of £9.8bn and still lost £400m. There are very few holiday companies making vast profits off the price hike.
So your option is up the prices in non-school holidays and erk all of those customers or keep the pricing as is for peak demand.
Prehaps the reason why many are loosing money is down the the cost of holidays during school holidays have you thought of that as a reason they are often loosing money when often these days many families cant afford of justify the cost of overseas holidays during school holidays to the family budget?.
Besides I was not and have not ever refered to overseas holiday, I'm talking about UK holidays in our case. And as said in a previous post the supply and demand issue in UK holidays at least I myself feel for the best part is a myth. Scotish half term holiday prices in Scotland last october cost term time prices. The site we were on in Scotland had at least 3 times the number of Scotish families there than English or other, thus not so much a supply and demand issue as the tourist industry whould have you think unless you care to explain my example into the supply and demand issue when looking at prices during English half term and school holidays?.
I used to have three weeks off a year quite regularly when I was in secondary school. I left with 11 GCSEs and three A-levels. So I can't say my parents were particularly deluded.
Yes, but what grades, did you get into a decent uni or job?
Prehaps the reason why many are loosing money is down the the cost of holidays during school holidays have you thought of that as a reason they are often loosing money when often these days many families cant afford of justify the cost of overseas holidays during school holidays to the family budget?.
Besides I was not and have not ever refered to overseas holiday, I'm talking about UK holidays in our case. And as said in a previous post the supply and demand issue in UK holidays at least I myself feel for the best part is a myth. Scotish half term holiday prices in Scotland last october cost term time prices. The site we were on in Scotland had at least 3 times the number of Scotish families there than English or other, thus not so much a supply and demand issue as the tourist industry whould have you think unless you care to explain my example into the supply and demand issue when looking at prices during English half term and school holidays?.
I don't think there is much of a difference regardless if you are talking about UK or abroad, and you can get cheaper holidays abroad in some cases depending on what you are looking for.
As for you English / Scottish example, I believe reading a while back that population of England is 10x that of Scotland and if you add in Wales who generally follow an English school schedule that is 11x greater.
Also in your example, are you saying that you went during Scottish holiday date but term time in England and then you are wondering why you were outnumbered 3x by local ? How about you do the same survey during England holiday date but Scottish term time date. In fact I might let you know, I am due to take my first ever holiday in Scotland later this year (well it is just over the border) and I believe its during England and Scotland holiday dates.
Ah ok. As for the whole issue of taking kids out of school for holidays I think it only should be allowed if it was an educational holiday (eg a city break to Paris, Barcelona etc) where they go sightseeing and/or learn about history/arts and culture (oh and a bit of shopping thrown in ). If said holiday is two weeks of lying by a pool in Spain then the school should refuse absence.
you do not need to be a qualified teacher to educate your child at home
your child is not obliged to follow the National Curriculum or take national tests, but as a parent you are required by law to ensure your child receives full-time education suitable to their age, ability and aptitude
you do not need special permission from a school or local authority to educate your child at home, but you do need to notify the school in writing if you’re taking your child out of school
you will need to notify the local authority if you are removing your child from a special school
you do not need to observe school hours, days or terms
you do not need to have a fixed timetable, nor give formal lessons
Tell the school that you discovered gypsy blood in the family whilst researching geneology and you undertake an annual caravan pilgrimage around England to respect your heritage.
I don't think there is much of a difference regardless if you are talking about UK or abroad, and you can get cheaper holidays abroad in some cases depending on what you are looking for.
As for you English / Scottish example, I believe reading a while back that population of England is 10x that of Scotland and if you add in Wales who generally follow an English school schedule that is 11x greater.
Also in your example, are you saying that you went during Scottish holiday date but term time in England and then you are wondering why you were outnumbered 3x by local ? How about you do the same survey during England holiday date but Scottish term time date. In fact I might let you know, I am due to take my first ever holiday in Scotland later this year (well it is just over the border) and I believe its during England and Scotland holiday dates.
To be honest with UK holidays I fail to see the population of Scotland against England or Wales really relates much. The UK still a single island the population of Wales is smaller than that of Scotland yet the patern in Wales does not relate to the situation I found to be the case in Scotland last october. It that were the case half term in Wales would be of similar prices holiday wise as to that of Scotland, but of cause that is not the case even though half term holidays can sometimes be different to that of England as I think individual councils can set them as per Welsh Assembly powers.
The supply and demand issue I'd have thought goes on a holidays camps capacity?. Half term in Scotland would under the same rules trying to get enforced on families in England for term time holidays (unsure about Wales) would dictate a similar price structure would also be the case in Scotland as Soctish half term would up the demand yet the prices were not reflected for seemingly no other reason than it being term time in England. Yet the demand was there and the camp seemed to be sold out to full capacity with mostly Scotish families.
I'd imagine this is the case every year in Scotland for half terms that dont match that of England. So if the demand is clearly there why the price difference?. Would be interesting to know the term time attendance for Scotich schools as an average if they have this advantage of term time prices on at least 1 half term per year?.
Whilst it shouldn't be illegal, any parent who chooses to take their child out of school for 2 to 3 weeks in the middle of term is being incredibly selfish.
From reading this thread it seems that its almost the norm now. There should be a social stigma attached to it imo. If you can afford a family holiday you can afford to save a bit more and have it in non term time. Have a few less ciders a night and take them away when it won't have affect their education.
Whilst it shouldn't be illegal, any parent who chooses to take their child out of school for 2 to 3 weeks in the middle of term is being incredibly selfish.
From reading this thread it seems that its almost the norm now. There should be a social stigma attached to it imo. If you can afford a family holiday you can afford to save a bit more and have it in non term time. Have a few less ciders a night and take them away when it won't have affect their education.
You're coming across as another one of these folk who seems to think all parents who do this are like the family from 'Benidorm'. Not everyone goes on holiday and sits by the pool drinking all day.
To be honest with UK holidays I fail to see the population of Scotland against England or Wales really relates much. The UK still a single island the population of Wales is smaller than that of Scotland yet the patern in Wales does not relate to the situation I found to be the case in Scotland last october. It that were the case half term in Wales would be of similar prices holiday wise as to that of Scotland, but of cause that is not the case even though half term holidays can sometimes be different to that of England as I think individual councils can set them as per Welsh Assembly powers.
The supply and demand issue I'd have thought goes on a holidays camps capacity?. Half term in Scotland would under the same rules trying to get enforced on families in England for term time holidays (unsure about Wales) would dictate a similar price structure would also be the case in Scotland as Soctish half term would up the demand yet the prices were not reflected for seemingly no other reason than it being term time in England. Yet the demand was there and the camp seemed to be sold out to full capacity with mostly Scotish families.
I'd imagine this is the case every year in Scotland for half terms that dont match that of England. So if the demand is clearly there why the price difference?. Would be interesting to know the term time attendance for Scotich schools as an average if they have this advantage of term time prices on at least 1 half term per year?.
The population split by country with regard to supply and demand is in reply to you comment that holidays are still cheap during Scottish holiday.
The camp may have been sold out but that was at the cheaper price but it wouldn't sell out at the higher price until English customers are on holiday when demand will exceed supply and higher price can be charged. Think about it, you have 10x the number of potential customers now on holiday. OK, 10x is a bit high as most won't want to travel to Scotland, but you get the idea, there are more potential customers for the same amount of accomadation so you can charge more.
With regard to Wales, even if Welsh assembly have the option of having different dates then England, Wales and England have exactly the same holiday dates which is why you didn't experience the cheap holiday in Wales during Welsh holidays.
To save you looking it up, Scotland have different holiday dates for several of the holidays.
Where is this 'holiday' too exactly? If it's abroad then Ryanair/EasyJet are affordable options in school holidays. Even with fees you can get to a few places in Europe for a reasonable price compared to BA or one of the other major airlines.
If it's within the UK then look at theTrainLine and you'll soon see that prices aren't such a ripoff depending on what time of the day you travel, also National Express are great too and I've yet to see them push their fares up 50-100-200-300% during school holidays.
Butlins and the like are ok with cheap travel with NX Coaches during the holidays. I suppose the folks that complain are the ones who want to take their kids to America at £450 per person flights along with £60 a night hotel rooms.
I always book my holidays in term times and I'm very thankful that I've yet to encounter any kids yelling and screaming on my flights. If you take your child out of school then you should give up your right to complain to the school about any effect on grades that is caused.
Comments
I would love to take a holiday during the cheap seasons however as someone who works in education I am unable to as I am needed to keep people's children (albeit 19/20 year olds) in their education. If we all decided to take holidays during term times parents would be up in arms but when they want to it's another matter.
Also how would you feel if teachers swanned off in term time for a cheaper holiday?
Here I am, an adult in a full time job and I don't think I was damaged by any of this. In fact I have lovely fond memories of these trips away with my family. Looking back my parents never really got a break from me, the holidays were all for me. We don't fully appreciate that when we're kids but looking back I'm sure they had a limited interest in any of it, they just wanted me to have the experience.
I know of at least two teachers who have taken holidays in term time! One of them went off to the USA for two weeks. He is also frequently off sick even for such things as a mild cold, yet he doesn't like it if childen in his class are away on holiday. Talk about double standards.
There could also be a few other solutions that are easily workable that have come to mind. Firstly allow as I suggest a maximum of 1 week holiday leave authorised for every child during the school year. And that authorisation could be excluded from any childs or schools attendance records so the decision is not target motivated if at the time of asking in advance the request is backed up with proof of there being a genine family holiday that has been booked and payed for.
Also why not compensate that such policy by knocking a week off the main summer 6 week holiday making a weeks less holiday and a week more in school?. Have there not been mention numerous times about doing that, knocking a week or 2 off the main summer school holidays as they are thought of as to long a break period these days?.
Why do all the teacher training days have to be during term time?, any reason they cant be done on the first or last day of listed school holidays?, Do the schools themselfs, LA's decide a training day has to be during term time?. Do children also really need these odd days here and there off as bank holidays, we have a lot of them in this country do we really need as many as we have?.
For me the easiest solution is to extend the school year by at least a week, stick "teacher training" days to school holidays, no pointless bank holidays and surely you'll more than make up a weeks authorised leave per year?.
Btw, I called in the school office this morning (forgot to take our notification letter in lol) to ask for a list of school holiday dates for september 2013 onwards as we are thinking of taking a later main holiday next year (with an option of a weekend in a b&b in a half term break sometime to bridge the gap) during the october half term leaving more time to save for a cheaper half term holiday. Seems they wont be confirming those untill sometime next year according to the person I spoke to and they dont know when next year they will confirm half term dates for september 2013 onwards. Seeing as most families book there holidays well in advance it does'nt help the schools or teachers argument if a school cant confirm for sure when there half term dates are going to be at a point where to book the next years holliday via time limited special offers when your on your current holiday will have long expired. In fact the current school holiday calander we have off school has no confirmation of when they go back this september yet!.
So having took note of some of the more school defensive posters on the subject to try and think ahead as we would like to, to get the offer price have to book next years when we go in a little under 3 weeks while we are there. Yet that effort to even help the schools position by checking later in the next school years prices for a holiday is gone out of the window if they cant confirm half term school holiday dates untill a good several months after they would be needed and well into the next calander year, many months afer 90% would have booked or wanted to book a family holiday for next year!.
Anyways the reply to the school went along the lines of politely asking them to rethink the decision and pointing out the childs age, there policy at the time of moving to the current school and a basic outline of any educational matters, outings and benefits we feel our daughter will receive by this holiday and the intention of her taking into school a holiday diary of sorts to show the school what she did, where she went and what she learnt during the week. And if they still cant grant it to take the letter as a notification of that we are taking our daughter out of school for those dates anyways but would sooner do so with the schools concent.
One is Holidays, with permission given by the school, 10 days is not a automatic right.
Also, just for informations sake, if a child is constantly having odd days off Ill, ( and I am not saying it happens in this case) a school can ask for medical evidence and if none is provided then the abscence can remain unauthorised
It is unauthorised abscence that can lead to legal proceedings.
Couldn't agree more.
If a parent chooses to remove their child from school in term time it is down to the parent to help them catch up with the aid of private tutors if necessary not the schools.
I used to have three weeks off a year quite regularly when I was in secondary school. I left with 11 GCSEs and three A-levels. So I can't say my parents were particularly deluded.
How would that work with different kids having different weeks off and having to catch up on different work ? Sorry but I can't see how having kids out of school at random times is going to work.
Also to note that our summer holiday is already one of the shortest in europe, with most european countries have 8 weeks and in the US its 3 months.
Schools decide on teacher training days, all the schools I am aware of tack them onto the beginning / end of holidays where possible and try and make them mondays and fridays to help deal with job share teachers.
As if you asked, 5 days barely covers the amount of extra admin in terms of reports, assessments, lesson planning, testing etc that teachers have to do. So no the children don't need the time off but the teachers do.
2013/2014 term dates have yet to be formalised (these are set by the LA unless your school is an academy) though you can pretty much guess them.
So your option is up the prices in non-school holidays and erk all of those customers or keep the pricing as is for peak demand.
Prehaps the reason why many are loosing money is down the the cost of holidays during school holidays have you thought of that as a reason they are often loosing money when often these days many families cant afford of justify the cost of overseas holidays during school holidays to the family budget?.
Besides I was not and have not ever refered to overseas holiday, I'm talking about UK holidays in our case. And as said in a previous post the supply and demand issue in UK holidays at least I myself feel for the best part is a myth. Scotish half term holiday prices in Scotland last october cost term time prices. The site we were on in Scotland had at least 3 times the number of Scotish families there than English or other, thus not so much a supply and demand issue as the tourist industry whould have you think unless you care to explain my example into the supply and demand issue when looking at prices during English half term and school holidays?.
Yes, but what grades, did you get into a decent uni or job?
I don't think there is much of a difference regardless if you are talking about UK or abroad, and you can get cheaper holidays abroad in some cases depending on what you are looking for.
As for you English / Scottish example, I believe reading a while back that population of England is 10x that of Scotland and if you add in Wales who generally follow an English school schedule that is 11x greater.
Also in your example, are you saying that you went during Scottish holiday date but term time in England and then you are wondering why you were outnumbered 3x by local ? How about you do the same survey during England holiday date but Scottish term time date. In fact I might let you know, I am due to take my first ever holiday in Scotland later this year (well it is just over the border) and I believe its during England and Scotland holiday dates.
Ah ok. As for the whole issue of taking kids out of school for holidays I think it only should be allowed if it was an educational holiday (eg a city break to Paris, Barcelona etc) where they go sightseeing and/or learn about history/arts and culture (oh and a bit of shopping thrown in
Summary from directgov ...
you do not need to be a qualified teacher to educate your child at home
your child is not obliged to follow the National Curriculum or take national tests, but as a parent you are required by law to ensure your child receives full-time education suitable to their age, ability and aptitude
you do not need special permission from a school or local authority to educate your child at home, but you do need to notify the school in writing if you’re taking your child out of school
you will need to notify the local authority if you are removing your child from a special school
you do not need to observe school hours, days or terms
you do not need to have a fixed timetable, nor give formal lessons
No school would dare question gypsy culture.
To be honest with UK holidays I fail to see the population of Scotland against England or Wales really relates much. The UK still a single island the population of Wales is smaller than that of Scotland yet the patern in Wales does not relate to the situation I found to be the case in Scotland last october. It that were the case half term in Wales would be of similar prices holiday wise as to that of Scotland, but of cause that is not the case even though half term holidays can sometimes be different to that of England as I think individual councils can set them as per Welsh Assembly powers.
The supply and demand issue I'd have thought goes on a holidays camps capacity?. Half term in Scotland would under the same rules trying to get enforced on families in England for term time holidays (unsure about Wales) would dictate a similar price structure would also be the case in Scotland as Soctish half term would up the demand yet the prices were not reflected for seemingly no other reason than it being term time in England. Yet the demand was there and the camp seemed to be sold out to full capacity with mostly Scotish families.
I'd imagine this is the case every year in Scotland for half terms that dont match that of England. So if the demand is clearly there why the price difference?. Would be interesting to know the term time attendance for Scotich schools as an average if they have this advantage of term time prices on at least 1 half term per year?.
From reading this thread it seems that its almost the norm now. There should be a social stigma attached to it imo. If you can afford a family holiday you can afford to save a bit more and have it in non term time. Have a few less ciders a night and take them away when it won't have affect their education.
What a cheeky question...awfully sorry I didn't list them per subject and grade for your convenience.
You're coming across as another one of these folk who seems to think all parents who do this are like the family from 'Benidorm'. Not everyone goes on holiday and sits by the pool drinking all day.
I expect you would have done had they supported your point.
The population split by country with regard to supply and demand is in reply to you comment that holidays are still cheap during Scottish holiday.
The camp may have been sold out but that was at the cheaper price but it wouldn't sell out at the higher price until English customers are on holiday when demand will exceed supply and higher price can be charged. Think about it, you have 10x the number of potential customers now on holiday. OK, 10x is a bit high as most won't want to travel to Scotland, but you get the idea, there are more potential customers for the same amount of accomadation so you can charge more.
With regard to Wales, even if Welsh assembly have the option of having different dates then England, Wales and England have exactly the same holiday dates which is why you didn't experience the cheap holiday in Wales during Welsh holidays.
To save you looking it up, Scotland have different holiday dates for several of the holidays.
If it's within the UK then look at theTrainLine and you'll soon see that prices aren't such a ripoff depending on what time of the day you travel, also National Express are great too and I've yet to see them push their fares up 50-100-200-300% during school holidays.
Butlins and the like are ok with cheap travel with NX Coaches during the holidays. I suppose the folks that complain are the ones who want to take their kids to America at £450 per person flights along with £60 a night hotel rooms.
I always book my holidays in term times and I'm very thankful that I've yet to encounter any kids yelling and screaming on my flights. If you take your child out of school then you should give up your right to complain to the school about any effect on grades that is caused.