Actually, you can easily find cheaper prices by going direct to a lot of the hotels rather than booking via an agent so in many cases, it actually is the agent setting the prices.
No travel agents don't set the prices, they get the prices from their suppliers. The suppliers set the prices.
For starters travel agents don't set the prices. Who is going to step in and stop holiday companies charging these prices? You do realise that the hotels from abroad put there room prices up in peak season, airlines as well...so who is going to dictate to these other countries as well?
That's not true as booking through the hotels is known to be sometimes cheaper than going through a travel agent!
And flights with some companies like easyjet are still under £100 to travel in the summer holidays!
When we visited gran canaria In June this year we were told the hotel we were staying at all the rooms had been booked by Thomas cook who then sell the holidays on to us - I guarantee they don't pay the hotel the same price as what they are charging us! It's all about profit profit profit!
This discussion crops up from time to time and as a few of my friends are primary and secondary school teachers so I've had this conversation with them over the years too.
Yes taking your child out of school for one or two weeks of the year may not do your child any harm but once a few parents do it, then you have several kids playing catch up which has a knock-on effect. Teachers often have to go over important topics the holidaying children missed which means the kids who were in class are not learning anything new.
I am being rather simplistic but this can and sometimes does become an issue, and it just isn't fair on the teacher and the kids who have been in all year round.
Yes the teachers can send homework / coursework to be completed whilst the child is away but again this means extra work as they are having to set homework for week ahead so they may have to do their lesson plans earlier than they normally would - all to suit someone else?? (some of my teacher friends purposely set homework to keep the kids up to speed whilst they are away and mostly it is not fully completed)
I am a parent and when our child is of school age maybe my opinions will change but personally I think it is quite selfish.. However for parents to do it but then refuse to pay the fine is just ignorant to say the least.
You chose to save xxxx amount by going on holiday and taking your child out of school then you pay the bloody fine!!
Funny enough I do have my sister's wedding in Italy next year that we are going to, both my girls (just about to turn 3 and 7 at the time of the wedding) are flowergirls.
One child is in school, the other not - are we meant to not go to this very special occasion? Or just take the child that isn't at school?
Maybe the travel agents don't put the prices up but the fact remains that families are being penalised financially for sticking to the rules - and before anyone tries to tell us to 'not go abroad', well guess what?? Prices are also hiked up in the UK!
Families are entitled to some quality time together for making memories and seeing new places, having fun etc without worrying about fines, paying twice as much...and I agree with the person that asked where the concrete evidence is for children's education suffering for 1 week off in the year!
Not only that, without everything else, what about the parents work? For example - teachers can ONLY go in the school holidays and therefore will always have to pay more and with my job, my busiest times are school holidays as that is when I am required deliver extra activities, trips and residentials so I can't go during the holidays even if I could afford to!
I am really not sure what the point of these fines are, if a child is consistently taking time off then that needs to be looked into but a well attended child taking a week off for a family holiday? Not quite the same thing.
That's not true as booking through the hotels is known to be sometimes cheaper than going through a travel agent!
And flights with some companies like easyjet are still under £100 to travel in the summer holidays!
When we visited gran canaria In June this year we were told the hotel we were staying at all the rooms had been booked by Thomas cook who then sell the holidays on to us - I guarantee they don't pay the hotel the same price as what they are charging us! It's all about profit profit profit!
And they make their profit in school holidays, other times of the year, they are breaking even.
She's getting married at Lake Garda, on top of one of the castles. I'm really excited, my youngest will be turning 3 while we are out there so we were thinking of celebrating her birthday in Venice
Never been to Italy, really looking forward to it!
I don't think a week or two weeks out of school a year is going to be disastrous for a child's education, especially at primary school, and £100 is peanuts compared to the premium holiday period prices.
What do you think of this? The DofE are tightening the rules from September. Until now, allowing kids off for family holidays during term-time has been at the discretion of the head-teacher. From Sept, no holidays will be allowed except for exceptional circumstances ie parents serving in forces, a family event such as wedding or funeral abroad. Fines of £100 will be imposed.
I agree with this tougher policy and feel the fines should be much higher as 100 quid may not put a lot off if they save more on holiday costs in off-peak times.
And what about those families who cannot afford the peak prices? Are they to get no family holiday?
This attitude makes me angry. Luckily we are okay but I know of children at my kids school who's parents cannot afford the prices. A family holiday is more important than one week in school (exam/course work time excepted) children and parents need a break together to experience new places and activities. If this means a child aged 4-14 misses one week of school a year then that is fine with me.
Foster families get given money to take foster children on holiday because they recognise how important a family holiday is. Why the education authority don't see this I do not know.
Edited to add: I am quite happy to pay a fine btw.
I will ALWAYS take my daughter out of school for a holiday no matter how many times i am fined by the school!
I will continue to do it until someone steps in and stops the travel agents and holiday companies from charging me double the price for the same holiday during school holidays -
£100 compared to £1000 is pennies!
But of course if the school can show me that our family holiday is affecting her learning or grades then I will stop taking her out straight away!
It probably won't affect her grades in that her teachers, out of goodwill and a concern for her future will go the extra mile to help her catch up etc.
It is disruptive. We have a girl in school who always goes on holiday during the internal exams period. It's a nightmare when she gets back - 11 subject teachers all trying to find her a vacant and quiet room where she can do her 11 exams . The school has every right to grade her as zero in every paper of course, but few do that as it's ultimately the parents' fault, not the child's
Luckily most parents have respect for attendance and want to show their child a good example.
After seeing how many children take holidays and in some cases extended holidays I've always leaned a bit towards saying "Oh a week off does no harm" but children are taking more and more time off. I've a child just come back after missing 3 weeks and the difference is so apparent in our phonics group, I'll have to catch him up to take him into phase 5.
We now have 2 children off for virtually 2 weeks and the interventions I am doing for them within a group of children will now go to the wall, there is no way they will catch up with it and they really needed it before the summer break.
I personally understand parents choosing a cheaper alternative but from experience the problem has increased due to more children/families originating from another country as they tend to take more term time off to visit family.
It probably won't affect her grades in that her teachers, out of goodwill and a concern for her future will go the extra mile to help her catch up etc.
It is disruptive. We have a girl in school who always goes on holiday during the internal exams period. It's a nightmare when she gets back - 11 subject teachers all trying to find her a vacant and quiet room where she can do her 11 exams . The school has every right to grade her as zero in every paper of course, but few do that as it's ultimately the parents' fault, not the child's
Luckily most parents have respect for attendance and want to show their child a good example.
My daughter's school always states it is happy to negotiate up to 10 days off term time a year for family holidays - depending on the child's absence record and if they are up to date with learning and work, because they recognise the price implications of school holiday prices. However they state that they will not agree holidays during September when kids are settling in and I think May/June? Sats time. I think this is perfectly reasonable - clear periods that are acceptable or not with clear reasons but allowing flexibility and understanding for parents and families to have a holiday during other times.
My daughter's school always states it is happy to negotiate up to 10 days off term time a year for family holidays - depending on the child's absence record and if they are up to date with learning and work, because they recognise the price implications of school holiday prices. However they state that they will not agree holidays during September when kids are settling in and I think May/June? Sats time. I think this is perfectly reasonable - clear periods that are acceptable or not with clear reasons but allowing flexibility and understanding for parents and families to have a holiday during other times.
It will still go down on the school records as absence even if it's authorized.... and what with government clampdown on attendance one wonders how long the agreements you describe will last.
If Ofsted begin banging on about attendance in inspection reports then you can bet schools will get tougher on the issue.
I will ALWAYS take my daughter out of school for a holiday no matter how many times i am fined by the school!
I will continue to do it until someone steps in and stops the travel agents and holiday companies from charging me double the price for the same holiday during school holidays -
£100 compared to £1000 is pennies!
But of course if the school can show me that our family holiday is affecting her learning or grades then I will stop taking her out straight away!
It will still go down on the school records as absence even if it's authorized.... and what with government clampdown on attendance one wonders how long the agreements you describe will last.
If Ofsted begin banging on about attendance in inspection reports then you can bet schools will get tougher on the issue.
Well there will be a snowflakes chance in hell that I will be missing my sister's wedding in Italy next year - my daughter is well ahead of where she should be academically, we get told this every parents evening and often reads, writes and does problem solving for pleasure as well as her school work, which we always make sure is completed and handed in on time.
I follow the rules with every other thing that is dictated to us as parents but we will be going to that wedding as a family and I will have to pay the bloomin' fine!
Well there will be a snowflakes chance in hell that I will be missing my sister's wedding in Italy next year - my daughter is well ahead of where she should be academically, we get told this every parents evening and often reads, writes and does problem solving for pleasure as well as her school work, which we always make sure is completed and handed in on time.
I follow the rules with every other thing that is dictated to us as parents but we will be going to that wedding as a family and I will have to pay the bloomin' fine!
Don't blame you at all, you seem secure with your child's progress and not taking an extended holiday. What gets me is that parents now go via the office and don't tell us about it. It has to be now so official, at one time they would chat to us about them going away and we'd send extra books and some work for them to do on the plane, fun type work but with meaning. It's like cloak and dagger now :rolleyes:
Well there will be a snowflakes chance in hell that I will be missing my sister's wedding in Italy next year - my daughter is well ahead of where she should be academically, we get told this every parents evening and often reads, writes and does problem solving for pleasure as well as her school work, which we always make sure is completed and handed in on time.
I follow the rules with every other thing that is dictated to us as parents but we will be going to that wedding as a family and I will have to pay the bloomin' fine!
Ultimately your choice - I was just pointing out that it looks like Michael Gove is getting a bee in his bonnet about this issue, which means he will probably pursue it to the end in his usual ruthless and slightly unhinged way.
I don't see why our schools shouldn't open on Sat and Sun, most of the schools in Italy do this, they go in very early in the morning, and finish for around 1pm
lol, can you seriously imagine British teachers working weekends? Someone farts in class & they shut the school for a week :rolleyes:
lol, can you seriously imagine British teachers working weekends? Someone farts in class & they shut the school for a week :rolleyes:
Ahhh I wondered how long it'd take before some bright spark came up with the astonishingly unoriginal gripe that this is all somehow the fault of teachers :yawn:
And what about those families who cannot afford the peak prices? Are they to get no family holiday?.
Exactly. The main reason holidays are taken during term time is because it's the only way a lot of families can afford decent ones. I'd like to see politicians go without a proper holiday for years on end. I don't think they would somehow.
This reeks of being a money making scheme to me, and even if it's not it represents something that I hate: overaggressive top down management from the government. The head teacher of a school will know what's best for their pupils, not some out of touch minister in Whitehall.
Comments
No travel agents don't set the prices, they get the prices from their suppliers. The suppliers set the prices.
That's not true as booking through the hotels is known to be sometimes cheaper than going through a travel agent!
And flights with some companies like easyjet are still under £100 to travel in the summer holidays!
When we visited gran canaria In June this year we were told the hotel we were staying at all the rooms had been booked by Thomas cook who then sell the holidays on to us - I guarantee they don't pay the hotel the same price as what they are charging us! It's all about profit profit profit!
Yes taking your child out of school for one or two weeks of the year may not do your child any harm but once a few parents do it, then you have several kids playing catch up which has a knock-on effect. Teachers often have to go over important topics the holidaying children missed which means the kids who were in class are not learning anything new.
I am being rather simplistic but this can and sometimes does become an issue, and it just isn't fair on the teacher and the kids who have been in all year round.
Yes the teachers can send homework / coursework to be completed whilst the child is away but again this means extra work as they are having to set homework for week ahead so they may have to do their lesson plans earlier than they normally would - all to suit someone else?? (some of my teacher friends purposely set homework to keep the kids up to speed whilst they are away and mostly it is not fully completed)
I am a parent and when our child is of school age maybe my opinions will change but personally I think it is quite selfish.. However for parents to do it but then refuse to pay the fine is just ignorant to say the least.
You chose to save xxxx amount by going on holiday and taking your child out of school then you pay the bloody fine!!
One child is in school, the other not - are we meant to not go to this very special occasion? Or just take the child that isn't at school?
Maybe the travel agents don't put the prices up but the fact remains that families are being penalised financially for sticking to the rules - and before anyone tries to tell us to 'not go abroad', well guess what?? Prices are also hiked up in the UK!
Families are entitled to some quality time together for making memories and seeing new places, having fun etc without worrying about fines, paying twice as much...and I agree with the person that asked where the concrete evidence is for children's education suffering for 1 week off in the year!
Not only that, without everything else, what about the parents work? For example - teachers can ONLY go in the school holidays and therefore will always have to pay more and with my job, my busiest times are school holidays as that is when I am required deliver extra activities, trips and residentials so I can't go during the holidays even if I could afford to!
I am really not sure what the point of these fines are, if a child is consistently taking time off then that needs to be looked into but a well attended child taking a week off for a family holiday? Not quite the same thing.
And they make their profit in school holidays, other times of the year, they are breaking even.
Where about in Italy, its such a lovely country
She's getting married at Lake Garda, on top of one of the castles. I'm really excited, my youngest will be turning 3 while we are out there so we were thinking of celebrating her birthday in Venice
Never been to Italy, really looking forward to it!
Which include Boxing Day until the 01st February, Easter & August...so it buggers me right up for a summer holiday with the kids.
And in many cases, the supplier will be the actual hotel.
No because the supplier will be a bed bank that a travel agent will use, the bed bank will be dealing with the hotels and setting the prices.
And what about those families who cannot afford the peak prices? Are they to get no family holiday?
This attitude makes me angry. Luckily we are okay but I know of children at my kids school who's parents cannot afford the prices. A family holiday is more important than one week in school (exam/course work time excepted) children and parents need a break together to experience new places and activities. If this means a child aged 4-14 misses one week of school a year then that is fine with me.
Foster families get given money to take foster children on holiday because they recognise how important a family holiday is. Why the education authority don't see this I do not know.
Edited to add: I am quite happy to pay a fine btw.
It probably won't affect her grades in that her teachers, out of goodwill and a concern for her future will go the extra mile to help her catch up etc.
It is disruptive. We have a girl in school who always goes on holiday during the internal exams period. It's a nightmare when she gets back - 11 subject teachers all trying to find her a vacant and quiet room where she can do her 11 exams . The school has every right to grade her as zero in every paper of course, but few do that as it's ultimately the parents' fault, not the child's
Luckily most parents have respect for attendance and want to show their child a good example.
So clearly, the agents make no money, then.
We now have 2 children off for virtually 2 weeks and the interventions I am doing for them within a group of children will now go to the wall, there is no way they will catch up with it and they really needed it before the summer break.
I personally understand parents choosing a cheaper alternative but from experience the problem has increased due to more children/families originating from another country as they tend to take more term time off to visit family.
I'll wait for the firing squad
My daughter's school always states it is happy to negotiate up to 10 days off term time a year for family holidays - depending on the child's absence record and if they are up to date with learning and work, because they recognise the price implications of school holiday prices. However they state that they will not agree holidays during September when kids are settling in and I think May/June? Sats time. I think this is perfectly reasonable - clear periods that are acceptable or not with clear reasons but allowing flexibility and understanding for parents and families to have a holiday during other times.
It will still go down on the school records as absence even if it's authorized.... and what with government clampdown on attendance one wonders how long the agreements you describe will last.
If Ofsted begin banging on about attendance in inspection reports then you can bet schools will get tougher on the issue.
Well said, I totally agree.
Well there will be a snowflakes chance in hell that I will be missing my sister's wedding in Italy next year - my daughter is well ahead of where she should be academically, we get told this every parents evening and often reads, writes and does problem solving for pleasure as well as her school work, which we always make sure is completed and handed in on time.
I follow the rules with every other thing that is dictated to us as parents but we will be going to that wedding as a family and I will have to pay the bloomin' fine!
Don't blame you at all, you seem secure with your child's progress and not taking an extended holiday. What gets me is that parents now go via the office and don't tell us about it. It has to be now so official, at one time they would chat to us about them going away and we'd send extra books and some work for them to do on the plane, fun type work but with meaning. It's like cloak and dagger now :rolleyes:
Ultimately your choice - I was just pointing out that it looks like Michael Gove is getting a bee in his bonnet about this issue, which means he will probably pursue it to the end in his usual ruthless and slightly unhinged way.
lol, can you seriously imagine British teachers working weekends? Someone farts in class & they shut the school for a week :rolleyes:
Ahhh I wondered how long it'd take before some bright spark came up with the astonishingly unoriginal gripe that this is all somehow the fault of teachers :yawn:
Exactly. The main reason holidays are taken during term time is because it's the only way a lot of families can afford decent ones. I'd like to see politicians go without a proper holiday for years on end. I don't think they would somehow.
This reeks of being a money making scheme to me, and even if it's not it represents something that I hate: overaggressive top down management from the government. The head teacher of a school will know what's best for their pupils, not some out of touch minister in Whitehall.