Taking the kids out in school time?

[Tinkjon]

I work in a school and there are a few misconceptions on this thread... work absolutely DOES go on during the last week of school! There might be a DVD afternoon or a party on occasion but new maths topics are still being taught. There is no general rule that 'you won't get fined unless it's over X number of days'. Some LAs may not fine but there are plenty (mine included) that can technically fine for one single sessions (a morning or afternoon).

I have always been more than happy to take my children out but I don't think it's sensible at the start of a term as that's when friendship bonds are being made/re-established.

Just do NOT ask the teacher to provide you with missed work! Parents often think the school/teacher will think well of them for wanting to catch the child up. However, you're actually asking an already-overworked teacher to do extra work for your child in their spare time - so think about how well that goes down

[vampiress88]

Originally Posted by supermumof3

So are they having days off either side of the half term?

If so then you may avoid a fine as they won’t be off for 10 sessions or 5 days in a row as it’s split by a school holiday... it really depends on your Local Authority.

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Going from 13th May to 4th June.
So they will miss 7 school days then it’s May term (27th to 29th week and I’m sure the Friday 22nd is inset day)
Then 4 days when they get back. I could technically take them on the afternoon of the Thursday we land but I’m not sure they will be ok to manage that.

I know others have said lie but I always think it’s better to tell them. I don’t know, I suppose I’d feel too guilty and worry id get caught.

My kids are 4.5 and nearly 6 when we go so youngest they can’t find me for but oldest they can.

To be honest I have already facted in the fines but I do wish that this money would go directly to the school instead. I don’t think it would be as bad if someone said if you go on holiday it will be £5 a day and this will go directly into that class funds.

[stargazer69]

In Wales, the law hasn't changed, you can still request up to 10 days for holidays and it is up to the head teacher to decide, and it should be done on an individual basis, ie no blanket bans.

[beautybutterfly]

Originally Posted by ginwithaslice

I would lie about it and not give it a moment's thought.

The last week of school before any holidays there is absolutely no work done and parents have no redress about teachers leaving whole classes to watch DVDs for hours on end.

Coupled with teachers constantly being absent and classes minded by subs and again no work being done throughout the year I would love schools to have to account for the many hours of no learning all children lose out on.

If parents are happy to make up any work lost and it's not an exam year group I don't see any problem and think the whole idea of fines is totally ridiculous.

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What you’ve said is an extremely sweeping statement. Schools cannot afford to have a week of DVDs without any work.

‘Teachers constantly being absent’ 😂 what?! In 4 academic years I think I’ve had 3 sick days.

Y7-10 are not exam years for most schools but KS3 is the foundation for GCSE and any lost learning time does have an impact. There is obviously a correlation between attendance and attainment.

Apologies for putting my 2p in, OP but I felt something needed to be said in response to posts like this.

In response to your question: if the holiday is out of the ordinary and it’s something like Florida and will be a ‘once in a lifetime’ trip I would pitch it as such saying that the only way you can afford to offer your children this experience is to go in term time. It is at the schools discretion to issue fines so it all depends on your head and attendance team really

[Sew109]

Originally Posted by WDWfangirl

My SIL took her child (in year 10) off for the first two weeks of the start of the September term for a Disney holiday and just phoned in and reported him sick every other day to avoid a fine. She got away with it but personally I wouldn't want my children to see me lying as a way of getting out of trouble.

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That is disgraceful regardless of what we think about taking children out of school or not if you do put your hands up and take the medicine.

This as you quite rightly said is teaching your children that it is ok to lie to get what you want and save a few quid. In addition the teachers will know as a year 10 on a massive adventure like a holiday to Florida will not keep quiet and this will change the way the child and family are perceived.

[ginwithaslice]

Beauty butterfly, I do know what I'm talking about I was a teacher too!

Once the main exam classes are gone by end May schools in secondary level go into major slowdown. Children wont miss a thing taking a few days in June.
I do agree it's not a great idea at the start of term when classes are busy.

Take your kids away if you can when you can, the memories are worth far more to them

[beautybutterfly]

Originally Posted by ginwithaslice

Beauty butterfly, I do know what I'm talking about I was a teacher too!

Once the main exam classes are gone by end May schools in secondary level go into major slowdown. Children wont miss a thing taking a few days in June.
I do agree it's not a great idea at the start of term when classes are busy.

Take your kids away if you can when you can, the memories are worth far more to them

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My Y10/12 students would miss a LOT in June/July. We are still powering through content and coursework.

Memories are worth more in some cases, I do agree but to say that teachers are absent and students don't do anything in the last week is not correct. We even had random SLT drop ins last year to see what was happening in classrooms - attendance tends to take a nose dive in the last week because of the notion that nothing is done during that time.

[ginwithaslice]

Sorry but you are wrong as in Northern Ireland schools finish at end June and not mid July.
Nothing happens in any of ours the last week in June apart from outings, sports days, DVDs and even residential away trips so half the classes are missing anyway.

Making family memories much more important to me, but each to their own.

[doodles]

Originally Posted by lifes2comp

We have taken out of primary school for a week in May around half term, our experience: Send letter and completed holiday form to school about 6 weeks before requesting absence. Comes back unauthorised (Kent CC) despite 100% attendance and >97% even after taking expected absence into account. Fine turns up after end of term for each parent. Phone council and pay penalty straight away.

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Slightly off topic but I really don't understand why a household consisting of two parents is doubly penalised.

[beautybutterfly]

Originally Posted by ginwithaslice

Sorry but you are wrong as in Northern Ireland schools finish at end June and not mid July.
Nothing happens in any of ours the last week in June apart from outings, sports days, DVDs and even residential away trips so half the classes are missing anyway.

Making family memories much more important to me, but each to their own.

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I’m not wrong. I live in England. So from my perspective, your comment was absolutely incorrect.