Taking kids out of school to go on holiday

Would you take your kids out of school early to save money for a holiday

  • Yes - a few days/weeks in the scheme of things won't make a difference

    Votes: 22 61.1%

  • No - education is vital

    Votes: 14 38.9%
  • Total voters
    36
There were folks being interviewed this morning (a couple of young mothers), and one of them said that they should be able to take their children on holiday whenever they wished.
If folks cannot see the problems which that would cause, if everyone adopted that attitude, then I suggest that they may want to go back to school to top up their knowledge and education.
Imagine a situation, where the holidays end, and NO children come to school for the next couple of weeks.
 
A child being away on holiday for a week is no different to a child being off ill for a week. When I was at primary school, I was off ill for one week out of every three.

At high school, as exams approach, I can see it being a problem.

You should hear one of my teacher friends moan that their holidays are not fair!


Steve.
 
Before secondary school I see no problem with taking kids out for a couple of weeks, infants and primary is just endless repetition with so little new content that it turned me into the naughty child as I was bored and could finish my thousandth set of long multiplication/division really fast, so just talked to my friends while I waited.

Secondary is where you start to be taught things that build on each other in a structured way, beyond the basic literacy and arithmetic that the last eight years have been given over to, and missing two weeks is then a huge hurdle to overcome.
 
A lot of the problem is also places of work. Parents working for a employer might be on a holiday rota and which might not be the same as school holidays. Taking time off work to take your family on holiday during school holidays could cost you your job. I'm sure lots of parents have this problem.
 
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As long as no exams then too right i would, the cost of going away in holidays is probably 3 times the cost
 
Mine were never affected by this "law"
We did clip a few days off the end of terms on occasions,
as TBH there was b****r all going on.

Would I still do it? yes as long as all the exams were done and dusted.
As they still normally are, I believe? before the end of term.?
 
If I didn't think it would cause them any harm, I would. As above when young I would expect this to be fine, and would be happy to top up their knowledge whilst away if need be (and if i could of course).
 
Don't have kids and to be honest the fines aren't high enough.

There's nothing worse than going on holiday when kids are supposed to be in school and the peace is shattered by the wailing little ********
 
dod said:
Don't have kids and to be honest the fines aren't high enough.

There's nothing worse than going on holiday when kids are supposed to be in school and the peace is shattered by the wailing little ********
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LOL well there is that of course,
but if you go abroad, the continental holidays are far longer than ours anyway,
and the school days shorter I believe too?

So you will probably find that a majority are local kids :D
 
Have done it in the past (prior to the new fines) and would do it again provided it wasn't exam time.
 
Cobra said:
So you will probably find that a majority are local kids :D
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Since when were Spanish called Wayne and Chantelle? :p

Edit: Wayne and Chantelle are fictitious characters and not meant to represent anyone living or otherwise although the experiences are based on actual events.
 
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dod said:
Since when were Spanish called Wayne and Chantelle? :p

Edit: Wayne and Chantelle are fictitious characters and not meant to represent anyone living or otherwise although the experiences are based on actual events.
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I guess your weren't abroad at the time then :D
 
My son is thinking of fineing his sons school as the teacher has just been on her honeymoon for 3 weeks during term time.....horses for courses.
 
canonrebel said:
My son is thinking of fineing his sons school as the teacher has just been on her honeymoon for 3 weeks during term time.....horses for courses.
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But there will have been a supply teacher.
Is your son going to replace his son in class with a lookie likie? :lol:
 
viv1969 said:
But there will have been a supply teacher.
Is your son going to replace his son in class with a lookie likie? :LOL:
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Now thats a thought, replacing children with mannequins.
A silent, completely attentive class :thumbs:
 
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Cobra said:
Now thats a thought, replacing children with mannequins.
A silent, completely attentive class (y)
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Forget school, we should be allowed to do that at home too.:D
 
Steve Smith said:
A child being away on holiday for a week is no different to a child being off ill for a week.

Steve.
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It's completely different. The first is avoidable, the second isn't (presumably).
 
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Never did that i have to say 2 reasons.. I worked term times and on;y able to take holiday in school holiday times and secondly the sons school fees still had to be paid and not wasting that sort of dosh.
 
If it's so damaging to miss school then ban teachers from striking. Can't have it both ways!!

Taken my son out both years he has been at school (he is 6 1/2). He is above average in all subjects and has probably had one or two days off sick at most in 2 years. No harm done.

Of course, if a child is struggling or only got a 70% attendance record then it could be an issue but for heavens sake stop meddling.

We have already booked a holiday for next year and will involve a week being missed of school. If they try to fine me I will submit an invoice for loss of earnings next time they strike.
 
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Steve Smith said:
But the effect is the same.

Steve.
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ST4 said:
One could argue a decent holiday in term times prepares the child for adult life, jobs/offices/careers don't stop just because of annual leave, you take it and catch up on work and meetings you've missed on your return.
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Strikes me a lot of adults set bad examples to their kids.
 
It wasn't a problem when I was at school, just got a holiday form from the school office, my parents filled it in and returned it, job done, we never took our kids out of school but then we don't go on holiday.
 
Mines 13 and only taken him out once for one day at the end of term when they don't do anything anyway. Will be taking him out for about 5 days in May next year.
 
My boss has just gone on holiday with his family for a week as that is all he can get int the summer holiday time :(
He is lumped in with all the management level personel and the holidays go on rank first then length of service,
by the time he got the list schools holidays mostly booked up.
 
I cannot say I have a problem taking kids out of school if there are no exams coming up etc... but we never have taken them out of school for a holiday, in Leicester they break up a week before the rest of the UK so hols are still cheaper the first week for us.
 
when my 2 were at school we always took them on holiday the first week of term mid September, couldnt afford a holiday otherwise, £70 all in for a week on a french campsite 1 week out of term or £800 in term, you tell me!!!!
 
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My sprog is in juniors and i took her out of school for a week at the end of the summer term as i work a shift pattern which gives me fixed holiday with no flexibility. None of my holidays coincided with the school holidays so it was the only chance to have a family holiday last year.

Would i do the same again? Yes, without hesitation until she gets to secondary school.
 
These days more than ever, a family holiday will be so beneficial for kids. People work more unsociable hours now and a week or two together is good family time. We stayed in a wonderful farm in Cornwall where kids fed the animals daily so educational, and at centreparcs they do swimming and other stuff.
 
gumbo-67 said:
Never did that i have to say 2 reasons.. I worked term times and on;y able to take holiday in school holiday times and secondly the sons school fees still had to be paid and not wasting that sort of dosh.
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I can see that parents at fee paying schools are not keen on wasting their hard earned money but parents with kids at "free" schools are happy to waste taxpayer's money.
 
cambsno said:
These days more than ever, a family holiday will be so beneficial for kids. People work more unsociable hours now and a week or two together is good family time. We stayed in a wonderful farm in Cornwall where kids fed the animals daily so educational, and at centreparcs they do swimming and other stuff.
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But why must those things be done away from home?
Local zoos open farms or wildlife parks, swimming pools, cycle trails (or walking for that matter). Day trips to the coast.
All good family time and a fortune saved.
 
ST4 said:
Good old rubbish British weather means a holiday abroad is a must have.
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Utter rubbish. If it rains it's just water...you won't melt.
 
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