Pulling kids out of school

[FussyElmo]

That may be but since when has it been the rule that you have to go to Centre parcs? It has always been an expensive place to go ever since they first opened.

I didn't say that you did I was offering it as an example :-)

[caz3007]

That may be but since when has it been the rule that you have to go to Centre parcs? It has always been an expensive place to go ever since they first opened.

I wouldn't be prepared to pay centreparcs prices even outside of school holidays. It is our family's right to have a holiday but it is done as cheap as we can. We have paid £400 for holidays in the summer by shopping around and finding good bargains for cottages. We have had sea views, stayed in lovely little villages in amazing places and I refuse to pay over £500 even in August.

As with everything you have to make it fit your budget. This year we are camping twice for a total of 10 days(in summer hols and may half term) and two weekend caravan breaks, no time off school for ds and all for under £500.

I realise this is a subject of two sides and we will never agree

[tinkerbelle]

if that comment about some people thinking £4000 is cheap is aimed at me ricky smith then yes i do think its cheap for 2 weeks a/i on a aqua park during most of the school holidays, i have to pay for 4 adults and 3 children in 2 rooms i refuse to travel any less than all inclusive due to going to spain when there was 5 of us and spending over £1500 on food in the fortnight that didn't include drinks either i suppose i could always get a cheaper holiday if i really wanted i could travel to my 2nd home in altinkum during the school holidays however my children like to experience different cultures as do i, i also went to Disneyland Paris in January this year for a extended weekend for my sons birthday which wasnt expensive including staying in a disney hotel and travel plus park tickets it was £1100 for 7 of us for 4 nights and iv also done the weekends slumming it in a dirty field with our tourer as well as trips to dunriell in holland ,spain , italy and france twice so i know all about cheap holidays however now my kids are older muddy fields dont interest them neither do holidays in england.

[rickysmiths]

[QUOTE=emma04;1343971]Firstly we have never been able to charge anywhere near enough for our services because the economy won't allow it and we are not the only employed people who have to put up with shockingly low paid wages that do NOT meet the rate of inflation.

Secondly, I never mentioned wanting the rights to a cheap holiday! I can have one whenever and wherever, I know that. I just want one that is proportionate to its value and not over priced because I'm a parent of a school aged child. Discrimination???

Is it really? I don't think so and Teachers, Uni Lecturers, College Lecturers and all the staff connected with Educational establishments are also limited to taking holidays in a few specific weeks a year and they may not have children.

My point was about the way in which holiday companies hike their prices in the school holidays for no other reason than the fact that they are greedy and wish to gain higher profits!
They know full well many people who work hard all year want a nice holiday and they prey on this fact!

Of course they know but it is a question of supply and demand. Summer holidays have always been more expensive. They were 54 years ago when I started school. We have all always worked hard and many don't work the long hours in the poor conditions that people worked 50 years ago. My grandpa was an Administrator for the Forestry Commission from the 1920s to the late 1960s when he retired. He worked a 6 day week all his working life as did the whole of the office he worked in. He had much less annual holiday than we have now, just 3 weeks a year. It is not and never has been a right to have a holiday. Something nice to do if you can but a luxury.



In my opinion they would make just as much profit during the holidays if they charged cheaper prices because more people would travel!

But that would happen because a lot of the holidays are sold out, that is why they are expensive. Having said that if you leaving booking anything until a few weeks before you want to go away you can often grab a bargain because the heavily discounted un booked spaces and this is how we have got holidays in the past.

Wonder what would happen if the energy firms hiked up their prices by 30% and more during each and every winter just because they knew people would want heat!

Also if we all stuck to the rules in every book all of the time, we'd be embracing the turnip purée that Ms Truss is spouting and congratulating Mr Gove on his expert opinions

Sorry but the last comment makes no sense. They haven't made any rules yet and we are, as far as I am aware able to opt out of the proposed Agency plans anyway. We all do however abide by the statutory parts of the EYFS don't we and with reason because it is about the safety and Welfare of the children in our care.


The bit highlighted in red. I work as a childminder because it allowed me to stay at home with my children and at that time, yes I didn't earn much but that was my choice and we just got by and the ability to be at home with my two was priceless. For the last 10 to 12 years it has been a source of income and I must say it has not been poorly paid. I watch my expenses and I probably elect to pay more tax than many but it does mean I earn more money and I have nothing to complain about and I know many, many cm who are the same.

[rickysmiths]

if that comment about some people thinking £4000 is cheap is aimed at me ricky smith then yes i do think its cheap for 2 weeks a/i on a aqua park during most of the school holidays, i have to pay for 4 adults and 3 children in 2 rooms i refuse to travel any less than all inclusive due to going to spain when there was 5 of us and spending over £1500 on food in the fortnight that didn't include drinks either i suppose i could always get a cheaper holiday if i really wanted i could travel to my 2nd home in altinkum during the school holidays however my children like to experience different cultures as do i, i also went to Disneyland Paris in January this year for a extended weekend for my sons birthday which wasnt expensive including staying in a disney hotel and travel plus park tickets it was £1100 for 7 of us for 4 nights and iv also done the weekends slumming it in a dirty field with our tourer as well as trips to dunriell in holland ,spain , italy and france twice so i know all about cheap holidays however now my kids are older muddy fields dont interest them neither do holidays in england.

Yes I did comment because I have never spent that much nor could I afford to. I do find it sad when people just discount holidays in this country as well because they are not interesting. It never ceases to amaze me at how much there is to see in this country, the history, the beautiful countryside there is so much. But we are all different as well.

I am shocked that food in Spain cost you over £150 per person per week. I would have to work really hard to spend that much. Mind you I would have the £200 that I wasn't spending at home that fortnight.

[FussyElmo]

I guess this thread just shows how different and unique we all are. All different but none of us are wrong.

Some like to camp some like luxury hotels.
Some like staying in this country some like foreign shores.
Some will take out of schools some wont.

[AdeleMarie88]

Just to throw a spanner in the works....

I remember when. I. Was in year 6, i. Became very ill with Salmonella, and I was hospitalised and missed the first 4weeks of the new school year, I was so upset, I didn't know why my parents weren't letting me go to school, and. Then when I was well enough to go back, I didn't know anyone, my new teacher, new classmates.

Now I know this is obviously different to having a few days off for holiday, but it can be very disorientating to miss certain parts of school. To catch up with work and friends...I just don't see how it's ever necessary to have any school days off for holidays..

We are all entitled to the holidays we want, however, I think you have to put it. In perspective, Centre Parcs is never cheap, I don't think you can expect any different. As previous posters have said, I have enjoyed wonderful holidays in Lake District, via the awful tabloid newspaper vouchers for £9.50!!! Why should government do anything about it when you choose costly places? All their response will be is go somewhere cheaper! Xx

[emma04]

Well im agreeing to disagree because really theres no right or wrong in this, just differing opinions!

Anyway....regardless of rules, regulations, morals, money, cost or destination preferences......I'm off to Cape Verde all inclusive in July and can't flipping wait!

Here in fact :

image-87230805.jpg

[FloraDora]

Well im agreeing to disagree because really there is no right or wrong in this, just differing opinions!

Anyway....regardless of rules, regulations, morals, money, cost or destination preferences......I'm off to Cape Verde all inclusive in July and can't flipping wait!

Here in fact :

image-87230805.jpg

Mmm....I think there is right or wrong, this is not a moralistic dilemma that you can pick or choose whether to do.
The government LAW says that you shouldn't take your child out of school for family holidays - hence the fine if you do! You are in the wrong if you do.

It doesn't just become all right and acceptable because other people do it.

Latest advice from Gov uk:
Can I take my child on holiday in term time?
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Popular question
PopularQuestionDate: 15 January 2014
Headteachers have the discretion to grant leave, but they should only do so in exceptional circumstances. If a headteacher grants a leave request, it will be for them to determine the length of time that the child can be away from school. This leave is unlikely, however, to be granted for the purposes of a family holiday.
Parents can be fined for taking their child on holiday during term time without consent from the headteacher.
*

[cupcakencookie]

Whilst I don't necessarily agree with pulling children out of school I think everyone's circumstances are different. A couple of years back I took my DD out of school for a week to go on a tabloid £9.50 holiday to Wales and am so glad I did! That year my DH took what turned out to be 6 months off work to care for his terminally ill mother. We ended up losing both of his parents within 9 days of each other and survived on my pre-childminding income (then £100/wk) for all that time. We had 2 funerals to pay for and no help apart from child benefit. We still had our rent and council tax to pay as well as our 2 children to care for so used up what little savings we had and virtually lived on value beans! Times were really hard and stressful but his parents were lovely and deserved the care of their only son. However, when the inevitable happened we desperately needed to get away from it all and the £9.50 hols are only available term time. I realise that this may have had an effect on the schools attendance rating, however my DD has usually excellent attendance and missed no school during her grandparents' illness. We all as a family needed the break and returned much happier, closer and refreshed. We even took my in-laws with us - their ashes sat in pride of place in our caravan and we scattered them on the last day as per their wishes!
I know these are exceptional circumstances but I think if the option is a cheap holiday in school time or no holiday at all, then one has to weigh up the pros and cons - there's no right or wrong answer but to me a happy refreshed Mummy and Daddy is much better for a child than a stressed out grumpy Mummy and Daddy and those happy holiday memories will stay with a child for life.
Btw last year we stayed in a relatives caravan in their garden in the school hols - had no sink, toilet or washing facilities and only one bed for 4 of us..... OH has suggested we do the same again this year

[Samijanec]

Thankfully the holiday companies haven't cottoned on to Scottish holidays, so we still get cheap holidays for the first few weeks of the summer and one week of the October holidays.

[tinkerbelle]

im far from ignorant to the beauties england has to offer like i say i used to take our touring caravan every weekend to different parts of the country through england ,wales and even scotland but like i say theres only so many times you can trawl round dover castle ,hardwick hall,chatsworth house and various other beauty spots before your kids get bored of the same old same old.
and £150 per week on food per person isnt that hard to spend when you have no self catering facilities in your apartment and have no option but to eat out 3 times a day each it equates to £7.14 per person per meal and tbh i do enough cooking at home without going away to then cook when i can pay a few hundred pounds more and be all inclusive this then allows me to spend more time with my family having a rare bit of quality time just us 7 (soon to be 8) next year will be different i wont be taking time out in the term time due to my oldest taking his gcses and for the record hes achieving a* in every subject so 3 days isnt exactly going to damage his results

[maisiemog]

We will be taking our DD out of school for two weeks next year in November and I don't care what anybody says! She will be 7 and have just started in year 2.

My brother is getting married in Mexico and we have all been saving for years to go! It also happens to fall the same fortnight as our own 10th wedding anniversary and a few months after my 30th birthday so will be a triple celebration.

I refuse to miss my brothers wedding and he couldn't afford to get married in the holidays when it would be £3000 more. And as my DD is the only school aged child in the family why should he pay that much more when he doesn't have to?

I wouldn't do it normally but as far as I'm concerned a wedding is exceptional circumstances and no way am I travelling for 10 hours and dealing with a five hour time difference for less time than we are going.

[emma04]

We will be taking our DD out of school for two weeks next year in November and I don't care what anybody says! She will be 7 and have just started in year 2. My brother is getting married in Mexico and we have all been saving for years to go! It also happens to fall the same fortnight as our own 10th wedding anniversary and a few months after my 30th birthday so will be a triple celebration. I refuse to miss my brothers wedding and he couldn't afford to get married in the holidays when it would be £3000 more. And as my DD is the only school aged child in the family why should he pay that much more when he doesn't have to? I wouldn't do it normally but as far as I'm concerned a wedding is exceptional circumstances and no way am I travelling for 10 hours and dealing with a five hour time difference for less time than we are going.

Good for you! Have a great time! X

[hectors house]

I'm taking my daughter out 3 days before they break up this summer to avoid an extra £600 on our holiday.

Everyone has their opinions on this and me included. I would not take her out mid year or at an important time. But the week they break up for summer they are asked to take in their favourite games and DVDs. They then spend the week in constant "golden time"

Next year will be different as it is her final year before she begins secondary school so we will not go abroad and this is likely for the remainder of her education unless we can afford to go in holiday time.

The government need to step up and stop the travel companies exploiting school holidays in this way!!

However, I would never go to centre parcs as I feel that they exploit their prices hugely whilst boasting about fun family time!!

When I was doing A level English we had to do a piece of travel writing - I wrote about the time we had a "Centre Parcs at home holiday" - one Easter holiday my husband had booked the time off work but we couldn't afford to go away - so instead we went out each day and enjoyed the facilities of our town's and neighbouring towns Sports Centres, Museums, etc - I went pony trekking with one daughter and my husband went dry ski-ing with the other - we had cheap meals out most days, the children were told to tell their friends they weren't allowed out to play, we didn't have to buy a present for anyone looking after the cat or feeding the hamster or spend hours waiting for the kids to buy a cheap present for each of their friends. The atmosphere at Centre Parcs is lovely but that and the pool are the only things that are free! Why pay to hire bikes when you have a garage full of them at home?

[AdeleMarie88]

Whilst all your holiday plans sound amazing, and I agree a wedding may be an exception to some, the decision isn't yours whether you get a hefty fine or not, it's the schools. In the eyes of the law and head teachers, taking children out of school isn't allowed. I hope the fines don't sting too much, rather takes a lot of the joy away!! X

[Blueeyedminder]

Don't agree with these fines at all, At the end of the day I won't have anyone telling me what I can and can't do with my kids, 5 or 10 days off school isn't such a big deal! Stop forcing education down children's throats and let children be children!

[kellib]

I take my child out of school for holidays, IMO family time (and I'm talking time with grandparents and great grandparents) is just as important, if not more important, as sitting in a classroom with 30 other kids.

My son always likes to take things back to show his class, last year we went up an active volcano (thankfully not active when we were on it!), he told his whole class about it. He's not going to get that experience here in scotland!

We don't have fines here, yet! But Id pay the fines if it came to it, my child, my decision.

[hectors house]

I have been told by a teacher that I used to childmind for that if you put in a holiday form that you will be advised that it will be unauthorised absence and you may get a fine (each parent) but if you go on holiday without telling them and then just phone in from your mobile on the first Monday (or get someone else to do it for you) and say the child is sick then it goes down as sick which is authorised. It's because the schools get penalised by Ofsted for the number of unauthorised absences. This teacher works in a private school and so gets longer school holidays than her son in a state school, he is only 8 and like others have said the children often don't do anything much the last couple of weeks before the summer holidays.

Many years ago we took our daughter out of school when she was in Year 9 to go ski-ing as the prices for half term weeks are horrific and the slopes are too crowded, queues for ski lifts too long etc, the school said it would be unauthorised, I wrote back and said it ticked lots of boxes on the curriculum (like they do when they send out a letter about a trip - during term time), eg: using foreign languages, PE, team building, geography etc etc - they said it was still unauthorised. Later that year my daughter went on a water sport trip to the Ardeche during school time - therefore missing a weeks lessons!

[loocyloo]

The thing is ... It's not just the child who goes away who is affected by the week away. That child might be learning all sorts of things and having amazing experiences. But when they return to class the teacher is going to have to take time out to teach the child what they have missed, and the rest of the class is held back a bit whilst this happens.
If this happens once, with just one child it can be dealt with, but when the class take it in turn week by week to be away, the whole class can be held back.

I help in a class where children seem to always be away in termtime and it is hard to help some of these children catch up.

I agree that in the last few days of the summer term not much is done but that is the only time.