Term time school holidays

......... so, just so long as it doesn`t affect their schooling too much,

The problem is .... most of the time it does.

It isn't a matter of opinion.

If you want flexible secondary schooling that allows flexible holidays, don't put your child in a school whose policy says otherwise.

How many parents go to their respective employers and can have time off whenever they want after using up their allowed holidays and use broadening the education as a ploy?

The problem is .... most of the time it does.

It isn't a matter of opinion.

 

If you want flexible secondary schooling that allows flexible holidays, don't put your child in a school whose policy says otherwise.

I totally agree. I also think theres a risk that not only the absent child will be affected.

The rest of the class could possibly suffer while the teacher takes time to help him/her catch up.

my lads just booked a week at butlins in may £400 all in the same holiday in august is £1000 guess he taking them out of school for a week then

How many parents go to their respective employers and can have time off whenever they want after using up their allowed holidays and use broadening the education as a ploy?

People aren`t generally employed to be educated.

On the other hand, kids go to school to be educated.

---------- Post added 21-02-2017 at 16:26 ----------

The problem is .... most of the time it does.

It isn't a matter of opinion.

 

If you want flexible secondary schooling that allows flexible holidays, don't put your child in a school whose policy says otherwise.

I think the policy you quoted is about right. If, in total, the kids have over 90% attendance the school shouldn`t make a big thing about it. Even less so if it`s not even an exam year.

Luckily this never applied to us.

Our kids were born during the Thatcher years, so we could never afford holidays.[/QUOTE]

 

Didn't you moan on the brexit thread that holidays abroad will become too expensive for you?

 

And now you say you couldn't afford holidays under Thatcher's reign.

 

Have you ever (under whoever was in power) been able to afford a holiday?

 

I don't moan about anything.

I merely state facts.

An amusing thing I have discovered is that certain characters on nearly every thread are demanding that people follow the status quo.

 

Except on the brexit threads, then those same people are demanding that the rule of law be overturned and that anarchy should prevail, as long as they leave the EU.

 

Is that what is known as the duality of man?

People aren`t generally employed to be educated.

On the other hand, kids go to school to be educated.

 

---------- Post added 21-02-2017 at 16:26 ----------

 

 

I think the policy you quoted is about right. If, in total, the kids have over 90% attendance the school shouldn`t make a big thing about it. Even less so if it`s not even an exam year.

Exactly - employment is optional being educated isn't.

The Supreme Court have unanimously decided to uphold the fine on Jon Platt, stating...

“Unauthorised absences have a disruptive effect, not only on the education of the individual child but also on the work of other pupils.

 

“If one pupil can be taken out whenever it suits the parent, then so can others. ... Any educational system expects people to keep the rules. Not to do so is unfair to those obedient parents who do keep the rules, whatever the costs or inconvenience to themselves.”

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2017/apr/06/supreme-court-upholds-ban-on-term-time-holidays-jon-platt-unauthorised-break

The Supreme Court have unanimously decided to uphold the fine on Jon Platt, stating...

 

 

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2017/apr/06/supreme-court-upholds-ban-on-term-time-holidays-jon-platt-unauthorised-break

The problem is that the £60 fine isn't a big enough deterrent to offset the higher costs of a non term-time holiday, so there's still no incentive. Holidays ARE an important part of growing up and play as much a role in many ways as going to school, spending time with your family, travelling somewhere new, possible different language being spoken (defo if you go to Skeggy ), different food and so on. Kids can easily take a week off school when they are ill yet unless the absence is prolonged and severe I don't see any stats saying an 8 year old who had a cold and missed a week of school is forever written off as an academic failure.

I totally agree with the Dad. Attendance should not be viewed in isolation and should be taken in context over the entire school life of the child. If they've only missed a few days in a year then taking a term-time holiday shouldn't be an issue. If they've already missed a few weeks then perhaps the holiday is an issue unless there is some underlying emotional or specific benefit of that holiday, for example if a close relative has died and the child took time of school because they were grieving I'd say a family holiday would be entirely appropriate.

So in summary, give the power back to the school with more backing from the LEA (or whatever it's called these days) with a formal appeals process if parents think a wrong decision has been made, and if they are told they cannot go and lose the appeal then the penalty MUST make the holiday not worthwhile.

Loads of people went on holiday in term time when I was at school 80's / 90's.

What changed?

They're your kids - if you're not harming them you should be able to do what you like.

The Supreme Court have unanimously decided to uphold the fine on Jon Platt, stating...

 

 

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2017/apr/06/supreme-court-upholds-ban-on-term-time-holidays-jon-platt-unauthorised-break

This is a disgrace.

Parents should be allowed to take their children out of school for two weeks per year, at a time of their choosing.

Many people seem to be starry-eyed about how much children learn in the space of two weeks schooling.

It is nothing that a reasonably able pupil cannot catch up with.

Most pupils I know are well in advance of the teaching regime anyway.

This is a disgrace.

Parents should be allowed to take their children out of school for two weeks per year, at a time of their choosing.

Many people seem to be starry-eyed about how much children learn in the space of two weeks schooling.

It is nothing that a reasonably able pupil cannot catch up with.

Most pupils I know are well in advance of the teaching regime anyway.

Who is helping said child catch up? The teacher, who has enough on their plate already. They will have even more on their plate if four or five of their class have to be helped to catch up with things they've missed.