Ultimately, a child's education is more important than a holiday

[Tony 10]

The Department For Education is proposing a ban on taking the children out of school in term time. Headteachers will no longer be able to authorise absence.

 

"Ultimately, a child's education is more important than a holiday" says the general secretary of the National Association of Headteachers in today's Times.

 

Do you agree?

[Little Boots 10]

Yes. My sister and I were never once taken out of school by our parents for a holiday. Our family holidays were always scheduled during summer holidays and we had the occasional half-term holiday. A child's education should always come first.

[Bubble3082 10]

Yes I agree to a point, but travel agents need to play fair if this is the case and lower prices during school holidays. I can see the temptation to take your child away on holiday a week before the summer holidays, when you can pay 3 figures less for the same package just by going a few days earlier.

[andyofborg 11]

Yes I agree to a point, but travel agents need to play fair if this is the case and lower prices during school holidays. I can see the temptation to take your child away on holiday a week before the summer holidays, when you can pay 3 figures less for the same package just by going a few days earlier.

 

prices are generally a reflection of demand, if demand is high then prices are high.

[butterball 10]

I think it's important for children to travel and experience different cultures and ways of life etc but if these proposals go through there will be a lot of people (me and my family) that simply won't be able to afford to take our kids away because of the horrendous hike in prices the travel agencies and airlines stick on at 'peak' times. So unless there's going to be some intervention into this, to stop them inflating the prices so much then I think there could be a lot less people going abroad. I won't take my kids out of school when they are in their final years but I would in the earlier years of their education for the reason that they need to get away, as does the rest of the family and I consider it important for family life. So, I disagree basically.

[Digsy 10]

I've voted Yes, because I can agree with the statement.

Now hear my rebuttal, my eldest daughter went 3 years without a holiday because we could only afford to take one in term time.

On the fourth year she once again was willing to miss a weeks holiday and carry on with her education, but I refused to leave her behind again.

Every child deserves a holiday at some point, should a child really have to rob themselves of a break for no other reason than affordability.

[ronthenekred 10]

Yes. My sister and I were never once taken out of school by our parents for a holiday. Our family holidays were always scheduled during summer holidays and we had the occasional half-term holiday. A child's education should always come first.

 

 

Maybe your parents could afford the the hike in costs over the holiday periods.

 

Many can't.

[iansheff 88]

Mmmmmm yes they can take them out for cheap holidays if teachers can book time off for cheap holidays too, that should stop them taking kids out.

[ricgem2002 11]

The Department For Education is proposing a ban on taking the children out of school in term time. Headteachers will no longer be able to authorise absence.

 

"Ultimately, a child's education is more important than a holiday" says the general secretary of the National Association of Headteachers in today's Times.

 

Do you agree?

how are they going to enforce this ban ?will they be kidnapping your children on the day you want to go away? like someone said if holiday companies didnt push up the prices this wouldnt be an issue. will parents be able to claim for child care costs when the school has a training day ?

[Digsy 10]

Mmmmmm yes they can take them out for cheap holidays if teachers can book time off for cheap holidays too, that should stop them taking kids out.

 

Quite unfair considering the teachers would have paid far less for their childhood luxuries than what is available at today's prices.

[ronthenekred 10]

prices are generally a reflection of demand, if demand is high then prices are high.

 

Then the option is to remove your child from school when demand is low. I'm educated enough to know if my child will suffer or not. It just takes a little planning is all.

[wornout53 10]

I am now in the position of having grandchildren and I like to take them away. I do think it is wrong to take them in term time but agree with previous posters about the ridiculous hike in prices during school holidays. £130 for a caravan in term time but the same caravan on the same site is £640 in August.......government step in and do something about this or you are denying a lot of children the chance of a holiday.