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

[irenewilde 10]

And still with a patronizing attitude you retort.

 

Not patronising. Quite genuine. In 10 years on here I've rarely seen such melodrama over such an innocuous message.

 

Would you mind addressing my question, were any of your three holidays off peak?

 

Well if you promise not to have to go and lie down in a darkened room if my reply doesn't suit you - two of the three holidays I had were in term-time (the third was just after I'd finished my exams at 16). I was very young for one of them but as a result of the other my history teacher moved me down to a lower class where the pupils had no interest in learning and just mucked about. I loved history and I was good at it but because I missed an end of year exam (a decision I had no say in and no power over) he took it out on me. I had to go to him myself and beg him to let me back into his class which he eventually did. I would absolutely not recommend holidays in term-time. My daughter would be outraged if we suggested going on holiday in school time.

Edited June 4, 2013 by irenewilde

[Doctor Drew 10]

You missed the first week of starting your GCSEs? Now that would seem to be a little foolish, and who wants to go on holiday in September anyway? (Actually I do, but I can go whenever I like).

 

On the other hand, at the end of the school year, nothing new is being taught, at best the last week is revising things already covered and cementing that knowledge, at worst it's wind down week where they teachers do little and the children less.

Can't comment too much on the disco, but it seems odd, if they've been in school together for a year or years then it's hardly going to be an event where many new friendships are suddenly formed.

 

You might have a degree and a career but you don't read very well do you? I never mentioned missing the first week of GCSEs (It was O levels back then) I didn't actually mention what point during the year I missed. Where did you get that from?

As for the experience of my friend, I can only relate the story she told me but like you say, you can't really comment.

I will say that from my own experience it was a school trip to Germany in my 3rd year that formed the basis for many new friendships. Going to the same school (1800+ pupils) is no guarantee of prior social interaction.

 

Please feel free to actually add to the discussion rather than dissecting the posts of others. It gives your posts a distinctly troll-like appearance.

Edited June 4, 2013 by Doctor Drew

[Digsy 10]

Well if you promise not to have to go and lie down in a darkened room if my reply doesn't suit you - the three holidays I had were in term-time. And as a result of one of those my history teacher moved me down to a lower class where the pupils had no interest in learning and just mucked about. I loved history and I was good at it but because I missed an end of year exam (a decision I had no say in and no power over) he took it out on me. I had to go to him myself and beg him to let me back into his class which he eventually did. I would absolutely not recommend holidays in term-time. My daughter would be outraged if we suggested going on holiday in school time.

 

Cry me a river.

 

I didn't and haven't ever needed those bits of bond paper people seem to think its worth the agony for.

I signed myself out of school at 15, you see schooling isn't the only way to educate a child. When the truancy officers (two young girls barely out of school themselves) came to hunt me down, I moved away from home, when they threatened my parents with fines I got a job to cover the costs.

They still harassed my dad, so I offered them an appointment at a time of my choosing at a location of my choosing and under my terms.

In the meantime I went to the library and spoke to the librarian about rights and education laws, to which I was handed all the documents I needed.

 

When I sat those two girls down and berated them for an hour over how they'd been treating my family I put them in a position where they had no option but to de-register me.

I have never regretted that moment, I don't blame my few failures in life on having no GCSE's and haven't needed them for all my successes which dwarf my failures.

Edited June 4, 2013 by Digsy

[hennypenny 10]

Not wanting to rub it in, but one of the best things about home education is being able to go on holiday out of school holiday times when the resorts are quiet and the prices are cheaper. It is great for going to museums when there aren't crowds of people around every display and for having the playgrounds and beaches to yourself

 

Funnily enough, travelling and seeing other places, experiencing other cultures, getting out and about exploring, has always been a big part of our children's home education, not a detriment to it.

 

What I don't understand is why it takes schools so very long and needs such dedicated attendance to educate children? I have found that we can go about our lives without worrying about education as a separate entity, and our children have learned wonderfully just from living their lives, following their own interests and learning from being out and about. When they have decided that they will do formal work, they have got on with it then, my daughter for instance, opened her IGCSE biology text books only 4 weeks before the exam, and passed with an A*. Other subjects were studied for less than a year each, and again all A*s. So why does a school take 11 years to impart the same knowledge?

[Digsy 10]

Not wanting to rub it in, but one of the best things about home education is being able to go on holiday out of school holiday times when the resorts are quiet and the prices are cheaper. It is great for going to museums when there aren't crowds of people around every display and for having the playgrounds and beaches to yourself

 

Funnily enough, travelling and seeing other places, experiencing other cultures, getting out and about exploring, has always been a big part of our children's home education, not a detriment to it.

 

What I don't understand is why it takes schools so very long and needs such dedicated attendance to educate children? I have found that we can go about our lives without worrying about education as a separate entity, and our children have learned wonderfully just from living their lives, following their own interests and learning from being out and about. When they have decided that they will do formal work, they have got on with it then, my daughter for instance, opened her IGCSE biology text books only 4 weeks before the exam, and passed with an A*. Other subjects were studied for less than a year each, and again all A*s. So why does a school take 11 years to impart the same knowledge?

 

I agree with you and that is how I got de-registered, I put the onus on them to prove I am not learning every single waking second of every day without expecting me to jump through hoops.

And sometimes on through the night subconsciously in a dream.

 

 

They can't prove it because the fact is that I was, I still am.

Edited June 4, 2013 by Digsy

[Cyclone 10]

You might have a degree and a career but you don't read very well do you? I never mentioned missing the first week of GCSEs (It was O levels back then) I didn't actually mention what point during the year I missed. Where did you get that from?

I was quite clearly guessing at what week you missed.

But since they were teaching something new it clearly wasn't the end of a year was it.

As for the experience of my friend, I can only relate the story she told me but like you say, you can't really comment.

Obviously I can, and have. The anecdote seems apocryphal.

I will say that from my own experience it was a school trip to Germany in my 3rd year that formed the basis for many new friendships. Going to the same school (1800+ pupils) is no guarantee of prior social interaction.

Of course it isn't. 1800 pupils means about 300 in your year (I went to a similar sized school), and probably less than 30 in your form who you sit with every day for register. Perhaps if you completely antisocial you could go 3 years without forming any friends, but that would be very odd.

 

Please feel free to actually add to the discussion rather than dissecting the posts of others. It gives your posts a distinctly troll-like appearance.

 

Please feel free to actually read my posts, then you'll see that I've made a very clear point several times that adds to the discussion.

[Doctor Drew 10]

I was quite clearly guessing at what week you missed.

But since they were teaching something new it clearly wasn't the end of a year was it.

Obviously I can, and have. The anecdote seems apocryphal.

Of course it isn't. 1800 pupils means about 300 in your year (I went to a similar sized school), and probably less than 30 in your form who you sit with every day for register. Perhaps if you completely antisocial you could go 3 years without forming any friends, but that would be very odd.

 

Please feel free to actually read my posts, then you'll see that I've made a very clear point several times that adds to the discussion.

 

While were all having a "guess". I'm guessing you're trying to get a rise out of me. It isn't going to work. Troll fail.

[Cyclone 10]

I was simply trying to understand your anecdote that was sadly lacking in any detail, whilst also sharing my own anecdote. I'm sorry if engaging in debate with you upsets you for some reason. Perhaps for your mental health you should avoid using a forum where someone might not immediately agree with you or might even speculate or ask you questions.

[teeny 10]

My head teacher said to my mum traveling was more of an education, I used to have 2 weeks off school in time as my mums family only came over here once a year so having time with family, my cousins were on school holidays , this was our only family so a chance to have family relationships was more important, Having said that I know of several companies who do not allow time off during school holidays for example early learning center staff, so i think it does need looking at , families need time together and i believe family life is more important than being sat in school.

[beckytony 10]

i do think that a childs education is more important than anything else however i do think a weeks holiday now and then is acceptable as long as it wasn't all the time. i was taken out of school on occasions for a holiday and i still managed to get good grades at university. i now have children of my own and wouldn't think twice about taking them out for a break now and then. as someone else put i know my children well enough to know they have the capacity to catch up and i would enforce they took work with them to do whilst away

[alchresearch 213]

and who wants to go on holiday in September anyway?

 

Early September usually has very good weather, being the back end of summer. And holiday costs are much cheaper when the kids are back at school.

[Miss_S_83 10]

Can't be bothered to read 7 pages of SF bickering (after scanning the last few posts on this page)... but...

 

I agree with taking them out, I think 10 days maximum (2 weeks) per year is good, all I would say is that it shouldn't be during the 'important' stuff such as exams (for older kids). And only if attendance is good which is what my eldest's current school base it on, and they have allowed me to take her out 2 years in a row in September- however those were special circumstances- our Honeymoon the first time (took the kids) and last year I couldn't have ANY time off during the main holidays due to placement. Yes I understand the stupid costs of holidays anywhere is due to supply/demand but it really takes the P*** when the cost is SO much more than for that same holiday a week or two earlier/later (not in school holiday time).

 

I priced a few things up for this year- both for August and Sept. One of my LO's will be starting Infants in Sept, the other moving up to Juniors (separate school). The youngest could have a 'staggered' start date so not missing any school, the eldest's (soon to be) new school said she could have that week in Sept off (meaning she would start, be there 3 days, then have a week off). But that the policy is 'meant to be changing'. Meaning I guess this Sept would be the last time they would grant that time off. Now, I was torn but at the end of the day I know my child, she is easily adaptable, the new class will be made up of mainly children she schools with now and she would be fine. Not the best time to take her out I agree but she's done it before and been fine. She is still only young. But comparing prices abroad (original plan) from one month to another is a huge difference. And I even looked at 4 nights in Butlins- nowhere near the same type of length of holiday but as an example- when I checked, a 'Standard' apartment for a Mon-Fri stay at Butlins in August for us would cost over £800. For a Mon-Fri stay in Sept, exactly 4 weeks later, it was less than £270 for a 'Gold' apartment. It's totally disgusting!

 

In the end, I have decided to (try) and save for a nice holiday abroad next summer (during school holidays). But if I had the time to save or money ready to go in September and the schools were OK with that, then I would go, no doubt.

 

Sounds as if that will be a thing of the past now, it's a shame as so many families can't afford holidays during the school holidays. I believe holidays with families are good for children although- especially when they are young- a simple few days camping or a couple of nights away can be just as good as lots of fancy holidays in a year. It would be nice for more of us to have the money to go away during July/August/ other schools holidays.

Edited June 6, 2013 by Miss_S_83