Fixed penalty notice for term time holidays

[aliceBB 10]

All in blue is of course true. But how can any system find out a genuine reason for exceptional leave, with the school having no rights to see medical records or employers holiday roster. If I wasnt so principled, I would have just said my daughter was ill, how can they prove she wasnt?

 

Other children invariably spill the beans, whether they mean to or not. As a form tutor I always knew when kids were ill and when they were on holiday. Coming back with a suntan is a bit of a give-away, too.

 

And it is really, really dodgy teaching your child to lie about where they have been...even if the school cannot prove that she was not ill (although doctor's notes would sort that one out), if s/he is told to lie about it, what kind of trust does that create between school and family?

Edited August 7, 2014 by aliceBB

[El Cid 224]

Other children invariably spill the beans, whether they mean to or not. As a form tutor I always knew when kids were ill and when they were on holiday. Coming back with a suntan is a bit of a give-away, too.

 

And it is really, really dodgy teaching your child to lie about where they have been...even if the school cannot prove that she was not ill (although doctor's notes would sort that one out), if s/he is told to lie about it, what kind of trust does that create between school and family?

 

I totally agree. But these fines can be more than £500 for an ordinary family with 3 or more children, people can be fined £100 for shoplifting and driving without a MOT. Even putting people lives at greater risk by speeding is quite often less than the fines from term time holidays.

Is that sensible?

[BoroB 10]

Genuine question..how about the effect on the other kids of having children in the class who have missed a lot of work ? Won't they be slowed down a bit by the teacher having to spend extra time on the "returnees" to ensure they are back up to speed? Illness can't be helped holidays can...

 

Unlike teachers having to spend time on slow learners at the expense of more gifted pupils?

 

Hard working parents deserve the right to decide when they take holidays that are convenient to them and their families.

[willman 10]

Unlike teachers having to spend time on slow learners at the expense of more gifted pupils?

 

Hard working parents deserve the right to decide when they take holidays that are convenient to them and their families.

 

No they don't.

 

But if it were granted, you'd be in a worse pickle.

Both my kids are teachers,imagine what happens when i take them out of school for a cheap holiday during term time just before exams. Especially when they're two of the best in the school - grade wise.

 

---------- Post added 07-08-2014 at 21:27 ----------

 

I totally agree. But these fines can be more than £500 for an ordinary family with 3 or more children, people can be fined £100 for shoplifting and driving without a MOT. Even putting people lives at greater risk by speeding is quite often less than the fines from term time holidays.

Is that sensible?

 

No i don't suppose it is.

However it is easy to speed whilst not doing it on purpose, it's impossible to take a child out of school by accident.Which does make it pre meditated.

[aliceBB 10]

Unlike teachers having to spend time on slow learners at the expense of more gifted pupils?

That is a non-argument. The school's policy on special needs pupils is a different issue from the business of allocating time to help mainstream pupils catch up whose parents have deliberately removed them from classes. First, , slow learners cannot help being slow learners; holidaying pupils are absent and miss teaching by choice. Second, children who need significantly more individual help than most, will either be in smaller classes or have a TA in with them during the lessons. Kids who go off on holiday cannot expect teachers to spend time helping them catch up individually, although their parents, selfishly, seem to think it is reasonable. That time could be better spent helping/preparing for the whole group.

 

Hard working parents deserve the right to decide when they take holidays that are convenient to them and their families

Utter nonsense. Why should the parents' industriousness (or lack of it) have anything whatsoever to do with the timing of their children's schools' holiday dates? Ironically, hardworking parents are usually the ones who value...er, hard work and not skiving...

 

---------- Post added 07-08-2014 at 22:18 ----------

 

I totally agree. But these fines can be more than £500 for an ordinary family with 3 or more children, people can be fined £100 for shoplifting and driving without a MOT. Even putting people lives at greater risk by speeding is quite often less than the fines from term time holidays.

Is that sensible?

 

If one accepts the principle that removing children from school for holidays is wrong, then the severity of the punishment is neither here nor there, really. I'd be happy to see the fines increased to a level where it made the term-time holidays totally unviable, then there would be no temptation to do it in the first place.

Edited August 7, 2014 by aliceBB

[El Cid 224]

 

If one accepts the principle that removing children from school for holidays is wrong, then the severity of the punishment is neither here nor there, really. I'd be happy to see the fines increased to a level where it made the term-time holidays totally unviable, then there would be no temptation to do it in the first place.

 

I accept it is not desirable. My daughter has had time off for her teeth straightening - perhaps you view that has vanity and should also carry a heavy fine; she has also had time off for mental health counselling. So perhaps a holiday with family is very important. Only the parents can decide what is neccessary.

[Bonzo77 13]

No they don't.

 

But if it were granted, you'd be in a worse pickle.

Both my kids are teachers,imagine what happens when i take them out of school for a cheap holiday during term time just before exams. Especially when they're two of the best in the school - grade wise.

 

That's not a comparison you can make. If your kids are teachers, they should be earning enough to go on holiday during term time anyway. I have teacher friends (college tutors), and they've just taken their daughter to Disney in Florida for 3 weeks......they must be skint!

[willman 10]

That's not a comparison you can make. If your kids are teachers, they should be earning enough to go on holiday during term time anyway. I have teacher friends (college tutors), and they've just taken their daughter to Disney in Florida for 3 weeks......they must be skint!

 

Why?

The only reason anyone has given for taking kids out of school is financial.

 

I pay for a family holiday every year which includes my kids and have done for decades. I don't ask them to contribute as it's my family treat. Why should i pay £850 for a cottage when it's £550 the week before IF other parents can do it.

[Bonzo77 13]

Utter nonsense. Why should the parents' industriousness (or lack of it) have anIf one accepts the principle that removing children from school for holidays is wrong, then the severity of the punishment is neither here nor there, really. I'd be happy to see the fines increased to a level where it made the term-time holidays totally unviable, then there would be no temptation to do it in the first place.

 

You would really want that? That's your answer to this problem, increase the fines??

 

There's plenty of other options that could be looked at, other than hitting poor people in the pocket. All this will do is make the separation between rich and poor, even wider.

 

And you have the cheek to throw fazes like 'deluded' and 'utter nonsense', around like they are going out of fashion?!

 

---------- Post added 08-08-2014 at 07:28 ----------

 

BBC survey kind of proves that this stupid idea isn't working!

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-28687541

 

---------- Post added 08-08-2014 at 07:29 ----------

 

Why?

The only reason anyone has given for taking kids out of school is financial.

 

I pay for a family holiday every year which includes my kids and have done for decades. I don't ask them to contribute as it's my family treat. Why should i pay £850 for a cottage when it's £550 the week before IF other parents can do it.

 

Sorry, I thought you said your kids were teachers?

[Cyclone 10]

Ironically, hardworking parents are usually the ones who value...er, hard work and not skiving...

 

A family holiday is not skiving.

 

---------- Post added 08-08-2014 at 07:31 ----------

 

Why?

The only reason anyone has given for taking kids out of school is financial.

 

I pay for a family holiday every year which includes my kids and have done for decades. I don't ask them to contribute as it's my family treat. Why should i pay £850 for a cottage when it's £550 the week before IF other parents can do it.

 

You aren't responsible for your adult children and cannot tell them whether to go to work or not. They decide for themselves.

 

It's quite clearly a very different situation to parents who are still responsible for children and decide to take them out of school a week early for a holiday.

[willman 10]

A family holiday is not skiving.

 

---------- Post added 08-08-2014 at 07:31 ----------

 

 

You aren't responsible for your adult children and cannot tell them whether to go to work or not. They decide for themselves.

 

It's quite clearly a very different situation to parents who are still responsible for children and decide to take them out of school a week early for a holiday.

 

No its not - because it suits everyone else its different.

 

I am unable to take my holiday with my children as cheaply as the rest of the parents. Whats different?

[Bonzo77 13]

No its not - because it suits everyone else its different.

 

I am unable to take my holiday with my children as cheaply as the rest of the parents. Whats different?

 

Your children can pay their own way.