Holidays during term time.

[Perkino]

Price shouldn't be the main factor as there are plenty of cheap holiday deals to less desirable locations. The parents obviously feel that a nicer destination is more important than their child's schooling which seems a little selfish

 

[banjo]

Took both My kids out of school term for holiday's when they were younger hasn'nt seemed to of effected their grades so far. But now Being 14 and 12 I feel they would miss to much so paying double the money for holiday's now.

 

[ATFC Seagull]

Price shouldn't be the main factor as there are plenty of cheap holiday deals to less desirable locations. The parents obviously feel that a nicer destination is more important than their child's schooling which seems a little selfish

But why should a family with less money have to go to less desirable locations? Why should a working class kid have to go on a domestic holiday rather than abroad? Personally I'd say seeing a bit of the world (or just relaxing) can be just as beneficial to a kid as a week at school. Kids will miss school time for all sorts of reasons - illness, sports, school trips, family circumstances etc. A week is a drop in the ocean, it's not like we're talking about whole terms being missed.

 

[Perkino]

But why should a family with less money have to go to less desirable locations? Why should a working class kid have to go on a domestic holiday rather than abroad? Personally I'd say seeing a bit of the world (or just relaxing) can be just as beneficial to a kid as a week at school. Kids will miss school time for all sorts of reasons - illness, sports, school trips, family circumstances etc. A week is a drop in the ocean, it's not like we're talking about whole terms being missed.

Most kids wouldn't care where they are going, they will enjoy the time away. It depends on why you go on holiday, do you go to spend time together with the family or to get away from your life?

 

[ATFC Seagull]

Most kids wouldn't care where they are going, they will enjoy the time away. It depends on why you go on holiday, do you go to spend time together with the family or to get away from your life?

Personally, I go to see places, but then I don't have kids!

 

[glasfryn]

lock the B*****Ds up
and the parents as well

 

[toostonedtocare]

Schools are like prisons now. Who the hell has the authority to tell me when I can and cannot take my own children on holiday or not. I always took them on holidays in term time because of the rip off costs at other times. Travelling is educational n'est pas? And all my kids sailed through uni.

As someone once said... 'I never let school interfere with my education'.

 

[Prettyboyshaw]

I take them out for a week max which I don't consider to be a big deal. They have to have a limb missing to have a sick day so I'm not going to worry about a week.

And as for the 'its not like the teachers can just not turn up' don't make me laugh with all the training days when kids have sub teachers, inset days, masses of holiday time and the occasional strike...ah bless my heart bleeds.

 

[father_and_son]

See the perspective that it's off peak and therefore cheaper but I guess some kids aren't bothered about school and some are good enough to catch up on their own. Case to case basis for this one.

This - but only at the end of term because missing mid term or the early stuff has more impact.

Plus it also depends on the holiday... taking a trip involving historical/cultural sights etc is an excellent opportunity to learn something inaccessable that might not be affordable out of term time. Likewise, there are some sporting based holidays which would be equally valuable in a non-academic way. Sitting on sunloungers by the pool is of dubious value, but with the right parental contribution, the child can catch up a week or two's work from the end of term without too much trouble.

 

[Jack Daniels]

How about taking a holiday that one can afford as opposed to taking a child out of classes?

Incredibly selfish and irresponsible of the parents.

This sounds like a comment from a person in late teens or early 20's. Not everybody wants the main holiday in Bognor. Or have you not seen the cost of holidays. I don't even have kids yet.

But they won't be going abroad during peak season on my wages.

 

[ATFC Seagull]

I take them out for a week max which I don't consider to be a big deal. They have to have a limb missing to have a sick day so I'm not going to worry about a week.

And as for the 'its not like the teachers can just not turn up' don't make me laugh with all the training days when kids have sub teachers, inset days, masses of holiday time and the occasional strike...ah bless my heart bleeds.

You do know that inset days are working days when schools are open and teachers are at work? Just because the kids need looking after, doesn't mean the teachers aren't working. Last time I checked they were more than babysitters.

I am totally on your side in the holiday debate btw.

 

[happypig]

If the Government/Schools were to say that you could take kids out for two weeks at any time, there would be kids off from May to September and teaching would be utter chaos.

As for domestic holidays, I just spent a week in Scotland and it cost me more that a fortnight in Turkey ever has.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Schools are like prisons now. Who the hell has the authority to tell me when I can and cannot take my own children on holiday or not. I always took them on holidays in term time because of the rip off costs at other times. Travelling is educational n'est pas? And all my kids sailed through uni.

As someone once said... 'I never let school interfere with my education'.

This

 

[Lankyseagull]

And as for the 'its not like the teachers can just not turn up' don't make me laugh with all the training days when kids have sub teachers, inset days, masses of holiday time and the occasional strike...ah bless my heart bleeds.

This sort of comment makes me seethe. My Missus is a teacher, so let me educate you.

Training days - the clue is in the word 'training'. This means that they are on a course, learning about the latest government crackpot scheme to make a teacher's job even more difficult than it is already. Then again, maybe your job doesn't involve the need for any training.

Inset days - Not a day off, but a day of work at the school preparing for the new term/reviewing the past term. Receiving some training, report writing, lesson planning and reviewing & understanding changes in the education system that the government continuously like to make and more.

Masses of holiday time - during the school year, most of this is spent marking and preparing lesson plans for the new term ahead. People think that the summer holiday gives teachers 6 weeks off to enjoy themselves. Take one week off at the beginning to clear the classroom of last year's work and take one off at the end to go in and set the classroom up for the new year. This leave 4 weeks which is the equivalent of most peoples Annual Leave entitlement. How many people have jobs which dictate when you can take your holiday?

Occasional strike - Not going to go into the why's and wherfors of this on this thread.

Many parents see their children's teacher as a free childminding service. Teachers work incredibly hard, often late into the night (I know this from experience of being woken in the small hours when the other half comes to bed) and deserve more respect than some (not all) people give.

As for Dr Q's comment about a parent asking a teacher to do some extra lessons for their child for free, I nearly spat my tea over my keyboard!

 

[Oddsocks]

When I was a child I was taken out of school all the time to go on holiday. It didn't do me any harm....In fact just this week Lidl have promoted me to trolley collector.....AND I'M ONLY 40!

 

[Mr Smggles]

Just because you take a child out of school for 1 week, isn't going to change the child's life path from well paid businessman who pays taxes to chavvy slob who suckles upon the teet of government benefits.

 

[Zebedee]

Whilst I agree with your sentiments price is a massive factor for many and some simply cannot afford mid term prices, my lads are 5 and 7 so we took the choice to take them out of school. I dare say when they get older we will have to either bite the bullet and pay the extortionate prices or just not go.

Even with child benefit and tax credits?

 

[desprateseagull]

for a big trip, i say go when it suits the FAMILY.

but not for a week off, to marbella..

 

[00snook]

Surely family time is as important if not more than missing an odd week of school.

Plus I'm not sure I wanna live in a society where schools can tell parents when they can and can't holiday with their kids.

There are much bigger problems at schools to address than this.

 

[The Rivet]

most people take there kids out of class because they cant afford a holiday when its half term or summer holidays it got nothing to do with being irresponsible but spending time as a family when its affordable. the irresponsible ones are the holiday companies that use the situation to their advantage and triple the prices when kids are off

Most people take their kids out of class because they have no responsibility, they are bad parents and are putting themselves before their kids education.