Taking kids out of school, for holidays.

[Stat Brother]

As mentioned in the Centre Parcs thread.

Why do we have uniformed holidays?

I'm dead set against taking our children out of school, just for a holiday, but it's bloody impossible to argue against.
£500-£1000 price difference for the sake of one week is borderline criminal, the whole system is set up for people/parents to be fleeced.

Naturally Christmas Easter and Summer can't be moved, although a weeks movement either side couldn't hurt.

But surely West Sussex, the Lesser half of Sussex, Kent and Surrey, could all stagger half-terms, it would make so much more sense.

 

[Biscuit]

So what price would you put on their education? £500-£1000?

 

[strings]

I agree with staggering half terms - that seems sensible.

My Dad is a governor at a large Secondry school in West Sussex. If you divide the total budget of the School by the number of lessons per year and the number of pupils, they spend £40 a lesson (5 lessons a day) per pupil. I know that is slightly off at a tangent, but an interesting fact nevertheless I thought. There is also the additional cost of teacher time, should a student miss lessons and fall behind (in the respect that other pupils miss out on the teachers attention whilst the teacher is busy bringing the pupil that has been off up to date).

 

[Westdene Seagull]

So what prise would you put on their education? £500-£1000?

Did your parents take you out of your spelling classes to go on holiday by chance ?

 

[manilaseagull]

So what prise would you put on their education? £500-£1000?

Assuming your parents did not put much value on your education, as PRICE is the correct spelling.

Guess you enjoyed your weeks in Benidorm?

 

[Biscuit]

Did your parents take you out of your spelling classes to go on holiday by chance ?

holiday

 

[Stat Brother]

So what prise would you put on their education? £500-£1000?

You tell me how much a 4 and 5 year old learns in week one, after a holiday.

Although I do take your point, remember I'm dead set against the idea, but when presented with the figures I just couldn't argue.

 

[Iggle Piggle]

I agree with staggering half terms - that seems sensible.

In principal, great idea.

Not so great, if you are a teacher at one school and your kids are at another which is off at different times.

 

[strings]

In principal, great idea.

Not so great, if you are a teacher at one school and your kids are at another which is off at different times.

Shhh! Common sense has NO place on this forum.

 

[Biscuit]

Although I do take your point, remember I'm dead set against the idea, but when presented with the figures I just couldn't argue.

And nor can I. The expense of going away when the rest of the world does is madness. Take them out and should they ever need a couple of extra hours tuition come GCSE time, do it. You'll have saved enough!

(hopefully I checked my spelling this time!!)

 

[Stat Brother]

Yeah feck off Iggle.
Well we wouldn't want to upset the apple cart for that teacher, now would we.

 

[manilaseagull]

I agree with staggering half terms - that seems sensible.

My Dad is a governor at a large Secondry school in West Sussex. If you divide the total budget of the School by the number of lessons per year and the number of pupils, they spend £40 a lesson (5 lessons a day) per pupil. I know that is slightly off at a tangent, but an interesting fact nevertheless I thought. There is also the additional cost of teacher time, should a student miss lessons and fall behind (in the respect that other pupils miss out on the teachers attention whilst the teacher is busy bringing the pupil that has been off up to date).

£200 per day per student? average class size 25? £40 times 25 = £1000 per lesson?

Bullshit.......if that is true no wonder schools are in a bad way?

oh and it SECONDARY.....Daddy wont be proud.

 

[Iggle Piggle]

Yeah feck off Iggle.
Well we wouldn't want to upset the apple cart for that teacher, now would we.

It happens to a friend of mine quite regularly.

I try and hide my amusement.

 

[strings]

£200 per day per student? average class size 25? £40 times 25 = £1000 per lesson?

Bullshit.......if that is true no wonder schools are in a bad way?

oh and it SECONDARY.....Daddy wont be proud.

Hehe - I didn't work out the facts myself - it is just what I was told once all costs (upkeep, staff, books, um, other stuff) are added up. It does sound steep, doesn't it.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Something schools don't shout about is that you are actually allowed to take up to 2 weeks during term time per school year ( just as long as you write and tell them first ) !

 

[Rusthall Seagull]

As mentioned in the Centre Parcs thread.

Why do we have uniformed holidays?

I'm dead set against taking our children out of school, just for a holiday, but it's bloody impossible to argue against.
£500-£1000 price difference for the sake of one week is borderline criminal, the whole system is set up for people/parents to be fleeced.

Naturally Christmas Easter and Summer can't be moved, although a weeks movement either side couldn't hurt.

But surely West Sussex, the Lesser half of Sussex, Kent and Surrey, could all stagger half-terms, it would make so much more sense.

I have always argued that when countless ministers harp on about saving money for parents (i.e tax credits etc), giving every parent the right to take their child out of school for one week a year, would allow a huge saving for the average family.

 

[Icy Gull]

They don't like it because half the parents in the country would be taking their kids off a few days early. Of course the schools are going to make a make a big deal of it, if you try it on. Fly a week before school holidays and the cost is often less than half what it becomes once schools break up so it's logical to want to take your kid out early. How much real work actually gets done a few days before the half term/school holidays anyway? Have you got the balls to give the school two fingers though?

 

[Rusthall Seagull]

Something schools don't shout about is that you are actually allowed to take up to 2 weeks during term time per school year ( just as long as you write and tell them first ) !

is this true of every school?

 

[BRIGHT ON Q]

I bet if you add up all the inset days they seem to have now ,that would equal a week the kids lose at school.(don't know the facts,just guessing like)

 

[Gwylan]

is this true of every school?

No, it's not. Our school wrote to all parents recently pointing that this idea that pupils were entitled to two weeks off during the year was a myth and any requests would be refused (unless there was a valid reason of course). He said that any subsequent absences would then be reported to the educational welfare officer.