Taking kids out of school, for holidays.

[SULLY COULDNT SHOOT]

Yes, that clearer!

Anyway, I would take issue with you that holidays are just 'mucking about' One time we went ski-ing with an extended French family who apart from one member didn't speak a word of English. We were in a French area (the family had booked a chalet rather than going through a tour operator) and almost the entire conversation all week was in French. My son certainy learnt far more than staying at school to learn about the role of women in Anglo-Saxon England or whatever it was they were doing that week. On two other occasions we've been to America for Thanksgiving thus giving us the chance to study an important ritual of a primitive, alien culture at first hand. (Just joking for any Americans reading this! It was great!)

The lesson being (as we told the kids) is that education isn't something that begins and ends in a classroom, it's a constant and ongoing process.

You are right in THAT instance but is that refelective of most holidays?

 

[Nibble]

while I heartely agree that education is not confined to the classroom, we all know that is not why parents take kids on holiday during term time, it's cos it's cheaper, you jsut use that as a get out. Why not educate them on holiday in holiday time and let the school educate them in term time, thus giving your child the best of both worlds.

 

[Bozza]

while I heartely agree that education is not confined to the classroom, we all know that is not why parents take kids on holiday during term time, it's cos it's cheaper, you jsut use that as a get out. Why not educate them on holiday in holiday time and let the school educate them in term time, thus giving your child the best of both worlds.

I love your involvement in kid threads, Nibbster. It seems to be a subject close to your heart.

Do you still believe it's OK to thrash a child to within an inch of their life for the purposes of discipline?

 

[Brovion]

You are right in THAT instance but is that refelective of most holidays?

I really don't know, I can only speak from my own experience. And it's all water under the bridge now, the 'kids' are 23 and (nearly) 18 and, like I said in my original post, the amount of time they took off made not one iota of difference to their academic achievements, indeed I would maintain it made them more 'rounded' people. I have absolutely no regrets and would do the same thing again.

Interestingly my daughter, to fund her Phd, has a number of jobs. She works as a part-time music teacher in a Worthing school and also lectures in Choral Studies at her old University - so she now can't take time off during term-time!

 

[Nibble]

I love your involvement in kid threads, Nibbster. It seems to be a subject close to your heart.

Do you still believe it's OK to thrash a child to within an inch of their life for the purposes of discipline?

Thanks Bozza, I enjoy keeping my hand in the children. I believe I did once post on a thread about children 2 years ago.

I think the fuss was caused on the child discipline thread because I am vehemently AGAINST smacking children not for. But I may well be mistaken.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I'd forgotten about this. My school organised week long trips during school time. I can remember there was a skiing trip, trips to Morocco and the slightly less exotic Isle of Wight.

And I can remember having to miss a physics lesson to go to the cup replay in '83. The school were fine about it though.

 

[Dave the OAP]

which deep down is against in principle your human rights to take your holiday when you want to rather than dictated to by your employer.

erm.......

..and your REAL WORLD scenario is?

 

[1066familyman]

We went on holiday in September last year and our three school aged kids all missed time at school. The youngest only missed one day whilst the two eldest both missed four days each.
We thought long and hard about it and considered a number of factors. The two eldest both had 100% attendance records in their last term and have never dropped below 98% in their entire school life. Both were settled in their schools ( no move up to secondary that year ) and it didn't clash with any exams. The youngest only missed the first day back as she was starting reception, which happened to be a stroll across the playground from her nursery anyway so not a huge deal for her.
We wrote to their schools and got a standard unauthorised absence letter back from the secondary school but was granted authorised absence by the primary school head who knew this was the first time we'd taken the kids out and that they have exemplary attendance records.
All the time the tourist industry insists on ripping off families then I'm all for taking kids out of school occasionally, but only when it's appropriate to do so. Although in fairness we also chose September as we wanted it a bit cooler and less busy too.

 

[jevs]

have taken my daughter (now 12) out of school for a week for the past 4 years
I do this because holiday prices are almost half in term time
I will continue to take her out of school
And i will be more than happy to get fined £50 for the pleasure.

 

[Dave the OAP]

have taken my daughter (now 12) out of school for a week for the past 4 years
I do this because holiday prices are almost half in term time
I will continue to take her out of school
And i will be more than happy to get fined £50 for the pleasure.

which is your choice.

We unfortunately have no choice ( although both our kids are grown up now ) and have to take the school holidays.

 

[Football_Friends]

Speaking as someone who was taken out of school virtually every year for the first week back in september to go on holiday, I think I can say the issue gets blown out of proportion massively. I did very well academically and am now doing quite well for myself. I think what you take back from a holiday is usually priceless, and not something that can be taught in a classroom. Even if you don't believe you are actually learning anything whilst away, over a series of holidays you definitely become a more cultered, well rounded and understanding person. If it wasn't for taking time out of school my family probably wouldn't have been able to afford to go the places we did.

On the contrary my girlfriend hardly ever went broad when she was younger because her parents couldn't afford the high prices and refused to take time out of school, instead opting for holidays in the UK. Personally I think this showed the first few times we went abroad, as she was not at all cultured to the ways of the wider world. Incidentally she is now a teacher, so we can only go abroad in school holidays, which is a choice she made and we both accept. The high prices are then countered by a quite decent wage and 13 weeks holidays a year!

Herr tubthumper does make an interesting point though, I went skiing with school and it cost £900 for a week back in 2001. Whats the difference between a parent taking their kids away, and the school taking kids away providing their parents can afford it?! Surely the end result is the same?!

 

[HampshireSeagulls]

Thanks Bozza, I enjoy keeping my hand in the children. I believe I did once post on a thread about children 2 years ago.

I think the fuss was caused on the child discipline thread because I am vehemently AGAINST smacking children not for. But I may well be mistaken.

...I enjoy keeping my hand in the children...Not a Catholic priest by any chance?

Now, whilst I think Nibble is a knob, I agree with him on this one. Do not pretend that you are taking your children out with the sole reason of giving them some life enhancing education experience. As a teacher, I know you are lying. You are doing it because it is cheaper. It is bad enough that I can't go and get cheap holidays, so by pretending you are doing it to benefit the child is insulting. Make the most of the cheap holidays - but most of all make the most of spending time with the kids. They grow up quickly and very soon your idea of a "fun" holiday is their idea of hell. Just tell the teacher that you can't afford prime time holidays, try not to do it when exams are due, and bring your child back to school a nice person, not some gloating little twat who shows off about missing school. And bring me back a present.

 

[Nibble]

...I enjoy keeping my hand in the children...Not a Catholic priest by any chance?

Now, whilst I think Nibble is a knob, I agree with him on this one. Do not pretend that you are taking your children out with the sole reason of giving them some life enhancing education experience. As a teacher, I know you are lying. You are doing it because it is cheaper. It is bad enough that I can't go and get cheap holidays, so by pretending you are doing it to benefit the child is insulting. Make the most of the cheap holidays - but most of all make the most of spending time with the kids. They grow up quickly and very soon your idea of a "fun" holiday is their idea of hell. Just tell the teacher that you can't afford prime time holidays, try not to do it when exams are due, and bring your child back to school a nice person, not some gloating little twat who shows off about missing school. And bring me back a present.

Thanks.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

I love school holidays, means I get more Commission.

Interestingly the holiday company I work for makes LESS money during the school holiays than outside despite charging more, the hotels charge almost four times what they normally do. The Atlantis in Dubai is the worst I have seen. For october half time its about 3500-4000 more than if you went outside.

 

[Return of the Rev]

could get in a lot of trouble if you take random kids out of school,dont do it

 

[Brovion]

...I enjoy keeping my hand in the children...Not a Catholic priest by any chance?

Now, whilst I think Nibble is a knob, I agree with him on this one. Do not pretend that you are taking your children out with the sole reason of giving them some life enhancing education experience. As a teacher, I know you are lying. You are doing it because it is cheaper. It is bad enough that I can't go and get cheap holidays, so by pretending you are doing it to benefit the child is insulting. Make the most of the cheap holidays - but most of all make the most of spending time with the kids. They grow up quickly and very soon your idea of a "fun" holiday is their idea of hell. Just tell the teacher that you can't afford prime time holidays, try not to do it when exams are due, and bring your child back to school a nice person, not some gloating little twat who shows off about missing school. And bring me back a present.

Well obviously I disagree. The cost IS a large factor undoubtedly, as is the desire to spend time with the kids - but surely you can see there is a difference in ski-ing and living with a French family for a week and lying on a beach in Benidorm? And 'm not lying at all, I genuinely believe there is more to education than sitting in a classroom - they don't start learning when you drop them off at the school gates and then stop when you pick them up.

I'm not a teacher, but both the grandmothers were and my mum is now on the Board of Governors of a West Sussex school. Both of them share(d) my view, not yours.

 

[bhaexpress]

As I have said earlier, surely the parents have the overall right to decide what's best for their child ? The vast majority of parents don't need social services do they ?