Children holidaying during term time.

We had no choice other than to take our children out of school for holidays. Our business was busiest during school holidays and the possibility of going away during this time was zero.

I totally understand that it is more expensive during school holidays due to supply and demand.

I do not think only those on the highest income should be able to have holidays, if saving £3K is the difference between having a holiday or not then have the holiday.

Apologies for the over use of holiday in my previous post 😱

I suppose the point is, did the children of those parents who didnt holiday in term time go on to become super humanly intelligent, or go much further in life?

Probably not, I'm guessing.

I did take our children out of school too, normally either at the beginning or end of term, never September, never anywhere near exams (which they all passed) and I let the school know and asked for the work they missed to be given to them when they returned.

I totally understand both sides of the issue though and and of course teachers are not afforded this privilege.

It is, of course, very annoying when one was expecting mainly adults but we get round this now by booking adults only holidays

Most schools now fine families who take children out of school?
If families find it a significant reduction in price even with the fine, I don't see it's a big problem unless they do it a more couple of times a year.

As an aside from the subject of this thread - I can't think of many holidays that would be more wasted on children than a Fjords cruise!

It's a relaxing, scenically spectacular trip with quite frankly, not a lot of "excitement" - and I mean that in the nicest possible way. (Just my idea of a great holiday actually).

Just seems a strange choice for children.

Just been having this conversation with my daughter .. both her and hubby have to work no choice . If they took the 2 children out of school for cheaper holiday it would mean she’d have to find 1/2 weeks extra childcare in holidays as both parents get 4 weeks each children have 12 weeks … so no chance … grandma already does enough 😂😂

Visgir1

Most schools now fine families who take children out of school?
If families find it a significant reduction in price even with the fine, I don't see it's a big problem unless they do it a more couple of times a year.

It is not the school that fines the parents it is the local council/authorities.

Our AC pay the fines, but wish they went to the school not into the council coffers…

I never took my daughter out of school for a holiday, because I always thought it was important to teach her to stick to "the rules".

However, I have let my grandson go with his brothers family during term time, because I think it's more important that he keeps a relationship with his sibling.
He could, if I allowed it, go away throughout the school year, but I draw the line at that.

It would be chaos if everyone thought holidaying during term time is okay, how could a class be run if every week half the class were away. Impossible to teach and the children that have missed work requiring extra input form the teacher at the expense of others.

I can't remember there being anything like chaos when I was growing up.
People, including teachers, often took their children for extended holidays during term time.

Theexwife

It would be chaos if everyone thought holidaying during term time is okay, how could a class be run if every week half the class were away. Impossible to teach and the children that have missed work requiring extra input form the teacher at the expense of others.

This.
I appreciate it might have been possible MissAdventure in the past but given what teachers have to cope with now - how reasonable is it to ask them to keep tabs on the curriculum, SATS, Offsteads, children with special needs or great distress waiting for help - then having to work out individual "missing school" plans for holidaying in term.

Each individual case might be perfectly reasonable but I think it affects the education of a whole class and sadly is not OK.

I'm replying quickly here to help bump threads up,
I don't regret the occasions we took our children on holiday during term time.

Yes, I agree, actually.

But dare to suggest that bringing up children these days is far different from "the olden days" and you're met with disbelief and incredulity.

It can't be both ways, can it?

I must confess to taking my children on holiday during term time when they were in primary school but once they went to secondary education it was strictly holidays in the school holidays and we just had to tighten our belts, although camping did make things significantly cheaper.

Now my AC have families of their own they have followed my example and my GC don't have holidays during term time.

One year I was really grateful that one parent took her child out during term time, usually adding a week -10 days to the end of half term breaks.
It benefitted the rest of the class, both through reduced disruption and extra TA support for them.
His mum was convinced he’d “catch up”, and wanted frequent meetings about how he was doing. It was always my fault he was struggling.

I didn’t take my son out of school for a holiday. One of his classmates at primary school was regularly taken out during term time. I don’t remember anyone taking holidays during term time when I was at school.

I imagine this sort if thing waxes and wanes in popularity over the years.

It certainly happened when i was at school, but would have been something that "posh" people did.

It’s up to the parents. If they want a cheap holiday, good for them. Better than no holiday in my book. My grandchildren went to Japan for 3 months when they were in primary school. The teachers agreed it gave them something the school couldn’t and they learnt some basic Japanese, too. They won’t miss much, looking at some of the schools today.

MissAdventure

I can't remember there being anything like chaos when I was growing up.
People, including teachers, often took their children for extended holidays during term time.

I taught from the mid 70s until ten years ago and I was never allowed time off for holidays, so my children obviously never did either. I was given one day off when we married, we tried to arrange it in holiday time but the house purchase took much longer than expected so I was in fact given the day to move house, not because I was getting married. We had to wait until the next school holiday to have a honeymoon.

I was good friends with the headmistress little girl, and they regularly went off to France.
It was considered fine, (as far as I, at eight knew) as the children were bilingual.

I wonder if it varies from school to school?

My friend used to be told to copy my work to bring herself up to date after a holiday.

Education doesn’t only happen in the classroom.

I well remember one Year 9 pupil being taken on holiday during term time. At the parents evening shortly before, her father assured me she would do school work every day and asked for work to be provided in advance. I politely reminded him that half of the curriculum involved speaking and listening in French and that I could not provide for this. Moreover the reading and writing work would be based on new material being taught in her absence, so she would struggle to complete it without having been taught the material first.
His response? Well you can give her extra private tuition when she gets back then.
My answer: That is something you might need to arrange privately as we are not permitted to give paid-for private tuition to our own pupils.( This was in an independent school. )

This pupil missed being taught a new tense. I could see the effect of her absence for several months afterwards, despite a bit of extra help. And this is in just one subject.

Do you think it has adversely affected the rest of her life, though?