Children holidaying during term time.

even the most basic camp site in U.K. hikes its prices in school holidays
I passed these average chalets on my walk this morning and stopped to check on prices. A reasonable £700 in term time, plenty of availability, but nearly £2k in school holidays and pretty much all booked.

That is truly shocking Joseann. A while ago, I read there were considerations about staggering the school year, shorter 4 week summer holiday, many parents feel six weeks are too long and longer half terms, which would maybe accommodate those who need to take holidays at other times in the year. Although I imagine that won't stop price hiking around any proposed changes, which are quite mercenary in some cases,

I haven’t taken my daughter out for holidays, but I work in education also so it’s tricky. Her friend has 3-4 weeks out of school every year and academically she is behind, as is her sibling. Parents have been in school complaining about lack of progress, but don’t seem to want to actually help their children. I’m not particularly against term time holidays, but some people take the biscuit! And fwiw my pre-teen would love the fjord cruise!

Monica I don’t think that I said it was ideal did I? If I was nonchalant about my education it’s because it was as it was.
I think that I was trying to show that just missing a week of school isn’t going to ruin a life.
My sympathies are with the teaching staff who are expected to make up for whatever has been missed.
One positive of my interrupted education is that I had to develop resilience and the ability to make friends. Invaluable
skills even if they don’t come with a certificate.

PamelaJ1 Thats interesting. your experience taught you how to mke friends, my similar experience, taught me how to get on with people and make lots of acquaintances, but not to make friends because in 6 months time you will move on and in a period long before all electronic communication, parting from friends was painful. You would probably not see or hear from them again, so best not to have them.

Speaking as a former teacher, children, especially in primary, miss a lot of important learning if they're out of school for a fortnight or even for a week. It's especially bad at the start of term when new concepts or topics are being introduced.

Sago

AIBU?
We have just returned from a lovely week cruising the Fjords.
There were far more under 16’s onboard than we could have anticipated.
A lot of families didn’t leave the ship they just stayed and played bingo etc while the children were in the pool or the children’s clubs.
I couldn’t help but think of all the staff who come from countries where an education isn’t taken for granted.
One woman said the cruise cost her 2K out of term instead of 5K in the holidays.
This is why we had camping holidays in Scotland for so many years!

Some Parents take their children out of school for a round the world trip / road trip or a sail across the seven seas . Some as a friend of mine does “Home School “
It’s all educational & as long as it isn’t a crucial time or Sats / mocks /GCSE’s & isn’t a regular occurrence

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.

I’m not sure that your “
Most schools are fine” is accurate as parents get fined for removing students holidays .
Though I am not sure where that money goes (?)

My husband was a fireman and holiday were taken whenever it fitted in with his shift pattern. We regularly took them out of school. We went to Canada for 6 weeks when they were in junior school and Australia for 6 weeks when 1 was in senior school. They all took school work with them to complete whilst away and completed scrapbook diaries of their trips. They saw and did wonderful things. Life experience is just as important as academic eduation. All four of them left school with good exam results and although they were all the youngest in there school years had good marks during each term. They are all well rounded adults with lovely families of their own.

A bit annoying when you’d anticipated it as more or less an adult only time!
I don’t really disagree with time out if absolutely necessary, maybe a week, during school term as long as it isn’t at the start of a term or at really important times and I understand that it saves money ….but…if you can afford 2k for this sort of holiday and don’t even leave the ship, it tells me that money probably isn’t at a premium….i guess it takes all sorts….

I can't see what harm a week or two out of school can possibly do, and suspect the rule is there for reasons other than child welfare. Bit of revenue for councils? Making sure the interests of the tour companies are paramount? Or just making us all toe the line and conform, so we are conditioned to accept whatever comes out of the mouths of authority? I do not think taking children out of school for a holiday - which is arguably an important experience in their development, and a type of 'education' in itself - is 'taking education for granted. However, personally, I would never go on a cruise - bingo? - please don't make me!

I can remember coming back to school after a two week absence due to illness, I struggled to catch up the things taught during that time. Got kids at school then they should be in school not on holiday. Yep, it’s wrong that holidays cost so much more in school holidays but, until some sort of legislation is passed to prevent this, not likely of course, don’t have expensive holidays. Go camping, days out, save for a holiday every second year., got grandparents who live in an holiday destination then go for a visit. Education is so important and we all take it for granted. I worked with a person who took her son out of school 3 times in one school year because, he has a right to have a holiday!! He then didn’t see school as important at all, refused to get out of bed, refused to go if he didn’t feel like it. She just couldn’t see that she’d told him school wasn’t important because she’d taken him out when it suited her. I believe the fines, in England, are now really hefty for taking your child out for a holiday. But if it’s still cheaper to go away in school time I’m sure people will still do it.

I worked in a school and it was not allowed to take holiday in term time. I was in a low paid job and for many years I didn't have much in the way of holidays as a result. Now I'm retired and still struggle to afford holidays even though I'm not restricted as to when I can go. I thought I'd go away more once |I retired but mostly still just spend time with family who live at a distance or do volunteer roles at places where others holiday.
Whether children's education suffers when taken ut of school for holidays depends on what they do on holiday and also how able they are. Bright children will learn while away on holiday as they have new experiences and they ask questions all the time. They will also quickly catch up what they have missed. Less able children may miss out significantly, especially if they just spend time on a beach or in a pool.
I rarely took my children out of school in term time as I had to get special permission myself anyway, so only for things like a family wedding abroad. Nowadays parents are fined for taking children out of school without permission but I guess even with a fine to pay the cost of the holiday will probably be significantly cheaper. Also some parents may be restricted as to when they can take leave, so taking children out of school may be justifiable.

MissAdventure

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.

Oh dear , that is quite “
judgy”!
A response from another GN points out that 4 children that she knew of were home schooled & went on to go to Grammar Schools !

My son in law has been diagnosed with Motor Neuron Disease at 37 and has 3 little school children and they would love one holiday abroad before he is too bad to travel - making memories is so important for them as a family but to book in school holidays a week in Spain would cost them 6,000 so sadly they can’t do it

MissAdventure

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 would guess the same!

I think the current draconian rules are ridiculous. Up until about 20 years ago, the head teacher could permit absences from school for holidays or other reasons.

I took my children out of school on several occasions for holidays and family visits. In one particular year, the eldest (then aged 8) didn't attend school for 5 months.

The only times when I think children's schooling should not be disrupted by holidays etc is during the critical exams years, ie between the ages of 15 and 18.

I think it must be really difficult for teachers having to help maybe several different children to catch up on differing bits of work while still teaching the majority who weren't absent. How on earth are they expected to do this? On the other hand the cost difference for holidays in term time make such a big difference and can be the make or break of having a holiday or not.
I can see both sides here though we never took our child out of school term for a holiday.

Children get ill and have to miss school, which is no different to taking that time off to go on holiday. Maybe a child with chronic recurring illness maybe needs to attend school as and when they can, but otherwise I would advocate experience taking them on holiday affords. We took our children to Australia for a year. One went to Oxford, the other got a double first. Not intending to sound smug, just highlighting the fact that not being in school does not always equate with a ruined education.

It really is a problem for teachers, imagine having to re-teach any new work that has been done in the time the children were away. This takes the staff away from new teaching for the rest of the class and slows learning down for the children whose parents don't take them out of school.
Or are the holidaying parents happy for their children to miss out on two weeks of new work? In a subject like maths this could mean that they have real problems catching up.
I'm not surprised that schools are very against term-time holidays and feel it is very inconsiderate of the parents.

There is a reason for the fines. Children who miss new work have to.be brought up to date and this takes up teacher time that could be better spent. Of course some children won't ever be brought up to date, to their detriment. I think the fines should be increased if anything. Surely travel companies and the government could put thei heads together and see if there is some solution to this situation.

Totally agree with Ferry23.

One step further: what is a holiday?!!! What is the necessity?

Being married to an alcoholic workaholic for 25 years, we and the three children never had a family holiday!!! What they did not know, they did not miss!!

Joseann

Children are such funny little people because all they want is an adventure. It doesn't really matter where, and it doesn't necessarily have to be an expensive trip. My DGC were with me here in Cornwall this weekend. It was a cold 10 degrees, pouring with rain, all the attractions closed, empty beaches, but we did so much together that they didn't want to leave on Sunday evening!
If term time holidays are the only way for families to achieve the shared experiences they want at a reasonable price, then the occasional time-out from school isn't really that detrimental to their children's education.

So agree I had a lovely similar week in Tenby last year with my 2 grandsons … still say it’s best holiday they’ve had and they’ve been to so many ‘wonderful ‘ countries

fluttERBY123

There is a reason for the fines. Children who miss new work have to.be brought up to date and this takes up teacher time that could be better spent. Of course some children won't ever be brought up to date, to their detriment. I think the fines should be increased if anything. Surely travel companies and the government could put thei heads together and see if there is some solution to this situation.

I agree, the parents who holiday in term time are disadvantaging their own children and also all the other children in their classes.

Our children only went outside term time but we didn't feel deprived because we didn't have super-impressive holidays. Perhaps some of it is down to conspicuous consumption?!

However in some cases, like those mentioned with a parent with a life limiting illness, I think that it might be reasonable to make an exception.

80s mumisagranny, I think you'll find that the crucial exam years begin well before the age of 15. I know of state schools where pupils do the first of their GCSEs in year 10 and the syllabus has to be started well before then.

‘Surely travel companies and the government could put their heads together and see if there is some solution to this situation.’
I agree - as long as holidays are so expensive during school breaks, parents will choose to pay a fine which will still be less costly.
As an ex-teacher, I don’t agree with taking children on holiday at random times during the term, but I think the last week of the Summer term could be the least problematic for the school and the pupil.
We used to have Asian families who took their second language children out of school for six weeks at a time to visit Pakistan and Bangladesh - a nightmare for teaching staff. I’m not sure whether or not this is still allowed.