Sometimes I get the impression if people had to pay for schooling they might actually realise how important it is, but because its free they seem to think it should fit around there social lives.
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Taking Your Child Out of School
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Posted 6 months ago #
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Schooling is free?
Posted 6 months ago # -
I'm probably having mine out for 5 days to go skiing.
because it's loads cheaper out of half term. I think they'll be fine but I'm sure the head will be pissed off. Oh well you're only young once.
Posted 6 months ago # -
Here's some interesting reading: http://resourcebank.sitc.co.uk/Resources/Priority3/Lourdes/Lou_T004Pupilattendance.pdf
As for what harm does it do, according to the study:
• Most LEAs and teachers said that absence led to underachievement.
• Primary school teachers thought this was because absence broke the
continuity of learning and pupils missed important work.
• No pattern of absence would not be damaging, but teachers were divided as
to which pattern of absence was the most damaging.
• Teachers could not always give truants the help they needed to make up
lost time.
• Secondary school teachers believed that academic underachievement would
damage children’s future job prospects.
• Secondary school teachers thought that truanting behaviour was difficult to
change because it is cyclical.
• Pupils who were often absent were said to have trouble making and
keeping friends. Poor attenders’ friendship groups shrank and eventually
closed, leading to further isolation.
• Primary school staff thought that on returning to school, poor attenders
suffered a loss of confidence due to the fact that they are unable to
understand the work.
• Secondary school staff thought that this loss of confidence led to attention
seeking and disruptive behaviour.
• Most of the teachers thought unacceptable absences had a negative effect
on peer relationships.
• Secondary school truants underplayed the effects of their absences, but a
few knew their work had suffered.
• Many LEAs and teachers believed regular attenders were affected when
truants returned through the diversion of teacher time and class disruption.Personally I would be pissed off if my kid was being held back, because some other kids parents wanted a cheap skiing holiday.
Mind you someone has to take all those McDonalds jobs I suppose.
Posted 6 months ago # -
you someone has to take all those McDonalds jobs I suppose.
A Polish bloke with a degree, usually...
Posted 6 months ago # -
Posted 6 months ago #
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So you're saying that planning a 5 day absence to do a physical activity in another country for a child that has a otherwise perfect attendance record leads to Macdonalds?
I obviously disagree. My sister in law took hers out for two weeks to visit family in NZ as it was considerably less expensive in term time and my niece caught up quickly and recently passed 9 GCSEs with very good grades.
Depends on the child and the family I'd say. For the sake of 2k I'll risk it.
Posted 6 months ago # -
If you want to ignore the scientific research to get a cheap holiday that's upto you, however to claim it 'does them no harm' is bollocks and you know it, and there is evidence to support that. Hence your defensiveness over putting your own interests (to go on a cheap holiday) above that of your children's welfare.
My issue is less with you retarding your kids chances, and more with the impact it has on others.
Posted 6 months ago # -
depends on cause and effect though. Do kids who are off school do worse? yes.
do they do worse because they are off school, or do they do worse as their parents are the kind who are more likely to take them out of school (and are thus, probably, parents who value their education less?) difficult to answer
Posted 6 months ago # -
I suspect the difference it makes depends when it is though. 2 or 3 days before they break up for Christmas, well, they don't do any work that week anyway. Same for the end of the summer term before the holidays.
Posted 6 months ago # -
Oh I see it's about me being selfish, well no worries I'll agree with you on that. I'll be sure to wear a sackcloth on the slopes. I'm happy that my kids are confident, outgoing boys who get out and do stuff I reckon 5 days is not the end of the world.
Posted 6 months ago # -
missing the first 3 days of term - even if thats no academic disadvantage will it not be a social one? Those first days of term where kids sort out who sits where and get to know each other and find their way around?
Posted 6 months ago # -
I'm happy that my kids are confident, outgoing boys
Well according to the research, not for long:
• Primary school staff thought that on returning to school, poor attenders
suffered a loss of confidence due to the fact that they are unable to
understand the work.
• Secondary school staff thought that this loss of confidence led to attention
seeking and disruptive behaviour.
• Most of the teachers thought unacceptable absences had a negative effect
on peer relationships.Well worth reading the research paper, so at least you know the impacts of your choices, as I said its your choice but don't try and pretend 'it will do them no harm', and/or 'its good for them' as that's total rubbish and you know it.
Posted 6 months ago # -
So you're saying that planning a 5 day absence to do a physical activity in another country for a child that has a otherwise perfect attendance record leads to Macdonalds?
I think Macdonalds is the very upper scale of ambition. That's if you're lucky. It'll more than likely be Broadmoor. Via child prostitution and drug dealing obviously. Taking your kids out of school for a couple of days? I'm getting social services on yo ass. Its tantamount to child abuse, quite frankly. You're not fit to be a parent!
Posted 6 months ago # -
How old? My August-born second son started full time at 4yrs and 1 month. He was far too young, but the school said full-time or they could not hold his place until the summer. His older son didn't start until the term before he was five - summer term. This was much more satisfactory.
If he's five before Christmas, I'd say no, school is full-time. Otherwise fine.
I did remove my eldest son or an educational visit to Heathrow to watch the last landing of the three Concordes, also both missed a week as part of a trip to the US.
Posted 6 months ago # -
I wouldn't personally do it without good reason, but tbh, in reception year, I'd be fairly relaxed about it as a one-off.
If your kid gets chickenpox, then they'll be off for at least a week, and as a huge number of kids get it within a couple of years of starting school, I think scare stories about educational underachievement may be slightly overstated.
It's pretty obvious that kids who have more than occasional absences are likely to underachieve, but even this is likely to be due to more than one factor (perhaps more likely the underlying environment which leads to absence) - ie correlation rather than causation.
Posted 6 months ago # -
to the OP (cos I can't be assed wading through all the pish)
I wouldn't worry about it - attendance records aren't even compulsory for reception year children, that's how unimportant it is. I wouldn't get in to the habit mind you.Posted 6 months ago # -
Seems harsh but missing a week of term would very likely result in not being able to catch up as the workload is pretty massive
Clearly sickness is not a problem then?Posted 6 months ago # -
My next door neighbour was stuck in Gran Canaria with his family last year with the volcano dust
He phoned the school to let them know and the HM told him he wasn't allowed to keep them off school and it would be recorded as unauthorisedhis kids are now obviously doomed to a life of destitution
Posted 6 months ago # -
I value education highly however I also value having fun and living life. I ought to be shot for my lack of care for my kids.
Posted 6 months ago # -
My stance is that school is important & there's no way my kids are missing it unless there's a really good reason.
You are right. Taking kids out of school for any reason isn't good but taking them out to fit in with someone's social calendar is just ridiculous.
Posted 6 months ago # -
This is our first child in school, and she's from Brazil where the attitude to schooling seems extremely relaxed, so she doesn't see any issue whatsoever with missing a few days 'just because'
But your child is in school in the UK? not Brazil?
I would not let my child miss the start of a new term just so they can go visit some friends. Thats ridiculous.
Fast forward to secondary school when your child is bunking off to go and see friends....what would you say? you should lead by example.
Posted 6 months ago # -
My parents run a shop in a seaside town so there was absolutely no way they could take us on holiday during the school holidays so we always went in June and September.
September was a bit more disruptive as it was at the beginning of the year when I was making new friends and settling into a new routine but it didn't do me any harm in the longterm. Certainly less harm than never having a family holiday would have done.Posted 6 months ago # -
Do it. Less competition for my daughter when she makes it to the real world.
Posted 6 months ago # -
it didn't do me any harm in the longterm
I KNEW thre was something about you - now I know!
Posted 6 months ago # -
For me this is a parental judgement. Would I take my kids out of school to do not a lot at home or a mates house? No. Would I take them on a round the world trip with visits, other cultures and adventures? You bet ya. Watch me around Christmas 2012
Posted 6 months ago # -
Why not eh?
As a deputy head of a Pupil Referral Unit I can confirm that there is no correlation between parental attitudes towards casual absenteeism, lack of respect/punctuality, low grades/self-esteem/social skills and a prolonged stay in my school.
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oh, hang on a minute...Posted 6 months ago # -
Those first days of term where kids sort out who sits where and get to know each other and find their way around?
You honestly think P1s sort out where they sit?
and I think they might just already know each other (and their way round) fairly well seeing as it's the second term.
kid'll miss very little, if you're really worried, ask the teacher what she/he'll be teaching at the start of term, it won't be a whole lot.
Posted 6 months ago # -
Won't matter a jot, not exactly doing much when they first start school
Was pretty relaxed with my daughter, we sometimes went away for long weekends and the occasional holiday in term time. Even at secondary school she had the odd day off here and there if something else more interesting came up
Left with 12 gcse's, 3 good A levels and is in her last year of an Optometry degree, so not exactly a failure because of it.
Posted 6 months ago # -
Most of us welcome kids staying out of school, after all make life easy for us. Being a teacher i want to do as little as possible for as little time as i can and get paid a wacking great salary. Then retire at 45 with a 80k pension.
Its a great life you all should try it.
Happy days.
p.s. word of advice keep a back up plan as you will prob not last a week.
Posted 6 months ago # -
GW - hence the question marks
Posted 6 months ago # -
The school does not grant permission. You simply tell them why your child is not in school, and they record it appropriately. In this case it will be UPH - Unauthorised Parental Holiday. The Local Authority won't prick it's ears up until a child has had 2 weeks out of school. If you regularly exceed 2 weeks, you may be given advice/reminded of your obligations.
The school is under no obligation to provide work or information for the days you miss.
100s of kids miss school for holidays every year at my school. It is not ideal, but it is reality.
Posted 6 months ago # -
hence the question marks
I think you've got your answers now Posted 6 months ago # -
I was talking to my sister last night. The school my two nephews attend allow up to 10 days term time absence.
Apparently some parents treat this as additional holiday allowance and make sure their children use all 10 days each year.
Posted 6 months ago # -
I should imagine that's because all parents know what's best for their kids, especially when it involves planning their own social life, just like they know its never them when there is trouble.
Mind you I expect its the same parents who blame everything on the teachers when they find out little timmy is the thickest in the class, and the most disruptive and its going to leave school without any qualifications.
Who needs experts or research into this, when every parent is bestowed with this knowledge at the instant of conception of their first born.
Posted 6 months ago #
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