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[i]Can I afford this holiday?
No
Better find one I can afford then. Like buying a tent.
As dilemmas go, it's not **** rocket science.
I understand that for some kids, missing some time off school isn't a problem, but the sense of entitlement some people seem to have about a holiday does grate sometimes[/i]
You clearly missed the point @morecashthandash.
You seem to be saying that even if a family could scrape together the money to take their children to France (for example) to help with their language studies, understanding of other cultures, quality family bonding time, one-off experiences etc etc in non-term prices..it is however just tough luck if they cannot afford it in the rip-off prices of holiday time and should 'go and buy a tent'. You can't see a dilema here for a parent who may value informal education, life experiences and family time etc along with formal education and their child is performing perfectly at school so wouldn't be missing out? That is a dilema for some.
And for the record - I am not in favour of removing children for holidays at all. It's just I can see the dilema that you (I have to assume) can't.
Do I spend a week with my family?
Yes
It's not rocket science.
There is widespread interest in the impact of unauthorised absence on pupil attainment, links with disaffection, exclusion from school and criminality. However, little is heard about what those who take unauthorised absence from school think that the effect has been on them; nor do we hear the voices of other pupils and their teachers. This article presents evidence from a one-year study of absence in seven local authorities in England funded by the Department for Education and Skills. It defines ‘truancy’, explores some issues from existing literature on pupil non-attendance, and presents evidence to show the impact that absence from school has on truants, other pupils and teachers. Finally, it suggests that although the greatest impact is on the academic and socio-psychological development of persistent absentees, the attitudes and learning of other pupils and the workload and morale of teachers are also affected.
Lovely. Persistent being the key point there not one off.
My school took us skiing and sailing and went to drama festivals in term time. one of the ski weekends was extended at short notice to a week because there was snow at glencoe.
Drac if your staff just took week[s] off when they felt like it I am going to argue it has no impact on the ability of the service to do its job , has no impact on other staff/people or patients and has absolutely no consequences for anyone but the person not in work.
Makes sense I assume just like the schools argument.
I am still stunned that folk, I guess in an effort to think their choices dont impact on anyone but their kids, want to delude themselves.
I really cannot believe folk cannot accept this blindingly obvious point.
Drac if your staff just took week[s] off when they felt like it I am going to argue it has no impact on the ability of the service to do its job
Haha! A bad example to pick. The fact that it has a massive impact is the reason I often go a year without a term time holiday so don't get that full week with the kids. Of course it's not that and it's about cheap holidays like so many think.
Last year we had to return early from the holidays for the kids to go to school for 2 days at the start of term. They did absolutely no learning in those 2 days but I would have been fined if I had taken them out. This year I had to go cap in hand to get permission to move a week so we can get away as a family. I got it granted so this year I'm extremely lucky and have 3 weeks off in August. Next year I have none.
Both our schools have made it clear it has no impact except a little on our kids but they will follow the policy and report the absence even though they don't agree with it.
Before I had kids in school I'd imagined taking them to the US for Thanksgiving. However now I'm not sure I would, because my eldest isn't that confident with certain things and I would worry about the impact. I'd imagined them being geniuses at everything, of course, like their dad.
Yup that's a sensible individual response.
Those gits over at the Mash clearly haven't read the academic paper either... http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/society/six-year-old-taken-on-term-time-holiday-will-never-catch-up-on-colouring-20160515108831
Absence requested by parents = truancy, Junkyard. That report talks about a different issue.
Junior was 18 in January. Quite nice as since then he's signed off his own absence. The school lets me know, I ignore it, nothing to do with me.