[Closed] Taking the kids out of school to going skiing. Opinions?

Or when they waste weeks practicing for the school play

You realise that this is a learning experience too, right?

Of course do it. How dare anyone make rules that get in the way of what you want to do. Teach the kids sense of entitlement at a young enough age and they'll never lose it.

[quote=imnotverygood ]Of course do it. How dare anyone make rules that get in the way of what you want to do. Teach the kids sense of entitlement at a young enough age and they'll never lose it.Especially if you can afford to pay the fines. Different for those poor folk like. They don't deserve any term time holidays if they've never been clever enough to end up in a decent job.

Well she met French people, tried out her stock French, learnt some more French, and ate some French food. Plus she learnt a bit about the mountains, sports, the outdoors, travel, currency, and the physics of sliding about on solid water

All of which is available during the school holidays.

Especially if you can afford to pay the fines

All of which is available during the school holidays.

not for a 3rd of the price though. 😉

not for a 3rd of the price though.

Get a better job, then.

And how much school education do your recall from the age of four? You can't have that both ways.

I'm not claiming to recall anything from it, but I'm hoping it was formative in the education that followed.

My priority is my kids and that is exactly why i take them out for a week every year cycling and trekking on the west coast of Scotland, the ultimate university of life.

Do you need to take them out of school for that?

In my experience it is the teachers that don't give a toss about them.

Funnily enough, I'm writing this now because it's the Monday after half term and Mrs Pondo has spent the last couple of evenings in tears after working all day Friday, Saturday and Sunday (we were away before then, had to chose the holiday we could afford because teachers can't take leave to take holidays when they're cheaper - hey, it's just how life is, right?), and faces another term of monster workloads trying to get kids grades they (and their parents) don't seem interested in working for, because if the kids don't get the grades, that affects her career. So, you know, I wouldn't say teachers don't give a toss - some don't, I've no doubt, there are lazy and ****less people in all walks of life. But not all, not by a long chalk.

Spending time with your kids and giving them support will take them further in life than a week in a year of school...

All of which is available during the school holidays.

And, except for the bit about solid water, all available on all inclusive holidays on the med.

[quote=griffiths1000 ]

All of which is available during the school holidays.

And except for the bit about solid water all available on all inclusive holidays on the med.

...which is easily solved with a trip to your local ice-skating rink.

Teach the kids sense of entitlement at a young enough age and they'll never lose it.

Is that better or worse than teaching them to be unquestioningly servile and conformist?

Different for those poor folk like. They don't deserve any term time holidays if they've never been clever enough to end up in a decent job.

The whole point of taking them out of school is to make the holiday more affordable. Arguing that only rich people can do that is a bit odd.

The rich can afford to holiday where and when they want, and will have their kids in private schools that don't care if you take them out for a week as long as you keep paying the fees.

The whole point of taking them out of school is to make the holiday more affordable.

Most kids seem to love going camping.

Most kids seem to love going camping.

Indeed, and we camp regularly during the summer. Not so much in February though.

And that is what it boils down to,money. I have 42 periods left with my Higher class,all of which are accounted for. I would suggest that going for a weeks holiday is going to impact on their education. I would suggest that,but what do I know? I am just a teacher. Your child can come up to me and ask for the 5 hours of lessons that they missed,several handouts should cover it according to some on this thread.

Have not read all the threads but as usual IMO bureaucrats should not be given controlled over private life.

The children are the parents' responsibility so they can decide what's good or bad for them especially if they fee paying.

If they are not paying fee i.e. free school whatever they called nowadays, then the parents should abide by the rules.

As for the teacher they cannot simply relinquish their responsibilities to teach just because they want to go for a holiday. They have to teach whether there is a full class or with few missing. Their contract is to teach and they must fulfill that part of their contract.

How hard can that be?

As for poor results the parents should not blame the school or teachers if they prefer to go for holidays more often then allowed. However, if the teachers are teaching hardheartedly by saying that the few absenteeism demotivate him/her to teach then that teacher should get another job.

FFS! Bureaucrats should not be in controlled of private life. 🙄

I don't really care if it's educational (it's not obviously), it's bloody good fun and the kids loved it. That's all that counts in my book. It'd be different if they were 16 year-olds sitting GCSEs but they're 10 and 7 so not going to miss much, and even then I reckon taking a week out of GCSE study is not very difficult to catch up. I appreciate the argument that it's disruptive to the other kids/teachers but really is it? How is life going to change for either if my kids aren't in school? Not that I've taken the kids out though. Mrs Daz doesn't agree with me so we're stuck with spending 4k for a week's holiday. Bloody ridiculous.

rewski, is that all it is? i thought it was a tiered fine system that charged much more??

£120 vs paying 2x or 3x cost is a no brainer.

rewski, is that all it is? i thought it was a tiered fine system that charged much more??

£120 vs paying 2x or 3x cost is a no brainer.

Indeed, and we camp regularly during the summer. Not so much in February though.

So all this comes down to is you want two holidays per year but can't afford it, so you're inventing a spurious justification.

Most kids seem to love going camping.

There are also any other sporting activities cheaper than skiing.

Have not read all the threads but as usual IMO bureaucrats should not be given controlled over private life.

The children are the parents' responsibility so they can decide what's good or bad for them especially if they fee paying.

I assume your children are home-schooled?

Because of course if you take your kids out for a few days "you dont give a toss" do you

I think that's a reasonable conclusion, yes.

Is your response to me who took my son out for 4 days. Pretty unambiguous, yes?

However slightly more nuanced when it comes to

So, you know, I wouldn't say teachers don't give a toss - some don't, I've no doubt, there are lazy and ****less people in all walks of life. But not all, not by a long chalk.

Can you clarify

I have 42 periods left with my Higher class,all of which are accounted for. I would suggest that going for a weeks holiday is going to impact on their education. I would suggest that,but what do I know? I am just a teacher.

Indeed - and when my daughter is doing Highers/GCSEs/A-levels/whatever then I certainly won't be taking her out of school.

But as she is FOUR I kind of assumed that missing five days was a bit less critical, no?

So all this comes down to is you want two holidays per year but can't afford it, so you're inventing a spurious justification.

I don't understand why a justification is required. It's bloody good fun in a fantastic environment, that's it. Is having two holidays a year really too much to ask? If you can bring down the price of this for no real impact then why not?

This year a weeks skiing, what next year? It's a slippery slope.

I often wonder how people would react if their childs teachers took time off work during term time to go skiing with their families.

Think they call those days, cough, "teacher training days" 😛

This year a weeks skiing, what next year? It's a slippery slope.

Two weeks skiing? 🙂

But as she is FOUR I kind of assumed that missing five days was a bit less critical, no?

Surely, no legal requirement to have her attend school at 4?
so you're in the clear 🙂

Maybe not a legal requirement but some schools have rules where if you take your kids out without permission you risk losing their place in the school. At least the last school my kids were in did.

ransos - Member
I assume your children are home-schooled?

Nope. No children for me.

However, my niece & nephews are both fee paying and at one point home-schooled because they came from different education system in the far east. They had to home schooled because they did their AS-level only to be told they needed GCSE at certain grades for the degree they intend to study. So after scoring many As in AS-level they had to redo their GCSE again ...

Teachers are there to teach but it is up to the parents to decide if they want their children to be taught. Simple.

Should've stuck in at school, got better results and a better paid job

That's not exactly how it works though, is it? Better results don't automatically equate to a better job (and we're talking marginal differences in results here, if any). I know a fair few graduates who've almost made it to retirement age without holding down a proper job. Most skills are learnt on a general day to day basis, inside and outside of school, and if you hone them well they will far outshine any educational grades.

I don't like to see money equated to success either. Who is out enjoying themselves skiing while everyone else is in the daily grind? 😉

My eldest starts kindergarten - "reception" (5yr old) next September.
December through till the end of March, we will be pulling him out of school 1 day a week and putting him into a Monday ski school program.
Before you berate me, thats 15 sessions of being active outside, where as when you factor in bank holidays and inset days, he only misses 6 days of school.
Keeps his weekends free to go mountain biking too 😉

So all this comes down to is you want two holidays per year but can't afford it, so you're inventing a spurious justification.

Do I need to justify wanting to spend time with my kids in a fun environment?

FWIW our winter holiday is our big holiday. In the summer we generally go camping and do breaks within the UK.

Surely, no legal requirement to have her attend school at 4?
so you're in the clear

Not according to her school. Their advice was that they wouldn't report us for a "first offence", but it would "be held on record" and considered if there were further offences in future years. 🙄

(which there probably will be 😈 )

The school is wrong then.

Anyway given that I agree you don't need to justify wanting to spend time with your kids in a fun environment, why the spurious justifications? Just admit that's it and agree to disagree with those who don't.

Do I need to justify wanting to spend time with my kids in a fun environment?

I dunno, do you? (*skim reads thread*...yes, yes it seems you do)

[quote=butcher ]

Should've stuck in at school, got better results and a better paid job

surfer -

I think that's a reasonable conclusion, yes.

Is your response to me who took my son out for 4 days. Pretty unambiguous, yes?

However slightly more nuanced when it comes to

So, you know, I wouldn't say teachers don't give a toss - some don't, I've no doubt, there are lazy and ****less people in all walks of life. But not all, not by a long chalk.

Can you clarify

In my experience it is the teachers that don't give a toss about them.

Funnily enough, I'm writing this now because it's the Monday after half term and Mrs Pondo has spent the last couple of evenings in tears after working all day Friday, Saturday and Sunday (we were away before then, had to chose the holiday we could afford because teachers can't take leave to take holidays when they're cheaper - hey, it's just how life is, right?), and faces another term of monster workloads trying to get kids grades they (and their parents) don't seem interested in working for, because if the kids don't get the grades, that affects her career. So, you know, I wouldn't say teachers don't give a toss - some don't, I've no doubt, there are lazy and ****less people in all walks of life. But not all, not by a long chalk.

Despite my deeply held inverse snobbery about skiing, I honestly don't think I would feel too guilty about taking my four year old out of school for a week.

I'm sure she will be able to catch up on her finger painting later.

GrahamS - Member

Not according to her school. Their advice was that they wouldn't report us for a "first offence", but it would "be held on record" and considered if there were further offences in future years.

(which there probably will be )

FFS! When are schools given the power to decide if the parents have broken the law? Why are they given the power to judge? Are they trying to emulate the private parking charges?

When are schools given the right to decide if the parents are offenders just because they decide to take them out for holidays.

You lot are truly screwed by the bureaucrats who intend to place blames on parents ...

Anyone here think that the bureaucrats i.e. education system, should take responsibility for their children well-being are simply delusional. They don't give a toss about your children apart from blaming you for their own job security. Wake up!

🙄

The kids who miss my lessons to go on holiday get given any worksheets they missed, are reminded that they have a copy of the textbook and access to Google, and that they need to understand what they missed in order to understand the following work. Then told to have a nice evening/weekend.

why the spurious justification? Just admit that's it and agree to disagree with those who don't.

I'm happy/settled with our decision to take her out.

I started the thread because I was interested to hear what others thought and get alternate points of view, even if I don't agree with them.

To my mind the justification is only "spurious" in that it isn't required.

I believe that taking her out was a net benefit to her. That's my honest "justification" to myself and I wouldn't have done it if I thought otherwise.

Are the rules different in that Scotland? As if she was 4 she's not mandatory anyway. Wouldn't think twice about it at that age.

When I added up the possible fines for my lot it looked like holidaying in holidays was sound economic sense 😀

Not according to her school. Their advice was that they wouldn't report us for a "first offence", but it would "be held on record" and considered if there were further offences in future years.

Check, and double check the rules. Then tell them to do one.

<official advice from Mrs B, Foundation Stage Leader of 20 Early Years experience>

and faces another term of monster workloads trying to get kids grades they (and their parents) don't seem interested in working for, because if the kids don't get the grades, that affects her career

I know a few teachers, and have huge sympathy with them, but it's the career they chose at the end of the day. Looking at it the other way, should you expect parents to fork out an extra 2k for a holiday in order to make the teachers life a little easier and to show solidarity with them? The problem is silly target-based educational methods, not selfish parents.

miketually - Member

The kids who miss my lessons to go on holiday get given any worksheets they missed, are reminded that they have a copy of the textbook and access to Google, and that they need to understand what they missed in order to understand the following work. Then told to have a nice evening/weekend.

You have done good there by reminding them. If you don't you are still in the right because the parents decide to have their children miss class so it is their responsibility to catch up themselves.