[Closed] This should stop the 'term time holiday' arguements

A "good holiday" can just as easily be had during official school holidays

Debatable. It's always more expensive, no matter if you go abroad or not. Also the thrill of travelling somewhere different and new is a very important thing for some kids. We should not dismiss the value of this experience.

There is a chalet that's run by an English couple (ex Teachers) that doesn't charge more in school holidays.

Chill chalet in Bourg st-maurice does this.

TandemJeremy - Member

Not that it has any relevance at all but when its my safety at risk then yes I will break traffic law. I will not do it for my convenience nor to save a few pennies...

Surely RLJing is all about convenience (or avoiding the inconvenience of waiting, if you prefer)?

hora - Member
Wont this new rule royally **** with Police, Fire, Nurse/Doctor and Ambulance staff's holiday plans with their kids?

I am led to believe that such people, and military as well, will still be permitted 'authorised absence' for their children if it's unavoidable.

Sussex Police have banned all leave between May and the end of September this year, so they won't be taking their kids out of school much after Easter in any event...

I suspect they all have - we're the same, and we're as far from the Olympics as any British police can get.

Also the thrill of travelling somewhere different and new is a very important thing for some kids. We should not dismiss the value of this experience.

And this is impossible during school holidays?

Sussex Police have banned all leave between May and the end of September this year, so they won't be taking their kids out of school much after Easter in any event...

Why does London need so many military/Police officers for those two weeks?

Isn't MI5/6 doing their job? Or is the above an admission that our national security really is like a leaking sieve?

Hora - because they stand on street corners in uniforms and provide a visible presence of security. Makes people feel safer. Bit like all those pointless searches at the airport.

MI5/6 can't really do their job dressed in dayglo orange vests.

Sussex have the benefit of a party conference to manage almost straight after the Olympics, too.

And this is impossible during school holidays?

For many people yes it is, due to the increased cost.

so you think cheap holidays are a sufficient reason to take children out of school? if everyone does this can you imagine the disruption?

[i]cheap holidays are a sufficient treason[/i]

treason's a bit strong a term for it 😉

I almost laughed when Italy declined to enter the race for the Olympics. 2 weeks for what? Billions. Then you have McDonalds junk food as the official sponsor.

And this is impossible during school holidays?

For many people yes it is, due to the increased cost.

I've done some rocket science about this, and incredibly the solution was "Find a cheaper holiday".

It's an incredibly complicated problem that usually only people like Stephen Hawking can fathom, so I can quite understand why most people don't realise this as an option.

so you think cheap holidays are a sufficient reason to take children out of school?

If you're poor, cheap holidays are just holidays.

I do not think everyone should do it. I do however think that in some cases it can be important. However it is clear that having the head teacher decide is a pretty difficult set-up.

[i]incredibly the solution was "Find a cheaper holiday".[/i]

😯 and 😆

I've done some rocket science about this, and incredibly the solution was "Find a cheaper holiday".

Honestly mate drop the sarcastic shite please. It adds nothing besides nastiness.

Holidays are not that cheap in the school holidays. So finding a cheaper holiday is quite hard. Plus there are a lot more people looking for them at those times.

For many people yes it is, due to the increased cost.

Well then, forego it for this year, save up some more, then take the holiday next year. Like we do for most things in life that we can't afford.

So here's another question - how important is two weeks of school out of 11 years?

For many people yes it is, due to the increased cost.

No it's not, its just that lots of people have spent more than they can afford on other things (cars, houses, 50 inch TVs, bikes etc) and an out of season holiday seems like an easy way to counterbalance that. If a holiday is so important for people then they just need to prioritise their spending a bit better.

So here's another question - how important is two weeks of school out of 11 years?

Most of the time- not really, to the pupil. As TJ says, it's about the disruption- if a significant proportion of people did it then the job of the teacher becomes more difficult, to cover missed work fro the returned pupil, or else to prepare work ahead of schedule for the pupil 'to do on holiday'. Other pupils suffer, due to loss of contact time, which isn't fair.

So here's another question - how important is two weeks of school out of 11 years?

Trouble is, its more likely to be 2 weeks off school per year for 11 years.

its just that lots of people have spent more than they can afford on other things (cars, houses, 50 inch TVs, bikes etc)

True, but lots of people haven't.

Plus it's the kids I am talking about, not the parents.

if a significant proportion of people did it then the job of the teacher becomes more difficult

Agreed, but a significant portion don't do it currently do they?

Agreed, but a significant portion don't do it currently do they?

I think the point is that in some schools it is getting to the point where it is significant. It certainly seems more socially acceptable than it was previously.

Mind, in some schools the problem is less a week here and there, but where children, already disadvantaged due to language problems, head back to their parents home country for extended periods. The fallout from one or two cases like this in a class can be enormous.

Holidays are not that cheap in the school holidays.

Do campsites and youth hostels put their prices up massively for school holidays then? And supermarkets?

[i]Trouble is, its more likely to be 2 weeks off school per year for 11 years. [/i]

which is more than half an academic year in total.

grum - campsites do tend to yes (well the summer, xmas probably not as much).

Maybe I'm getting old, and my power of recollection is faulty. But I feel pretty confident that when I went to school, 99% of kids went on holiday during the allotted holiday period. Obviously everyone was richer then so it wasn't a problem.

99% of kids went on holiday during the allotted holiday period

Do you mean only 1% of kids went on holiday in term time?

Cos I'm fairly sure only about 20-30% of kids at my school went on holiday at all.

"if a significant proportion of people did it then the job of the teacher becomes more difficult"

Agreed, but a significant portion don't do it currently do they?

But if its OK for one then its OK for everyone.

Or are we back to - "its OK for nice middle class people to go to tuscany but not for chavs to go to Majorca"

Maybe I'm getting old, and my power of recollection is faulty. But I feel pretty confident that when I went to school, 99% of kids went on holiday during the allotted holiday period. Obviously everyone was richer then so it wasn't a problem.

My dad has a habit of saving (hoarding!) paperwork.

This also involves keeping pages from Holiday Brochures of the places we went on holiday.

Comparing now with 20 odd years ago, the premium for School Holidays bookings has increased by a huge amount.

.
We always went during the school holidays, but that's more than likely because in those days, you didn't have to bend over and "take one for the team" in order to book during the School Holidays

(at least not like you have to now !!)

Plus it's the kids I am talking about, not the parents.

Holidays do not have to be in a 5 star hotel in a far away land all the time. As grum says campsites, petrol, food are not seasonal. Indeed ferries are not massively more expensive in the holidays.

I am not rich but I can manage to get away in the Summer and Easter holidays. My lads holiday experience has not been noticeably damaged by the fact that it was in the school holidays or that we lived in a van or camped and didn't eat out every night.

When I was at school some twenty years ago from my class I remember someone going to Australia for 6 weeks, a third or so of the class would go away in June time (not all the same week) before the harvest (farming area), > 50% would take the day off to go to the Lincolnshire show. It's not a new thing and the class just carried on as normal.

Comparing now with 20 odd years ago, the premium for School Holidays bookings has increased by a huge amount.

I'd wager that the affordability was less 20 years ago though.

Do you mean only 1% of kids went on holiday in term time?

Cos I'm fairly sure only about 20-30% of kids at my school went on holiday at all.

Yes, and Yes 🙂

But as long as we had a lump of coal to chew on we were happy 😀

But if its OK for one then its OK for everyone.

All this stuff about taking the kids on an educational holiday is just bllox. If nice middle class families can take their kids on educational trips to Tuscany then surely chavs should be allowed to have days out of school so they can hang around on street corners drinking cheap cider and going on the rob in Asda?

I mean it'll be really educational won't it? They'll learn about the short-comings of a free market economy, liver disease, the first stages of alcoholism, the judiciary and the criminal justice system.

Our education system is fundamentally free but there are conditions attached. If you don't like those conditions then put your kids in a fee paying school. Then see how much money is left over for skiing holidays.

Why mention the emergency services and the military? I don't know anyone in the Forces or any police who take their kids on holidays outside the norm.

So, what do all the kids who holiday in the term time do during their school holidays?

Work, to pay off the term time breaks?
Go on other holidays?
Hang around the skatepark rolling up and drinking cider?

As grum says campsites, petrol, food are not seasonal. Indeed ferries are not massively more expensive in the holidays.

The ones I'm looking at are (as well as having gone up massively since last year). Most campsites are seasonal too.

My problem with this is the blanket nature of it. Taking a nipper out of reception for the last week of the summer term is clearly not the same as taking a 15 year old out for two weeks in the middle of a term.

And all the people comparing holidays to tellies and cars and stuff are mental, those things are the same price all year round.

The ones I'm looking at are (as well as having gone up massively since last year). Most campsites are seasonal too.

I went to France last year in August, the ferry return price with car was £70 - campsites were far from extortionate.

(edit: still seems to be pretty cheap - http://www.dfdsseaways.co.uk/ )

I went to France last year in August, the ferry return price with car was £70 - campsites were far from extortionate

How much did the whole trip cost?

I think many people here are imagining chavs living it up on state benefits in some Costa del Craphole high rise hotel when they ought to be working.

I'm sure that happens, but it's not the whole story so don't use it as a straw man.

I went to France last year in August, the ferry return price with car was £70 - campsites were far from extortionate.

Can't seem to get DFDS down below £140 in August, seem to be able to manage £70 in term time though. And yes, campsites are relatively cheap, but still cheaper outside peak times (ie school holidays).

Surprising though it may seem, we've spent hours looking at ferry/camping prices. The holiday we're planning to take (the same one as last year because we had a lovely time) costs considerably more starting the first week of the school holidays compared to the last week of term whichever route we take.

Not wishing to pick on a provider (they are all at it) but try reserving a few weeks at Bluestone in Pembrokeshire. The prices vary week by week, and are considerably more in holidays. Supply and demand I guess - maybe they even lower the prices a touch if they aren't booked by a certain date, automated booking systems can do that easily I'd have thought.

That said we have booked a long weekend due to an INSET day in our area not coinciding with their calendar. It was well over £100 cheaper than the following public holiday weekend.

Oh, Isle of Wight ferries too. Far more expensive in summer. As were all the rental properties. As were all the campsites.

I can't believe anyone is really denying it?

Can't seem to get DFDS down below £140 in August, seem to be able to manage £70 in term time though. And yes, campsites are relatively cheap, but still cheaper outside peak times (ie school holidays).

[img] [/img]

And the campsite I was in in France is 21 euros a night for a family of four in July and August, as opposed to 17 the rest of the year (there was some others we went to that were a lot cheaper/more basic). Petrol and food cost the same all year. So including the slightly more expensive ferry a difference of maybe £12.50 per person to take a week camping in France in July/August as opposed to earlier/later in the year?

You could get plenty of cultural experience/language skills that way too. Just saying - it's not that you can't have a cheap trip in school holidays, it's that you can't have any trip you want for cheap in school holidays.