Schools are levying more 'holiday fines' on parents

I think a week in a foreign culture or some wild county is multitudes more educational than a week at school.
Most of the time, a weeks worth of schooling can be caught up within a few hrs of proper tuition.

I guess the problem is if the child is taken to some generic drinking holiday type destination, then my view fails hard. Also I guess not all parents have the option, ability or desire to help with a few hrs extra tuition either, to help catch up.

It could be problematic for the shcool/teachers too, if a pupil miss's some vital talk/deadline, or introduction to a project, that could be awkward and time consuming to go over again, or maybe not even possible.
The fines are silly, only a frustration for those who have to pay, as I'm sure you'd pay far more than £50 extra to go away outside of term time.
 
Dolph said:
I do wonder how much of this attitude towards school relates to the idea that schooling is 'free' and 'a right' rather than something you do to help your kids for the future by investing in them...
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Try taking your kids out of school.
 
semi-pro waster said:
I very much doubt that my holidays inconvenienced a single other child at my school(s) and as for creating extra work - I was just told what chapter(s) the class would be studying so I could go off and do the homework in advance.
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So by reading a chapter you can understand it and catch up? I very much doubt that. Bits you learn are often refereed to later on. Which is when teachers have to help these kids out more. My dad was a teacher and they all complained about kids on holidays as well as many other things about the school system. Kids should be in school at term times regardless. Except for abnormal circumstances. Deaths, illness and the like.

semi-pro waster said:
And if your idea of a good time isn't going off the beaten track but equally isn't being swamped by other holidaymakers?
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Tough luck, it's a privilege not a right. We can't all do what we want, when we want. Society does not work like that.

However it is a right for all kids to have a good education, regardless of how stupid there parents are. Many parents would be fine for their kids never to go to school.

Also remember these fines are for unauthorised ones. Not that any should be authorised. What would you rather have than a fine? Community service? slap on the wrist?
 
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why dont they just have different times of holidays in different school districts. alternating every year so that one area doesnt get the best weeks all of the time
 
Honestly can't see the problem, I used to do it every year and take a week out of school, my teachers never had a problem with it and my parents made me get the weeks work for each subject and do it on the plane etc. Once left my geography book in the pouch on a plane :( so much handwriting lost forever :(
 
I had several holidays during term time as a kid and it never did me any harm, in fact I was consistently top of my class. My mum struggled to get holiday time during school breaks because almost everyone else in her office had kids, so instead we went away over family birthdays.

Our holidays were always planned way in advance and my parents spoke to my teachers to get homework which I was forced to do. I don't remember ever struggling with work I'd been given, and that includes 2 weeks for a family wedding in Canada in second year of high school. I didn't even fall behind after taking a week off in 4th year when my grandmother died.
 
kylew said:
Try taking your kids out of school.
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I never said that the cause of such feelings was exclusively the parents, there is certainly an element of unintended consequences from the actions of the state involved.

It is difficult to take your kid out of school
It is difficult for the school to remove your kid if their presence is a detriment

Are we noticing a pattern?
 
I actually told my sons teacher (hes 3) in May last year that we were taking him on a 2 week holiday to florida in September (with the second week being the start of his 2nd year at nursery)

She looked disgusted, and said I had to APPLY in writing for leave to the headmistress.

After doing this, and using a 'Would it be possible' template letter, I got a phone call from the headmistress to say that she wasn't happy, and that the 7 days leave would be put down on his record as some 'NON approved leave' - even though he was only 3 at the time.:rolleyes:

Now considering the nursery only had 7 children in it, and the second year were phased in over 3 weeks in the September/october, I was pretty annoyed at the pettyness of them....and the fact our Education minister took her Daughter out during term time on a Tax paid excursion (after moaning about parents taking kids out)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2009/may/19/education-minister-daughter-unauthorised-holiday

Once school starts - I don't intend taking him out at all.
 
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Is it different in NI, how can a nursery say that.

if it was primary school. That would be normal. Most schools will only allow one week a year and not at key stages.
 
whole load of fuss over nothing.

the kids should be capable of catching up with work, and the curriculum shouldn't be so narrow that you need every scrap of lesson in the exam.
 
BigglesPiP said:
whole load of fuss over nothing.

the kids should be capable of catching up with work, and the curriculum shouldn't be so narrow that you need every scrap of lesson in the exam.
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This is unauthorised holidays. Many parents will take their kids out of school multiple times, that is not a good thing. Schools allow one holiday to be taken an non critical times.

Kids need protecting and £50 is far to small a punishment. We are talking about kids futures and if they miss critical weeks it can have very bad. Which is why schools don't authorise holidays at those points.
 
AcidHell2 said:
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I think that's a very over simplistic view.

I agree that education should be viewed as a privilege not a right but by the same token, I strongly believe that a balance between work rest and play is absolutely essential for all children.

My 8 year old is in a class of around 35 children to 1 teacher. So I believe the education system is failing him there. As such he regularly has an hour of home work or more a night and a good few hours at weekend. Why, Because he is behind in class ? Far from it. He consistently over achieves in his work and his SAT's suggest he is advanced for his age. Without bragging he is the brightest in his class. How much is enough though ? Where do we draw the line on putting pressure on children to perform academically even at this early time of life. There are many occasions where we have stopped him playing or going out in the fresh air just so he can complete his home work.

My conscience is perfectly clear about taking him out for the odd day here or there if it means he is well balanced, well experienced and well rewarded for the effort he puts into his study
 
My wife works for Capita servicing the primary level numeracy and literacy contracts. Apparently the "official line" is that a child can be out of school for up to 5 days per term with the agreement of the school. This is sperate to sick leave.
 
Oh, I see.

Possibly an issue then, but the real fine is the lost education to the child. Advantage to those who attend, disadvantage to me because my school didn't run the GCSEs I wanted to take.
 
Loki said:
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Home work is not for kids whoa re behind it is an essential part of education. I agree with many of the other points. we start kids to early, put to much pressure on them and class sizes are to big. But that doesn't mean removing kids from school for holiday is good or needed.

Anyway this fine is for UNAUTHORISED holidays. Either they have already had time of or are trying to take a holiday at what is considered a critical time. In these cases the kids certainly need protecting from their parents.
 
Dolph said:
I never said that the cause of such feelings was exclusively the parents, there is certainly an element of unintended consequences from the actions of the state involved.

It is difficult to take your kid out of school
It is difficult for the school to remove your kid if their presence is a detriment

Are we noticing a pattern?
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We? Are you talking about me?

My point behind "try to take your kids out of school" was in response to you saying "the idea that schooling is 'free' and 'a right' rather than something you do to help your kids for the future by investing in them"

When you're FORCED to send your kids to school, why would you even say such a thing?

Parents get prosecuted when their kids refuse to go to school, regardless of if the parents are doing all they can, or nothing to try and get them in to school.
 
AcidHell2 said:
Home work is not for kids whoa re behind it is an essential part of education. I agree with many of the other points. we start kids to early, put to much pressure on them and class sizes are to big. But that doesn't mean removing kids from school for holiday is good or needed.

Anyway this fine is for UNAUTHORISED holidays. Either they have already had time of or are trying to take a holiday at what is considered a critical time.
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UNAUTHORISED!

Who gives a monkeys **** if its unauthorised.

Where or when did the child enter into formal contract of employment? Same day the signed up to be a citizen is it?

The child belongs to the parents, and at the end of the day their descision should be final. We do not need state intervention here.

We need to shoot scum.
 
Well as I see it, it's your choice to have children, so you can't moan when you get fined to take them out of school when they should be there? Seems straightforward to me.
 
Biohazard said:
Where did the child enter into formal contract of employment?

.
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UK law to give kids education. Which is a very good thing.
You can not have kids missing loads of term time or critical periods.

You think parents should be allowed to take their kids out of school for 4 weeks a term? or just before exam periods? Of course they shouldn't be allowed.

If the holiday is reasonable it is authorised.
Biohazard said:
The child belongs to the parents, and at the end of the day their descision should be final. We do not need state intervention here.
.
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What! Think what you are saying. It must be ok to abuse kids then.
We have laws to protect kids from their parents, education is one such law.
 
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