Taking kids on holiday during term time (4 Viewers)

[clint van damme]

I've had stats come from my own kids schools showing a direct correlation of absenteeism and dropping results from kids. They all push for kids to be in school as that's where they're supposed to be when its open to maximise their chances of learning.
Saving a couple of hundred quid on a holiday isn't really a good enough reason to keep your kids off school in my eyes.

there's a balance though. I believe that family holidays are really important.
A chance to relax and discover a new environment together.

 

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[jimmyhillsfanclub]

there's a balance though. I believe that family holidays are really important.
A chance to relax and discover a new environment together.

Agree hols are important but they don't have to be a fortnight all inclusive blow out somewhere hot do they..... The family time is the most important factor......so if the school say no but the parents still go then fine.....but people should stump up the fine imposed and not come up with sly and underhand plots to escape it.

 

[scottccfc]

I think most head teachers use common sense, if you have a good attendance rate and not trouble at school they will more than likely let you have the time off, we asked and was granted 3 days before whitsun half term, what were the going to achieve in those 3 days! They probably learnt more away socialising with foreign kids

 

[shmmeee]

Doubt its to do with rich vs poor with regards to reading ability in holiday times. More to do with parents ensuring that their kids do some reading instead of sitting on games consoles all day when they're off school. Rich or poor doesn't come into it, parenting does.

Rich vs poor and good parenting often correlate TBF. Parents that can provide days out, reading material, time and energy to do structured activities are often middle class types, children in poverty particularly often have less structure to their lives, less space and quiet to read or do homework, and bluntly often have less of a push for education at home. All kinds of complex reasons that's the case, it's not a value judgement on the parents. Could be shift work, working two jobs, substance abuse issues, single parent who is overworked, just general lack of organisational ability. On the whole it's fair to say that people who value education, have a strong work ethic and are well organised tend to take those attributes into their work and not be stuck in poverty. One exception to this rule is recent immigrants that tend to be in poverty but bring with them a strong work ethic and value of education (because those are the types of people to move to another country to better themselves, not because they're foreign. Most lazy foreigners don't make it over here). Generalisations obviously, but you don't make policy for a few outliers.

 

[shmmeee]

Agree hols are important but they don't have to be a fortnight all inclusive blow out somewhere hot do they..... The family time is the most important factor......so if the school say no but the parents still go then fine.....but people should stump up the fine imposed and not come up with sly and underhand plots to escape it.

Isn't there an argument about who has the right to parent their child though? Isn't that why we allow private schools? As long as you don't over step the line to depriving them of an education, what's the issue? Are we really saying believing experience trumps two weeks of watching cartoons (what my daughter has been doing the last two weeks) is tantamount to child abuse?

The correlation between time off and achievement is more about the types of kid that miss a lot of school than any causal link IMO, I've not seen research that says otherwise. What I have seen is inconclusive, and like a lot of research done on uni students and extrapolated. What I do know is that schools often lose two weeks worth of lessons in a subject without a second thought through special days or revision sessions, and I know that most teachers if you asked them would only rarely say it would have a lasting impact if a kid missed two weeks. Anecdotal, sure, but as I say I've not seen decent proof the other way either.

(besides I was only thinking of 4 nights)

 

[no_loyalty]

I'm lucky that I can take my daughter away on holiday whenever I want to as she is home educated, when she was in the school system we were always refused permission to take her out of school for a holiday during term time, she was also marked absent when we had to regularly take her out of school early for medical appointments, every term her absence record was poor, we argued with the school and showed them proof of the appointments but they refused to change their policy, so in the end we took her out of school. We hope by the time she is 11, she is well enough to go to secondary school

 

[Ian1779]

What I do know is that schools often lose two weeks worth of lessons in a subject without a second thought through special days or revision sessions, and I know that most teachers if you asked them would only rarely say it would have a lasting impact if a kid missed two weeks. Anecdotal, sure, but as I say I've not seen decent proof the other way either.

(besides I was only thinking of 4 nights)

I agree with this entirely - especially as being part of a school that has a big push on 'enrichment' - they are lots of students that regularly miss whole days or part days for these activities... so in the grand scheme of things missing a week to spend with your family is nothing IMO.