Now here’s the thing. In the past, we have been able to put in requests for term-time holidays – and ours have always been approved. I think this is down to a combination of factors – my children have perfect attendance records, they have been progressing well at school, and we have never taken the mickey – it has been one holiday a year, almost always tagged onto the end of a school holiday – meaning the children miss a day or 2 at most. This system has always worked well, and we have been able to treat our children, and ourselves, to a holiday most years.
But this year will be different. This year I cannot request holiday from the school – because it is now against the law.
For us, and many other parents, this poses a huge problem. In short, we simply cannot afford to take our children away in peak season. It will also prove almost impossible for every parent in the country to take leave from work at the same time. What this means is that many families simply will not be getting a holiday this year.
We have already booked our family break this summer. It will involve the children missing 2 days of term. Do I care? In all honesty – no, I don’t. The first 2 days of the new term will not involve any critical or important work. In fact, they will probably learn more in those 2 days on the beach than they would in a classroom. We can teach them about the tides, the life cycle of a hermit crab, and how to count up enough pennies for an ice-cream. Experiences they will miss out on if we adhere to the new law.
In my eyes, the new law is just plain ridiculous. It doesn’t take into account the needs of the child, or the family as a whole. The Education Act 1996 rules that parents are required to ‘ensure their children attend school regularly, or face a fine or jail’. I do send my children to school regularly – come rain or shine, come coughs, colds and dark dreary days where no-one wants to leave their beds, my children will be at school, on time and ready to learn. Taking my child on holiday for a few days does NOT count as failure to send them to school regularly.
So yes, we will be breaking the law this year – and I am proud of that fact. We will be providing our children with experiences – and you can’t put a price on that.
Its so difficult … We’ve never had a choice & have always had to holiday in the school holidays – which means Dave & I have had two holidays in the last 11 years. We just can’t afford it.
The issue is not with the schools imo its the holiday companies.
Very good point. The holiday companies make it impossible for most ‘normal’ families to afford a break. I know we couldn’t afford a peak season holiday. It’s very sad. I have fantastic memories from family holidays when I was small, and I want my children to be able to experience the same.
I honestly don’t know when our three will get to experience that. Knowing that we have only had two holidays in over a decade suggests it won’t be any time soon that’s for sure!
That’s a shame, and I am sure many others will be in the same boat. I am taking advantage of it now, while my children are still small – in a couple of years I won’t be comfortable with taking Gemma out of school as she will be at a more crucial stage of school.
Good for you!!!!!
I’ve booked our holiday for term time too this year. OK Emmy is only at Nursery so I’m actually allowed to and hers has been approved by the school but why not?
I will do it because I can and why should I have to spend double the price to go away a few weeks later?
I agree with you. I would never put my child’s education at risk, and I don’t believe I am doing so by taking them on a holiday. It is so important to be able to provide your child with that experience, and I think that so may families will sadly miss out now. It’s a shame.
I hope you and Emmy have a fabulous holiday.
we are just back from a weeks skiing in the french alps, our two missed 4 days of school and I don’t see this as an issue, they are both at primary school and I won’t do it when they are in important years, they are taking in new cultures, getting exercise and learning a sport……we have just priced up the same holiday a week earlier at New years this year and it is more than double, how is that fair 🙁
It’s not fair. It’s discrimination at the hands of the government. I am so pleased you managed to share those experiences with your children – and I agree wholeheartedly. School is imortant, no-one disputes that, but so is family time.
I fully agree that the whole idea of holidays being during school holidays is ridiculous. The government has single handedly killed the notion of a family holiday. We are going on holiday during the May school holiday and only because we were able to book privately, not with the holiday company.
This is the trouble – people won’t be able to get holidays as everyone is clamouring for the same few weeks!
I think this new law is ridiculous. A few times when I was younger I missed a couple of days school for holiday and it didn’t affect me in the slightest. I think that this will mean a lot of people will neglect to go on holiday anymore and I think this is a shame – surely everyone needs a break sometimes? Unfortunately, people won’t be able to afford it – actual school holiday prices are extortionate.
This government is utterly clueless.
It is ridiculous, and I hope they realise that soon and abolish it.
Its such a difficult situation and holiday companies are aware of this and charge ridiculous prices in school holidays.I guess if kids are very young it may be ok to miss school but not once they are older as they miss critical school lessons.
i am not looking forward to this matter when finn stars school in sept because we always go to see my parents in germany for quite a few weeks at the time and only twice a year so i guess i now need to look closer when we can book and for how long. not sure they give penalties for reception kids but next year may when i get married in germany we will be there for at least a few weeks,…. its silly really!!
I agree with you taking your children out of school, I took my son out of school in September, he is in year 2 and I took him for a full week but this has been the only time I have, his attendance in high, he is always on time in correct uniform and he is above average in his class – I do believe education is important but this was a trip with his immediate family plus his grandparents and aunt and its important to me he has this time with his family that he now doesn’t see as often. Whilst he’s in primary school I will continue to take him out of school for a few days in the year if it suits our family. The cost of holidays is too difficult to ignore, whilst the government say its not a reason to miss school it clearly is, Centre Parcs at Easter half term was £729 yet a week later was £329 for the same accommodation! Currently children have 12 weeks compulsory holiday, I wish they would make it just 10 and allow parents two weeks that were flexible to their own needs xx
That would be a much better way to do it – reduce the school hols slightly then allow parents to ‘choose’ the rest of their time off. Much more flexible.
Good luck! It doesn’t affect kids’ education if they have a good attendance record, as yours do. Our school banned term time holidays a few years ago, so we haven’t had one since my eldest was in year 2 (he’s now in year 8). We’re lucky that we are able to afford holidays in the school holidays, although the prices are disgusting – why should they be nearly twice as much?!
The prices shouldn’t be so high, it’s just greed.
We have always been able to go away during the holidays but this year we will have to go to a family wedding during term time. I feel guilty but some things can’t be missed. Needs must as they say
A family wedding is an important occasion, and like you say, it shouldn’t be missed.
Oh this is just pathetic isn’t it! Children can benefity from a holiday and if it’s the difference between having one and not! As long as exams aren’t imminent and it’s not all the time then I think it should be allowed! Barmy in my opinion! 🙂
Barmy in my opinion too – children can benefit so much from a family holiday!
fabulous picture and again i agree with all who stick by the fact children should be entitled to a holiday as long as it does not effect their exam/sats . i think children should learn other cultures and religions , it helps them understand different types of people in all areas of the world and i think it helps them to grow up with a friendship to all ethnic backgrounds x
Good for you!! I know lots of people who will be taking their kids out of school during the term and I agree with them! My friend would have to pay an extra £800 to take the holiday during the summer holidays! She’s quite happy to pay the 2 £60 fines she’ll have!! #PoCoLo
It is a tough one, but the problem isn;t with the school but with the cost of holidays. I understand your point of view, but the truth is if everyone takes a holiday when they feel like it, and when is more convenient to them, schools will have to deal with a lot of absentee children, time lost on reteaching material, etc. It’s annoying, and no I can’t afford a holiday every year and yes it would be nicer if I could, but honestly it’s not the schools fault and you shouldn’t take it out on other children and teachers (who, by the way also only take their vacations when there is no school. How would you feel about your son’s teacher missing a week of school just so she could go to the beach?) Take it out where it belongs – with the holiday companies.
Oh I am not blaming the school – far from it. I am blaming the government and the greedy holiday companies. As a teaching assistant myself I appreciate the disruption it can cause, but I do think we would be better going back to how it used to be – it worked!
Oh I am not blaming the school – far from it. I am blaming the government and the greedy holiday companies. As a teaching assistant myself I appreciate the disruption it can cause, but I do think we would be better going back to how it used to be – it worked!
I completely agree with you. So long as you don’t take the mickey then I really can’t understand what harm it would do! The ruddy holiday companies don’t help either though :S Thank you for linking to PoCoLo x
I 100% agree and I am doing the same. My 9 year old is missing the first 2 days of term (thu and fri) and going back to school on the Monday…. It’s either that – or no holiday!!!
The really odd thing about the whole situation is that there is no legal requirement for you to send your child to school, just to educate them. You can happily and legally home school, taking them on human when ever you want. So if you don’t have to send them to a school why on earth should you be fined for choosing that option and having a holiday out of peak season.
I’m a teacher, and I just did it. I took my son out for five days. If the government paid more attention to the double price increases of holidays when we are supposed to go on holiday, I’d be more than happy to go during allocated holiday time.
I completely agree with you and even as a teacher, when on mat leave I took my. Then five year old out for a holiday. Personally, I think you are better doing it at the end of a term, rather than the strt of sEptember, it’s much better when they start their new class with the rest of the class.
Will it do them any harm? No! Holidays have so many benefits but it may make settling easier to be there at the beginning. enjoy your holiday!!!!!!! Wish I could do it : )
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i totally agree. It’s unfair that the same holiday is £500+ cheaper a week before/after school holidays. It’s no different just ridiculous extra cost. I think term holidays should be approved on an individual basis and so long as it’s not part of a crucial exam year and the child is progressing and has a good solid attendance I don’t understand why it’s been stopped. It really angers me as I think family holidays are beneficial as for a lot it’s the only time where the whole family can spend quality time together. My hub works away a lot and often at weekends so it’s rare to get a solid 7 days of the 5 of us x
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