Term-time holiday dad loses court battle
Discussion
hman said:
3/10 - must try harder...
Remember that within those 12 weeks holidays typically cost 2-300% more than during term time so for some families the only time it is affordable to broaden their childrens horizons and education will be in one of the other weeks of the year.
This ruling was due to it being an UN-AUTHORISED absence from school, a reasonable request for school term time absence with a plan in place for how any school work will be completed should not be refused just on the grounds that its not within the 12 weeks a year.
Here is a real example:-
I recently (February 2017) sought permission from my childrens school to take both my children to Australia for 10 days, in term time, with a plan in place on how we will keep up with any home work - permission was granted and we submitted their homework /school work on our return...the academic planning of the school was unaffected.
My kids now know what life and culture is like for Australians by meeting and asking questions of the Australian people that they met, they gained an understanding of the history of Australia, saw how farms and industry differs to ours in the UK and saw a diverse range of animals and wildlife.
This experience cant be taught at school - and it would have been too expensive to even consider in school holidays.
Thanks for the clarification - that makes perfect sense.Remember that within those 12 weeks holidays typically cost 2-300% more than during term time so for some families the only time it is affordable to broaden their childrens horizons and education will be in one of the other weeks of the year.
This ruling was due to it being an UN-AUTHORISED absence from school, a reasonable request for school term time absence with a plan in place for how any school work will be completed should not be refused just on the grounds that its not within the 12 weeks a year.
Here is a real example:-
I recently (February 2017) sought permission from my childrens school to take both my children to Australia for 10 days, in term time, with a plan in place on how we will keep up with any home work - permission was granted and we submitted their homework /school work on our return...the academic planning of the school was unaffected.
My kids now know what life and culture is like for Australians by meeting and asking questions of the Australian people that they met, they gained an understanding of the history of Australia, saw how farms and industry differs to ours in the UK and saw a diverse range of animals and wildlife.
This experience cant be taught at school - and it would have been too expensive to even consider in school holidays.
hman said:
Redlake27 said:
I agree that travel broadens horizons and aids education, but parents have 12 weeks a year to choose from that don't cause disruption to academic planning.
3/10 - must try harder...Remember that within those 12 weeks holidays typically cost 2-300% more than during term time so for some families the only time it is affordable to broaden their childrens horizons and education will be in one of the other weeks of the year.
Hardly an extortionate difference.
I think parents who are complaining about pricing should also go back to school for a GCSE Economics lesson on supply and demand.
Going on holiday is a choice. Having children is a choice. Working for an employer who gives 4 weeks holiday v working for one who gives 12 weeks is a choice.
Most people can balance these priorities and respect the compromises required by these three choices.
pmanson said:
Chester draws said:
Schools (IME) can not and will not authorise holidays within term time.
My Son's school has just done exactly that for us for a week in July. We wrote and explained the circumstances and they approved it the same day. Countdown said:
John145 said:
Bad decision.
You learn things that are extracurricular which is probably why the left leaning educational institutions don't like it.
Indeed.You learn things that are extracurricular which is probably why the left leaning educational institutions don't like it.
When you go on holiday it's usually the Daily Mail reading UKIP voter that you find visiting all the cultural sites, ruins, monasteries and sites of historical interest. Whereas yer typical sandal-wearing lentil-muncher will be found draped over the poolside sunbed, lobster belly on display, having gorged himself on the AYCE breakfast buffet and waiting until 12 so he can get p1ssed on cheap lager....
I can't quite tell.
As for the story, discretion is already exercise by heads is it not? When my wife took her two to Oz to see relatives after she was widowed, the head was in full support.
It would be pretty chaotic for schools if everyone took their kids on holiday whenever they wanted though.
Countdown said:
John145 said:
Bad decision.
You learn things that are extracurricular which is probably why the left leaning educational institutions don't like it.
Indeed.You learn things that are extracurricular which is probably why the left leaning educational institutions don't like it.
When you go on holiday it's usually the Daily Mail reading UKIP voter that you find visiting all the cultural sites, ruins, monasteries and sites of historical interest. Whereas yer typical sandal-wearing lentil-muncher will be found draped over the poolside sunbed, lobster belly on display, having gorged himself on the AYCE breakfast buffet and waiting until 12 so he can get p1ssed on cheap lager....
Not enough parents could afford to take their families to EU countries and absorb their culture. The Left shooting theirselves in the foot once again...
Redlake27 said:
I've looked at two very different holidays this year. One was renting a 2 bed cottage in the Lake District. It was £600pw in term time and £800pw in the Summer holidays. Another was a long weekend (3 nights) in a 4 star hotel Barcelona, with flights. £350 per person in term time and £480 per person in Summer holidays.
Hardly an extortionate difference.
I think parents who are complaining about pricing should also go back to school for a GCSE Economics lesson on supply and demand.
Going on holiday is a choice. Having children is a choice. Working for an employer who gives 4 weeks holiday v working for one who gives 12 weeks is a choice.
Most people can balance these priorities and respect the compromises required by these three choices.
It does depend on where you are going as well, Centre Parcs was £359 for a 3 bed villa for 4 nights, yet ~£1400 for the same Villa over the Easter bank holiday weekend, which is only 3 nights. Hardly an extortionate difference.
I think parents who are complaining about pricing should also go back to school for a GCSE Economics lesson on supply and demand.
Going on holiday is a choice. Having children is a choice. Working for an employer who gives 4 weeks holiday v working for one who gives 12 weeks is a choice.
Most people can balance these priorities and respect the compromises required by these three choices.
I don't think it is supply and demand, there should not be shortfall in the amount of holidays available as it should not be a surprise for the holiday companies that more people want to go away in the school holidays.
I would actually expect per person costs directly in the control of the holiday company to go down due to the higher volumes of people travelling. It has always felt like they are taking advantage of a captive market.
I do think that authorised holidays should be allowed if the student has a good attendance record and is making above average academic progress. However I know our school banned all parents from term time holidays because of poor attendance of a few. The school has to report on attendance at a class, year and whole school basis. This means a few children with terrible attendance (less than 50%) can drag down an entire school's average attendance so they all suffer.
RemyMartin81D said:
Good decision.
Dad is typical entitled prick. Why should the rules not apply for him, don't like paying too much for holidays? Well boo hoo. Seriously are all parents deranged as to not realise about school holidays and what having kids means you have to accept your life will change?
You sound like a typically aggressive, left wing class warrior.Dad is typical entitled prick. Why should the rules not apply for him, don't like paying too much for holidays? Well boo hoo. Seriously are all parents deranged as to not realise about school holidays and what having kids means you have to accept your life will change?
Good Decision in my opinion.
Holiday too expensive? Keep saving and go next year! We do and it works well. Great fun camping in the Peak District last year, this year, Vietnam.
Also, what kind of work ethic does it instil in children if, when the rules are pretty clear, you just say "Sod that" and take time off anyway.
Having children off during term time is likely to be disruptive to the teachers and other pupils (though I wouldn't be dissapointed if some of the little retards my daughter is at school with were off once in a while).
Holiday too expensive? Keep saving and go next year! We do and it works well. Great fun camping in the Peak District last year, this year, Vietnam.
Also, what kind of work ethic does it instil in children if, when the rules are pretty clear, you just say "Sod that" and take time off anyway.
Having children off during term time is likely to be disruptive to the teachers and other pupils (though I wouldn't be dissapointed if some of the little retards my daughter is at school with were off once in a while).
tankplanker said:
I don't think it is supply and demand, there should not be shortfall in the amount of holidays available as it should not be a surprise for the holiday companies that more people want to go away in the school holidays.
I would actually expect per person costs directly in the control of the holiday company to go down due to the higher volumes of people travelling. It has always felt like they are taking advantage of a captive market.
It is supply and demand. No airline has loads of empty aircraft sitting around waiting for the school holidays, nor crews doing nothing. Any airline who has that will go bust very quickly.I would actually expect per person costs directly in the control of the holiday company to go down due to the higher volumes of people travelling. It has always felt like they are taking advantage of a captive market.
Also, no hotels will cater just for school holidays yet be empty the rest of the year.
Tour operators and airlines crew for the entire year and buy beds for the entire year, not just for the summer holidays. Also bear in mind its not just the UK thats on school holidays, its most of Europe.
Redlake27 said:
I think parents who are complaining about pricing should also go back to school for a GCSE Economics lesson on supply and demand.
You might call it that, I would call it profiteering.The underlying costs of the business do not increase during school holiday periods, so neither should the cost to the consumer.
johnfm said:
RemyMartin81D said:
Good decision.
Dad is typical entitled prick. Why should the rules not apply for him, don't like paying too much for holidays? Well boo hoo. Seriously are all parents deranged as to not realise about school holidays and what having kids means you have to accept your life will change?
You sound like a typically aggressive, left wing class warrior.Dad is typical entitled prick. Why should the rules not apply for him, don't like paying too much for holidays? Well boo hoo. Seriously are all parents deranged as to not realise about school holidays and what having kids means you have to accept your life will change?
mattyn1 said:
pmanson said:
Chester draws said:
Schools (IME) can not and will not authorise holidays within term time.
My Son's school has just done exactly that for us for a week in July. We wrote and explained the circumstances and they approved it the same day. Chester draws said:
Fair enough, I've requested twice, at an infants and a juniors school
And they turned you down? I think the justification bit is probably the most important. When I have done it I have stressed how it is impossible for us to holiday during the summer holidays - and not for financial reasons. All been ok.Chester draws said:
mattyn1 said:
pmanson said:
Chester draws said:
Schools (IME) can not and will not authorise holidays within term time.
My Son's school has just done exactly that for us for a week in July. We wrote and explained the circumstances and they approved it the same day. Gassing Station | News, Politics & Economics | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff