Term time holiday fines.

This is a topic that winds me up so much.

Firstly, I get that it can't just be a free for all, with 4-5 kids every week on holiday. HOWEVER... in my opinion, as long as you don't take them out at a vital time, around key exams etc, their general attendance is very good/excellent, then there should be flexibility to take them out at least one week, maybe 2, during a school year. Then it encourages good attendance and keeping up the rest of the year.

It's the inflexibility and awkwardness of it that winds me up. I asked my son's previous school to provide me all the work he would be doing during the week off, and I would make sure it was done - and I would have - but of course they 'can't' (won't). They'd rather them 'get behind' for the sake of it rather than actually try and show some common sense.

Every time I see a thread on the topic on social media, there's always the high and mighties wading in saying it's irresponsible taking them out, they're going to suffer and all the rest. Nonsense if it's done in the right way as above. There is so much gained from a family holiday; confidence, knowledge, even learning to swim or be comfortable in water, and not to mention, FUN, happiness, enjoyment.

The fact you're then fined as if you're a bad parent is the final kick in the nuts.

Started trying to take them out for 3-4 days either side of the holiday as I believe they can only fine if it's at least a week off...

 

100%. Providing not a week before GCSE exams or something daft, which very few parents would do.

 

You mean making striking illegal and then fining them.

Let's see how that works Chairman Mao.

 

What if the said child has over 95% attendance rate and is over achieving at everything? 5 days is hardly going to make too much difference.

My kids are abit older now but I took them out for the last 5 days of primary school years ago and got fined I know one had a toys day and most of the week was not much learning happening. I was tempted to ask for a detailed list of what they had missed so we could catch up.

 

Great idea. Maybe the government should also pay for kids and their parents to have a holiday, up to the kids being 18 as well eh???

it’s not the governments fault the holidays are more expensive over school holiday time idiot.

or making people should think about having kids and all that that entails instead of just popping them out and expecting handouts all the time.

how do you think parents faired in the 60/70/80s?????

 

They don't get paid so technically are fined - can't remember teachers being on strike for a week when the fines kick in for parents

 

Your the idiot
Who's asking for handouts? But taking your child on a family holiday in holiday time the holiday company's are shafting you in term time the government are.

 

If they could afford the holiday they just took their kids out of school. Dont think fines were an issue back then.

 

They weren't, there still not if you have loads of money and your kids are privately educated but your a working family save all year for some family time your kids doing well in school with good attendance cough up.

 

Views about the travel industry on this thread are insane. It's like people don't understand how business works.

Hotels and villas are not profitable in the winter, barely break even in shoulder season and need the peak to afford to operate and pay staff.

It's supply and demand, things cost more when the weather is best and most people can travel. You're getting a discount at other times of year, rather than the other way round.

 

I think you should be given an allocation a bit like annual leave. Kids get 2 weeks off in term time so families can go away. If you take more than 2 weeks then punishments come in.

 

Couldn't the length of terms be staggered in various counties so the school holidays aren't all at exactly the same time? Protected times like Christmas and Easter excluded, obviously. That should ease the peak pricing somewhat.

 

No, as long as the strike is legal they can't, not sure if they could anyway.

 

Doing the same, crack on - pricks. Until the fines get to two grand that's when I'll stop taking them out. What harm does it do outside of GCSEs?

 

Had you not learnt them to put on the sick voice?

 

You're all too honest. If i was to have theoretically taken a child to the Euros over a prolonged weekend during term time, then - again purely theoreticallly - i may well have just rung them in sick on the days that this wholly imaginary trip would have happened.

 

The fines are just a way for local authorities/ academy trusts to make extra money since the Tory cuts in 2010, they have had to do things like this to keep the books balanced. It stinks and a proper Labour government would see this disenfranchises the working class and would put a stop to it. But they are Tory lite so will do FA about it.

 

Or just extend the dates they charge peak to capture all the staggered dates.

 

I'd be impressed if the theoretical child managed to keep that one quiet!