Holidays

What are WW Members thoughts on taking children out of school during term timeMy thoughts are unless it is going to effect exams children should be allowed time off for holidays. With the difference in price running into thousands of pounds I don't blame parents taking their children out of school in term time. On a personal note my late wife worked at Wigan college and we could only go on holiday outside of term time Not only was the holiday dearer but also prices at the destinations were also dearer. Look up any destination and read the advice about the best /cheapest times to visit.Teaching staff now have extra days were the school is closed due to insert/training days does this not effect the pupils learning

I only know that with both parents now working, and the schools having locum teachers to cover sickness etc, as well as teaching assistants, surely the time has come for a complete revision of working practices of teachers and school time with less school holidays and the ending of the six weeks between one school year and the next and leads to a increase in anti social behaviour by school children.

As for Inset days, what use are they when many teachers use them for shopping and many during the six weeks holiday get a part time job at a holiday camp, resort etc in what is the main holiday season.

People in other jobs an industries have had to change their working practices and be more flexible, so why not the teaching profession?

how come they can fine parents for taking them out of school but not teachers for doing the same thing when on strike.

It's not the teachers who make these rules. I don't suppose they are happy about having to adhere to holidays out of term times, don't forget they have families too and are having to pay more.
And what if the teachers took their holidays ad-hoc. Locum teachers would have to be found year round.
I know it's a pain and expensive but shouldn't children's education come first. Especially these days.

Look back to when you were at school. How many times did you have off sick, chicken pox mumps and so on but you easily caught up when you got back in class. Too much emphasis is placed on kids not being able to clever enough to teach themselves!

Teaching was a lot different back then. A lot was taught by repetitive teaching. And very, very few children were ever taken on a week's holiday never mind two. Most kids I knew only got the odd trip out to Southport or Blackpool. And the occasional school trip to Chester Zoo.

Posted by: sonlyme (3451)
"how come they can fine parents for taking them out of school but not teachers for doing the same thing when on strike."

Why would you want to impose a fine on anyone whilst they are on strike?

I agree that kids should not be taken out of school to go on a family summer holiday.

I totally agree with Jathbee's first comment at 12.42

And I also agree with Jathbee and Cheshire Puss, kids should not be taken out of school for holidays, because nowadays it would cause absolute chaos, that is why they stopped it when folk started taking staggered holidays, you can't teach a part of a subject to a kid, if the kid isn't there, because the kid is on holiday.

And I am speaking as someone who used to get taken out of school for holidays, this was in the 1960s when I was at primary school, I was taken out a week early at summer, so I missed the annual school trip and sports day, but got an extra week of holiday.

No, kids shouldn't be taken out of school just for a holiday. Only speaking for us kids, both our parents worked so we needed to be in school unless we were poorly, then mum would take time off to look after us.

Back in those days though, nearly every shop in Wigan closed during what was then called "Wigan Weeks" and that's when we were able to go on holidays because it coincided with summer break anyway.

Unfortunately, these days, kids are encouraged to do well in school, pass their exams, which puts pressure on the kids and that's not what school was invented for; but to be a place of learning without constraints. For some it was hard, for some it was easy, for some it was fun, and others not, but not every school kid has the same opportunities either because they aren't as bright as others, or their family backgrounds don't care and, to take some out of school during lessons could cause them to get behind the others putting extra pressure on them.

Mum never worried too much about our schooling, and dad would just tell us to do our best, as that's all he expected of us -no more, no less - which is what we did.

Posted by: mollie m
"Unfortunately, these days, kids are encouraged to do well in school, pass their exams,"

I thought that was what education was all about!
What is unfortunate about that, Mollie?

I was always encouraged to do well at school and try to pass whatever exams I was presesented with.
I was never a shining beacon in the educational department at school, but, I consider myself fortunate to be given the opportunity, and I made a living out of it.

If I made any academic mistakes, and I made plenty! They were all my own. No one elses fault, only mine

Regarding school children's holidays, I think the holiday companies need to have a rethink and take action instead of "cashing in" on the school holiday period.

Posted by: cheshirecat (1545) View cheshirecat's page

Posted by: mollie m
""Unfortunately, these days, kids are encouraged to do well in school, pass their exams,"

I thought that was what education was all about!
What is unfortunate about that, Mollie?"

Yes, I see what you mean, and that was badly phrased. What I meant, is that some parents are so pushy that the kids feel pressurised to do well instead of just letting them do their best within their own capabilities. Some kids are promised all sorts if they pass their exams, so they study and study till their heads are bursting, just so their parents can feel proud of them and brag about them, which is wrong.

Our parents didn't scold us, and nor did they promise something special if we achieved high qualifications but, like yourself, my brother and I were never out of work from leaving school, so we can't have done too badly by having a decent education, and I'm glad we did.

Still say you should be able to pick up on a weeks schooling without any trouble. When I was at school, 50s,60s many teachers would help individuals if they were struggling although others found it easier to stick the slower learners in the Basket Weaving class!

When I went to secondary school in the late 60's we ended up with a load of homework and even my mother went into school and had a meeting with the headmaster to say that there should be enough time from 9-3.45 to educate children without outside school hours
I did not stop on at school for the extra year to sit the exams but chose to leave and get a job. Worked for 45 years and got qualifications(inhouse/national recognised) has I did my jobs. The holiday companies/letting agents should be brought to task for over inflating holidays in our summer months same with the holiday parks. You can book a holiday for May which could be thousands of pounds cheaper than JulyI have always said get quotes for different times of the year for the same place and ask the school to pay the difference and I know what the answer would be

Some of those making comment do not seemed to have realised that some children do have to go on a holiday during term time as one or both parents might be in a jobs which have to have staggered holidays to keep essential services running or production levels maintained.

A problem, which I and many others had to put up with in most of our working life during employment in both the private and public sectors!

Most big companies now don't shut down during the holiday period. So there is no reason to take the kids out of school.

The staff can usually choose when they take their holidays.

cheshirecat.

Many cannot and are on a rotating rota in order that production and essential services will not be affected!

just read a couple of comments above about Inset days/ I am a retired teacher [special school]and these days do not impact on a cholds' learning bevcause they still get the mandatory days in each school year. Inset days are certainly not an excuse to go shopping. We had extra training in Autismn , ADHD, restraint techniques, Communication, First Aid etc etc. I have never known a teacher who took a second job at Butlins during the summer holidays because they are too busy sorting out admin and classrooms from the previous term before planning for the next. Children get a long break but teachers do not.

kathpressey

Sorry, but a daughter of friends of my Wife and I has told us that some Teachers to her annoyance do abuse not only the inset days, but also other on other days by calling in sick, especially when the weather is very bad.

As for the issue of having a part time job in the six week holiday period which is in part of the main holiday season, a couple who used to lived in our street and were both Teachers worked at the holiday camp every year where they had a static caravan!

I can only conclude by your comments that you were working with a very honest group of Teaching Staff!

In the week before term starts at a school, any school, look at the school cap park, and it will be full of staff cars, because they are in the school preparing for the new term

" look at the school cap park,"

We never had a place to park our school cap. We just had to fold it up and put it in our pocket.
The kids of today don't know they're born!

owd codger yes I did work with honest staff and a good Head. i can only imagine that teacher who worked elsewhere during a 6 week break were sloppy in their admin and lesson prearation. Also with 2 good wages coming in why do they need to work in a holiday camp and get hammered for tax?

kathpressey

Maybe you are correct in what say, but from what I have leaned, the couple who lived in our street were not on their own with many doing 'cash in hand' jobs in the six week holiday period to supplement their incomes.

And as APLS has said, the school car parks are packed in the last week of the six weeks!

A teacher I know very well has a 2 week holiday and then spends most of the rest of their holidays along with a very big % of there spare time doing school work for no pay

Owdcodger.

It would be very interesting to know what "cash in hand jobs" a professional teacher would do? Pizza delivery, strawberry picking, window cleaning etc?

It would be even more interesting to know how long your street is?

Because you always seem to know someone in your street, or neighbourhood who has done something which kind of ties in with your opinion in an attempt to give it a bit of credence.

In the UK, teachers are legally entitled to a minimum of 5.6 weeks of paid annual leave per year, the same as any other full-time worker, which equates to 28 days for those working a five-day week.

OC has a furtive imagination

Cheshirecat, I once knew a teacher who went round pubs selling cockles as a sideline.

In 'Breaking Bad' chemistry teacher Walter White, washes cars at the local car wash to supplement his income

.....

Posted by: tonker (29325) [View tonker's page]
"Cheshirecat, I once knew a teacher who went round pubs selling cockles as a sideline."

Nothing wrong with that, as long as it doesn't affect the kids education.

Unless, he / she went missing mid lesson for a couple of hours

Handsomeminer

Not on any imagination, but facts as said!

As for having imagination, you will of course know all about it being a voter of the present government!

The moon's made OF cheese not on any imagination but fact as said

Never mind a holiday abroad I out of curiosity was looking at some holidays over here and some double/triple in price has summer approaches A few years ago we should have gone on holiday self catering at Bridlington but had to cancel due to Yvonne getting rushed into hospital.Some of the prices today are silly Same with hotels (premier inn ) 1st week of May £52 a night 1st week in July £181 for the same room more than TRIPLE only 8 WEEKS APART

All part and parcel of rip off Britain and will go even worse if you have a government threatening businesses and industries with tax increases etc which will affect their large profit margins.

Companies always respond by hitting we the public!