Term-time holidays to be banned, with fines.....

[LilyBolero]

Discuss

[LilacWaltz]

A good move IMO...

[Sirzy]

I think they are right to try to do something about it as it is disruptive to a childs education. If it is for a one off holiday that for whatever reason can't be in term time then some discretion should be allowed, but if its just for a normal family holiday then they are right to not allow it.

[bibbitybobbityhat]

They are already banned in our school.

[dreamingbohemian]

As someone with family all over the world, not all of whom have the grace to get married or celebrate important events during UK term time, I think it's way too harsh.

Holidays are not always a luxury. I'd like to see exemptions for family reasons.

[JustHecate]

And the holiday companies will rub their hands in glee and put their already over inflated prices up still further.

tbh, I think that needs addressing. It is ridiculous that a holiday that costs £200 one week can cost £800 the next. I understand supply and demand, I do. I understand they exist to make profit. But there has to be a balance.

[ragged]

Ditto, Dreamingbohemian.
Any ideas how soon it will come in? I may have to move my next visit to family sooner than I wanted, assuming it will be last such visit for a long time (decade?) thereafter, but also depends how "steep" the fines are.

[pearshape]

the only holiday we can usually afford is a Sun £9.50 caravan holiday. These aren't available in school holidays so that means poorer children missing out again! ?

[ragged]

Xpost with Hecate, that part is hard for me to understand, Hecate -- why does anyone need a package holiday? I don't like camping either, but there have to be all price band options between holiday-company & camping/staycation.

[scurryfunge]

It's crap for the parents whose employers dictate annual leave dates.

[EdnaClouds]

"discuss"?!

[HJisthinkingofanewname]

I've done sun/daily mail holidays in school hols. They usually don't have July/August available but half terms/Easter usually have some.

I feel sorry for people with family abroad or parents in the army etc who don't have the option of when to take leave. That's where the HT discretion came in.

[QED]

Supposedly term time holidays are banned in our school but there are lots of people on holiday in term time .

But I have an unpopular view on here that holidays in term time shouldn't happen.

Do teachers ever go in holiday in term time I wonder? I have a feeling that some parents wouldn't be happy to hear that their child's teacher was off on holiday during term time. And although of course all MN who take their children away during term time will have very valid reasons for doing so, I think there are some people who do not take children on educational holidays, or to see relatives in other countries, but just do it as it is cheaper out of school holiday time.

[MrsHeffley]

Appalling.

So now Tory voters with kids in private schools not only get cheaper holidays due to longer school holidays which begin far earlier than state none of the riff raff will be in the way either.

We can barely afford to camp in August let alone anything else.

Wealthy kids will get the benefits and experience of travel which everybody else not on a stonking income will now be unable to give their kids thus stomping on aspirations and life experience for many kids.

I know several families with excellent attendance who latch on an extra 2 days say to a half term holiday and save a lot.2 days!!!!!

So bloody fed up with parents having to curtail to a nanny state because a few choose to feed their kids crap and don't send them to school.

At our school parents are allowed within reason to take their kids out.It is an Outstanding school with very committed parents from all walks of life and good attendance.It's not abused,I personally have only taken my kids out once for 5 days in 4 years due to a free offer of a holiday from grandparents.

Why should we all be punished for parents in other schools who let their kids play truant on a reg basis?

[TheMonster]

Good.

[Sirzy]

But what is different from letting a child play truant for 10 days throughout the year and taking them on holiday for 10 days? nothing they are still missing vital education!

[yousankmybattleship]

Good. About time somthing was done about this. School should not be optional and if you can't afford a holiday in August don't go. A holiday is not some kind of fundamental human right.

[GetOrfMoiiLand]

Meh, I would just go on holiday anyway and pay the fine.

[JustHecate]

It's everyone though, from the likes of butlins, haven and centreparcs, to the B&Bs and self catering places, the big companies and the little guy with the one self catering cottage to rent, to the airlines and the travel agents and overseas holidays.

The whole industry takes advantage of the big slice of the market that can generally only take holidays in set periods. If a new law comes in that means it is that or nothing for every single family with school age children - get ready to see some right price hikes!

Nobody needs a package holiday.

Nobody needs a holiday at all. Not needs as in 'requirement for life' needs

But people want them. Children love them. They are nice things to go on.

And for that reason, the entire industry will take full advantage of the restrictions being placed on families.

[JustHecate]

I don't think I'd like to see a return to holidays are only for the rich.

My grandad's family could never afford a holiday. Once a year all the children in the school would be taken on a train to Cleethorpes for the day. That was it. One day at the seaside, an ice cream and a donkey ride.

Only the rich got an actual break.

I would hate to see that come back.

[bigTillyMint]

It is not usually the children whose families take them out of school for a week or two at the end of the summer term that struggle - it is the persistent truants whose parents allow/keep them off on a very regular basis.

[Tortington]

price hiking holiday company fuckers taking advantage of childrens memories should get fined

fucking cunts

[Tortington]

dont have a word with the holiday companies cameron - you fucking twat will you?

[MrsHeffley]

Tosh.

I am an ex teacher 5 days(which is what I know most people take)is nothing and makes buggar all difference.Many kids are off ill for way more than that.The amount of lining up,organising,meal/breaks,assemblies involved in 5 days means actually you're talking about missing very little and tpo be perfectly frank any child would gain far more by spending a week in France in a Siblu caravan.

Kids that regularly truant believe me are off an awful lot more than 5 or 10 days in one go,it's 2 or 3 days most weeks,months.

Kids need to experience life outside of school.They are being pushed more and more,start earlier and most have parents with very limited income. Experiencing life away from home is utterly priceless which is why we camp in August but it costs us well over £1K in kit and for a Cornish campsite in Aug you're talking £300 plus £££££ on food because you have no fridge.

We are in the HTB so god knows how poorer families are supposed to give their kids valuable life experience away from home.What are kids going to have to aspire to if they never,ever experience life outside of their own small town? Meanwhile the kids of the rich will get to experience goodness knows what travel thus giving them yet more benefits on top of their private schooling,music lessons etc.

Gov won't be happy until all kids of the lower classes are locked in school 8 hours a day 52 weeks of the year.

[SixtyFootDoll]

My husband and I both work shifts and can't always get the school holidays off and together. This Summer police annual leave is cancelled during the Olympics ( school holiday time) .
We have got October half term off and are taking the kids out of school the week before, so that we can have a family holiday.
Holidays are important to us as we work really hard and it is time for us all to have fun togethter.
If I have to pay the fine, I'll pay it.

[yousankmybattleship]

Holiday companies are in business. They will charge as much people will pay. clearly some people will pay their inflated prices. I am not one of those people. We can't afford summer holiday, but I still wouldn't dream of taking my children out of school during term time. We have lovely summers with fun days out and save up so that every three or four years we can afford a break away. I wish it was cheaper but I don't think it is fair to blame holiday companies - they exist to make miney not to provide a public service!