What Would You Do? Holidays and Half Term

[FrockHorror]

Dh and I have been discussing the possibility of taking the DC on holiday in October. I said great, I'll go online and get a quote for half term week as DD has just started in Reception.

Went online, got a quote and it is just too expensive for us. DH said to look at the prices the week before half term which I did. The holiday was was literally £300 cheaper for the week before .

DH then says, we can take DD out of school the week before and go on holiday for the cheaper week because at least that way, we would have some spending money to go with.

I told DH that I'm not happy to be pulling DD out of her new school the week before half term because she is still settling into it all, building relationships with other kids in her class, learning about the school etc etc. DH said I was being unreasonable, all that DD would be doing is playing so wouldn't miss much. Working with this age group of children myself, I know that although the curriculum is play based, there will be learning taking place which she will be missing out on.

As a compromise, I told DH that I would go the week before half term, if he wrote to the school and requested the time off for DD. If they allowed it, fine, if not, she would go to school and half term it would have to be.

DH agreed to it initially, but has since changed his mind as he doesn't think the school will authorise a week off before HT. What he actually means is, he can't be bothered to contact the school and arrange it. I know this because he asked me to do it. I refused on the grounds that I was unhappy for DD to be taking time off school for no real reason and that as I was being so miserable about it, I would leave it for the school to decide, but as I am against it, I don't see why I should make the arrangements.

So, what would you have done ?

[FrockHorror]

[Anna8888]

How old are your children?

[Niecie]

I wouldn't take my DC out of school so I wouldn't do the asking either. They may not do much work in Yr R but they are forming relationships.

My DS2 started this term too and he has made some friends but they change every week and I suspect if he was out of school for a week his latest friends would simply move on to somebody else and when he went back he would be like the new boy all over again. Plus he may not be learning much but what he is learning is so important that it wouldn't be good to miss it. They so easily forget after a few days, let alone after 2 weeks.

But tbh I wouldn't take him away on holiday at half term either as he will be very tired, if DS1 at that age is anything to go by, and would benefit more from some quiet time at home.

[FrockHorror]

DD is 4.9 and Ds is 3mo.

[Anna8888]

Hmm. 4.9 is getting on for randomly missing schooling. I might take a 4.9 year old out of school for a really exceptional holiday.

[TheFallenMadonna]

Well, am a teacher so have no option but to keep the rules.

I wouldn't have said "I disagree with it on principle, but if you do the asking then I'll agree" though.

[MadameCastafiore]

I have never taken either of my kids out of school unless they are sick - I think taking your kids out of school says that you don't think their education is as important as a holiday - I don't go for all this they are on an educational holiday bumph - they are supposed to be in school and unless they are ill that is where they will be.

When they play truant when they are older and you give them grief because schooling is important if you have taken them out to go on holiday they can just throw that back at you.

[PuppyMonkey]

Sorry, but I'd go on holiday. What's she going to miss - trigonometry? She can carry on "forming relationships" when she comes back to school.

Our primary school kinda allowed you to take an extra ten days at their discretion anyway.

Just don't make too much of a habit of it, that's all! And this is presuming it is a fab holiday, not just a wet week in Blackpool(apologies to people from Blakpool)

[peanutbutterkid]

I would do/reason same as op, actually. Child isnt legally required to attend school, yet.

[Fennel]

I would go on holiday. My 4.5 year old isn't starting Reception til January so you could argue she's missing the whole first term of Reception when the others are settling in socially and whatever. If my 4.5 year old can miss the term then I don't see how it can harm a 4.9 year old to miss one week of it.

[CountessDracula]

They will agree because legally your child doesn't ahve to be at school til they are 5

[ghosty]

At 4.9 years old, a week out of school is NOT going to set them back with regards to 'forming relationships' -
And I disagree with the idea that taking them out is giving the signal that a holiday is more important than school - and they absolutely WILL not turn into delinquent truants, that is just ludicrous.
My DS missed 4 weeks of school in his first year at school, missed time when moving house (and countries), missed 3 weeks this year too (Year 3). He has not lost any friends and he is still top of the class in every aspect. He has had amazing experiences travelling and wonderful family time and has had the blessing of his teachers.
Take your daughter out and enjoy your holiday!

[bellavita]

We have taken ours out of school because of the price of holidays being more expensive.

Although, we did not do it in Yr6 and now DS1 has moved up to secondary, we will not do it again, but when they are little, I see no problem.

[ghosty]

BUT, I will say, if you do take her out - DON'T ask the teacher to give you work for her to do. If you are having a holiday, have a holiday and maybe get her to do a picture diary or something, but don't ask the teacher to provide work.

[PinkyDinkyDooToo]

I wouldn't take her out. She has only just started school and it is not going to be helpful for her sttling in

[AbbeyA]

You may have to go with it being an unauthorised absence. Our LEA no longer authorises any holiday-people still go but it is on the register as unauthorised absence.

[PuppyMonkey]

But Pinky, she'll be on half term anyway soon after. She can settle in again when school goes back.

[dabdab]

Do a houseswap - that way you save the cost of accommodation and you can go in the half term.

[PinkyDinkyDooToo]

Puppy, my point is that she will be off school fro 2 weeks together as she is going the week before half term. This will make it a longer break from school, all in one go.

I personally wouldn't do it

[FrockHorror]

"Just don't make too much of a habit of it, that's all! And this is presuming it is a fab holiday, not just a wet week in Blackpool(apologies to people from Blakpool)"

Erm , it would be a week at Butlins lol, so no, not an exceptional holiday by any stretch (well it would be as exceptional as our limited funds would allow )

"Do a houseswap - that way you save the cost of accommodation and you can go in the half term."

That would be a really good idea, except I can't see anyone in the right mind would want to come and stay in this damp patch riddled house (or flat should I say) that Jack built . Penge isn't exactly a holiday hotspot unfortunately

[stealthsquiggle]

She isn't 5 yet so they should say yes.

We took DS out for the week after half term once when he was in reception (and wasn't yet 5) - school were fine, he was fine, fab uncrowded holiday was had by all.

Your DH is being a lazy arse though - why shouldn't he be the one to contact the school - I mean, FGS, how long does it take to make a phone call or write a note?

[nametaken]

Frockhorror, I would have done the exact same thing as you (tell my dh to get the permission if he wanted it) and my dh would have done the exact same thing as your dh (not bothered).

He obviously can't be all that bothered about spending £300 can he?

Tell him he might as well get used to higher prices now you have children in school. If it means you have to have less holidays or cheaper holidays or economise in other areas, is it really the end of the world?

Start as you mean to go on.

[nametaken]

He's had all the years before he had school age children to take holiday in term-time and when the dcs are 18 he can take his holiday in term time again. It's just a temporary expense that's all. Along with all the other expenses that go with raising a child.

[throckenholt]

If I were you I would consider the next half term, or the May one - because by then she will have well and truly settled in.

I think at that age - they learn as much from a week away as they do at school - so no real issue missing just one week in the whole school year.

Even a week in Butlins means you can go and see and do things you wouldn't normally do.

[MollieO]

My ds started in reception this term. Before we even started we had had 3 letters reminding us that term time holidays were strictly frowned upon. They wrote there are 173 school days in the year so plenty of other days to take holidays! As it is we will be missing the first 3 days of next term as they changed the start date after we booked our holiday!

If they have only started this term the trick that definitely works is to say you have already booked the holiday before they started school. A friend has done that at my school and had it approved (for a holiday next Easter). October half term week can vary from county to county so you could just say that you got the dates confused.

Having said that I wouldn't take my ds out of school for a holiday at all. As a result I am missing a friend's wedding in Singapore which is scheduled for the week before half term.