Anyone who has school age kids will love this guy

[shrek]

We get caught for extra costs every year on family holidays.

We like to go with my Daughter and her family.

She's a teacher so there is no chance of her bunking off.

According to a piece in today's paper, holiday firms will increase prices for in term time holidays. Everyone loses except the holiday companies.

Always suprised me in the age of social media and with websites like mumsnet carrying so much clout that they haven't managed to boycott/target at least one of the major holiday companies to force a change in the market.

[heartofGold]

Went to a Haven Holiday park in April with my daughter and her little one.  It will be the last time we are able to do this during term time as she starts school this year.  I understand the hike in prices to cover the cost of out of season periods but we stayed in a luxury caravan for £350 for the week.  Ok the weather wasnt great but we had a fantastic time.  Accommodation, food, entertainment was first class and the added bonus of it being just us and a dozen or so other families meaning much more easy access to facilities, etc. What really annoys me is the HUGE difference in prices during school holiday periods.  The same £350 caravan in August is almost £2,000!!  We can't possibly afford that so we won't be able to go again. 

 

Shrek is right.  Mumsnet will need to be told!

[longboard]

It's significant victory for well off people, who can afford to go on holiday a number of times a year. Celebrate your freedom.

[Northern Eel]

Schools benefit in no way from holidays in term time.

They receive no income from the fines

They potentially damage important relationships with parents

They foot the bill for helping the children catch up

Then there's the usual cries of, "Fine the schools when they are closed during the term. Why not have teacher training during those massive holidays?" etc. Who in their right mind actually believes that to be a sensible solution?

[Saintslass]

I think the root of the problem here is that parents have little understanding of the importance of primary education and place little value in it. They do not realise that if a child of five misses a week or two of their education, vital basics in maths and English will also be missed. With the pace of education that means they could then struggle to build on those basic precepts throughout their education as they will not be revisited in their basic form.

 

Another point is that a class teacher will have about 30 children to consider. Children are very aware of fairness as indeed are their parents. Many children will not have parents wealthy enough to take them on holidays much less on holidays abroad and therefore they will not be in a position to take advantage of the extra holiday time that the children of richer parents are. Why should some children have extra holiday time but others not?

 

Finally, schools are held accountable for attendances. It is right that they should be because it is a legal requirement for children to attend school and it is a legal entitlement for children to have a certain number of hours of education each year. Why should parents be allowed to put that school's attendance record at risk thereby potentially impacting their Ofsted results?

 

Parents should stop being so selfish and instead start thinking of the wider impact of their decisions, not only on their own children's education - and primary education is vital - but also on the experiences of other children, their parents and the school as a whole.

[WearyRhino]

I think the root of the problem here is that parents have little understanding of the importance of primary education and place little value in it. They do not realise that if a child of five misses a week or two of their education, vital basics in maths and English will also be missed. With the pace of education that means they could then struggle to build on those basic precepts throughout their education as they will not be revisited in their basic form.

Another point is that a class teacher will have about 30 children to consider. Children are very aware of fairness as indeed are their parents. Many children will not have parents wealthy enough to take them on holidays much less on holidays abroad and therefore they will not be in a position to take advantage of the extra holiday time that the children of richer parents are. Why should some children have extra holiday time but others not?

Finally, schools are held accountable for attendances. It is right that they should be because it is a legal requirement for children to attend school and it is a legal entitlement for children to have a certain number of hours of education each year. Why should parents be allowed to put that school's attendance record at risk thereby potentially impacting their Ofsted results?

Parents should stop being so selfish and instead start thinking of the wider impact of their decisions, not only on their own children's education - and primary education is vital - but also on the experiences of other children, their parents and the school as a whole.

I agree 100%.

[Scubby]

This is a case where a parent has tried it on, got a fine and then got a bee in his bonnet and looked at the law relating to attendance. To his surprise he found the wording just said 'attend school regularly' and used this single term to support his cause.

 

This could be stopped with a simple addendum to the section which uses the term. 

[Robin Evans]

I agree 100%.

bug ger me wi t'curly end of a Raja's slipper!

[WearyRhino]

bug ger me wi t'curly end of a Raja's slipper!

 

 

Indeed!

[Bearman]

Indeed!

Well by the law of averages Saintslass has to get one post in 8000 right!

[JohnM]

bug ger me wi t'curly end of a Raja's slipper!

 

look, what you do in the privacy of your own home is no concern of ours. so please don't go posting photos on here.

[Shadow]

Then there's the usual cries of, "Fine the schools when they are closed during the term. Why not have teacher training during those massive holidays?" etc. Who in their right mind actually believes that to be a sensible solution?

 

Can you explain why it's not a sensible idea?

[Saintslass]

Can you explain why it's not a sensible idea?

Because why should teachers sacrifice their holidays for training?  Would you?

[Saintslass]

This is a case where a parent has tried it on, got a fine and then got a bee in his bonnet and looked at the law relating to attendance. To his surprise he found the wording just said 'attend school regularly' and used this single term to support his cause.

 

This could be stopped with a simple addendum to the section which uses the term. 

The government is seeking to close the loophole.  Presumably they trusted parents a bit too much!  The bloke in this case may come to regret his self-serving action, and other parents may stop thanking him if the government decide to set in stone exactly what the criteria are for taking time out of school. 

[C H Calthrop]

Because why should teachers sacrifice their holidays for training?  Would you?

Teachers get a bit more than 4 weeks per year.

[Shadow]

Because why should teachers sacrifice their holidays for training?  Would you?

Firstly they expect me to sacrifice my holiday for their training.

 

Secondly I have been required to attend training on weekends in the past.

 

Thirdly when they get 3 times the national average holiday eating into their 13 weeks by a few days is no particular issue, at the very least they could tack them onto holidays or bank holiday weekends to enable parents to enjoy the benefit.

[C H Calthrop]

 

I think the root of the problem here is that parents have little understanding of the importance of primary education and place little value in it. They do not realise that if a child of five misses a week or two of their education, vital basics in maths and English will also be missed. With the pace of education that means they could then struggle to build on those basic precepts throughout their education as they will not be revisited in their basic form.

 

Another point is that a class teacher will have about 30 children to consider. Children are very aware of fairness as indeed are their parents. Many children will not have parents wealthy enough to take them on holidays much less on holidays abroad and therefore they will not be in a position to take advantage of the extra holiday time that the children of richer parents are. Why should some children have extra holiday time but others not?

 

Finally, schools are held accountable for attendances. It is right that they should be because it is a legal requirement for children to attend school and it is a legal entitlement for children to have a certain number of hours of education each year. Why should parents be allowed to put that school's attendance record at risk thereby potentially impacting their Ofsted results?

 

Parents should stop being so selfish and instead start thinking of the wider impact of their decisions, not only on their own children's education - and primary education is vital - but also on the experiences of other children, their parents and the school as a whole.

 

I think there are a huge amount of parents who understand the world and their children very well indeed and play a bigger part in their childrens education than any 3rd grade B.Ed following a syllabus. 

[Robin Evans]

And many will make that argument that some parents are equally if not better place to make informed judgement on what is inow their kids best interests.

One of my kids teachers in primary school was the same year as me at school and struggled at every level of academic achievement and did exactly that.... got a very ordinary 3rd degree and did a pgce and was then in a position to make judgements on children's best interests that angered some parents.

This story will go away soon when the government make the necessary legal adjustment so there will be no repeat of last week's judgement

[Ramite]

Firstly they expect me to sacrifice my holiday for their training.

Secondly I have been required to attend training on weekends in the past.

Thirdly when they get 3 times the national average holiday eating into their 13 weeks by a few days is no particular issue, at the very least they could tack them onto holidays or bank holiday weekends to enable parents to enjoy the benefit.

1. They don't , teacher training is part of the job description they have to do them.

2. Did you get paid ?

3.Kids not been in school for 13 weeks isn't the same as teachers holiday. All will be in school at some point during those holidays. A lot of schools this way already add them to the start or end of the half terms.

[Northern Eel]

Ok, let's dispel this teacher's holiday myth, Shadow:

Teachers terms and conditions mean they are paid over 52 weeks a year for 27.5 hours a week. Like most other contracted workers across the country, this would entitle them to at least 4 weeks annual leave/holiday pay.

So, 48 weeks x 27.5 hpd equates to 1320 paid hours per year. As the school academic year runs for 39 weeks (195 days) this equates to being paid for 6.7 hours a day for each of those 195 days (or around 33.5 hours a week, rather than 27.5). Most sensible people are able to accept that teachers work far longer hours than this.

Why do some folk get so irked at the thought that teachers might want to exercise their right to a price-inflated holiday at some stage of the summer? Are you now suggesting they should be told they can't go on holiday at the same time as their colleagues so as not to miss their summer training events?

I'm a Headteacher. I have never closed my school for snow days etc (and yes, some do it far too easily). The result of doing that is that 30% of our kids don't turn up on those days as their parents can't be bothered to walk them down the street. Consequently, that poor attendance is recorded against the school.

One guy, (who had been caught on holiday with his kid whilst claiming he was nursing a terminal illness in the family) told me last week that it was ok for me, as I can go off on holiday whenever I want! Blithering idiot.

I, like some other teachers, would quite happily work for more days a year (and I happen to think that 6 weeks in summer is just too long), but I'd expect to be paid for this to happen. It's only right isn't it?

[shrek]

got a very ordinary 3rd degree and did a pgce and was then in a position to make judgements on children's best interests that angered some parents.

If they had got a 1st or 2nd class degree would that have mean't they'd have been a better teacher?  Personally I make my judgements about my childrens primary school teachers based on them as people not on certificates hanging on the wall.

[Bostik Bailey]

If they had got a 1st or 2nd class degree would that have mean't they'd have been a better teacher?  Personally I make my judgements about my childrens primary school teachers based on them as people not on certificates hanging on the wall.

Those who can, do. Those who can't teach.

[Saintslass]

Teachers get a bit more than 4 weeks per year.

Actually, they don't.  It is the children who get the long holidays, not the teachers.  Legally teachers are entitled to four weeks' annual leave a year.  I know this because I trained as a teacher and was advised of my terms and conditions in readiness for employment.  A teacher can be called in to teach at any time over and above that four weeks. 

 

Children are legally entitled to a minimum number of hours' education each year.  If the school and parents agree, there is no reason why school holidays can be as short as four weeks in a year.  But which parent would want their children, especially those of primary school age, to be in school five days a week for all but four weeks in a year? 

 

Teaching is a very intense profession.  It is exhausting, it is extremely responsible and it is relentless.  Teachers are very grateful for the summer holiday because it is the only one that actually feels like a holiday.  The other holidays are not as effective as planning and preparation cut into them.

[Saintslass]

Those who can, do. Those who can't teach.

Presumably then, if that is your worldview, you would never trust your children to teachers, yes?

[Saintslass]

I think there are a huge amount of parents who understand the world and their children very well indeed and play a bigger part in their childrens education than any 3rd grade B.Ed following a syllabus. 

You clearly don't understand teaching if you think a 3rd grade B.Ed makes for a poor primary school teacher.  A degree of any kind gives a primary school teacher knowledge way beyond anything a child would require, and the skill of a teacher is not in their own academic achievement (aside from sound literacy and numeracy) but in their ability in the classroom, which is a skill that cannot be taught but only enhanced.