Holiday prices outside the school terms

[martint235]

[QUOTE 2899101, member: 1314"]We took our youngest out of school during Summer Term 2013 to go to the States. By that stage - it was his last year at Junior school - he'd already passed the entrance exam to the Grammar and been accepted, so up yours tardy Junior School Local Authority Fasciestas! Who's laugh now, eh, or who was from the other side of the States![/quote]
See! That's why we need a short, sharp shock custodial sentence rather than all this ponsying about with fines. You wouldn't be laughing from your room at the Strangeways Hotel!!

 

[PK99]

I'm sure I read somewhere that people have been fined due to government guidelines for taking kids out of school during term time?

There is a myth among some parents that they can take kids out for up to 2 weeks. That in fact was a wartime concession allowing kids to see dad when he was home on leave. There is no right to take kids out of school in term time - period!

When I was a school governor the problems caused by taking kids out became very clear. Consider, say Maths, teacher introduces a new topic and develops that topic over two weeks. But Jonny and Suzie are in the Med for those two weeks and when they come back need extra tuition to catch up - often in the form of 121 tuition. Why should the school have to fund that extra tuition? Or should the school say "Tough!" and leave the kids to flounder? [In the case of illness absence such 121 tuition would be given as a matter of course] Other schools may have had different practices.

 

[cosmicbike]

They have and quite rightly I think. When I was a kid, my mum always told me she'd go to prison if I didn't go to school every day that I was meant to. Perhaps we should stop the fines and introduce custodial sentences.

Since we're at school, some Maths

I take my offspring x 1 out of school 1 week to get a cheap holiday. Said offspring loses 5 days of learning, so 25hrs. Potentially I get a fine.
Teacher takes 1 hour off, whole class of 30 kids lose an hours learning each, so 30 hrs lost. Is teacher fined?

Also interesting that certain groups within the community can take their kids out for weeks with no repercussions....

 

[martint235]

Since we're at school, some Maths

I take my offspring x 1 out of school 1 week to get a cheap holiday. Said offspring loses 5 days of learning, so 25hrs. Potentially I get a fine.
Teacher takes 1 hour off, whole class of 30 kids lose an hours learning each, so 30 hrs lost. Is teacher fined?

Also interesting that certain groups within the community can take their kids out for weeks with no repercussions....

Teacher takes unapproved week off with no sickness evidence and I would assume a disciplinary and possible dismissal. Also the teacher could be covered for one hour or even a month but the child can't get someone to learn for them.

 

[Roadrider48]

Of course people are going to take holidays when it is cheaper(well, most anyway) so what If kids miss two weeks schooling per year due to cheaper holidays. How much difference can that really make to education?

 

[gbb]

I't be interesting to see how much profit the holiday companies are actually making. A few years ago, several were in dire straits IIRC.
At the same time, this was being discussed on TV..the supposed arguement re higher prices was 'making hay while the sun shines'..because they often don't fare well out of season. Swings and roundabouts, gotta make money while they can otherwise they'd go out of business...sounds reasonable.

I used to wonder though how, once the recession really hit, they still managed to hype their prices. I (incorrectly, perhaps naively) thought there'd be bargains to be had. No...they simply booked less places in resorts, allowing them to maintain prices and reduce the cheap selloff of untaken places later in the season. Look in the shops, you rarely ever see good, cheap, last minute bookings any more, not like the old days.

 

[martint235]

I't be interesting to see how much profit the holiday companies are actually making. A few years ago, several were in dire straits IIRC.
At the same time, this was being discussed on TV..the supposed arguement re higher prices was 'making hay while the sun shines'..because they often don't fare well out of season. Swings and roundabouts, gotta make money while they can otherwise they'd go out of business...sounds reasonable.

I used to wonder though how, once the recession really hit, they still managed to hype their prices. I (incorrectly, perhaps naively) thought there'd be bargains to be had. No...they simply booked less places in resorts, allowing them to maintain prices and reduce the cheap selloff of untaken places later in the season. Look in the shops, you rarely ever see good, cheap, last minute bookings any more, not like the old days.

IIRC (and I admit I can't remember the exact details) the reason for holiday companies going to the wall was to do with cash flow rather than profits (or lack of them). It was something to do with them having to pay the hotels and airlines before they had received the money from the punters (or something like that).

I've actually given up with package holidays as last year I found it cheaper and better to book direct with the hotel and airline and then put decent insurance in place just in case.

 

[pplpilot]

Never mind holidays, what about when I fancy a Carvery on a Sunday and I have to pay more than a Saturday. What's all that about?

 

[martint235]

Never mind holidays, what about when I fancy a Carvery on a Sunday and I have to pay more than a Saturday. What's all that about?

I'd blame the old people creating demand. It's like the Post Office queue on a Saturday morning. These people have all week to go and buy their "5 first class, 6 second class, 2 European and could I have some of those little Par Avion stickers please?" but oh no, 10.30 Saturday morning, that's the best time to go.

 

[cosmicbike]

Teacher takes unapproved week off with no sickness evidence and I would assume a disciplinary and possible dismissal. Also the teacher could be covered for one hour or even a month but the child can't get someone to learn for them.

I said an hour, and no school will bring in a teacher cover for that, the TA's will be left to run the class.

Does taking kids on holiday not provide them with 'real world' learning? Appreciate it depends where they go, but a week in a foreign country has an educational value which the school cannot provide...

 

[Globalti]

As the parent of a 14 y.o. I'm on the other side to most of the poster on here and I think it stinks. Why the hell should we pay three times the standard rate for our holidays just because we don't want to take our child out of school? Irrational I know but damned annoying, all the same.

 

[martint235]

As the parent of a 14 y.o. I'm on the other side to most of the poster on here and I think it stinks. Why the hell should we pay three times the standard rate for our holidays just because we don't want to take our child out of school? Irrational I know but damned annoying, all the same.

Isn't it just one of the things that comes with having a child? Like the first 6 months without sleep etc.

 

[nickyboy]

Of course people are going to take holidays when it is cheaper(well, most anyway) so what If kids miss two weeks schooling per year due to cheaper holidays. How much difference can that really make to education?

Given the UK's current position in education league tables I would suggest that more time in school rather than less is the way forward

 

[Fnaar]

Economics not your strong suit?

No I guess I just want everyone to be nice and fluffy to each other

 

[MontyVeda]

... Schools should be able to decide their own holiday patterns within certain parameters

I think school children should be given 20-25 days holiday per year, to take when is convenient to them... just like they'll do when they work full time.