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Edited because I was being needlessly argumentative.
Holidays in school time. Who loses out anyway? Is it the qualification that the kid isn't going to get, or is it the truth that it doesn't make much if any difference?
I'm thinking mainly pre GCSE level here.
My suspicion is that it doesn't make much difference. The education profession are desperate to perpetuate the myth (to prove their own critical worth) that it does.
🙂
Another real world skill is being able to lie, which we've taught the kids. It needs to be done the right way though. My daughter attends a school in a well to do area, so many of her friends are loaded. She's as straight as a dye about not trying to keep up with them (we're not well off) or trying to impress. BUT, she has no problem keeping schtum when necessary. When you don't try to impress people, it's easy.
There's good lying and bad lying. The worst kind is lying to yourself, which I NEVER do and Faith won't either.
CJ, can a week really matter that much? not that I ever pulled a stroke like that with my own lad. My wife and me always asked a long way in advance for permission, always before booking and always on the end of a term. We were never refused.
That aside, the fact that someone on this thread seems to think that teaching their children to lie like they do, is a positive life skill, has me a bit unsettled.
🙂
You don't just get caught if you ask permission first. You are quizzed about any absence that occurs just before a holiday, eg taking a few days off before Easter break for example. Doctor has to sign off etc.
if you can't explain it you get fined. repeat offenders get more severe sanctions.
Don't get me wrong, being honest can make someone a better person and if you met me, you'd think I was very straight. But at the right time, lying has it's place. I'm good at it because I believe it's the right thing to do (or I wouldn't do it).
Nayan- all that you are saying just doesn't happen. For example, the doctor signing off part isn't a legal requirement. The only way you could be held to that would be if you signed something ahead of time agreeing to it. I just wouldn't put up with the school trying it on.
We've had 2 separate weeks off, plus a few days for birthdays, Thorpe Park, etc. My stepson is at 93% and my daughter a little less. You only hit the radar at 90%.
I think some fair comparisons are being made.
If child A a loses 10 days of school through a combination of illnesss, strike and snow nobody is going to make a fuss and nobody is going to get "penalised".
So why should child B missing 10 days of school on a holiday, in which there might well be the opportunity for some learning thrown in, be such a concern?
Not sure if I agree about taking days off for birthdays though - you can always celebrate those at the weekend if you want to do something special.
To answer the OP I don't think it has a detrimental impact on a child's education.
I'm not sure taking your kids out and lying about it is a particularly good attitude to teach your kids though, or that school is 'optional'.
Also missing school for birthdays is laughable, and did someone mention Thorpe Park? Frankly that one beggars belief.
Re striking/snow days etc. same logic applies, its hardly a huge impact on the child, although given teachers 'work' in half terms and holidays (allegedly) why not strike then?
You're that chap who doesn't agree with homework because its too much of a faff right?
Yes Nayan, that is I. My stepson, who doesn't bring his homework home, was invited to the house of commons a few weeks ago. He was chosen to represent his school. He also did mock GCSEs two years early and got As and Bs. He's at the top of a high performing school. Not bad for someone who takes days off to go to Thorpe Park and took a week off in January to go skiing.
At the end of the day, I think life should be more about fun and excessive schooling is a barrier to that.
I'll probably start one about not working too much soon.
SGG- I think you and I are on the same page on this one.
BTW, our kids have NEVER had a day off, to just bum around. There has to be a good reason, because we don't want to do it too much. I do take their learning very seriously. By creating a love of learning, they're always doing projects/ learning at home. Right now, my daughter is making an old skirt into a top- like one that a Spanish waitress would use. Very imaginative.
the children aren't missing anything when the whole class is off.
I think you'll find in that case that the whole class is missing something.
You can't extend the term and get that day back, so any effect is still in the box ticking and performance measurement category.
When I was a kid I had to be practically dying for my parents not to send me to school. This has carried me through to my working career where I never throw a 'duvet day'. Just don't understand why people constantly throw 'sickies' and the same when taking kids out of school for a trip to a theme park - that's what weekends are for?
RTN- If you go at the weekends, the queue for the good rides is up to 90 minutes. Personally, I don't want to spend a whole day doing under 1/4 hour of rides. Go in the week and you'd be unlucky to wait more than 10 minutes.
My stepson turned down an offer from a friend to go Tuesday, because he doesn't want to spend the whole day queueing.
As for not understanding it- you really can't imagine why anyone would rather enjoy a day of leisure, rather than going to school/ work? Really???
This is just teaching kids its OK to throw a sickie and/or lie when you feel like it. Fair enough, if that's how mummy and daddy roll - bit naive to expect anything else really.
No I just don't understand Bunking off school, or throwing a sickie for whatever purpose. If you're salaried staff in my eyes, it's the same as stealing. I do admit I'm no doubt in the minority here as everyone else seems to do it
.