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Headteachers used to be able to grant 10 days leave from school during term time, however this is to change from 1st September 2013.
See Taking your child out of school during term time.
Have you ever taken your child out of school for a family holiday? What do you think of this amendment to the regulations?
Hi Hopeful, what a fabulous message, I can see that you are very passionate about this subject.
It is a good point about how lucky we are to have education for all in this country and also that our children might miss an important part of something they are learning.
It is a shame that the travel industry takes advantage of the school term times, as for children to visit different places and meet different people is an education in itself, dont you think?
The travel industry does not only take advantage of school term times (although I agree, that the should be more considerate to parents of school age children), but also seasons. Anything with hot weather will be more expensive - I think it's cheaper to go to Australia during our summer for example - just because it's a demand. People don't want to travel into a monsoon, do they.
As to children visiting different places - call me a cynic, but I don't think most families do a lot of cultural stuff on holiday. It's more about chilling out on the beach and having family time than really experiencing a different country.
Having said that, number 1 son went on a French student exchange when he was 10 (and the French boy came to stay with us, after) and that was a really great experience for him. Shame that the health and safety brigade is so over the top nowadays.
The taking children out of school for holidays still gets a big fat 'NO' from me.
:-)
For families on low income it is unlikely that they will be travelling abroad, but it is still good for them to make new friends, see new things and have family time. If the only time the family can afford this is during the term time, then it will be the children who miss out. We all need a break eh?!
Does your son keep in touch with his exchange student? I always wanted to go on an exchange when I was a child, I had to wait until I was 17 and studying in college though.
I took my kids out this year to go abroad for a holiday. For me and the 2 kids it would have cost a thousand pounds more to go 2 weeks later. I don't have that type of money. So should my kids never have a holiday again? Just because I'm a single parent? I know they do very little at the end of term anyway, the headteacher consented and their individual teachers agreed that a holiday (even if we don't overload with acceptable cultural activities) is an education in itself.
I refuse to let anyone tell me that I am a bad parent for trying to make memories for my kids.
Anna, does this apply to the whole of the UK?
I feel sad that the choice about taking children out of school to go on holiday has been taken away from parents. I have three children and I always took them out of school for a two week holiday every year as it was the only way I could aford to take them abroad. By this I mean two weeks in an hotel by the beach somewhere hot so presumably the sort of holiday that is frowned upon. But my children had the oportunity to travel on a plane and experience different countries with all that entails not to mention have a great time. I also think it brought us together as a family and we all have loads of fantastic shared memories. Sadly these things are no longer considered important and parents are not considered capable of making the best choices for their own children.
My children are older now so these changes won't really affect me. Taking them out of school did not affect their education and they all did and are doing extreemly well. Not that I want to boast.
If these rules were in place when my children were younger I feel strongly enough about it that I think I would break them even if it meant a fine. Although I would try thinking up a good reason why my family needed two weeks on a beach and talking nicely to the headmaster first...
I stand by what I said. I think it is wrong and inconsiderate to take children out of school during term time. I do not consider a beach holiday in Spain or wherever 'experiencing another country' (although, of course you may have had a proper itinerary that ensured these things) and I do believe you can build great memories anywhere- I do not think that parents who do take their children out are bad parents, and I did not say anything to suggest that. 
And on a slightly different angle: The teachers can't take two weeks off to go on a beach holiday during term time either - in fact I'd like to hear what the parents who do would say to that! So what do you suggest a single parent who happens to be a teacher does? I really think this is very wrong.
- No Anna, my son did not keep in contact with that boy; I guess boys are not good letter writers and this was before email and internet!
I get your point about teachers but I assume when they chose that career path, they realised it.
Again this has not been damaging to their education as they simply missed a week of tidying the classroom and watching DVDs. I'd obviously prefer not to have to do this and it does not happen every year
My kids have had a pretty tough year and I was presented with a chance to take them away with family, to help them relax and have a good time, and actually I agree with Pam, the airport experience, dealing with another currency, visiting foreign markets etc is good for them.
I don't know what sort of cultual experiences you think they should have but I know my 2 wouldn't enjoy looking at arcitecture!
I agree that memories can be made anywhere at any time of the year, but I had the opportunity to create some special ones for them, and I took it
The itinery on my beach holidays with my children included swimming, lounging by the pool, playing on the beach, jumping in the waves, eating great food, laughing, making new friends, swimming, playing tennis... etc. If we did anything some might describe as cultural we did it because it was fun too because we were on holiday. If you look up the definition of holiday it is meant to be a break from routine and work and thats what I as a parent had decided would be good for my children.
Until recently schools had no problem with this in fact they were obliged to allow parents to take children on holiday for ten days (two weeks). I know because I did it. Why the change? What is the evidence that children suffer academically from this? I value my childrens education highly as I said and as a parent I like to think I know what I'm doing. They have all done (and continue to do) extemely well academically so from my evidence taking them on holiday was not damaging in any way. But looked at logically how could it be?Top private schools have much longer holidays than state schools (8 weeks in the summer and upto 4 weeks at both christmas and easter) but they always achieve great results. So maybe children need more not less holiday time to do well. Ha ha!
Why suddenly are children pressurised to work so hard? Not only this new rule about not being able to take your children on holiday but many schools are also lengthening term time. It's all work and no play!
The argument about teachers not being able to do this is a bit of a red herring. There are lots of people that are unable to go on holiday for lots of reasons. That is not a valid arguement to prevent others from doing so.
I agree we all do need a break from time to time, i can also relate to how expensive it can be having four children myself, this can be pricey at anytime of the year. I also value my children getting a good education, which can make making this kind of decision difficult.
I haven't had even a day way in nearly 8 years. D, now 15, has had holidays, but could not imagine taking her away from the school she is is not really attending eitherway.
I don't understand the assumption that children/parent have holidays at all
I'm not sure that there is an assumption that parents/children have to take a holiday each year it was just that the old education regulations said that if parents wished to they could take children out of school for up to ten school days within a school year.
No assumption, I said I couldn't do it every year I had family going abroad and they asked us to go along I've spent summers at home too.
It'll be a few years before I have another.
I did take them out of school in December, when they were in primary school. I didn't once my eldest was in High School.
My choice not to.
I totally understand why parents do this, and I'm sure schools do to.
The holiday we had a couple of years back was absolutely fabulous, and the last for us as a family (during the Easter holidays).
It is difficult taking them out of school when they are in secondary school, they are always doing some sort of assessments or exams.
Hi all, interesting debate.
seriouslyannoyed, the amendments to the regulations are for England, I am not sure about Wales, Scotland etc
You can read more here.
Sally - and only the exams are important? Grrr. :-)
Hi all
Just got back from a lovely weekend away at Knowles Tooth. I highly recommend it! Look it up online if you can. I went with a Gingerbread group and it was very cheap and absolutely amazing. We wouldn't have had a holiday this year either way if it weren't for this charity.
I find the discussion on this thread absolutely fascinating. I had assumed the rules were changing to reflect the amount of investment in education. By that I mean that teachers have always been great at what they do and always worked hard, but never before has there been a requirement for so much variety in teaching.
I only have experience of primary school as my kids are still young and I haven't taught in secondary, but to plan a day of teaching, a week, a unit, a term, a year is so much more than just winging it.
The multimedia, multisensory, inclusive, differentiated, interwoven nature of teaching these days and the mahoosive paper workload means that a missing a day off school is presumeably "costing" more these days then it ever used to.
It doesn't really work like that as it isn't like there is someone else waiting for the place who could have gone that day your child missed, but I assume this rule is to try and enforce more respect for the education experience as a whole.
On a personal level I would never take my children out of school in term time whether it was sanctioned or not, except in exceptional circumstances (for example, as someone said above if there had been a particularly time for the family and a break away was vital, or for a special occasion or to visit family abroad.)
But that's just how I feel. For me the summer holidays are long enough as it is. A holiday is beyond my reach whatever time of year I go at the moment but I would maybe feel different if there was only a bit in it and it was the difference between going and not going.
As a former teacher I can 100% certify it is disruptive to the class to have people missing. But that is also the case when people are ill or have appointments etc.
I hope everyone has managed to enjoy the summer break one way or the other. Back to school this week! Eeek!
Love Gem
x
The sad thing is the tradition of having a regular holiday away from home is now beyond the means of many families. In these harsh ecanomic times it's difficult to imagine that the number of parents taking their children out of school to go on holiday has incresed. So I wonder why it was felt nessasary at this point to change the rules and remove choice from parents.
I think it is a shame to find that going for a week to a holiday camp (or even camping) in this country can cost more than a week abroad, flights and accommodation included. its ridiculous.
I was lucky to be given a tent when my daughter was small and camping at our favourite spot was £7 a night, now it is something like £21. That is ridiculous!
Before I decided to go the route of taking my children out of school to go on holiday I remember trying to find a holiday in the UK. Just self catering and nothing fancy and I would have been happy with a caravan. I didn't want a holiday camp just something simple by the sea. In August the price was astronmical and that didn't even take in the cost of travel, food and entertainment. The depressing thing to me was that many of these places ecpected you to provide your own bed linen!
Out of interest I went into a travel agent to ask about packages and I soon realised if I was flexable with dates I could afford a great holiday. Flights, half board, swimming pool, tennis courts, even kids clubs that my children loved when they were small... all for less than the cost of two weeks in the rain in a caravan in this country with me having to do all the catering. It was an easy choice.
I realise my children and I have been fortunate but as I said my children are older now and things have changed. It used to be expected that things would always change for the better but no more.
I would be interested in hearing what the children think.
Anyone who has children that are older now, would you ask them what they think of the new regulations.
if you took them out of school when they were younger what did they think, how did it feel, do they think it is ok or not?
i missed some school for medical reasons when i was about 13 and i think i missed really basic bit of learning French because when I came back to school it was suddenly soo much harder, which was a shame as it was one of my favourite subjects.
Hence why my daughter couldn't even wangle a day of come hell or high water!!
speaking from experience, the primary school timetable is very relaxed just before chistmas and just before summer break and sometimes few days before easter break.
so if u manage to book a week away around those times or even ten days ur child wouldnt miss too much work. if it was bang in the middle of a term then they would miss work that may create a gap in learning this is esp true of writing and maths.
if u do go away get ur child to keep a diary about what they r doing, take maths homework and some books for them to read.
What an interesting debate with lots of views expressed. I will have a chat to my boys about what THEY think, and report back, and tell you if I agree with them as well.
One thing that is particularly interesting to me as a "worker" is that over the years I have seen many very low income families able to get away on a short break, courtesy of The Family Holiday Association. These holidays often had to be taken in term time and one thing the association provided was a special letter to give to the school, explaining it was the family's only chance (sometimes for years) to have a few days in a caravan. I wonder whether permission is now going to be denied.
At the other extreme, talking to head teachers I have heard them express annoyance that some families were taking their children out of school twice every year, two weeks at a time, once for a summer holiday and once for the annual skiing holiday!!
Ah! Pet hate!!! I have NEVER taken my children on holiday during term time. It is detrimental to their education, plus if a teacher has to regurgitate lessons when they come back it is bad for the whole class. It is very selfish to do that.
Before people now jump on me saying 'but the holidays are so expensive during holiday time!' - Education is more important than fancy holidays. Would I have loved a 'proper' seaside holiday somewhere warm with the children as they were growing up? Yes, definitely. Of course it would be nice if the travel industry was a bit more considerate. But I chose to have the children, so now I am responsible for their education etc etc. I could never afford this, so it didn't happen. End of story.
People fought so there could be school for everybody, not only rich people. There are still countries where school education has to be paid for and not everyone can afford it. We are blessed, so people should stop moaning about it.
Really sorry, if I tread on people's feet here, but I do feel very strongly about this.