Anyone ever take kids out of school

[chmurf]

I'm taking my 4 year old out of school next feb. for a week.
He's still young, And anyway the last two days before holidays they're allowed to bring toys and games to school, so no real learning (he's in a Montessori school) and the week before the holidays is usually quite slow

I don't mind taking him out of school, especially since this year they have a theme dealing with "my friends from around the world", and he'll have a show and tell day two weeks after we return. That will give him much to talk about, and my oh my, he talks a lot

I consider that before 6 or 7 they are young enough to skip class for a couple of days. Especially if they are given the opportunity to do things new and experiment.
Of course I wouldn't take him out of school just to stay glued to the TV all day.
Walking, seeing, playing, discovering, well, call that a field trip

 

[joolz1910]

I took my children out for 6 days on our last trip, the head had no problem with it.

We're booked for next year and I think I'll only have to take them out for 2 days next year (two week oct half term, ours starts a week before everyone else on the 12th, which is luckily the day after our arrival )

But if they had said no I would have told them I wasn't asking permission I was giving them notice.

I don't take my children to Florida for education, although they do leanr so much they can't at home, I take them because I work too much, I don't spend enough time with them (I'm sure every parent feels that way) and they need, as well as I, to spend 2 weeks of proper quality time with their family, no work, no schedule, no after school clubs, nothing but us and fun.

That to me is more important than anything, and it'll be that they will carry with them into adult life not what they could have learned in school those two weeks.

To the ignorant poster earlier in the thread, I assume you've never taken a day off, never got ill, never been on holiday?? I'm sure you have. Why is it ok for you to take time off work but a teacher isn't allowed? Everyone is entitled to time off no matter what their job!

I was also 100% for the strike, public sector workers get a bum deal, and that's coming from a self employed mum who gets no holiday pay, pensions, sick pay etc!

Thank goodness for common sense.

 

[Dead-metal]

I took my children out for 6 days on our last trip, the head had no problem with it.

We're booked for next year and I think I'll only have to take them out for 2 days next year (two week oct half term, ours starts a week before everyone else on the 12th, which is luckily the day after our arrival )

But if they had said no I would have told them I wasn't asking permission I was giving them notice.

I don't take my children to Florida for education, although they do leanr so much they can't at home, I take them because I work too much, I don't spend enough time with them (I'm sure every parent feels that way) and they need, as well as I, to spend 2 weeks of proper quality time with their family, no work, no schedule, no after school clubs, nothing but us and fun.

That to me is more important than anything, and it'll be that they will carry with them into adult life not what they could have learned in school those two weeks.

To the ignorant poster earlier in the thread, I assume you've never taken a day off, never got ill, never been on holiday?? I'm sure you have. Why is it ok for you to take time off work but a teacher isn't allowed? Everyone is entitled to time off no matter what their job!

I was also 100% for the strike, public sector workers get a bum deal, and that's coming from a self employed mum who gets no holiday pay, pensions, sick pay etc!

As I am the "ignorant poster" let me say this. Me taking time off work for sickness doesn't affect the education of children. Whilst you say that everyone is entitled to time off work I agree. However, I get four weeks paid holiday per year. Teachers get 13 weeks off per year, paid. As a private sector employee I don't get a pension and I certainly earn less than a teacher.

 

[Kath2003]

As I am the "ignorant poster" let me say this. Me taking time off work for sickness doesn't affect the education of children. Whilst you say that everyone is entitled to time off work I agree. However, I get four weeks paid holiday per year. Teachers get 13 weeks off per year, paid. As a private sector employee I don't get a pension and I certainly earn less than a teacher.

A few things:

1. The vacation time *technically* isn't paid. We're only contracted to work for 39 weeks of the year. The fact that our pay comes in 12 monthly payments is neither here nor there. The 13 weeks "vacation" is, admittedly, 9 weeks more than the legal minimum, although when you take into account that it includes 7 public holidays, it means teachers get 7.5 weeks more than the bare minimum. That said, you won't find a teacher in the world who will tell you that the holidays aren't a huge perk of the job (but equally, we always pay top prices to travel during those times and there is absolutely no flexibility during the rest of the year).

2. As you don't get a pension, I'll assume you don't pay into one. Teachers do pay money into a pension in order to receive it. You would also need to start paying money into a pension fund in order to receive a pension.

3. If you wish for the benefits that come with being a teacher, why not train to be one? I adore my job and would highly recommend it

4. It's not a competition to see who has the worst employment contract. The fact that you seem dissatisfied with your career doesn't mean that the rest of us should feel that way.

 

[flortlebap]

As I am the "ignorant poster" let me say this. Me taking time off work for sickness doesn't affect the education of children. Whilst you say that everyone is entitled to time off work I agree. However, I get four weeks paid holiday per year. Teachers get 13 weeks off per year, paid. As a private sector employee I don't get a pension and I certainly earn less than a teacher.

I would imagine you get 5.6 weeks paid holiday including bank holidays as that's the bare legal minimum.

And they don't technically get that paid - their salaries are just spread out over the year (same as your paid holidays are).

 

[joolz1910]

A few things:

1. The vacation time *technically* isn't paid. We're only contracted to work for 39 weeks of the year. The fact that our pay comes in 12 monthly payments is neither here nor there. The 13 weeks "vacation" is, admittedly, 9 weeks more than the legal minimum, although when you take into account that it includes 7 public holidays, it means teachers get 7.5 weeks more than the bare minimum. That said, you won't find a teacher in the world who will tell you that the holidays aren't a huge perk of the job (but equally, we always pay top prices to travel during those times and there is absolutely no flexibility during the rest of the year).

2. As you don't get a pension, I'll assume you don't pay into one. Teachers do pay money into a pension in order to receive it. You would also need to start paying money into a pension fund in order to receive a pension.

3. If you wish for the benefits that come with being a teacher, why not train to be one? I adore my job and would highly recommend it

4. It's not a competition to see who has the worst employment contract. The fact that you seem dissatisfied with your career doesn't mean that the rest of us should feel that way.

Well said.
It always amuses me that the people who begrudge us the school holidays, will in the very next breath say, 'I couldn't do your job.' Can't be that much of a perk then, can it?

It is also surprising how people imagine that we earn sackloads of cash. I wish! Teaching is a graduate profession, and as an honours graduate, I'm sure that my pay is no more than someone who has been working in an equivalent job in the private sector.

 

[crabbie1]

As I am the "ignorant poster" let me say this. Me taking time off work for sickness doesn't affect the education of children. Whilst you say that everyone is entitled to time off work I agree. However, I get four weeks paid holiday per year. Teachers get 13 weeks off per year, paid. As a private sector employee I don't get a pension and I certainly earn less than a teacher.

No offence although you seem to have upset quite a few people with your rude whether intentional or not, posts but do you not like teachersor just jealous? I get 8 weeks holiday a year as a nurse which I think is darn good and have 6% of my monthly salary taken out for pension. I also choose to pay into a private pension a small amount each month and anyone in the 'private' sector' should do the same if they want something to look forward to. I have worked very hard to get where I am and I know teachers do the same but because they get all the school holidays off(which I know they dont have it all as they have to prepare for the next term etc etc) they get slated.
I don't know why you are getting so heated about teachers having time off in school time. Th original poster could have quite easily booked her hols and phoned in sick for a week,then the school would have still had to get cover and been none the wiser but she did the right thing and asked our opinions.Im sure she did not expect to get a grilling over it.

 

[2Tiggies]

This thread was posted to obtain the views of others on taking CHILDREN out of school. There is no debate on the ethics of teachers taking time off school. Clarification of the position which was misinterpreted can be found on page four in post #54. I don't think we need to debate, criticise or justify teachers taking time off school as there is no example of a teacher doing so on this thread.

There is also no call for a discussion on what teachers get paid and who gets how much time off work for annual leave or how much pension anyone gets. We choose our careers for various reasons and there are perks and challenges for everyone. Anyone who feels the teachers are at an unfair advantage, there is nothing stopping you or I from completing the necessary qualifications and taking up a career in education.

 

[crabbie1]

This thread was posted to obtain the views of others on taking CHILDREN out of school. There is no debate on the ethics of teachers taking time off school. Clarification of the position which was misinterpreted can be found on page four in post #54. I don't think we need to debate, criticise or justify teachers taking time off school as there is no example of a teacher doing so on this thread.

There is also no call for a discussion on what teachers get paid and who gets how much time off work for annual leave or how much pension anyone gets. We choose our careers for various reasons and there are perks and challenges for everyone. Anyone who feels the teachers are at an unfair advantage, there is nothing stopping you or I from completing the necessary qualifications and taking up a career in education.

soz for discussing my pension and job lee

 

[2Tiggies]

soz for discussing my pension and job lee

No call to apologise to me I only posted the above because this thread has so much helpful information volunteered in it and is an interesting discussion and I'm sure it is also very helpful to many. It just got to a point where it was at risk of being thrown completely off course in a negative direction, which would be a shame It was by no means a dig at you or the content of your post

 

[joolz1910]

Back on topic...

I ask my students to perform a sort of 'show and tell' as part of their speaking and listening assessment, and every year students choose to talk about their holidays (especially to WDW). It's so nice to hear these streetwise teenagers getting excited about Mickey.

 

[dc1964]

Kids should remain in school during term time. Only travel in the many holidays that are allocated.
That way it's quieter when I decide to go.

 

[madmumof2]

As I am the "ignorant poster" let me say this. Me taking time off work for sickness doesn't affect the education of children. Whilst you say that everyone is entitled to time off work I agree. However, I get four weeks paid holiday per year. Teachers get 13 weeks off per year, paid. As a private sector employee I don't get a pension and I certainly earn less than a teacher.

Do you imagine a classroom full of children are left unattended while a teacher is off? No child's education is affected, someone else will be teaching that class, they're not left stranded don't worry!

As a self employed person I don't get a pension, neither do I get sick days, holiday pay, maternity leave etc or any of the things you get. My job was my choice, other people shouldn't be punished because I chose to work for myself.

On the plus side if I feel like taking a day off I can do, I have no deadlines other than those I set for myself and if I need a little extra spending money I just work a bit longer, no permission needed

There are perks and negatives to any job. Fact is holidays are cheaper in term time, a teacher has just as much right as me to book in that time.

 

[jen_uk]

Kids should remain in school during term time. Only travel in the many holidays that are allocated.
That way it's quieter when I decide to go.

 

[cheryl.UK]

Ok, enough of the teacher bashing. Let me just point out a few things.

1 The VAST majority of teachers cannot take time off during term time. For full time teachers it is simply not possible (They are NOT allowed as part of their contract)and even for part timers, the timetable of even primary schools will not allow it. The poster who could is in a very small minority of teachers who job share and even then it may not be possible as people tend to job share for a reason.

2 Teachers work for 195 days per year within school. But how many other people regularly sit down on a Sunday tea time to work for a couple of hours? Or come home on a week night and start work again for a couple of hours? Teachers do this on a weekly basis not just every now and again.

3 Secondary teachers work up to 8 evenings during the year for no extra money but perehaps incurring additional child care expenditure (The going rate around here is £8 per hour for evenings and parents evenings can go on until 9, thats 5 hours x £8 x 8 events £320 EXTRA per child per year the cost of an off peak child's ticket to Florida...)

4 Many staff are required to work at least a couple of days during the holidays, exam results days for example. Staff with responsibility points, perhaps even more. Leadership staff are in almost full time unless they are on actual holiday with their familities. Most heads take less time off than people with non teaching jobs.

5 A set of 30 reports can take 2 to 3 hours to write. An RE teacher might teach 22 - 27 different classes as they tend to teach each child just once per week. That's up to 81 hours of evening work JUST TO WRITE REPORTS!

All that and one of the most stressful jobs going. How stressful is it trying to get three or four kids focused, quiet, sitting stillish, concentrating, not arguing, not playing for even half an hour? Try 30 of them for 5 hours a day, 5 days a week.

Now please can we all stop arguing about what teachers do or don't do. Do you take your kids out of school? That was the original question.

 

[Elise79]

Do you imagine a classroom full of children are left unattended while a teacher is off? No child's education is affected, someone else will be teaching that class, they're not left stranded don't worry!

As a self employed person I don't get a pension, neither do I get sick days, holiday pay, maternity leave etc or any of the things you get. My job was my choice, other people shouldn't be punished because I chose to work for myself.

On the plus side if I feel like taking a day off I can do, I have no deadlines other than those I set for myself and if I need a little extra spending money I just work a bit longer, no permission needed

There are perks and negatives to any job. Fact is holidays are cheaper in term time, a teacher has just as much right as me to book in that time.

It may be too late for you but even self employed woman are entitled to Maternity pay - its called the maternity allowance and is a flat rate paid for 39 weeks. It the same rate as the maternity pay for employees. Just wanted to add it incase it helps someone.

Back to the original topic - I will be taking DD out of school next October and on my visit to the school of my choice last week found out it won't be authorised as the local LEA has a policy of no holidays in term time.

At 4 years old I am not really worried she is going miss much anyway.

 

[joolz1910]

Back to the original topic - I will be taking DD out of school next October and on my visit to the school of my choice last week found out it won't be authorised as the local LEA has a policy of no holidays in term time.

At 4 years old I am not really worried she is going miss much anyway.

She is not legally required to attend school full-time until she is 5.

 

[mickeyforpresident]

Back to the original topic - I will be taking DD out of school next October and on my visit to the school of my choice last week found out it won't be authorised as the local LEA has a policy of no holidays in term time.

anyway.

LEAs can't make policy for schools; the school is more than likely to be too chicken to tell you it's their own policy. The school can choose to adopt an LEA recommended policy but do not have to.

 

[joolz1910]

LEAs can't make policy for schools; the school is more than likely to be too chicken to tell you it's their own policy. The school can choose to adopt an LEA recommended policy but do not have to.

Yep - it's at the Head's (and governors') discretion. Most Heads around my area seem to adopt the 'zero tolerance' approach.