coldel Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-36277940 Personally I agree, its a bit of a farce giving out fines illegally. I wonder how many of the fines would have to be paid back in theory? Given my son is off to school in September (and even more of a joke, 5 weeks of half days to let him get used to it - again farcical) I have no plans to be crowding into over priced resorts, we will be going in term time. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
350zedd Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 The law is way too rigid in this respect, and needs to be a lot more flexible in my opinion. Why should you be obliged to take holidays when they tell you to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldel Posted May 13, 2016 Author Share Posted May 13, 2016 What it seems to ignore is also the needs of the parent, I need a holiday also sometimes, and not always in half term when school decide. Just seems too draconian, I took holidays when at school in term time, I worked out ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabbitstew Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 Interesting one really. As a kid my parents only ever took holidays during school holidays. I think as a kid id be too worried about what school work ive missed out on over that week or 2 weeks off and all that extra home work afterwards to catch up. Still, thinking about it, kids have a week off sick, go back and manage to catch up okay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
350zedd Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 Considering also that the law allows you to home educate, and therefore can go on holiday whenever you please. The rigidity in the school system seems a bit misplaced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richf Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 I used to be a Chair of Governors at a local school . I dont agree in fining parents, schools expect a lot of goodwill from parents throughout the year and I always felt that if you do fine parents then you can potentially lose that But school is important , children with poor attendance dont do as well in exams thats a fact, most parents value a decent education above a cheap holiday, for those that dont then fining them will have no effect Lets not forget that teachers always need to take holidays at the worst times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 If your kid is thick then you don't have the right to take them out in term time, they need all the help they can get. If they're doing well and are capable of catching up then I say go for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobbyZ Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 I don't see a problem with the fines in principle - I'd imagine they were introduced because some parents aren't responsible enough to ensure that their children have good attendance records, and a financial penalty is the only way to make them think twice. I think it's a reasonable compromise to stop parents taking the ****. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobbyZ Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 If your kid is thick then you don't have the right to take them out in term time, they need all the help they can get. If they're doing well and are capable of catching up then I say go for it. So only fine the parents if the kid is a waster? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irn Bru Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 What it seems to ignore is also the needs of the parent, I need a holiday also sometimes, and not always in half term when school decide. Just seems too draconian, I took holidays when at school in term time, I worked out ok. Says you 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 If your kid is thick then you don't have the right to take them out in term time, they need all the help they can get. If they're doing well and are capable of catching up then I say go for it. So only fine the parents if the kid is a waster? Yeah, basically. Put the effort in and thou shalt be rewarded, and all that. Seems the fairest way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richf Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 If your kid is thick then you don't have the right to take them out in term time, they need all the help they can get. If they're doing well and are capable of catching up then I say go for it. who should be the judge of that ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brillomaster Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 fine parents for kids playing truant - parents need to ensure their kids go to school. however don't fine parents who need to take cheaper holidays if their kids are doing absolutely fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brillomaster Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 how about extending the summer term by one week, and making the official summer holidays 5 weeks instead of 6, but then allow both teachers and children 1 week's holiday to be taken at some point during the year? In fairness, nobody does any work the last two weeks of the summer term. either you've just finished exams so everyones in holiday mode anyway, or its the end of the school year and everyone is just counting down the days till summer holidays! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobbyZ Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 Some kind of reward system for good performance and attendance sounds reasonable, but in reality would probably be hard to administer and open to abuse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richf Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 You can apply for term time absence , then its up to the school to decide which child can afford the time off or not . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtbiscuit Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 We have a system that students have to get a signature from each of their class teachers, if they are up to date with their work etc they sign it if they aren't they don't. if they haven't got full signatures they have time to catch up with the work to get the teacher to sign it. if they don't get it up to date it then comes down to the heads discretion. other elements play part of this basically if you already have poor attendance you won't get the sheet for signing in the first place. As long as a students attendance remains above 98% then they are deemed as regular attenders if it drops below 95% the EWO is brought in. As a teacher it does mean i am the only person occupational who cannot choose when i take my holiday, i am legally bound to only holiday in non term time. (the most expensive time) if i want time off outside that it is nigh on impossible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
planetsurfer2 Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 Who own's your kids? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldel Posted May 13, 2016 Author Share Posted May 13, 2016 Was actually waiting for Rich to come in on the conversation The report says that 90% attendance is the threshold, in any case, what if the child breaks their leg, does that mean being at home whilst they recover means they are going to fail? I personally believe application has more impact on capability to pass than some sort of blunt measurement like attendance. Kids can turn up 100% of the time but if they do 'eff all whilst they are there they will fail (hence why teachers can sign off performance as above) and I would be more likely to want to fine parents who do nothing to motivate their children than those that have high performing children who take a week out. Rebecca went to a school visit recently that I couldnt make and raised this, the headmistress came back very much with 'NO CHILDREN TAKE TIME OFF IN TERM TIME IN MY SCHOOL I WONT HAVE IT', this is a school rated Outstanding by OFSTED. Rebecca described it as the sort of response she would expect from a sergeant major - yes she needs to communicate the message she would not encourage it, but I think there is a high horse she needs to get off, these people you are talking to fund you, and your school, and my desire for my child to do well at your school makes you look good, respect that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richf Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 As a teacher it does mean i am the only person occupational who cannot choose when i take my holiday, i am legally bound to only holiday in non term time. (the most expensive time) if i want time off outside that it is nigh on impossible. Lots of occupations dont get to choose , the military for example FWIW 90% attendance is 19 days absent from school in one year ! , my son had 2 days off this year , one for sick and one for a funeral Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irn Bru Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 This is a subject which grinds me....... my kids are my kids and I will decide when family holidays are taken. I took both my kids on holidays during school time a few times. I notified the school what was going to happen and the head wrote to me TELLING me I had to ASK for his permission to have a family holiday, aye that will be f@$£ing right. I never took them out anywhere near exam time and it didn't hurt my kids education one bit..... being told I must ask for permission for family time really gets my goat. I just wrote back telling him I won't be asking anybody's permission for time with my kids..... my daughter has just passed her nursing degree and been offered a Staff Nurse position in our top hospital in Edinburgh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldel Posted May 13, 2016 Author Share Posted May 13, 2016 ...and having been a teacher for a short time I do bow down to the time and effort they put in. However, I think an appreciation of the real world is required from some of them some times. The school Alfie has been selected for says that he needs to do half days for 5 1/2 weeks whilst every other school does 2 weeks half days for reception - I am going to ask some very tough questions of the school as to why that is when I visit them in a couple of weeks because I find this somewhat farcical. I will also very much challenge Head Miss on the school leave thing, law is not on her side, lets see how much she can bully parents with this news... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 If your kid is thick then you don't have the right to take them out in term time, they need all the help they can get. If they're doing well and are capable of catching up then I say go for it. who should be the judge of that ? Teachers, obviously. They already set the levels for the kids, makes sense for them to carry that through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
350zedd Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 Some of this stuff sounds like I could be back in the Victorian Era! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobbyZ Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 (edited) I'm still largely on the side of the schools here. Unless you feel that there is no reason for the fines to exist (the reason in question being that some parents don't care and will take their children on holiday enough that it has a negative impact), then really the rules have to be simple and easily imposed. Leaving it up to the discretion of the teachers is questionable. What if a holiday gets signed off because the parents are friends with the head? Edited May 13, 2016 by BobbyZ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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