 Poster: A snowHead
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rob@rar, if it's not too intrusive a question of the current UK school holiday dates for the 2013/2014 ski season how many of those weeks are currently booked? (feel free to tell me to booger off)
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Christmas week I'm using it, New Year week is booked, Feb half term my sister is using it, Easter weeks are not yet booked but are getting some tentative enquiries. You can see more details about the place, including availability, by following the link in my signature.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Echoing rob@rar's point re discounting/loading I'm sure all Tour Operators and accommodation owners would love you have an average price every week of the season and enjoy level occupancy week in week out - working out prices is without question my biggest headache of the year.
To quote Simon Calder, something of a consumer champion amongst travel writers: "Many package holidays, including skiing holidays, are sold at a loss a lot of the time. So while it is true that prices during school holidays can be 50-100 percent higher and this is not a comfortable state of affairs, it is the reality of the situation. If the pricing changed then the whole business model would unravel and we would have fewer holidays and ski operators to choose from.”
Pretty neat summary.
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When this thread first started I contacted my school to ask about taking my kids out of school during that time. I wanted to make sure my oldest child had no gcse exams during January. I spoke to the teacher and we discussed work I could take away ie mock exams. She gave verbal permission for us to take the holiday. Fast forward to this week when I handed the holiday slips in and the school contacted me to invite me in to discuss it with the yer head and the attendance officer. I couldn't remember the teachers name I spoke to earlier in the year. The attendance officer told me that other schools were fining parents but our head wanted to have a chat with parents and invite them into school. I did try to explain that I had been given verbal permission but without that teachers name it's a bit pointless. Now she informed me that he has mock exams from beginning of January to end of January which was the whole point in me ringing the school in the first place to make sure I didn't take him out of school during this time. Another thing I asked her was "is the usual school ski trip going to be cancelled as it is during school time" she is going to find this information out. Double standards if its still allowed. I'm just waiting to find out off one of their friends who has been on the trip if they do any school work while they are away.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| Quote: |
The attendance officer told me that other schools were fining parents |
The schools are fining?
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Double standards if its still allowed.
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But not of the school's making.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Double standards because the school is allowed to take the kids out of school time (with no school work undertaken at this time as I have checked so it is in effect no different to me taking them out of school during term time). I know the schools hands are tied with regards to the new ruling, but I just think it is a contradiction to haul me into school to give me a talking to about taking my kids out of school during term time, when 6 weeks later the school will be doing exactly the same thing, the only difference is that they will be supervised by teachers and not parents. The same point remains - kids will be on a holiday during term time.
I totally understand that the rules have no changed which arent of the schools making but I think if they are expecting the parents to abide by the rules, then surely they should apply to the school to! So basically they are saying you aren't allowed to take your kids out of school time, unless you are a teacher and you pay the school to supervise them. If I had of decided to let them go on the school ski trip, then they also would be missing 5 days of school work. Regardless who takes them or supervises them, what they are saying is kids shouldnt be taken out of school during term time
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polo99, I entirely agree. My son in a law is a teacher who has done a lot of school ski trips, always in school holidays. He's not prepared to give up his holidays to do that any more, now that he has small kids of his own - it tends to be the younger, single, teachers who are prepared to do that. When I did a school ski trip it was in the Easter holidays. It surprises me that some schools do them in term time - I can't see how they can justify those double standards.
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The school trip I went on there were 2 couples of teachers. One unmarried older couple (no kids ) from my school. The other couple, she had the misfortune to teach at my school and I think he taught in Basingstoke, again, not young but I think no kids. The other teachers that went were young, all single and non skiers from the humanities department. They only went for the beer 
I can't imagine if you have your own kids how you would take a school ski trip.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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skibar, ................ school teachers can't really afford to go skiing!!
They buy silly ski wear from TKMaxx............. then borrow the in laws' ski boots............. start saying "Courchie".. (even though they stay in Brides Les Bains),........... and wish the 3V's had restaurants that allowed "le pique-nique". Bwahahahahhahahhahhahahhhahah
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I have taken my child out of school before after refusing authorised absence.
The fine is £72..... so worth a punt I think. 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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mistral_ski, Tell the Headteacher that if he/she really believed in the education of the "whole-child" he would support parents that can afford the incredible experience of a ski holiday and allow them to have a family holiday during term time .......................... rather than the sadness of NOT allowing such a wonderful experience just in case it may upset those parents who prefer to spend the welfare cheque on Vodka!
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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mistral_ski, FFS................ £72 is only 5 bottles of Smirnmoff!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I remember my mum having the same issues when I was a kid, and my nan wanted to take me on the holiday of a lifetime to Oz, she told the head teacher, well..... shes going anyway she is not missing out!
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You know it makes sense.
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Sorry my mistake.... £60 not £72.
Details of payment arrangements will be included on the penalty notice. The penalty must be paid in full. The penalty is £60 if paid within 21 days, increasing to £120 if paid between 21 and 28 days.
NB) the reduction in time for paying the £60 penalty payment from 28 to 21 days comes into effect from 1 September 2013.
If you do not pay the penalty in full within 28 days of issue, the Local Authority is required to start legal proceedings against you in the local Magistrate’s Court for the original offence of failing to ensure your child attends school regularly. This may lead to a fine of up to £1,000.
Once payment of a penalty notice has been made parents and carers will no longer be liable for their child’s absence from school during the period to which the notice relates. But, if your child has further periods of unauthorised absence from school, the local authority may decide to take you back to court for a further prosecution.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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polo99 -
The reasoning behind school extracurricular activities is that it provides a developmental and enriching opportunity for young people during their formative years. It may not be directly linked to national curriculum subjects but is still recognised to be educational in a wider sense. Most parents seem to generally accept and welcome these opportunities although obviously cost can be a factor. Whether accompanying supervisory staff derive any benefit from it, or what they wear, is irrelevant and trivial.
Family holidays may also be educational in the same sense though not all are. Nonetheless, most heads are likely to consider that the children who go on family holidays, whether during term time or breaks, are highly likely to also be the children who have a good attitude to their studies. (Obviously children shouldn't be spending the entire school year being on holiday!)
I imagine the reason for some school trips to be during the term is that cheaper prices may then be offered, which may be especially important if the school is able to subsidise costs for less well off families. You could always ask your school why they choose those weeks and ask them to justify their choice - as perhaps you already have.
If you want to complain about the abolition by Gove of a system that worked then you should write to your M.P.
Your complaint to your school should be about the wrong information you had previously been given though you should have obtained it in writing.
I'm not sure why you were unaware of mock exams being held in January. Perhaps the information was in fact provided but overlooked by you (- that tends to be the reason most parents don't think they have been told something) or perhaps your school's communication systems need improving. By your account however the school trip is not being held in January so it isn't exactly the same as your holiday plans.
It would be unfortunate if someone misses mock exams though perhaps a way to compensate for that could be found. If it is affordable perhaps you could find a private tutor to administer the mock exams at weekends?
It isn't schools that prosecute and fine parents. The schools only report to the local authority and it decides what, if anything, to do. The local authority does not have infinite resources and may ignore all but those cases it would have been interested in anyway. Possibly you could change your holiday to February and just accept any fine.
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Poster: A snowHead
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FWIW I wouldn't book a holiday that interfered with exams. I am even choosing to holiday at half term when it is expensive, I just want a day off school on the Friday to help with the travelling. One day in an otherwise 100% attendance year - yet the heads of the schools can't say 'Yes' to that.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| mistral_ski wrote: |
| Sorry my mistake.... £60 not £72. |
IIRC it will depend on the LO as to how much the fine is. They can go up to £120 per parent per child. So a 2 parent family taking 2 kids out of school could be fined £480.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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yet the heads of the schools can't say 'Yes' to that
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Exactly.
The heads can't.
Because of idiot Gove.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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skibar, whoever advised him wants their head examining IMHO.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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whoever advised him wants their head examining
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I get the impression that one of the key problems with Mr Gove is that he is impervious to advice.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Like Mr Balls before him and the one before him and the one before him... there is a theme forming.
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And he is an idiot.
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Filthyphil30k, yes, there's that too!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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qwertyuiop7, indeed...
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Our sons school has a form online to fill in and a worksheet to arrange with the teacher to make sure they keep up if you take them on vacation. Seems quite sensible, though apparently everyone here saves vacation for the epic summer break so not often used.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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qwertyuiop7, I'm with you 100%.
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To be fair my youngest daughters school only closed for half a day due to the snow (they really did have a nail biting situation keeping it open as its on a country road). They did not close for strikes. They did not close for electoral voting. They did not have half days opening/closing at the start or finish of term (any school that does this needs serious questioning - ridiculous waste of everyone's time). My daughter had one days recorded absence. We're going skiing during the Christmas holidays. I have lost nothing from this change yet it is still something I strongly oppose. The Government needs to deal with the true problem - ad hoc frequent truancy by folks who can't be bothered to change out of their PJs before 9am in order to get their kids to school.
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You know it makes sense.
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stuarth,
Not true in Calgary. Loads , certainly in early years take breaks to go to Hawaii or mexico in the winter. Plus a few southern hemisphere immigrants take extended Christmas breaks to coincide with the long breaks there.
I am taking my two out for a day as we will be on a break in Chicago. Son's teacher said, it will be brilliant, highly educational and not to worry at all.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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The Government needs to deal with the true problem - ad hoc frequent truancy by folks who can't be bothered to change out of their PJs before 9am in order to get their kids to school.
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Shimmy Alcott, +100%
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Poster: A snowHead
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As the saying goes, it's better to beg forgiveness than to ask for permission 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| gryphea wrote: |
stuarth,
Not true in Calgary. Loads , certainly in early years take breaks to go to Hawaii or mexico in the winter. Plus a few southern hemisphere immigrants take extended Christmas breaks to coincide with the long breaks there.
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It's a bit warmer this side of the Rockies... and besides with our house prices can't afford to go anywhere! 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I'm not really sure I care what a teacher or head will tell me i can or cannot do with my children LOL. When i look at what they do every day, a week of skiing and cultural exposure is worth much more than the lessons. Half the time the biggest lie is the school telling me they will miss something important! 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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they are supposed to have 193 days of education every year, if we as parents choose to taken them out we get financially impacted.
If the union chooses to strike, the childrens education is impacted as is the parents income in some way shape or form.
If the the school chooses to take the children on an educational visit (as officially designated) we have to pay and our child potentially misses, should we choose to send our child on visit, on some key lessons.
seems a bit loaded against sensible and free thinking.. but hey ho.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thornyhill, 
Liking the idea of the FoI request though, may consider that!
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Liking the idea of the FoI request though, may consider that!
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Amusing though that may be, the school's proper response is likely to be that the information is not held. To any repeated request the reply is likely to be that the request is vexatious.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Quote: |
whoever advised him wants their head examining IMHO
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It's in the report I previously cited by Charlie Taylor.
The government have described him as "an expert". I do not know what he is expert at or how he became so.
He was subsequently made head of the National College. I don't know why.
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| Megamum wrote: |
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The Government needs to deal with the true problem - ad hoc frequent truancy by folks who can't be bothered to change out of their PJs before 9am in order to get their kids to school.
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Shimmy Alcott, +100% |
True, but at my kids school the chav set don't have to bother, a taxi takes the children to school.
People with jobs have to find away to get children to school and remain employed. Not always easy.
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FAQ
) or wherever or watching films and "painting nails"