 Poster: A snowHead
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Anyways - I'm still taking them out on Fri 20th December
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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but if someone makes a post containing references to "My son..." and stating "I didn't have it and I didn't miss it" then is it not that poster that has made it personal?
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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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| Elizabeth B wrote: |
| Very few people get to spend all their working life doing things they want to - some times you just have to suck it up and get on with it. |
So true. It's a tough lesson to learn.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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also, from one who has been on here enough to see an embarrassing amount of posts  IIRC Elizabeth B has repeatedly been very supportive of Megamum when she's started threads relating to her kids' homework - and Megamum seems to have accepted and been grateful for her well informed posts then - so its rather childish IMO to now strop off to the Apres Zone to start another thread as she is apparently being "bashed" on here as people have dared to respond to what were very strongly critical posts re. schools.
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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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My own problem with Megamum's criticism of her son's "wasted day" was that she had apparently made no attempt to find out what that day was about, and what the school was trying to achieve. It's hard work taking troops of ebullient primary school kids on out-of-school visits - they would not have done it for no reason. Had she found out what the kids were supposed to get out of the visit she might have been able to help her son to think about it a bit more positively so that his day was not wasted.
If she had known what the school's objectives were, and had a rational view as to why they were misguided then I'm sure her opinion would have been treated with more respect. But if you just rant and stomp, and refuse to come up with any evidence or coherent arguments, what can you expect? It's not a very grown up way of debating a topic.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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One of the biggest things about school is 'wasted days'. However each person probbaly sees different days as wasted. Days spent practicing for the Christmas concert = wasted for those that hate music or who only have a tiny part. Day spent on revision topics = wasted for the bright and studious kid who already understands the topics. Sports day = wasted for those who don't like sport. Etc etc etc.
Anyway. I am in favour of parents being able to take children out of school without too much fuss. As long as they are nice middle class parents goign skiing or something. 
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I am finished with this thread, but I'll just end up with the comments I made on the new thread in après
Everyone that comments on issues is liable to do so from their own perspective and how it affects them. From my perspective I hold the views that I do because I think I have the other bases covered. I think I am entitled to be allowed to say so without personal criticism, as it is being given, as it so often is, without full knowledge or consideration of what other facts might be pertinent.
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| Quote: |
I think I am entitled to be allowed to say so without personal criticism
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of course you are entitled to put your argument but there's no point contributing to the thread at all unless you are prepared to have a discussion, look at different arguments, come up with evidence for your own views. If you perceive counter-arguments as being "bashed" then for your own peace of mind it would probably be better not to bother.
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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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Unauthorised absences are regarded very badly here in CH and usually result in being hauled over the coals and hit with a large (4-figure) fine. Most cantons give families two "joker" days that they can use during the year given enough notice and that is about it. I heard of one family who needed to go to a close family member's wedding which had been brought forward at short notice (1 week) due to a terminal illness and they were given the third degree about the absence, even though it was eventually granted.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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homers double, well done - now please could you share the letter!
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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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Obviously my son isn't called X and neither is his head teacher.
| Quote: |
Dear Mr. X,
RE:- X , yr 6.
In previous years we as a family have always taken a two week holiday in February in a European ski resort and whilst I appreciate that this does mean a week out of school for X it is because the skiing season is relatively short.
Prior to the recent changes in legislation this has been approved by the school as X has good attendance, is rarely, if ever late for school and is an enthusiastic child who partakes in regular extra curricular activities. However I feel the new rules may spell an end to this.
A recent petition to the government resulting in the following response:-
The previous law on leave of absence allowed schools to authorise up to ten days leave for the purpose of family holiday in special circumstances if a parent applied in advance. This was interpreted by some schools and parents to mean that parents had an entitlement to take their children on an annual two week family holiday during term time. This was a misconception; the law was not intended to create any perception of an entitlement. The Government has now changed the law to remove any ambiguity.
Head teachers will still have the power to authorise leave of absence but only in exceptional circumstances. If a head teacher grants leave, it will be for them to determine the length of time the child can be away from school. There are 190 days in a school year and enough opportunities during school breaks for parents to plan their holidays. The Government does not plan to revert back to the previous legislation.
What I take this to mean is that some people were abusing the system in order to take a cheap fortnight holiday during term time, however our is an addition to an existing school holiday which we have always worked to.
We are looking to arrange a two week holiday in February, one of which will coincide with the half term break and can only look to do this with authorisation from the school however the dates are not yet fixed as other people are waiting on our decision. What this means is that if permission is granted for X to take a maximum of 5 days leave we can tailor it to suit any educational program the school has in place. You can also be assured that if X is given and homework to complete over the half term that this will be handed in on his return to school.
I appreciate the new rules which have been put in place but we see skiing as a valuable activity for X which he both enjoys and excels at and hope that we can continue in this way until he starts at his new high school.
We hope that you are able to grant a short leave of absence for X for either one of the weeks commencing 10th or 24th of February 2014 to coincide with the fixed break and your comments would be appreciated.
Yours sincerely,
X's dad.
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homers double, have they authorised it then?
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You know it makes sense.
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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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homers double, yes but are you going with authorisation from the school or not? That's the bit which other parents will be interested in 
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Poster: A snowHead
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If the school had any nouse they would ask why you need to ski for two weeks, why you couldn't go skiing in the christmas or easter breaks. Just sayin'.
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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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homers double, well done - a lot depends on the Head of course. Kids schools seem to have adopted a "say no to everything" approach. For teh sake of one day not sure I can be bothered fighting it
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Luckily ours seems much the opposite, the head is very understanding and takes the aproach that life lessons are, not better than, but just as amportant as math lessons.
Just ring in sick, sod the internet and enjoy your family holiday.
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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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homers double, A good head should know their pupils and rule on separately on each request. This "one size fits all|" approach that is produced by the current legislation is total bollux. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| pam w wrote: |
A school boy's account of what he gets out of school activities can't always be entirely trusted. |
Or, based on my experience - SpoilerA school boy's account of what he gets out of school activities can never be trusted.
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homers double, rub away; my days of skiing in peak periods is now gone. That said my skiing days may have ended completely
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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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HI there
I just thought I would update you on the outcome of my meeting with the school attendance officer and head of year was.
After I initialy contacted the school when the legislation about holidays came out, I was reassured that I could take my boys out of school as I have always done. The school takes the kids on their annual school skiing trip during term time so its not much different. They have a trip booked this March.
However, when I sent the holiday form in this term (for something that had already been verbally agreed) I was contacted by the school inviting me in to have a word with them, I was told that the head was chosing to bring parents in to have a chat with them, rather than issuing a fine. I told her that I didn't have a problem with that and asked would she be asking the 52 parents of the kids going on the school ski trip during term time to come in and "have a chat". She didnt really have an answer for that, but anyway I went in to have my chat.
My meeting was with the head of year and the attendance officer. I let her have her say on policies and government and blah blah and I just kept asking what was going to happen about the other parents who were allowing their child out of school during term time? I said that it was quite hypocritical that if I had paid the school £700 to take my child on a skiing holiday then they would be missing as much school work and I wouldnt be siting here having this conversation. Both of them totally agreed with me and were very empathetic an dsaid this would be looked in to. The head of year was in total agreement as she said it wasnt fair and even asked me to come along to the paretns forum and voice my concern about the ski trip for school during term time. It is double standards. Its not even as if the kids do any school work while they are away (because I asked this question). I explained that I would have no problem paying a fine and that I completly understand that she has to be seen doing her job, but as long as the school are taking kids on an anual skiing trip during term time, then I'm sorry but there is no difference in me taking my kids for the same amount of time during term time.
Next Year though I a think Luke might have chicken pox that week!
Outome - kids are allowed to take the holiday but it will still be unauthorised
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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homers double, I hear what you're saying, and well done! but I would still be very interested to know what absence code the school will record in the register during your absence.
A similar thing happened to us a couple of years ago. My son's school adopted this policy of no term time holiday at all as their attendance levels were not high enough for them to gain an outstanding ofsted. The governing body made the decision. It was a complete and total ban. No matter if your child had a 100% attendance record and you asked for one day off. Nothing. Hubby wrote a letter to the head and chair of governors requesting the absence(2.5 days for a 5 year old), the letter was superb. No reasonable person could have argued with it. The reply came from the head, not addressing any of the points made and simply refusing the request. The head then called me into her office, shut the door behind us and told me her hands were tied, she could not authorise the request but that we should go and have a fantastic time and there was no problem at all as far as she was concerned but the absence would be marked down as unauthorised. She then told me that it was better for them to have sickness recorded as a reason for absence in the registers rather than unauthorised as sickness figures are not viewed in the same way as unauthorised. So trying to be totally reasonable and honest got us all nowhere. It would have been better all round to lie and phone in sick.
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Frosty the Snowman, sorry to hear this, is it your knees? 
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You know it makes sense.
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Interesting thread this. My eldest starts school next year. Said to the school that once every 2 years I'd like to take my daughter our of school for 2 weeks before Christmas so we can fly to NZ to have Christmas with her family (grandparents, uncles, aunties and all of her cousins) explained that it's too far to go for just 2 weeks.
Their answer is no and it's not exceptional circumstances like weddings etc. So I can not take her out of school to see half her family for 2 weeks every second year but can take her out of school for a wedding in the UK.
Every 2 years someone is getting married in NZ!!!
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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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I'm at that tricky stage of trying to get some more years out of a hip and a knee before replacement. Things have improved a little with some cycling over the summer.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| sarah wrote: |
homers double, I hear what you're saying, and well done! but I would still be very interested to know what absence code the school will record in the register during your absence.
A similar thing happened to us a couple of years ago. My son's school adopted this policy of no term time holiday at all as their attendance levels were not high enough for them to gain an outstanding ofsted. The governing body made the decision. It was a complete and total ban. No matter if your child had a 100% attendance record and you asked for one day off. Nothing. Hubby wrote a letter to the head and chair of governors requesting the absence(2.5 days for a 5 year old), the letter was superb. No reasonable person could have argued with it. The reply came from the head, not addressing any of the points made and simply refusing the request. The head then called me into her office, shut the door behind us and told me her hands were tied, she could not authorise the request but that we should go and have a fantastic time and there was no problem at all as far as she was concerned but the absence would be marked down as unauthorised. She then told me that it was better for them to have sickness recorded as a reason for absence in the registers rather than unauthorised as sickness figures are not viewed in the same way as unauthorised. So trying to be totally reasonable and honest got us all nowhere. It would have been better all round to lie and phone in sick. |
I'm saying nothing but there are lines to read, and spaces between them...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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homers double, sorry you've lost me but glad to hear you're going for two weeks
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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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Frosty the Snowman, very sorry to hear that. Hubby a bit similar with his knee, had a procedure in April, not been as succesful as we hoped so far but need to give it more time. Our physio had her knee replacement in her late thirties and has not looked back, her view is when you need it, you need it. Hope yours continues to improve a bit
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Mum had knee replacements in early 70s and managed a good few years skiing after that. Only stopped as other illnesses made insurance stupidly expensive
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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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| sarah wrote: |
| homers double, sorry you've lost me but glad to hear you're going for two weeks |
I think what he's saying is that the head agrees it's a silly policy to apply across the board without exception and whilst didn't actively suggest that the week before feb half term is a particularly bad week for infectious diseases. Based on his experience it is highly likely that lot's of people (and of course) children are ill around these periods so would (edit) not (edit) be surprised if there were the odd extra sickness related absence.
well that's the way I see it, so holiday not authorised (officially st least) but common sense applied by head teach.
but I could have misunderstood.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Frosty the Snowman,
Everyone I know that has had a knee replaced was very happy with the outcome, not always the same case with hips. I find that a bit surprising - I would have thought it would be the other way round.
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| musher wrote: |
Frosty the Snowman,
Everyone I know that has had a knee replaced was very happy with the outcome, not always the same case with hips. I find that a bit surprising - I would have thought it would be the other way round. |
You know a pretty unrepresentative bunch I suspect.
The surgeons I have met who do a lot of these things say it is the other way round, with generally excellent results for hip surgery and more variable results for knee replacements.
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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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ansta1, thanks
That's a great result then, win win, no unauthorised absence for homers double flagged to the local authority and no unauthorised absence affecting the school's figures.
Shame government policy has caused decent people to have to be deceitful.
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Yep - there will be sickness in house 20 Dec
Not sure whether to try and get permission for Tour in t'Yorkshire on basis biggest bike race in world blah blah or just lie again. Stupid really
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FAQ
