Would you take your kids ski-ing in term time?

A snowHead

With the significant premium on prices during Feb Half Term, do any snowHead

take their kids out of school to ski during term time?

My understanding is that the official position is that, by law, parents do not have the right to expect the school to allow a child time off for family holidays. However, schools can, at their discretion, grant a child up to 10 days holiday each academic year.

Has anyone asked and been refused?

A snowHead

BMF_Skier, We have not been refused and have been several times, ours are young reception and year 2. Our school is generally ok with this (so far) as long as the child has not had lots of other time off ill or for other reasons. In a neighbouring authority though lots of our friends are finding that although 10 days is the maximum alllowed the time needs to be taken all in one go to minimise disruption and if you are going to need, say, 5 days out of school for a family holiday then the school will not then allow you to take any more days.

I can see both sides, schools are now targeted heavily on performance, teaching and attendance (mostly at the demand of parents) and then the parents want to take the kids out of school for extra holidays !

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BMF_Skier, Now that my daughter is in secondary school they have clear rules that no holiday willl be granted during term time. I heven't tested this out.

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This year, to fall in line with school holidays, we're waiting to go to ADH on the 11th April. Really nervous about how the snow will hold up. Hope there is a late dump, like last year.

Our daughter is supposed to go back to school on the Wed of that first week back after Xmas hols, but we checked with the school and the head teacher said "I've come to accept that parents will take their children skiing on that week". So, next year we're going the first full week in Jan. As it's a private school I don't know why they don't just shift the holidays by a few days.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

We did. Not often and not in exam years.

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BTW, these are not my children.
Realistically only looking at one week in Jan 2010, kids will be 7 and 10.
I've heard the 'performance target' issued bandied about. IMHO, that just another useless govt required statistic that gets in the way of good education. Oh yes and the incentives granted the schools. I have two relatives who are \ were teachers and they are made to jump through hoops by 'targets' set elsewhere. Teachers are caught between a rock and a hard place !

This year the finances have allowed a 2nd trip at easter, to fit in with shools holidays. Between them is going to cost approx £500 more.
We've ended up, taking budget accomodation, in smaller resorts to be able to afford it. As a comparrison I've looked at decent appt in Jan and the same in Feb, £600 difference for just the accomodation. All because of the premium rate weeks.

Rant over, back on topic, i'm trying to guage the willingness of schools to allow such a request.

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My kids are 6 and 9 and I have taken them out of school to go skiing for the last 3 years and will do again this year. Our headteacher is a skier (her husband is basi qualified) so she is fine with it, but the local authority is a different matter. I think, if I get away with it this year, I've probably pushed it as far as I can and won't do it next year.

After all it is free

Have taken the 3 kids out first week of January for last 4 years with the schools blessing. Last year we took them out twice. Oldest is in her last year in primary next year but would still consider taking them out tino their second year in secondary. Its only one bleeding week I just cannot undersatnd why any parent wiht kids in primary school would want to go durng 1/2 term?

ickabodblue, Seems you had a reasonable headteacher to be able to talk to.

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BMF_Skier, I think you are over thinking this. We don't ask permission, we just write a note to the school telling them what we are doing.

I am also led in my opinion on this by friends who are teachers who tell me this weeks absence makes no difference, if they said it made a difference i might think about it.

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My daughter is 11 and we have taken her out in term time for last 5 years, we get a great deal, generally empty pistes, our daughters mates are extremely jealous as are most of the teachers. I v'e only been called into the Head teachers office once where she expressed concern. oh well rolling eyes

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When I was a kid I missed loads of school time both in primary and secondary for skiing. Never did my education any harm. I think teachers think what they do is more important than it really is in life. If you are motivated as a kid you can always catch up a weeks work. What about when you are ill, you have to catch up then and no one gives you a hard time for that.

You know it makes sense.

thefatcontroller, It's not me that will be called into the headteacher, it's the little darlings mother! I'd rather not rock the boat or cause any unnecessary upset with either!

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

BMF_Skier, Ah wink

. Go see the headteacher and ask his/her opinion. Would be surprised in primary school if there is an issue, especially if you ask in advance?

A snowHead

We generally go skiing twice a year, we do one in term time and one out. Our school makes their policy well know that parents are not encouraged to take their children out of school during term time, however up to ten days can be approved by the Head at her discretion. We have never been refused. However, another family in the school did get their request refused because their daughter had had a lot of sick days, they still took her out though. The local authority do monitor absences and will prosecute some parents but when you think of all the kids who skive off loads of time off school then I think parents like us who take a small considered time out of school will be way down their list of priorities.

A snowHead

We have always took our kids out of school for skiing trips, now 11 and 14, that is up until now................... Have always felt guilty, not that I think their education suffers for one minute, what price can you put on a weeks skiing I ask you? Guilty, from other parents not doing it and a few odd comments during parents evening.
This yr we are half term skiiers and feel a bit smug Little Angel

..That is until we've queued all day to get on the lifts and been run over by masses of people.

On the positive side we haven't paid any extra for flights or digs (DIY) but not had the choice so it swings in roundabouts. In fact my son 14 is quite put out that he's not missing a week of school (he's not the academic kind), little does he know we are grooming him to become an instructor so mum and dad can get some cheap holidays Cool

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When I chat to the headteacher about skiing I talk about exercise out in the fresh air when the west of Scotland has such poor health records. I talk about being exposed to foreign language, food and culture and the social benefits of making friends with foreign kids. I tell her how I feel we can sometimes have too narrow a view of what constitutes education mostly because of the stresses of league tables and testing and wouldn't it be nice if government would butt out and just let teachers get on with it. I then stress how younger children can suffer in the cold more than adults and how climate change makes the Easter hols a bit of a lottery so March is the ideal time to go skiing and improve their social developement. snowHead

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

We took ours out of school regularly to go skiing in early January - but things have obviously tightened up since. My Dad had done the same when I was in secondary school (we couldn't afford hols when I was in primary school) He used to claim that it was because not all senior managers could take school holiday weeks off - he worked for the AA and the summer was busy. But really it was because he didn't like noisy camp sites in the school holidays! I even missed exams one glorious year when we wild camped on the west coast of Scotland in June (school exams, not important ones!) and was the envy of all my friends. I wouldn't want to sour a relationship with a school and I think that to encourage kids to participate in a lie (pulling a sickie) is despicable. But if they have an otherwise good attendance and work record I would tend to write in good time with a notice of my intention and see what happens. If my kids had a poor attendance record and/or were struggling with their work I wouldn't suggest pulling them out.

My attitude was probably coloured by the fact that my work moves meant that all three kids went to a variety of different schools - they all attended nursery/primary schools in at least two continents. Parents these days do seem to be getting more paranoid and precious about school - not to mention driving the little darlings there until they're about 24. What happens at home is much more important than what happens at school, when they're little. (The fact that our lifestyle meant we rarely had TV and never more than one tiny portable set even when we were in the UK probably contributed to the fact that our kids are all voracious readers!). In fact, come to think of it, we STILL only have one tiny portable set!

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My son is Y10 and currently in Norway for a week. He went to Italy for a week in January, then we go to St Anton (one week) in March, finishing in Andorra in April (school holidays) where he will take his Canadian Instructor exams.

The school have the attitude that skiing is not a holiday, it will be part of of his adult life, he's intending to teach skiing in gap year at least, carry on with coaching after that, he's learning on his time on the snow. At their last school the teachers had the attitude 'you don't take your children on holiday, you take them away to learn. Your kids come back knowing where they have been and know about the countries they have seen - this is education, carry on doing it'.

Snowsport England have a document ' Skiing and the National Curriculum' which we would have used to back the argument for him to ski, however it was unnecessary, they already knew that a week of learning to ski better is still a week of learning, wherever it is and however much fun he is having.

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BMF_Skier, We take our sons out of school for one week a year, to ski in January. They are now 14 and 9 and we've done this for the past 4 years, without a problem with schools. We write to the Head and ask permission. The boys attendance is excellent - they are rarely off ill, dentists etc are always arranged for after school hours and they have never set fire to the bins. These are all factors which are used to determine whether permission is granted or not. The benefits to them both (the elder one has dyspraxia and shouldn't be 'able' to ski) are immeasurable, and the negatives - so far - have been negligible. They both try to speak French when there, and the younger one in particular, refuses to speak English in cafes and shops etc., with the result that we often stand outside for ages, whilst I teach him to say whatever it is he wants to say Laughing

After all it is free

Just booked to take ours out in early March - given that many schools were closed for the majority of last week for snow, despite the fact that everyone else I know managed to make it into work I would be livid if anyone objected.

We dont have a choice as in South Africa my kids have 3 semesters and start new schoolyear beginning Jan. Next holiday mid April. December is our summer beach holiday, and not too sure about snow yet. We take kids (5 and 7) out of school for 2 weeks March , and also go out from point that the exposure to different languages and countries are more valuable. Ultimately I am responsible for my child and school just have to trust that I will act in childrens best interest. Will probably reconsider when older, looking forward for now.

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Dr George, Good point about the school closures due to the weather. May I know if you have asked permision about the absence?

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I'll be in the school office Monday for a holiday form - took ours out last year too - unfortunately I am rarely able to take a full week at Christmas/New Year and struggle with half-term too, so taking the kids out of school has been our only option if we want to go skiing. Their school does take the approach that it will allow 10 days/year and their attendance otherwise is excellent. Being slightly cheeky this year as we did manage to get away over New Year but our children are quite young and I really do think that seeing new places and having new experiences is as important for kids learning as sitting in the classroom.

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Yes, but not after year 8.

BMF_Skier, Dr George,

My nephew goes to school in the county of Powys and last week every school in the whole county was closed. The authorities decided to close as a pre-emptive strike and told the children the day before the closure...the day of the closeure they didn't even get any snow!

You know it makes sense.

This year will be the third time I have taken my two out of school for a week to go skiing (Y1 and Y5). Fortunatley, both their schools seem ok about this as long as you do not request a holiday during any of their test weeks. We do, however, have to fill out a form requesting the time off from the Head / Governing Bodies and I understand if we didn't it would go down as unauthorised absencet, like others have said they do have a good attendance record the rest of the year. I do know of another primary school in the same area which is very anti holidays in term time, so it is really down to the view of each Head as to how easy it is to get the time.

Sadly, I suspect this will be our last year of getting away with it though Sad

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

I have done in the past - but they are now of an age where I feel obliged not to... however we are lucky and have our own place so don't pay the huge premium (but we miss out on charging it!). I think we get too hung up on not taking kids away from school... what real harm can a week away do them. They are visiting exciting places, getting loads of excercise, fresh air, different food (steak hache and frites snowHead

), trying out their language (if in Europe) and generally having quality time with their family.

If in doubt, ring the school and tell them its snowing... they'll understand! In the same way that we had no choice last week when they shut the schools without good reason Twisted Evil

A snowHead

A week out skiing a year for the last 3 plus this year too which will be our last until secondary school as they're in year 4 now. School's fine. Headmaster skis. Very Happy

A snowHead

Yes because skiing is just as valuable to a child as education, a week or two of school can be missed without muh negative affect and also it's much cheaper in term-time.
Obviously It would be different if an A-level student with there exams coming up..

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ickabodblue, Toofy Grin

That will be the way I'll address it when the time comes. Toofy Grin

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Yes we did (until Year 9). I used to be a primary teacher and thought the kids whose parents took them out of school usually got more out of it than they would have got from school (and I wasn't that bad a teacher!). We live in a holiday area and the schools know lots of parents can't go on holiday in the school hols for business reasons. They talk tough then give permission. To refuse would adversely affect their unauthorised absence statistics.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

I'll be getting the form from the school tomorrow - I would have told them last week, but they were closed!

We took the kids out for a week when they were in Yr 1 and 3, then last year we only took them out for 2 days as the younger one had Sats so we went Thurs-Thurs over half term. We'll be doing a whole week this year (yrs 3 and 5) but we won't do it next year as its Sats again - so it will be half-term for us, if I can't get cheap flights we will drive (although still have to persuade hubby that is a good idea).

It will be a bit more embarrassing this year as my hubby is now a governor. I think the days they missed last week will also go against us - but they can't really argue that every day at school is invaluable when they shut it for 4" of snow. Most of the teachers and pupils could have walked or driven - I went out in the car every day last week, and as soon as I got out of or cul-de-sac the grid roads around Milton Keynes were all clear as a whistle.

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skimom, Totally agree ref closing schools.

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skimom, take the kids skiing and tell the school they can't get there because of the snow!

After all it is free

Avago, Glad to be of service snowHead

We did until ours started GCSE's. Primary head was very sympathetic, as his mother was a pharmacist, and often had to take him out of school to take a holiday. It is often difficult to get locum cover for pharmacists in school holidays, as many of them are mothers with kids, which is why we took them out of school in late January.

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Yes. At least one week a year, sometimes 2, since he started school. He is now in Yr 6 ........and of course, it's a bit longer than a week this time! No issues on the part of the school. AW, is right, 99% of schools will say 'no way' but when push comes to shove would rather give authorised rather than unauthorised absence and[ b]skimom[/b], I am a governor and it has caused me no embarrassment and I personally wouldn't worry too much about SAT's - a week in January or March still leaves plenty of time for the reams of practise papers in Yr 6 before the May tests.

Help!!

Would you take your kids ski-ing in term time?

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