 Poster: A snowHead
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billb, By the same token, if you don't want to 'have to' ski at half term, then don't teach, your call 
Maybe we have just got lucky but we seem to be able to find reasonable good value s/c accommodation at New Year and Easter in decent resorts so that we are able to go twice as a family.
Also, don't forget that there are people who are unable to take holidays at Christmas, half term and Easter.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Lou, Yes, we go at Easter sometimes (as well as Feb HT) and it's generally cheaper than Feb although the snow doesn't tend to be as good, does it. I'm afraid I've been teaching too long to change now - close to retirement. And guess what I intend to do then........
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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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Awwww! no witty put down from TVOR. Maybe he needs another day or two to think about a decent reply. Cmon TVOR, posts something witty!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Thornyhill, it's Saturday night. He may have a life! 
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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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He has had an entire day, and based on his rantings I would think that the the idea that he can interact socially with others on a real time basis is a bit far fetched, so I would guess that even though he is 42, he has been sitting at home with his mum, on the internet connection she has paid for, trying to think up a witty retort. So lets have it TreVOR, astound me with the put down? 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thornyhill, no-o-o-ooo! You just ceded the high ground!
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Damn!!! - I didn't even know I was holding it
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Haven't read the previous 3 pages but, when I went on a school ski trips (approx. 40 kids out of the whole school) I don't recall any issues surrounding catching up on a week of work or having to do school work while I was away? Same for the kids who went on exchange trips etc
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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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Don't blame the teachers, blame the system. Attendance is a key piece of data that the bean counters look at about a school. If schools say ok to one family about term time hols they've got to say it to all and if you add up all those 'just one week in a year' across the school it's then got an attendance problem which can get the bean counters very concerned.
One of my year 8s turned up after a couple of days off last week - he'd been to Glastonbury - yes he did need to catch up and it can be a pain, but my feeling was lucky kid to get such a great experience at 13.
If this issue really annoys you don't just post your moans here - write to your MP! If enough people did it we might end up with rather more enlightened view of what 'education' is.
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| miranda wrote: |
| If, say, schools in the North West had half term from the 19th February but schools in the South East moved their half term to the 26th February, how would this change the status quo with regard to half term childcare provision in any particular region? |
I live near the South Yorks/Derbyshire border (which also is the border between Yorkshire and East Midlands). A number of my colleagues live in Derbyshire but work in Sheffield. One colleague the other year had no school holidays that he was off the same duration as his wife or kids. If you talk about NW/SE then fine, but somewhere there has to be a border and for those near it is is a major hassle.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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 Sounds like the UK has the worst of both worlds then - high holiday prices/resort crowding/travel congestion for the majority who have half term at the same time, and total inconvenience for others whose local schools don't coincide with everyone else.
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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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Elizabeth B, So the main reason for not staggering halfterms is to accomodate teachers who choose for personal reasons to teach in a different area from their kids?
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fatbob, it's not just teachers. Many of the kids go to school/college in a different area to their siblings who are at a "lower aged" school.
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You know it makes sense.
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| Quote: |
Many of the kids go to school/college in a different area to their siblings who are at a "lower aged" school.
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indeed - I recall a few SHs had that exact problem a year or so ago. Children with different holidays.
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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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We experienced one half-term when our three children and I (working in a school at the time) had half-terms that spanned three weeks - that was a bit of an organisational nightmare and a lot of calling in favours with friends and grannies.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| billb wrote: |
| It amazes me how much people make excuses to justify what they want to do and pretend it's "good" for their chidren as well |
It amazes me how someone can accuse others of pretending about specific people and situations of which he has no knowledge. A child would do well out of the influence of a teacher who leapt to conclusions without evidence.
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Sun 4-07-10 19:43; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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laundryman, are you complaining about unfounded assumptions and generalisations? What on earth are you doing on snowHeads?
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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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It's probably good for some children, and not for others, and at some times rather than others. Caring and sensible parents will know which is which. Uncaring and stupid parents probably do lots of worse things than taking kids out of school for a holiday. My best year was when my Dad took his fortnight's holiday neatly coinciding with school exams. So I didn't miss anything which I had to write up afterwards. My friends were all green with envy.
My daughter and son in law are both teachers and say the key problem for schools is (as noted above more than once) bean counting. They say that were they not teachers they would have no qualms take their daughter (now aged 5 months....) out of school for a ski trip, but they did say it would be helpful if teachers were consulted about the best time to do it as some weeks are more critical than others.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Thornyhill, Just to put your mind at ease, I actually have a life away from the internet and it's wonderful forums at weekends, and only access it from work - winding up Jedi Knights passes the time, you see. Seems you are very passionate about your beliefs - the force is indeed strong with you.....
And just to clarify, I am not 42, do not live with my Mother, and she doesn't actually own a computer anyway. But thanks for being awesome, and caring enough to spend your Saturday night worrying about me.
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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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Hurtle, laundryman, Well, OK, maybe. I (think) I was (trying) to make the point that there are (perhaps) some people who (may) do things which they (may) want to do and justify actions they (may) take to (perhaps) do them. But then all generalisations are dangerous including this one. 
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| Elizabeth B wrote: |
| If you talk about NW/SE then fine, but somewhere there has to be a border and for those near it is is a major hassle. |
Not to mention language and currency exchange headaches!
Ooops! I got confused about what kind of "border"...
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| pam w wrote: |
| It's probably good for some children, and not for others, and at some times rather than others. Caring and sensible parents will know which is which. Uncaring and stupid parents probably do lots of worse things than taking kids out of school for a holiday. |
The same is true of teachers though. There're good teachers who can help kids who've been sicked for 2 weeks to catch up without impacting the rest of the class, and bad teachers who can only shout marching order to a roomful of kids in varying degree of failing grade!
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| abc wrote: |
| The same is true of teachers though. There're good teachers who can help kids who've been sicked for 2 weeks to catch up without impacting the rest of the class, and bad teachers who can only shout marching order to a roomful of kids in varying degree of failing grade! |
There are good teachers who can help kids who've been off sick for 2 weeks to catch up without having too much impact on the rest of the class, but there's bound to be at least a small impact on the others. And there are good teachers with very difficult classes who wouldn't be able to devote the time to the kids who've been off that they'd like to.
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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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I'm known for getting "unexpectedly delayed" at the end of the holiday rather often, if you know what I mean...
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Oh dear megamum could you send a grovelling letter to the head explaining you have booked and ask if you could have the 2 extra days on this occasion only?
We have just had 5 days authorised for next Jan (children are 8 and 5) and am feeling very relieved that we can go skiing in a cheaper less crowded week.
I wonder if the reason more people are asking for term time hols is due to the economic climate and people having pay frozen, bonuses cut etc. I would also not be surprised if more people who ski ask for term time hols next season due to the complications of sunday changeover over Christmas/New Year, all areas having the same half term(therefore even busier than usual) and Easter falling late.
Our school has changed the rules slightly this year saying you have to have 95% attendance in the previous academic year otherwise hols won't be authorised.
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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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Megamum, I'll think you'll find that your kids get terrible stomach upsets on the last of the agreed 5 days
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| Megamum wrote: |
| ... any new requests will only get 5 days. I am sitting here knowing that I wanted 7 for next Jan for the last 3 months, but as per what I thought was the case I hadn't put in the request and wasn't going to until the Autumn term. Now I can only have 5 days and in the expectation that I would get what was granted this year had already booked the accommodation ... |
I'd write to the Head to explain your situation and ask for an exception to be made.
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You know it makes sense.
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What is annoying is that one of mine won't be joining her school mates for the 5 wasted days out of school attending the trip to the Isle of Wight in August either so in theory she could make up the time. Also, our head was one of those that said all the kids that wanted to could go home and watch the England WC football match and mine didn't go home  My situation is made a tad more awkward that I am a school governor - I abstained from the vote for 5 days only!
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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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Megamum,
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the 5 wasted days out of school attending the trip to the Isle of Wight in August either so in theory she could make up the time.
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surely not going to IoW in August are they - don't all schools have at least August off as holiday.
I would do as rob@rar, has suggested, if you would not normally write to ask for permission till the same academic year.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Sorry folks IOW trip is in June
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The kids took my request for the 7 days in today - but I doubt it will be granted. They took the decision yesterday and that was the cut-off - I was at the meeting. I wouldn't mind betting they specified that cut-off as they knew I was there and had an issue with it.
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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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I could understand it if mine needed all the education the school could offer, but my pair are amongst the brightest kids at the school
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As a governor however you've only yourself to blame - if you didn't stand up for your position or against arbitrary rule changes or agree a grandfathering provision for those that got their requests in quick.
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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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fatbob, I did, I even abstained from voting, I was in a difficult position. In theory you can't deny that kids should be in school during term time.
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| Megamum wrote: |
| In theory you can't deny that kids should be in school during term time. |
"In theory", kids should be educated, not imprison, in school.
There's a difference between the two.
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| abc wrote: |
"In theory", kids should be educated, not imprison, in school.
There's a difference between the two. |
True. which is why parents get the option - put your kids in school and hand over their education to the professionals, or choose to home educate them to your own curriculum and own term dates.
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Elizabeth B, Actually, I have often considered home ed. I could do it and I think end up doing a fair job, but its a job in itself and if you have work to pay the bills there isn't the time to do it.
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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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| Megamum wrote: |
| I could understand it if mine needed all the education the school could offer, but my pair are amongst the brightest kids at the school |
Think of it this way, there will be children in their classes who do need all the education the school could offer, and their education will be disrupted in some shape or form ....
We here, know the benefits of a family ski trip (and I have taken the boys out once for 4 days for a ski holiday some years back) but sadly there aren't many suitable times within the ski season where it is more appropritate to miss school. I find that exasperating, particularly when they waste so much time at other times and close the (primary) school at the drop of a hat but that's life.
Our secondary has an activity week (this week as it happens) where they get to do different things, trips, sports, etc - now if that could just be moved to early spring term..........
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| Elizabeth B wrote: |
| abc wrote: |
"In theory", kids should be educated, not imprison, in school.
There's a difference between the two. |
True. which is why parents get the option - put your kids in school and hand over their education to the professionals, or choose to home educate them to your own curriculum and own term dates. |
Parents also have the option to request up to 10 days off for a family holiday at many schools.
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FAQ
