howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#1
read this morning that the education secretary is planning to take away the rights of head teachers to authorise children going on holiday during term time.
the same man talks about giving more powers to the heads.
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,931
#2
I wonder how they plan to deal with those who are unable to book holidays in the school holidays.
When Pete worked on the ferries he was unable to get a holiday during the school holidays so we always had a week in late Spring after exams and another week in Autumn. We never ever had a fortnight while they were at school.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#3
Guest 675- Registered: 30 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,610
#4
With the Olympics taking place over the summer various agencies have already stated that they will not be approving any leave over the summer. This can be added to the fact that most British destinations (who always charge more during the holidays) will be vastly overpriced to make the maximum profit out of the event, holidays with the children during school holidays will be out of reach to very many families.
On top of this most affordable holidays are only available during term time and most of the 'special offers' are also timed for those periods. A couple of years ago I complained to MacDonald's about their running of a holiday offer that could only be taken during term time.
The only outcome from this ruling will be the extra time and expense of chasing up parents who insist on taking family holidays when they can afford to. Of course there will also be the accompanying hoard of statistics showing absenteeism and parents disregarding their children's educations.
Politics, it seems to me, for years, or all too long, has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong.
Richard Armour
#5
If schools actually delivered their part of the bargain with any certitude I might have some sympathy. As it is they continue to believe that just watching videos or playing sudoku is ok as long as it is within sniffing distance of the end of term/half term/teacher training days/bank holidays/a cold snap/a hot snap. Not all schools, not all the time, but sufficient to make this ban laughable.
DT1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 15 Apr 2008
- Posts: 1,116
#6
I fail to see why the schools should deserve sympathy?
What is really in question here is the balance parents strike between education and consumerism.
I don't understand why Mr Gove would object to prices going down in term time. This is just market forces at work and EVERYBODY knows that it is this that will get us back on our feet as a nation. People paying holiday companies and holidaying in the UK will put money into the economy, sending children to school will not.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#7
used to be a big problem in newham with parents taking their kids to pakistan and bangla desh for months at a time and not even bothering to tell the school.
a lot of the kids never came back, married off as they were nearly old enough for secondary school.