| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 15:56 - Nov 21 with 1115 views | Gwyn737 |
| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 13:30 - Nov 21 by controversial_jack |
My Daughter took her kids out of primary school last sept for a family holiday which i went on too. It was all approved at the time. Now, the teachers have said they were unauthorized absences. The secretary has contradicted the teachers and said they were authorized. However, the school won't give her a print out or screen shot of the data that supports this.
I'm sure that parents have a right to see any data when requested, that's held on their children. We may have to approach the governess or make a foi request. This is so unprofessional of the school and reflect's declining school standards from what i have observed over the last 30 years |
You definitely have the right to have that information. If their being difficult, a quick FOI will be much quicker than approaching governors.
FYI only the headteacher can authorise absences, what the office staff of teachers say doesn't matter.
As it was a term time holiday request it will be unauthorised (not saying I agree with the system - I don't). There's not a lot of point in challenging it unless you can prove it meets the 'exceptional circumstances' bar. |  | |  |
| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 15:57 - Nov 21 with 1115 views | Scotia |
| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 11:55 - Nov 21 by Gwyn737 |
There’s not really a ‘right’ answer to this – everyone is going to have an opinion based on their circumstances.
In England the setting of term dates is not based on area, they are set by the employer (either the Local Authority, the academy trust, or in some cases the religious foundation of the school) and the only real parameter is that there are 190 school days in an academic year. In a small area, three schools could theoretically have three different term dates.
In practice, the only popular change has been to take a week off the summer and add it to October as has been suggested by the WG.
Personally, I think the summer break is too long and I’d happily see it shortened.
Actually, the dream change for me would be to take two weeks off the summer and be allowed to take 5 days as and when I’d like to. |
Your last sentence is one of several reasons I didn't consider a career in teaching.
My Mother was a deputy head and I've got several teacher friends. People seem to think the holidays are wonderful, but you have no flexibility and are forced in to holidaying at peak times. Many of my friends haven't had a proper holiday in years, another has had to watch Glastonbury on TV while we've been at the festival.
All while doing a bloody hard job. | | | |
| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 16:22 - Nov 21 with 1099 views | Gwyn737 |
| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 15:57 - Nov 21 by Scotia |
Your last sentence is one of several reasons I didn't consider a career in teaching.
My Mother was a deputy head and I've got several teacher friends. People seem to think the holidays are wonderful, but you have no flexibility and are forced in to holidaying at peak times. Many of my friends haven't had a proper holiday in years, another has had to watch Glastonbury on TV while we've been at the festival.
All while doing a bloody hard job. |
Don't get me wrong - the holidays are fantastic but the lack of flexibilty is a pain.
Gigs, weddings, boys weekends, sporting events etc., I always have to miss.
And of course I can only go on hols when it stupidly expensive. | | | |
| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 18:41 - Nov 21 with 1063 views | SullutaCreturned |
| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 11:55 - Nov 21 by Gwyn737 |
There’s not really a ‘right’ answer to this – everyone is going to have an opinion based on their circumstances.
In England the setting of term dates is not based on area, they are set by the employer (either the Local Authority, the academy trust, or in some cases the religious foundation of the school) and the only real parameter is that there are 190 school days in an academic year. In a small area, three schools could theoretically have three different term dates.
In practice, the only popular change has been to take a week off the summer and add it to October as has been suggested by the WG.
Personally, I think the summer break is too long and I’d happily see it shortened.
Actually, the dream change for me would be to take two weeks off the summer and be allowed to take 5 days as and when I’d like to. |
This^ apart from the last little bit.
The summer hols are too long and kids are bored the last 2 weeks. Give them some time off elsewhere, spread the holdays out. | | | |
| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 18:43 - Nov 21 with 1056 views | felixstowe_jack |
| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 18:41 - Nov 21 by SullutaCreturned |
This^ apart from the last little bit.
The summer hols are too long and kids are bored the last 2 weeks. Give them some time off elsewhere, spread the holdays out. |
Not sure the teachers and their unions would agree to shortening their long Summer holidays. | |
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| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 19:18 - Nov 21 with 1054 views | Fireboy2 |
| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 18:41 - Nov 21 by SullutaCreturned |
This^ apart from the last little bit.
The summer hols are too long and kids are bored the last 2 weeks. Give them some time off elsewhere, spread the holdays out. |
It wont take long for the holiday companies to cotton, then alot more weeks of the year will become expensive. |  | | |
| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 19:32 - Nov 21 with 1044 views | Gwyn737 |
| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 18:41 - Nov 21 by SullutaCreturned |
This^ apart from the last little bit.
The summer hols are too long and kids are bored the last 2 weeks. Give them some time off elsewhere, spread the holdays out. |
That’s what I mean about taking two weeks off the summer, Cat. It think they’re too long too. That’s pretty much what the WG are suggesting. | | | |
| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 19:33 - Nov 21 with 1041 views | Scotia |
| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 16:22 - Nov 21 by Gwyn737 |
Don't get me wrong - the holidays are fantastic but the lack of flexibilty is a pain.
Gigs, weddings, boys weekends, sporting events etc., I always have to miss.
And of course I can only go on hols when it stupidly expensive. |
All told they aren't massively better than other public sector of organisations.
Many get up to 33 days, 8 bank holidays and flexi time too. That can easily add up to over 50 days off a year.
I don't get why people make comments about teachers holidays, if you think they're that great become a teacher.
I didn't go abroad until I went on a school skiing trip, simply because it was too expensive at the only time my parents could take me. | | | |
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| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 19:34 - Nov 21 with 1041 views | Gwyn737 |
| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 18:43 - Nov 21 by felixstowe_jack |
Not sure the teachers and their unions would agree to shortening their long Summer holidays. |
The shortened summer and two week October half term are already very common in England. | | | |
| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 19:47 - Nov 21 with 1032 views | Gwyn737 |
| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 19:33 - Nov 21 by Scotia |
All told they aren't massively better than other public sector of organisations.
Many get up to 33 days, 8 bank holidays and flexi time too. That can easily add up to over 50 days off a year.
I don't get why people make comments about teachers holidays, if you think they're that great become a teacher.
I didn't go abroad until I went on a school skiing trip, simply because it was too expensive at the only time my parents could take me. |
Recruitment is a nightmare at the moment.
I can’t understand why if it’s such a cushy number, people don’t just change professions.
Loads of routes in, bursaries available, golden hellos, golden handcuffs to name a few. | | | |
| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 20:24 - Nov 21 with 1006 views | lifelong |
Can only do holidays these days during school holidays, the cost difference is unreal. |  | | |
| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 20:28 - Nov 21 with 1006 views | Joesus_Of_Narbereth |
I used to be a child once and I remember after around four or five weeks of the summer holidays I was often bored and run out of stuff to do. |  |
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| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 20:45 - Nov 21 with 992 views | Whiterockin |
| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 19:47 - Nov 21 by Gwyn737 |
Recruitment is a nightmare at the moment.
I can’t understand why if it’s such a cushy number, people don’t just change professions.
Loads of routes in, bursaries available, golden hellos, golden handcuffs to name a few. |
If recruitment is a nightmare, why are they trying to make the job less attractive. |  | | |
| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 20:52 - Nov 21 with 975 views | Fireboy2 |
| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 19:33 - Nov 21 by Scotia |
All told they aren't massively better than other public sector of organisations.
Many get up to 33 days, 8 bank holidays and flexi time too. That can easily add up to over 50 days off a year.
I don't get why people make comments about teachers holidays, if you think they're that great become a teacher.
I didn't go abroad until I went on a school skiing trip, simply because it was too expensive at the only time my parents could take me. |
I never give teacher sh!t as for 1. My boys teachers in both primary and secondary school have been brilliant and 2. There is no way I would do their job. | | | |
| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 21:05 - Nov 21 with 962 views | Gwyn737 |
| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 20:45 - Nov 21 by Whiterockin |
If recruitment is a nightmare, why are they trying to make the job less attractive. |
For many they’re not.
The moving of a week from the summer to the October will be really popular with teachers. That arrangement is growing all the time in England. | | | |
| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 21:07 - Nov 21 with 954 views | Whiterockin |
| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 21:05 - Nov 21 by Gwyn737 |
For many they’re not.
The moving of a week from the summer to the October will be really popular with teachers. That arrangement is growing all the time in England. |
The three teachers in my family feel the opposite, opinions hey. | | | |
| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 01:16 - Nov 22 with 904 views | majorraglan |
| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 13:30 - Nov 21 by controversial_jack |
My Daughter took her kids out of primary school last sept for a family holiday which i went on too. It was all approved at the time. Now, the teachers have said they were unauthorized absences. The secretary has contradicted the teachers and said they were authorized. However, the school won't give her a print out or screen shot of the data that supports this.
I'm sure that parents have a right to see any data when requested, that's held on their children. We may have to approach the governess or make a foi request. This is so unprofessional of the school and reflect's declining school standards from what i have observed over the last 30 years |
I don’t think FOI will get you what you want as there’s a caveat about releasing information that could lead to someone being identified, identifiable data etc. I know your daughter is asking about information on her kids, but they can hide behind the FOI legislation - seen it done. You need to either go down the school governor route, or a subject access request route where you request to see all information held on the kids, there are serious consequences for failing to disclose re a subject access request. There may be a small fee to be paid though. Also GDPR is something that gets brandished around a lot, but I’m not so familiar with that.
I’m not in education, but my personal view is that if you’ve got kids in junior school and their attendance is exemplary, let’s say 98% plus then taking them out for a few days - maybe 5 for a holiday would be fine. If the kids had poor attendances - then that’s a totally different ball game.
About 15 years ago we took our kids out of junior school for 6 weeks to attend a family wedding and have a holiday in Australia. The school were on board, the teacher asked that the kids keep a diary of the trip which we did - on their return she read the diary and then turned it in to a lesson for the kids to learn from. [Post edited 22 Nov 2023 1:24]
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| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 09:37 - Nov 22 with 848 views | controversial_jack |
| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 01:16 - Nov 22 by majorraglan |
I don’t think FOI will get you what you want as there’s a caveat about releasing information that could lead to someone being identified, identifiable data etc. I know your daughter is asking about information on her kids, but they can hide behind the FOI legislation - seen it done. You need to either go down the school governor route, or a subject access request route where you request to see all information held on the kids, there are serious consequences for failing to disclose re a subject access request. There may be a small fee to be paid though. Also GDPR is something that gets brandished around a lot, but I’m not so familiar with that.
I’m not in education, but my personal view is that if you’ve got kids in junior school and their attendance is exemplary, let’s say 98% plus then taking them out for a few days - maybe 5 for a holiday would be fine. If the kids had poor attendances - then that’s a totally different ball game.
About 15 years ago we took our kids out of junior school for 6 weeks to attend a family wedding and have a holiday in Australia. The school were on board, the teacher asked that the kids keep a diary of the trip which we did - on their return she read the diary and then turned it in to a lesson for the kids to learn from. [Post edited 22 Nov 2023 1:24]
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A subject access request would be more apt, you are correct. Yes, their attendance is excellent apart from these days off for the holiday. I don't know why they brought this up in the first instance. The teachers in this particular school are not in my opinion very caring or professional, and seem to have a downer on my daughter. I would remove them from this school, but it's not my decision. Thanks for your reply. | | | |
| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 12:36 - Nov 22 with 814 views | Gwyn737 |
| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 01:16 - Nov 22 by majorraglan |
I don’t think FOI will get you what you want as there’s a caveat about releasing information that could lead to someone being identified, identifiable data etc. I know your daughter is asking about information on her kids, but they can hide behind the FOI legislation - seen it done. You need to either go down the school governor route, or a subject access request route where you request to see all information held on the kids, there are serious consequences for failing to disclose re a subject access request. There may be a small fee to be paid though. Also GDPR is something that gets brandished around a lot, but I’m not so familiar with that.
I’m not in education, but my personal view is that if you’ve got kids in junior school and their attendance is exemplary, let’s say 98% plus then taking them out for a few days - maybe 5 for a holiday would be fine. If the kids had poor attendances - then that’s a totally different ball game.
About 15 years ago we took our kids out of junior school for 6 weeks to attend a family wedding and have a holiday in Australia. The school were on board, the teacher asked that the kids keep a diary of the trip which we did - on their return she read the diary and then turned it in to a lesson for the kids to learn from. [Post edited 22 Nov 2023 1:24]
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I miss those days...
Sadly the choice to make those sensible decisions has been take away from schools. | | | |
| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 12:40 - Nov 22 with 813 views | Gwyn737 |
| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 09:37 - Nov 22 by controversial_jack |
A subject access request would be more apt, you are correct. Yes, their attendance is excellent apart from these days off for the holiday. I don't know why they brought this up in the first instance. The teachers in this particular school are not in my opinion very caring or professional, and seem to have a downer on my daughter. I would remove them from this school, but it's not my decision. Thanks for your reply. |
It's a shame you're having such a negative experience - there's good and bad in every profession.
In regards to the attendance issue, I guess the school is under pressure to sort out attendance and you may have been caught in the crossfire.
As I said, straight holiday will be unauthorised. If the school is sensible you won't have been issued with a fine as attendance is otherwise good. | | | |
| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 14:38 - Nov 22 with 792 views | Flashberryjack |
Nice to see the Senedd is dealing with vitally important issues in Wales. [Post edited 22 Nov 2023 17:32]
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| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 15:01 - Nov 22 with 788 views | MrSwerve |
It's quite staggering how many parents take their kids out for holidays (7-14 days) these days. It was unheard of when I was at school in the 90s and early 00s...now I see plenty of people going away every year. Even at strange times; first week back, the week before exams, etc. The parents often expect teachers to get their child up to speed and sometimes even put on extra sessions for them.
I understand the cost of living thing, we're all affected by it. But these parents don't seem to care how it can potentially affect their child's education...for the sake of a couple of hundred quid. A holiday isn't a right - it's a luxury. |  |
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| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 17:45 - Nov 22 with 757 views | controversial_jack |
| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 15:01 - Nov 22 by MrSwerve |
It's quite staggering how many parents take their kids out for holidays (7-14 days) these days. It was unheard of when I was at school in the 90s and early 00s...now I see plenty of people going away every year. Even at strange times; first week back, the week before exams, etc. The parents often expect teachers to get their child up to speed and sometimes even put on extra sessions for them.
I understand the cost of living thing, we're all affected by it. But these parents don't seem to care how it can potentially affect their child's education...for the sake of a couple of hundred quid. A holiday isn't a right - it's a luxury. |
It has very little effect on a child's education, particularly at primary school level | | | |
| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 18:37 - Nov 22 with 729 views | SullutaCreturned |
| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 01:16 - Nov 22 by majorraglan |
I don’t think FOI will get you what you want as there’s a caveat about releasing information that could lead to someone being identified, identifiable data etc. I know your daughter is asking about information on her kids, but they can hide behind the FOI legislation - seen it done. You need to either go down the school governor route, or a subject access request route where you request to see all information held on the kids, there are serious consequences for failing to disclose re a subject access request. There may be a small fee to be paid though. Also GDPR is something that gets brandished around a lot, but I’m not so familiar with that.
I’m not in education, but my personal view is that if you’ve got kids in junior school and their attendance is exemplary, let’s say 98% plus then taking them out for a few days - maybe 5 for a holiday would be fine. If the kids had poor attendances - then that’s a totally different ball game.
About 15 years ago we took our kids out of junior school for 6 weeks to attend a family wedding and have a holiday in Australia. The school were on board, the teacher asked that the kids keep a diary of the trip which we did - on their return she read the diary and then turned it in to a lesson for the kids to learn from. [Post edited 22 Nov 2023 1:24]
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When in primary my sons attendance was 100% and we asked for permission for him to miss the last 2 days of term before the summer holidays and it was refused. We went anyway and we didn't get fined.
I spoke to other parents and they confirmed that the kids spent those 2 days playing games, watching films but not doing any schoolwork.
Common sense has been removed from the equation. Now he's in Comp and he's always asking for days off and it's a straight no from us. | | | |
| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 19:45 - Nov 22 with 703 views | Gwyn737 |
| Wales school summer holidays may be cut by a week on 18:37 - Nov 22 by SullutaCreturned |
When in primary my sons attendance was 100% and we asked for permission for him to miss the last 2 days of term before the summer holidays and it was refused. We went anyway and we didn't get fined.
I spoke to other parents and they confirmed that the kids spent those 2 days playing games, watching films but not doing any schoolwork.
Common sense has been removed from the equation. Now he's in Comp and he's always asking for days off and it's a straight no from us. |
It’s not refused, Cat. They literally can’t grant holiday requests.
Best they can do is not give a daft fine. | | | |
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