Term-time holiday ban is welcomed by heads of Northampton schools
HEADTEACHERS of schools in Northampton have backed a Government crackdown on parents who take their children on holiday during term time.
Education Secretary Michael Gove is considering implementing proposals put forward by teacher and behaviour expert, Charlie Taylor, which could see headteachers lose the ability to sanction up to two weeks a year of ‘authorised absence’.
Mike Griffiths, headteacher of Northampton School for Boys, said there was “no reason” why parents should take children out of school during term time.
He said: “Some people mistakenly think they are ‘entitled’ to take children out of school for up to two weeks.
“This is untrue. A headteacher is allowed to grant two weeks authorised absence, but can – as in our case – refuse to do so.
“The stark facts are that time missed from lessons cannot be made up. Research nationally has shown that absence from school has a significant effect upon examination grades once you reach 10 days per year.
“Parents and schools should surely be united in their determination that children achieve the very best results of which they are capable. That means 100 per cent attendance if at all possible.”
Philip Cantwell, headteacher at Malcolm Arnold Academy, said it was the school’s policy that parents were not allowed to take students out of school during term time.
Mr Cantwell said: “Taking students out of lessons, at no matter what time of the year, can have a significant impact on their attainment levels – and therefore on their results.
“By spending the maximum time they possibly can in school, students’ chances of succeeding are dramatically improved.”
Kay Gerrett, headteacher at Cedar Road Primary School, said she had some sympathy for parents as holiday prices were hugely inflated outside term time.
She said: “I do feel sorry for parents as it is a huge hike in prices outside term time and we want children to go away on exciting holidays.”
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There are 31 comments to this article
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comedycorner
Saturday, February 25, 2012 at 11:32 PMFirstly it isn't the teachers that make the decisions when holidays are set and yes they do work in holiday time (and evenings and weekends sometimes) I have children and I have to manage the extortionate rise in holiday prices but I also value the hard work schools do and I want my children to understand the importance of attendance. If you work in a company that doesn't allow their staff to take any holiday to fit in with your childrens (I'm sure very few do) then go away at weekends instead. Children have to attend school , it's the law and if you choose to try and make your own rules then schools should not be blamed , YOU should. .
fxtown
Saturday, February 25, 2012 at 08:18 PMNN3 man. You are right and on rereading i do sound a bit bitter.Apologies to any teachers and the two heads quoted.
Can you believe it
Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 11:09 AMRound and round we go. In my days only 70% passed A levels but there were jobs then for the "failures" of the educational system. Now after numerous self harm policies adopted by unions and governments alike for five decades there are not enough jobs for the wasters which our schools have and are producing in ever greater numbers. Getting rid of the wasters for two weeks on unofficial holidays is the best news many teachers will receive. With benefit payments even the hard employment lessons taught by the flood of eastern european migrants is failing to hit home.
Afloat
Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 09:49 AM@darush. Michael Gove has already made at least four speeches on this issue, the latest just last month, which have been widely reported in the national press. His current proposal is to reduce the summer break to 4 weeks as he claims that "children from poor and deprived homes lose out on education" as they forget everything they have learned during the holidays, though more cynical commentators have interpreted this as a drive to reduce the numbers of "feral youth" wandering the streets" during August. "Free schools" which are taxpayerstate funded are already being encouraged by Mr Gove to open longer - he has welcomed a move by Norwich City Free School which now opens 9-5 and 51 weeks per year. The catch is that parents have to pay for the extra hours, so if you are comfortably off you can now buy a "better" education for your child in a state school so the "playing field" is already becoming uneven - elitism is being deliberately re-introduced into the state education system to give the children of better off families a head start in what is becoming an increasingly competitive "market" for jobs and university places, especially in the light of Mr Gove's announcement yesterday that he intends to make GCSEs and A-Levels significantly harder - which, itself, opens another can of worms. I don't know if I am allowed to post links here, but there is a long discussion on mumsnet.com under the heading "longer school day and shorter holidays, proposes Gove"
Finker
Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 09:39 AMTwo weeks being responsible for over excited and leary kids? Another reason I would never want to be a teacher.
NN3man
Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 09:11 AM@fxtown, I can sure you that a school trip is NOT a jolly!! Can you imagine two weeks away from your partner and kids? Two weeks away from your routine? Two weeks spending your own cash on things you don't want to, and also dealing with other peoples' kids 247? Doesn't sound like much fun to me?! I am sure that some teachers do make it a jolly by going with family members like that poor man in Worcestershire, but in the vast majority of cases it isn't the case. Plus most have to be taken in the teachers' extensive long holiday due to something called 'voluntary contributions' which basically means that if the trip is in term time then the schools aren't allowed to charge the full amount to prevent discrimination for poorer students not being able to go. It appears you have something against teachers, probably due to a bad experience somewhere, but you can't assume they are all the same.
NN3man
Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 09:04 AM@fxtown, I
Northampton bloke
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 07:27 PMOh great - so I now need to pay double for my holiday - Because it's so critical that my son spends the last week of term watching Chronicles of Narnia and going to the disco and going in non-uniform ! he'll learn more on our adventures on holiday than the stupid last week of term , we've all been to school , what happens on the last week ? It's not an intensive 5 days of critical maths is it
fxtown
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 07:21 PMI had a letter from school- would your child like to go on a two week school skiing holiday,- and i gather this is standard practice.The headteachers quoted above probably love staff jollies too, so why does a trip with the school broaden the mind and a trip with parents blight exam results?Teachers have always been horrible killjoy hypocrites and probably always will be.
darushNN10
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 12:42 PMAfloat, where is the proof that holidays are being considered to be reduced to 6 weeks? I ahve two young children at school, and have never heard of that. But, as far as banning children from being off in term time, will teachers start asking for doctors sick notes if children are ill? I have alread had letters from the school becasue my eldest child had tonsillitis twice in one year which was deemed unacceptable by the school. I cannot always take holidays from my job when my children are off school, so that means my family will no longer be entitled to a holiday then does it? If we want to go away in term time then so be it, if it was all the time that's different but I am sure most of the times it happens are one off's.
Afloat
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 10:29 AMCould I just comment on those who complain about teachers' holidays - be careful what you wish for. Gove is already discussing reducing school holidays to 6 weeks per year. This, coupled with the planned ban on removing children from school during term time, will further drive up holiday prices simply due to the laws of supply and demand. If the summer break is reduced to three weeks, even less folk will be able to holiday with their children but, believe me, it won't be the better off who struggle to find an affordable holiday.
Finker
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 08:18 AMIf holiday firms are just ripping people off over summer holidays then why don't firms start up that undercut them? It's because many close down part of the year and have no income at all, and during quieter times offer ever increasing discounts to get people who otherwise wouldn't go at all. If you spread the holidays out yes the peak prices would drop but non-peak prices would rise. The companies make the same. Teachers pay high prices their whole life, others only when their kids are at school.
Bonsaiman
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 08:54 PMI assume the gov is also taking the holiday firms who jack their prices up during school holidays as well.
NN3man
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 06:14 PMFirstly, when does Michael Gove take his holidays??? Secondly, teachers have to pay peak prices for holidays whether they have children or not. Thirdly, YES, teachers do get good holidays, but when??? When it is MORE EXPENSIVE than other times of the year. Hardly attractive??? Plus may I add, teachers do have training days added into school holidays. I can't talk for the Northamptonshire authority, but I know that over the southern border it is like that. Training days are used during term time to train teachers on how to deal with students with medical issues, severe learning difficulties, first aid etc..to reflect the 'inclusive' community. I do agree that the holidays need to be staggered as they are in France, and please teachers DO NOT get 6 weeks off in the summer, just because students aren't in school, it doesn't mean you're not expected to work and go to work for part of this time. This is known as directed time. If parents want to take their kids off on holiday before the age of 14, then go ahead, it makes little difference, but at 15-16, it IS detriment to their exams as there is so much controlled assessment these days. I know a lot of teachers and it always annoys me all this teacher bashing.
mojo
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 03:38 PMThis is just overkill teachers think nothing of imposing "Baker Days" or whatever they call the training that they do on the days that the school is closed usually just after their 6 week holidays, so what great sin is there if a parent of a child that is doing well at school takes them out for a week or two for a well earned holiday. Remembering that some parents have to book their annual holiday weeks with their employer to suit the employers needs, not every parent can get leave in school holidays.
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