Front page of the JEP last night was the information that 11,000 school days have been missed by children taken on holiday, taken out of school by 2,500 parents - 1/5 of parents.
So, on average, each Jersey school child was away from school on holiday for less than one day last year. Wow, aren't we doing well! Not that anyone would know if form the tone of the article.
Looking at it that 2,500 parents had 2 children each, that's only slightly over 2 days off in a year for their children. Even if they only had one child each that is just over 4 days each, a lot less than the 10 days suggested as a maximum allowance without Education department approval.
I do not see why this is considered a problem.
It would be useful to know how many of the children taken away were in reception class and how many studying for exams this year. The impact of the time off is not going to be the same for both age groups.
Schools do value the benefits of travel, which is why there are such things as school trips. Travel is educational, particularly for Jersey children who may never have seen a train or a city except on TV. I have found that my children's teachers are enthusiastic about them travelling and ask the children to share their opinions on where they have been with the class. We all know that compared to the UK Jersey people have to travel for longer and more expensively to take the same holidays, so doesn't it make sense that we have slightly more flexibility in order to give our children the same advantages that they can give theirs?
Another consideration is that some people cannot take holidays in the school holidays as that is their most demanding work time - hoteliers must be included in this group, so we need to think about whether as a tourist island we make allowances for that.
All in all, I think it is amazing that the amount of holiday time off taken in term time is so little, and it shows that parents do take the education of their children seriously, as they should do - parents are legally responsible for ensuring that their children are educated, not the Education department.
Tuesday 27 February 2007
Thursday 22 February 2007
Zoo
We had a lovely trip to the zoo in the beautiful weather yesterday. I have yet to hear anyone saying "went up to Durrell yesterday", that place will always be the zoo to my generation.
It was a good trip. We sat mesmerised through the snake talk, the kids got to stroke a Colombian rainbow boa, and we had a very pleasant snack in the cafe which was bulging with boisterous kids. The maned wolves circuited their enclosure as a special treat for us, and we caught the lemurs being given their dinner.
The trip will probably be the highlight of our half-term.
It was a good trip. We sat mesmerised through the snake talk, the kids got to stroke a Colombian rainbow boa, and we had a very pleasant snack in the cafe which was bulging with boisterous kids. The maned wolves circuited their enclosure as a special treat for us, and we caught the lemurs being given their dinner.
The trip will probably be the highlight of our half-term.
Yummy
We have tried some more Lincolnshire sausages from Classic Herd, which were less herby, and absolutely melt in the mouth delicious.
They also sell beefburgers, and the whole family prefer them - they are beefy and juicy and, well, just the best.
We hope Classic Herd do well and continue to expand their range.
They also sell beefburgers, and the whole family prefer them - they are beefy and juicy and, well, just the best.
We hope Classic Herd do well and continue to expand their range.
Friday 16 February 2007
Internet shopping.
There was a fairplay article in Wednesday's JEP about Patrick O'Lynn buying a tile cutter online, and saving himself £500 and a wait of two weeks for the item. And it was delivered to his door.
Patrick put a lot of work into buying this product, he knew exactly what he wanted, even down to the model number, he checked out all of the local stores, and spent an hour online before he found what he wanted at a price he was prepared to pay.
If he had been in the UK, he would probably have had to order the goods online then too, the only difference being that delivery might well be cheaper, or free, and he would have to pay VAT.
Internet shopping is touted as meaning the death of local stores, but even before the Internet people used catalogues to shop for goods unavailable in the island, or organised shopping trips to France, England, or yes, even America.
I hear a lot about how the Internet is going to change the face of traditional shopping, but what is so traditional about shopping? Not all that long ago it used to be the custom for some sellers to hawk their goods on doorsteps.
A tile cutter may be a good proposition for buying online, but some goods just are not suited to the Internet. Clothes are sold online, but most people still want to feel the material and try the goods on when they clothes shop. People want to look under the hood at a second hand car. People want to squeeze their loaf and sniff their melons.
Patrick put a lot of work into buying this product, he knew exactly what he wanted, even down to the model number, he checked out all of the local stores, and spent an hour online before he found what he wanted at a price he was prepared to pay.
If he had been in the UK, he would probably have had to order the goods online then too, the only difference being that delivery might well be cheaper, or free, and he would have to pay VAT.
Internet shopping is touted as meaning the death of local stores, but even before the Internet people used catalogues to shop for goods unavailable in the island, or organised shopping trips to France, England, or yes, even America.
I hear a lot about how the Internet is going to change the face of traditional shopping, but what is so traditional about shopping? Not all that long ago it used to be the custom for some sellers to hawk their goods on doorsteps.
A tile cutter may be a good proposition for buying online, but some goods just are not suited to the Internet. Clothes are sold online, but most people still want to feel the material and try the goods on when they clothes shop. People want to look under the hood at a second hand car. People want to squeeze their loaf and sniff their melons.
Sunday 11 February 2007
Food and drink
I had a first visit to "Waves" yesterday. Due to various commitments we found ourselves child free between the hours of 5 and 6 and needing to eat. Waves, which seems to be open all day seemed a good place to go, but when we got there we found that 5pm is not the best time to require food - lunch is over, afternoon tea has just ended, and dinner has an hour before it begins.
We decided on a coffee and cake, and a very late dinner at home. Except there was no cake. There were several very rich looking deserts, which we passed on. I had a latte, but it was dreadful, very small and bitter. I mostly drink latte as a take away, but the few occasions that I have had it in a cafe or restaurant it has been served in a tall glass. Here is was served in a mug. I could not drink it, so we were out so quickly that we had time to go into the café at the Power House and enjoy a lovely latte, in a glass, with a massive choice of cake and biscuits. Had we only headed there first we would have been able to enjoy what looked like some delicious meals as well.
We will probably return to Waves as the specials board looked enticing, but the prices seem rather high for a place sadly in need of a good sweeping.
We decided on a coffee and cake, and a very late dinner at home. Except there was no cake. There were several very rich looking deserts, which we passed on. I had a latte, but it was dreadful, very small and bitter. I mostly drink latte as a take away, but the few occasions that I have had it in a cafe or restaurant it has been served in a tall glass. Here is was served in a mug. I could not drink it, so we were out so quickly that we had time to go into the café at the Power House and enjoy a lovely latte, in a glass, with a massive choice of cake and biscuits. Had we only headed there first we would have been able to enjoy what looked like some delicious meals as well.
We will probably return to Waves as the specials board looked enticing, but the prices seem rather high for a place sadly in need of a good sweeping.
Sunday 4 February 2007
Opera House woes
Last night I was shivering in the audience watching Tunes of Glory. The opera house was a wee bit on the cold side, and as the play is set in winter, it wasn't long before I was cold through and through. The actors smoke on stage at time. I wonder if there is an exemption for the new non-smoking law that allows that, or if we were watching the law being broken?
I did feel for the actors in their kilts on such a cold night.
I did feel for the actors in their kilts on such a cold night.
Friday 2 February 2007
Standing on buses
Does it matter that some kids have to stand on the buses? After all, as Deputy de Faye says, we all did it when we were young - he makes the point that he came to no harm.
It matters if the aim is to encourage more children on the buses.
I would hazard a guess that some parents do not have much choice about sending their kids to school on the bus because they work and cannot take the children to school themselves. But that is not true of everyone. I collect my kids from school, so if encouraging more kids on the buses is an aim - and how can it not be when the transport policy is to reduce emissions and congestion - then I represent the group of people to be converted to the idea of putting my kids on the bus.
But I have a problem with buses. My kids travel to school at the moment in a car that is fitted with seat belts. By law my kids must be seated and strapped in whilst I am driving them, and I drive particularly carefully when carrying my kids in the car. In a bus there are no seat belts, and they may not have a seat - and I have vivid memories of the behaviour of bus drivers that makes me hesitant about putting the safety of my children into the hands of a bus driver. I recall one driver slamming on the brakes to teach a child a lesson when she kept standing up and dancing in the aisle when the bus was in motion. She flew down the bus, and down the steps. After a few seconds, she dragged herself panting back up the steps, and crawled to her seat, and he continued driving. Another shocking experience on a bus when I was older has made me additionally wary of bus drivers.
For me to put my kids on the buses, I have to see that they would be safer than I and my contemporaries were. And they wouldn't be. So I will continue to drive them.
It matters if the aim is to encourage more children on the buses.
I would hazard a guess that some parents do not have much choice about sending their kids to school on the bus because they work and cannot take the children to school themselves. But that is not true of everyone. I collect my kids from school, so if encouraging more kids on the buses is an aim - and how can it not be when the transport policy is to reduce emissions and congestion - then I represent the group of people to be converted to the idea of putting my kids on the bus.
But I have a problem with buses. My kids travel to school at the moment in a car that is fitted with seat belts. By law my kids must be seated and strapped in whilst I am driving them, and I drive particularly carefully when carrying my kids in the car. In a bus there are no seat belts, and they may not have a seat - and I have vivid memories of the behaviour of bus drivers that makes me hesitant about putting the safety of my children into the hands of a bus driver. I recall one driver slamming on the brakes to teach a child a lesson when she kept standing up and dancing in the aisle when the bus was in motion. She flew down the bus, and down the steps. After a few seconds, she dragged herself panting back up the steps, and crawled to her seat, and he continued driving. Another shocking experience on a bus when I was older has made me additionally wary of bus drivers.
For me to put my kids on the buses, I have to see that they would be safer than I and my contemporaries were. And they wouldn't be. So I will continue to drive them.
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