Kids hols during termtime - 10 days max ?

Rickycowslip

We've booked a three week holiday in May to coincide with my 40th birthday (need to offset the blow...). Whilst the last week falls into the kids half term it does mean 12 school days off. The holiday request form from the school states 10 days maximum - my question is who says ? Is this a governers imposed rule or the law ? What's the risk of taking 12 days ? Will I get a £100 fine per kid per day from the Head ?

cheekymole

It's the law but maybe if you try explaining to the head/governors?

SillyHilly_2

Don't panic! The school are usually fine, just have a quick word with the secretary. We were told as long as it dosen't affest SATS or GCSE's, that as a rule of thumb it is ok.

Hope you enjoy your holiday

Hilary

CharleneUK

SillyHilly wrote:

Don't panic! The school are usually fine, just have a quick word with the secretary. We were told as long as it dosen't affest SATS or GCSE's, that as a rule of thumb it is ok.

Hope you enjoy your holiday

Hilary

I agree, the school were fine when we took 12 days instead of 10.

Have a great time!

Quackers

SillyHilly wrote:

We were told as long as it dosen't affest SATS or GCSE's, that as a rule of thumb it is ok.

But Sats are in May aren't they? If its a critical sats year for your chldren then school might not be too happy.

I imagine it depends on the age of your children. We always take our children out of school for 10 days in November for our family holiday. Its the best time for us both to have off work and school are usually ok with it. Although I have had a letter criticising attendence for one of my girls (but thats a whole other story :rolleyes: ). One of my girls starts her GCSE years this sept - i dont know what we are going to do!!

Hope you have a fab holiday & 40th Birthday

monkeyspanner

We have always taken our daughter out of school for holidays up to and sometimes over the 10day limit. We have always avoided exams etc. and notified the school and in the case of going over 10 days have spoken to them and never encountered a problem. All our friends do this and I have never heard of anyone getting fined and the worst that usually happens is that you end up with some unauthorised absences on the report. Our daughters secondary school is more reluctant than her primary was but they are more pressured to produce results.

IMHO this is a pretty daft rule as kids benefit enormously from travel.

I'm sure some people will think this is irresponsible but so is sticking kids in front of a DVD or video whilst you write their end of year reports in the last week of term which happens in our school especially in the lead up to Christmas. Our daughter incidentally has a better idea than most travel agents of where things are in the world but thats not saying much!

Norman-B

I wanted to take my 7 year old grandson to Majorca in May (for the third year running) and we were refused permission! Other children in his class have just returned from Thailand and India after 14 and 20 days away. It seems that because we chose May, we were refused (SATS). Looks like it might have to be Oct or Nov now.

jockettuk

my daughters headteacher will not authorise any term time holidays .. the only way he will do it is if the main wage earner has set holidays per yr as some companys do. oh and he will fine you as one parent found out by ignoring his warnings.. but one parent found out that it was cheaper to pay the fine and still take her child out of school in term time.. My daughter sits her sats in may and we have all been warned that even if our children are sick we must provide a doctors note... He gave a lot of leeway for 3 yrs but thinks parents abused it so now he says no to almost every holiday form thats put in.

Macnab

Can't believe the hassle some schools cause over this. Scottish schools don't inflict sats on kids (unless private schools) and so don't have the problem now, but my husband is in the forces and so annual leave was always a a time more suitaed to the army than schools, as was r and r in between tours etc. I always found schools to be most receptive if you talked to them, told them why you would be going when you would be going, that you would be happy to help the child with school work. diary etc whilst you were away. travel is a grand teacher approached in the right way.
good luck
happy 40th
go for it

Russ66

Tony Blair takes his kids on holidays in term Time!!

spursman

My wife is a Primary School Head
she informs me no days are allowed for holidays it is just that some schools bend & let a maximum of 10 days a year. As for the £100 a day fine this is illegal you can get fined once £50 a child payable within 28 days if not paid court proceedings are instigated with worse case scenario a prison spell for 1 of the parents. depending on your childrens attendance record 2 days unauthorised absence should be no problem BUT if this goes to over 10 days unauthorised absence in a school year an EDUCATIONAL WELFARE OFFICER(Truancy Officer) will be called in & they are much tougher than dealing with the school> My wife says she is always getting request's for term time holidays & she reviews each case individually & quite often refuses the request(one of her arguments is how would parents feel if the Teachers took 10 days holiday cos the prices were cheaper in term time) if you request the holiday & it is refused but you still take your children out expect a fine & a visit from an EWO. schools are now asking for Doctors certificates for absences of more than 3 days.
no doubt i will now get my head bitten off but i'm only reporting facts of course different schools bend the rules in different ways.
As for Tony Blairs children if they go to private school the rules are different & if you have Parents whose jobs require specific times for holidays the rules are different again so TONY B LIAR may get round it by 1 of the 2 above rules
hope this helps
all the best
Spursman
btw my wife works in a KCC school but the absence from school laws are nationwide(england)