taking children out of school at term time

sturll

vodkachick68 wrote: »

Thanks for all your swift replies.

I think i shall write a letter to my daughters tutor explaining that the holiday is already booked and unfortuntely i will have to take her out unauthorised. It does annoy me slightly as my daughter has had 100% attendance,and we have never taken her out in term time before. I don't think that the school my daughter goes fines anyway,but if i have to pay £50 then so be it.

I take my kids out every Jan and never even bother with a letter. When i get the usual "where was your son" i just send a letter in saying

"Charlie was absent from school due to a family holiday, please authorise his absence"

The funny thing was it was only a few weeks back he got a certificate for over 98% attendance. No idea how.

alwaysonthego_2

Have you spoken to the head teacher, they are allowed to let you have 10 days authorised holiday using their discression.

IMHO I think holidays are very important, children learn more about other cultures etc whilst on holiday than if they were sat in a classroom. Also good for family bonding which can only be a good thing for society.

sturll

alwaysonthego wrote: »

Have you spoken to the head teacher, they are allowed to let you have 10 days authorised holiday using their discression.

IMHO I think holidays are very important, children learn more about other cultures etc whilst on holiday than if they were sat in a classroom. Also good for family bonding which can only be a good thing for society.

Exactamundo.

vodkachick68

alwaysonthego wrote: »

Have you spoken to the head teacher, they are allowed to let you have 10 days authorised holiday using their discression.

IMHO I think holidays are very important, children learn more about other cultures etc whilst on holiday than if they were sat in a classroom. Also good for family bonding which can only be a good thing for society.

I did think that you are allowed 10 days a year,depending on sickness levels etc. I shall definetly take it further and let you know how i get on.
Also agree that holidays are a family bonding time,for gods sake we work our butts off all year round,i think its very important. Trouble is you are always going to get the odd one or two people who will not see it from your point of view. IYKWIM

Rikki

vodkachick68 wrote: »

Thanks for all your swift replies.

I think i shall write a letter to my daughters tutor explaining that the holiday is already booked and unfortuntely i will have to take her out unauthorised. It does annoy me slightly as my daughter has had 100% attendance,and we have never taken her out in term time before. I don't think that the school my daughter goes fines anyway,but if i have to pay £50 then so be it.

Hope it's not £500.

Teachertim

alwaysonthego wrote: »

Have you spoken to the head teacher, they are allowed to let you have 10 days authorised holiday using their discression.

IMHO I think holidays are very important, children learn more about other cultures etc whilst on holiday than if they were sat in a classroom. Also good for family bonding which can only be a good thing for society.

This is incorrect, the new rules which came into force when schools could begin to fine have taken these away. Holiday has to be recorded as an unauthorisde. Don't worry about it, if her attendence is fine otherwise it will not cause problems. An education welfare officer has to be involved before fines can be given and that only happens when attendance is less that 85%.

The previous poster was correct, schools are under pressure from the LA to get attendance higher. As a teacher, I totally understand that families may choose to take holidays when they are cheaper, at least you are being considerate and not doing it mid term. I wish I could go when they were cheaper !

Just go and enjoy yourself, although it will be recorded as unauthorised, this is not the end of the world and really means nothing.

andyrules

Quite honestly I can see no educational loss at all with the dates you quote. Most schools will be on wind down by then, especially in the final week.

It is the beginning of the term that is the worst time to lose as standards are set/places allocated/friendships bonded etc etc.

Kez100

alwaysonthego wrote: »

Have you spoken to the head teacher, they are allowed to let you have 10 days authorised holiday using their discression.

IMHO I think holidays are very important, children learn more about other cultures etc whilst on holiday than if they were sat in a classroom. Also good for family bonding which can only be a good thing for society.

You can get all of this by going on holiday in holiday times. The experience is not a better or more valid one for going in school term time.

Parents should be honest - as the OP is - and say they are doing it to save money. I don't do i, but I do appreciate people do and so to pick the best time (like the very end of summer term) seems the next best thing to choosing school holiday times.

sturll

Kez100 wrote: »

You can get all of this by going on holiday in holiday times. The experience is not a better or more valid one for going in school term time.

Not if you can't afford to go.

photome

staffie1 wrote: »

Of course they've refused. Her education is more important than you saving 500 quid on a holiday. Isn't it..? You might get fined if you insist on disrupting her education.

Is that a joke?

It is the last week of school (they dont do anything) and the child is getting to see different cultures etc which is just as important.