Help r.e letter to headmaster.

gabyjane

Ok i'm actually worrying about this a bit and need some help. As some of you will have seen i booked a holiday at the weekend..the head was away last week (i didnt know) and now it is half term so have been unable to ask. So i am going to completely honest and just say we have booked etc and hope it is ok etc. Lots of people have said just say you have had it booked as a pressie by family etc..some just ask then hope they say yes..but im not happy with that. So help in how to write it please.. Thanks

DaisyFlower

I'm not sure why you are worrying - presumably you booked the holiday in term time and were happy when booking those dates.

Some schools allow term time holidays, others dont and it will go as unauthorised leave on the childs record/reports etc. Ours doesnt (doesnt bother me as I dont agree with term time hols) but a neighbouring school allows 5 days if a clean sickness record.

I wouldnt lie though as people have suggested, we teach our children not to lie so shouldnt be seen to do it ourselves.

msb5262

Don't worry too much about this - the school does not have to authorise absences for family holidays, but the worst that can happen is that your children's (child's?) absence will be put down as unauthorised. I doubt very much that the educational welfare officer will come after you unless your children have a history of missing school, especially if you write to the headteacher and explain properly.

I'd start by stating the dates of the holiday and then explain that you have booked it during term time because...then give your reasoning. It may be just financially impossible for your family to have a holiday at any other time, it may be that you or your partner cannot get away from work at any other time, it may be that unforeseen circumstances or family problems have made it impossible to do any other time. Apologise for the short notice (I assume from your anxiety that it is short notice?) and say that you realise that the school isn't obliged to authorise this absence, but you would be grateful if they would. Promise that the children will do any homework tasks they are given.

Don't get yourself a hair shirt and kill yourself with guilt! It's not worth it. I'm a teacher myself and when I took my children out of school for a holiday in the Outer Hebrides (they were very small and I wasn't working at the time), their headteacher reassured me that they would learn a lot more from the holiday than from a week at school.

Hope that helps.

gabyjane

Hi thanks!! DaisyFlower yes i know it will go down as unautharised leave and that's fine..was just worrying as you hear about fines etc!

msb5262 it is 7 months away so not soon! it's the time of year as dd will be in year 6..she will have been in for 4 months though and may is around the time they dont allow off so hoepfully will be ok! dh can only take certain times off and this is another reason, dd has a fabulous attendance and i never take her out of school for apts unless an emergency..we are also quite happy to take work with us..if not something to do on the v long flight! typically as i said it is half term and im inpatient and want a reply now!! will have to waot though i guess...will keep you all updated!!
thanks agin x

sneggy

hi each child is entitled to 10 days holiday`s per year at our school we have holiday forms just ask the school clerk.

im a school governor and im taking my 2 on holidays in term
time dd is in yr 7 & ds is in y2, i think they can sometimes get more out of a holiday than formal class rooms(1 or 2 weeks) but that depends where you go & what you do.
dont worry just enjoy x

bonty44

I would think the school would authorise it as otherwise it goes down as unauthorised and this goes into the school figures; I as a parent would look at these figures and be concerned about a school with a high unauthorised absence percentage.

So it works in your favour I reckon.

KellyWelly

There isn't an 'entitlement' per se to 10 days per year, but the head will authorise up to 10 days per year so long as your child's attendance is good and they aren't persistently late. So if your child has poor attendance and you don't give adequte advance notice the head may very well refuse to authorise the absence. It will be reported to the LEA and it will stay on your child's education records but this will only really matter if you regularly do it. If your child is always in school and it's a one-off, I can't see it being an issue at all.

However, think carefully about taking your child out while in Y2 or Y6, this is when they have their SATs - and while I think SATs are awful things to put children through, if your school is making them sit them at that time then they will possibly struggle with the work and they will be made to do the SATs they might miss all by themselves in isolation when they return, which is actually very stressful for the child.

Penny-Pincher!!

gabyjane wrote: »

Ok i'm actually worrying about this a bit and need some help. As some of you will have seen i booked a holiday at the weekend..the head was away last week (i didnt know) and now it is half term so have been unable to ask. So i am going to completely honest and just say we have booked etc and hope it is ok etc. Lots of people have said just say you have had it booked as a pressie by family etc..some just ask then hope they say yes..but im not happy with that. So help in how to write it please.. Thanks

Just be honest!

Alot of people are under the impression that they are allowed to take their children out of school for 10 days, but this is incorrect and the school can actually refuse any time off whatever age your child is. It is totally discretionary.

The worst outcome is that you will be hit with a fine which is varied depending on what your council enforces etc.

We had to sign a contract before DD got accepted to her school to state that we would not take ANY holidays in term time throughout the whole 5 years she is to attend.

PP
xx

peachyprice

Do you know if your school allows holidays in tern time?

As said before, the 10 days entitlement is a myth, some schools are happy with this, some have zero tolerance, except for a very good reason, not just for a holiday.

The schools that do not allow any time usually make it quite clear very early on and it's usually stated in the prospectus and any paperwork you will have signed when your child joined the school.

The fines are a reality, but again that depends on your school/LEA.

Penny-Pincher!!

peachyprice wrote: »

Do you know if your school allows holidays in tern time?

As said before, the 10 days entitlement is a myth, some schools are happy with this, some have zero tolerance, except for a very good reason, not just for a holiday.

The schools that do not allow any time usually make it quite clear very early on and it's usually stated in the prospectus and any paperwork you will have signed when your child joined the school.

The fines are a reality, but again that depends on your school/LEA.

If thats your bum in your avator....it's lovely:D


PP
xx

peachyprice

Penny-Pincher!! wrote: »

If thats your bum in your avator....it's lovely:D


PP
xx

Oh, I wish it was :rotfl::rotfl: