Real life MMD: Should I ask the school for compensation?

Fujiko

wozza2k wrote: »

Really? People value a holiday over education?

No, as has been said, obviously not as the holiday was booked specifically and in good faith in half term. But the idea that missing a week's school will cause damage to your child's education is ludicrous - what about when a child is absent through illness?
I really think this is one of the silliest problems we have had on this site.

feg

Richard019 wrote: »

There is no dilemma...

....I also don't understand what the fuss is about getting it as an authorised rather than unauthorised absence....

I am a teacher with a particular responsibility for attendance at school and I can assure you the difference between authorised and unauthorised absence is quite important. An increasing number of parents are being prosecuted as the government (finally) begins to get tough on unauthorised absence - as little as ten days unauthorised absence has led to a number of parents in my school being fined by the LEA.

On a positive note, in this case I am almost certain that if you have a sensible conversation with the headteacher and follow the appropriate procedure for requesting authorised absence it will be granted. If not your head is being very unreasonable! Parents requesting authorised absence is quite commonplace, so don't be put off of asking. Good luck.

Talent

Don't ask, tell them. Take the holiday. Write to the Head and all governors individually, tell them in no uncertain terms that you expect better from a seat of learning. Copy to the LEA or whatever they call themselves these days. That should do it.

Jonahmaul

Agree with what most individuals have said and I don't think you will need to get very demanding. Check how much it costs to change the dates but if this is unreasonable (it probably is as holiday companies know when half term dates are!) then explain this to the school and ask for authorised absence. You can demonstrate that you booked the holiday during the original half term (I expect at an added expense already due to the time of year) and have checked whether you can change the dates but if these are not options then at the end of the day the school needs to take responsibility. If for some reason the headmaster refuses the request (which is unlikely) then perhaps you will need to consider writing the the LEA but I suspect they will look on this favourably if he/she is reasonable.

Enjoy your holiday.

onesixfive

Kids get far too many holidays anyway these days from school - just take the holiday & add it the the rest of the absences! They only attend school for 195 days a year anyway. Thats 39 weeks.
Equivalent of 13 weeks holiday!

(German students attend 220 days, & Japanese students attend 243 days )Seriously - they shouldn't have moved the dates - take the holiday - but don't expect compensation.

Anneg

Of course you take the holiday. There's no question about it especially as it is at a time when there are no exams etc. And yes, as it was the school's fault, you TELL them you are going, not ask if you are allowed to go. Not being allowed to take your children out of school for a holiday is a relatively new rule. My children are now 21 and 18 and when they were younger we took them out for 2 weeks (either side of the October half term) to go to the US - no problem. You were actually allowed to take your children out for up to 2 weeks until quite recently.

And did they suffer? No, of course not. One is running his own business and the other is at Uni having gained 4 As at A Level last summer. And they also had a fantastic touring holiday in the US to talk about for years.

pollypenny

You obviously stick to the booked dates, using a holiday form to tell the school, perhaps with a covering letter expressing regret at having to take your children out of school owing to their error.

However, the idea of compensation is ludicrous - makes it sound as if the compensation is OP's priority.

spanielson

I'd go on the holiday, I think this would count as exceptional circumstances. A week isn't going to hurt (as much as most people disagree) as long as termtime holidays don't become a habit of course. I don't agree with claiming compensation against the school, I'm sure they had good reason to do this and should expect a few families to have made plans.

denislawsbackheel

You'd have a damn cheek asking for homework!
No school will pay compensation either. Typical of today's society isn't it - the first thing people think of!

denislawsbackheel

Anneg wrote: »

Of course you take the holiday. There's no question about it especially as it is at a time when there are no exams etc. And yes, as it was the school's fault, you TELL them you are going, not ask if you are allowed to go. Not being allowed to take your children out of school for a holiday is a relatively new rule. My children are now 21 and 18 and when they were younger we took them out for 2 weeks (either side of the October half term) to go to the US - no problem. You were actually allowed to take your children out for up to 2 weeks until quite recently.

And did they suffer? No, of course not. One is running his own business and the other is at Uni having gained 4 As at A Level last summer. And they also had a fantastic touring holiday in the US to talk about for years.

Usual uninformed nonsense here.
I worked in schools since 1974. You ALWAYS had to ask for permission to take children out of school for a holiday. A headteacher could ALWAYS decline permission and enter it as an unapproved absence.
It is only recently that this rule has been backed up with the ability to fine parents.