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

wozza2k

I don't think people realise how fast paced education is these days, a week out can be pretty crucial to development and foundation knowledge to a course.

I find it interesting how not many have suggested to contact the holiday planners to arrange the dates, with this much notice it is always possible to change the dates, if that's not possible then maybe go without the children.

Mrs_Arcanum

wozza2k wrote: »

I don't think people realise how fast paced education is these days, a week out can be pretty crucial to development and foundation knowledge to a course.

I find it interesting how not many have suggested to contact the holiday planners to arrange the dates, with this much notice it is always possible to change the dates, if that's not possible then maybe go without the children.

Which holiday planners? The LEA, School, holiday company or parents? The LEA & school will not move the dates back just for one family.

Either way the holiday was booked in good faith and mindful of educational needs for the original half term dates. They were given a prohibitively large charge for changing the holiday to the NEW half term.

The issue could well be childcare costs arising from the change in half term and should this be so a case "could" be made for some help towards this cost. This will be far cheaper than the cost of changing the dates to the new half term.

ronangel

wozza2k wrote: »

if that's not possible then maybe go without the children.

Good idea....
(1) who looks after the children? (assuming no grand parents or trusted friends)
(2) depending on age do you think it will improve your relationship with them when you get back? from mummy and daddy dont want/love us--to- ruined our lives ect.
Back to the drawing board.....

diversrock

I spent 4 and a half months off school when in Primary for a holiday - I was still the top of the class after. A week from high school is fine. Make sure the kids get homework though

mandragora_2

As others have said - no dilemma here.
Explain to the school what you are doing and why. I would be astonished if the school would try for fast track prosecution on that basis (but they could, in theory, if they wanted to record the ten sessions as unauthorised). At the point that any prosecution process is initiated, you meet with the Education Welfare officer and have an interview under caution. One of the quesions you will be asked is 'Is there any other reason for your child's absence?' and at that point you explain why you took them out then, and if possible, show them the paperwork or notice or other that the info was given out on (if you haven't kept it, fair enough, as long as the info was sent home, the school will be obliged to acknowledge it).

The EWO will then seek advice and will make a recommendation whether or not the case will proceed. I can't imagine for one moment that they would, because they need to have a good chance of success in court. In the unlikley event that they do, then you are issued a notice, and you're given four weeks for your child's attendance to improve. As your childen won't ever be in that situation again it's not going to be a factor, is it? Should it ever, ever get as far as a court, you just explain the circumstances to the presiding officer (judge? magistrate?). I would think that it would be very unlikely for those absences to be held against you, though they clearly wouldn't help if it was part of a pattern of larger attendance issues.

zebbscat

Just ask school for a holiday form so it becomes an authorised absence! Many parents take alot more than 1 week out!

lindsayr2403

I am cross that the school (wherever you are) didn't get their act together for a parent who is actually bothering to work around the school holidays. We appreciate people like that - I promise you.
As for the 'no-one asks about attendance in employment' - this is not the case, I can assure you. If they look to go to college, then they do ask about attendance , and they're aren't going to want someone on their books with bad attendance. Authorised absences are FAR preferred to Unauthorised (which then falls into the same category as truancy and persistent absences).
Honestly, the school will understand. You did everything right. Clearly they will be marked absent - there's nothing they can do about that. They will arrange homework for your children - and they don't have to take it on holiday - presumably their half term is now either just before or just after... so they can do it then.
There are also VLE's in school now so they can use them surely?
This is only one week off - and as long as that's pretty much it, then it won't impact their attendance figures as the year pans out.

hope this helps

ronangel

lindsayr2403 wrote: »

I am cross that the school (wherever you are) didn't get their act together for a parent who is actually bothering to work around the school holidays. We appreciate people like that - I promise you.
As for the 'no-one asks about attendance in employment' - this is not the case, I can assure you. If they look to go to college, then they do ask about attendance , and they're aren't going to want someone on their books with bad attendance. Authorised absences are FAR preferred to Unauthorised (which then falls into the same category as truancy and persistent absences).
Honestly, the school will understand. You did everything right. Clearly they will be marked absent - there's nothing they can do about that. They will arrange homework for your children - and they don't have to take it on holiday - presumably their half term is now either just before or just after... so they can do it then.
There are also VLE's in school now so they can use them surely?
This is only one week off - and as long as that's pretty much it, then it won't impact their attendance figures as the year pans out.

hope this helps

As I said earlier, at some time in the future when asked by prospective employer they can blame parents. Had no choice but to go with them, nowhere else to go. End of problem. Have a nice holiday.:cool:

pippinpuss

As an ex-governor I know that most school allow 10 days off for holidays. They don't advertise it as everyone will do it.

The cost of holidays go sky high in school holidays.

ipod_killed_the_musicshop

ronangel wrote: »

I am sure that YOU will be happy to pay the family the money they can ill afford to lose by changing dates, maybe even having to cutback on other things to compensate. Thought not....
My late mother used to say ok then give me the money, to people that tried to tell her how to spend/ use her money, no one ever paid up and most of them shut up....

may I extend your post to
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