term time school hols (yes, again!)

helen81_2

Hi,
Almost every year since my daughter started school we have taken the full 10 days authorised absence for a holiday in term time. She is now in year 4 (age 9) and myself and hubby have both agreed that this year will be the last time we do this as we feel her education is too important to miss the nearer to secondry school she gets.

So anyway..wev'e got a 2 week holiday booked for the last week in June/1st week July so am asking for 10 days off,she's already had 6 at the beggining of September so they will only authorise 4 days. I am not planning to dispute this as I know this is standard proceedure. We have been warned of a fixed penalty notice coming in the post if we go ahead and take her out of school on those dates..does this come after the child has been absent them dates? Is it £50 for all regions? And what are the consequences of the penalty for my daughter? I mean..will she have a big black mark on her school record forever?

We are undecided as to cancel the holiday (lose only the deposit I think) or go anyway,pay the fine with no argument and never do it again. Like I said earlier,it was already decided that this time will be the last time we take her on holiday in term time,infact,we are already saving up to pay for next years holiday, in the summer holidays.

If recieving the penalty notice is going to have a huge affect I think the only thing to do is cancel holday, what do you think?

I don't know if it will make any difference to the amount of people slating me but my daughter is top of the class teachers pet kind of student,never in trouble,excellent attendance record since starting school.

Helen x

Spendless

Hi,
The school my kids attend will only authorise 10 days per academic year,(Sept-july) and children only off once (even if it doesn't come to 10 days in total). if you want more than 1 occassion (even if this adds up to 10 days in total) you have to give a more thorough explanantion as to why. Taking more than 10 days is an automatic 'not authorised' and our area does fine £50. the fine goes up if you do not pay it.

As to what happens to her record though, no idea.

Penny-Pincher!!

I was told by my council that the 10day holiday entitlement has always been a myth. It is always at the schools discretion and not compulsory

Before DD started at secondary school last September, we had to sign a contract stating that she would not be able to take any time off during term time.

PP
xx

ceebeeby

... Wow ... £50?? Do they have fines in all regions? I have no ideas re: fines when payable etc.

I might as well be the first to say shouldn't take kids out of school etc. etc. however, if the greedy holiday companies didn't massively boost the school hols prices then MSE's on a budget wouldn't have too - but you're right next year is definitely a good time to stop doing it before going to high school.

Saying she's got a cold would not be telling the truth, so obviously I couldn't advocate that

mariauk

Hi Helen

It annoys me that although schools are allowed at least 6 inset days a year and allow the school`s to close so they can be used as Polling Stations etc, We as parents are fined for removing our children for roughly the same amount of "Official" time per year. In most cases the children wouldn`t be able to go away during school holidays because of the increase in prices and after all, Surely taking them out of the country to experience a different culture and climate to ours can only be educational in its own way

Both of my Children have almost always had 100% attendence throughout the year and I think these kind of things should be taken into consideration. When it comes to GCSE`s and other exams it`s a different story but surely at most other times during their school lives 10 days is really not going to make much difference

bunty109

All I know is that the days over the 10 days are liable to go down as unauthorised and can be classed as truancy. Dependent on the Local Authority you might get a visit/call from a truancy officer (you might not!).

I really don't know about the effect this will have on your DD's school record, but I guess you could explain to a teacher in the future if ever it is raised.

Spendless

Penny-Pincher!! wrote: »

I was told by my council that the 10day holiday entitlement has always been a myth. It is always at the schools discretion and not compulsoryYes that's right, which is why I started my post saying what "the school my kids attend" do and they will and do authorise upto 10 days per academic year.

Before DD started at secondary school last September, we had to sign a contract stating that she would not be able to take any time off during term time.

PP
xx

I am expecting secondary school to be far more strict. I do know of one who will not allow any days off school at all, so when the 'details' of each school is published in the local paper this particularschool has a far greater 'unauthorised absences' record than the others, because the parents have still taken them and paid the fine.

BernadetteN

We have 3 kids in primary school, in Yrs R, 4 and 6. Between the 3 of them with a total of almost 13 school years attendance, they have been taken out of school for 4 days (2 children * 2 days) and their combined sickness days must add up to no more than 20 days (that includes 10 days off with a broken leg) over their 13 years in school. Their primary school allows 10 days discretionary authorised absence. However the eldest is going to grammar in September and he is going to be taken out of that school for 3 unauthorised days (there are only authorised holiday absences in exceptional circumstances there) and I'll be SOOOO mad if we are also fined for doing this, since our son's attendance has been so good over the previous 7 years. I'll be contesting any fine.

I don't really agree with children being taken out of school but sometimes family life gets in the way of school and there is no way our family is going to miss out on a long awaited holiday (dad is currently working abroad for 6 months this year so this is a welcome back to the family holiday).

Zziggi

Just wanted to point out to the OP - in my area it is a fine of £50 PER PARENT per week. Therefore s/he is looking at a £100 fine.

From a purely economic point of view, i think your holiday if you went in school holiday time (or the loss of deposit) will be more than £100.Therefore it makes economic sense to go when you have already booked.

I have mixed views on this subject. I think generally "good" parents are the ones that are penalised. Those kids with poor attendance records and THEN go on holiday will not be disuaded by a fine.

Raises some cash tho' doesn't it?

P.S. where do the £50 fines go?

bunty109

BernadetteN wrote: »

We have 3 kids in primary school, in Yrs R, 4 and 6. Between the 3 of them with a total of almost 13 school years attendance, they have been taken out of school for 4 days (2 children * 2 days) and their combined sickness days must add up to no more than 20 days (that includes 10 days off with a broken leg) over their 13 years in school. Their primary school allows 10 days discretionary authorised absence. However the eldest is going to grammar in September and he is going to be taken out of that school for 3 unauthorised days (there are only authorised holiday absences in exceptional circumstances there) and I'll be SOOOO mad if we are also fined for doing this, since our son's attendance has been so good over the previous 7 years. I'll be contesting any fine.

I don't really agree with children being taken out of school but sometimes family life gets in the way of school and there is no way our family is going to miss out on a long awaited holiday (dad is currently working abroad for 6 months this year so this is a welcome back to the family holiday).

I know there's a clampdown on term time holidays, but with a husband working abroad I should have thought it should get authorised as obviously you can only holiday when his work permits.


Make sure you tell the school this!!!

inkie

Best thing to do is to check out with LEA. Personally never take our kids out during term-time and so have no idea!