Term time holiday fine question.

Soleil_lune

My friend's daughter was in the middle of year 8 several years ago, and she put a holiday request form into the school (around mid April,) booking the last week in October off for a holiday they were planning. She had always put requests in, and it had always been classed as an 'authorised absence.' The parents were allowed to take the children out for 10 school days each year. She put the request into reception and thought nothing of it.

Then the day after they broke up for summer (so 3 months later,) she got a snotty letter from the school saying they are no longer allowing time off in school time, and she is not allowed to take her, and taking her away in school time, would result in her getting a fine and possible intervention from the authorities!

Of course, as my friend had not heard anything to the contrary, and the rule had always been '10 days allowed off in every school year,' she went and booked the week's holiday. Then the school did a dirty trick, and said no 3 months later, and had the temerity to send a letter the day the school closed for 6 weeks, so my friend couldn't do anything about it for 6 weeks.

She was really angry; especially as they waited 3 months to say no, and to tell her they had changed the rules, and she had already booked and paid for the holiday. After much ranting and arguing, they didn't 'fine' her - and the authorities didn't intervene... Well it wouldn't have been fair really would it?!

suejb2

I believe that schools maybe going on strike sometime between now and Christmas,I'm certainly not authorising them to take time off and I definately don't see any exceptional circumstances!What do you think my chances of "fining" them £60 for both of my children and for my O.H?

de_g.

suejb2 wrote: »

I believe that schools maybe going on strike sometime between now and Christmas,I'm certainly not authorising them to take time off and I definately don't see any exceptional circumstances!What do you think my chances of "fining" them £60 for both of my children and for my O.H?

Schools won't be on strike - teachers will. Now whether you agree with their reasoning or not, the whole purpose of strike action is to cause inconvenience and it is as inconvenient to schools as it is to parents. Some schools may be open, but governors and heads have to take a difficult decision to decide whether to close the school because there are likely to be insufficient staff present. Also, each teacher on strike will lose the equivalent of one day's pay, or more for those on term-time only contracts, which for most will be more than £60.

FBaby

But that means that our children's education is going to be affected, so surely the school should be fined for each pupil? Or is the fine really nothing to do with individual pupil education? I still would really like to see plans on what the funds raised from fines will be spent on...

flashnazia

de_g. wrote: »

Schools won't be on strike - teachers will. Now whether you agree with their reasoning or not, the whole purpose of strike action is to cause inconvenience and it is as inconvenient to schools as it is to parents. Some schools may be open, but governors and heads have to take a difficult decision to decide whether to close the school because there are likely to be insufficient staff present. Also, each teacher on strike will lose the equivalent of one day's pay, or more for those on term-time only contracts, which for most will be more than £60.

Doesn't the union reimburse the lost pay though?

DigForVictory

I'm presuming someone has spoken to the school in question, and *asked*? Most Heads are actually pretty reasonable people, who do appreciate that raising a family is not easy & that sometimes you have to go somewhere somewhen which doesn't fit with the ordained script.
Treat school with respect & they're more likely to cooperate. Treat it as childcare & they're more likely to be consider fines.

mandy

Hi everyone we booked our holiday in Feb before we even heard about this new ruling and are due to go on Holiday in October are we still liable to pay the fine even though it was booked before the new law came into force?

Thanks Mandy

Spendless

mandy wrote: »

Hi everyone we booked our holiday in Feb before we even heard about this new ruling and are due to go on Holiday in October are we still liable to pay the fine even though it was booked before the new law came into force?

Thanks Mandy

What info has your child/res's school given you re the changes? My kids schools said if you had already had a holiday authorised before the new school ruling came in even if the hol was to be taken afterwards you would not be fined. Did you put in a holiday application at school?

pollypenny

Soleil_lune wrote: »

My friend's daughter was in the middle of year 8 several years ago, and she put a holiday request form into the school (around mid April,) booking the last week in October off for a holiday they were planning. She had always put requests in, and it had always been classed as an 'authorised absence.' The parents were allowed to take the children out for 10 school days each year. She put the request into reception and thought nothing of it.

Then the day after they broke up for summer (so 3 months later,) she got a snotty letter from the school saying they are no longer allowing time off in school time, and she is not allowed to take her, and taking her away in school time, would result in her getting a fine and possible intervention from the authorities!

Of course, as my friend had not heard anything to the contrary, and the rule had always been '10 days allowed off in every school year,' she went and booked the week's holiday. Then the school did a dirty trick, and said no 3 months later, and had the temerity to send a letter the day the school closed for 6 weeks, so my friend couldn't do anything about it for 6 weeks.

She was really angry; especially as they waited 3 months to say no, and to tell her they had changed the rules, and she had already booked and paid for the holiday. After much ranting and arguing, they didn't 'fine' her - and the authorities didn't intervene... Well it wouldn't have been fair really would it?!

It sounds as if your friend regularly took the child out of school in term time.

I think the point of the 10 day concession is for the occasional, unavoidable holiday, when it's all the parent can get.

pollypenny

flashnazia wrote: »

Doesn't the union reimburse the lost pay though?

You are joking! :cool: