Term time holiday fine question.

OrkneyStar

I feel sorry for the teachers, having to go over stuff with a child who missed it for no good reason (of course if a child is ill then they will have to do that too but that cannot be helped). A few children a term doing this WILL make a difference, to the child in question, to the teacher and to the rest of the class.

Yorkie1

angelil wrote: »

This 'lying about being ill' thing flummoxes me. In our school it simply wouldn't be possible, as absence for illness is simply not authorised without a doctor's note. So unless you can bribe a doctor you know to write you the note, it just won't happen...why do schools in the UK not have a similar policy in order to prevent this?

You often need to book an appointment 3 weeks on Wednesday! Appointments the same day are frequently not possible.

Spendless

angelil wrote: »

This 'lying about being ill' thing flummoxes me. In our school it simply wouldn't be possible, as absence for illness is simply not authorised without a doctor's note. So unless you can bribe a doctor you know to write you the note, it just won't happen...why do schools in the UK not have a similar policy in order to prevent this?

You're lucky if you can find a Dr who will see you as you've come down with the winter vomiting bug, write you a note and even want you near their surgery. What country are you talking about if you aren't in the UK?

My dd is due to miss at least 1 day of school soon due to an op. I went in and asked receptionist what I needed to do. Receptionist asked me what I meant.
Me 'well, fill out a form, produce a letter etc?
Receptionist 'Nothing, it's fine you've told me. I'll mark it down now as medical'

jellyhead

My son was off school yesterday. We didn't see a doctor. He's not a baby and isn't delicate ... I see no reason to see a GP for a healthy child vomiting for a day. Of course if it had gone on for longer and he'd been dehydrated then I'd have considered it, but he didn't even have a fever and I was vomiting too. I had a gut feeling (haha) that he'd be okay the next day.

angelil

Teachers and students all have to come back to school when they are well again with the doctor's note in hand if they want the absence to be authorised. For teachers that means no doctor's note = no pay. I have been to the doctor for 24/48-hour bugs in the past. Maybe we just have a lot of doctor's surgeries in our town? I have never had any trouble getting an appointment on the day of being stuck at home unwell and luckily there are many surgeries within walking distance. Several will do home visits as well.

Perhaps this can all be explained by the fact that I live in the land of the hypochondriac - France

daisiegg

angelil wrote: »

This 'lying about being ill' thing flummoxes me. In our school it simply wouldn't be possible, as absence for illness is simply not authorised without a doctor's note. So unless you can bribe a doctor you know to write you the note, it just won't happen...why do schools in the UK not have a similar policy in order to prevent this?

Because the NHS is stretched enough without doctors having to sign notes to say kiddies had tummy bugs or sore throats or migraines or flu or whatever! There a plenty of things that can make a child/teenager ill enough not to miss school but not ill enough to need a doctor (doctors' surgeries even ask you not to come in when you have flu as it is contagious and there is nothing they can do!)

ETA - oops - sorry, replied to this before reading the rest of the thread!

jellyhead

What would you need a doctor for though - purely to sign the note? That sounds like an expensive waste of GP time for a 1-day illness.

I wouldn't want to go and infect a doctor's surgery with my vomiting child, or call out a doctor and infect him. I do it when a baby is dehydrated or appears to need medication, but not for something trivial.

dallam20

I have just applied to DD 's school for 8 days. I'm a nurse and unable to take more than 7 days in school holidays each year and my holidays are allocated on a rotation basis. This year I was given 7 days in August which litrally means 7 days then staright back to work so not enough time on this occassion as flying to USA.
We have been saving to go to Florida for 2 years and are going in October as it will most likely be our last family holiday as older daughter is 17.
I have recieved a call today to say it will be unauthorised however on the gov.uk website it states they can be authorised when annual leave is inflexible which mine is?? So I am meeting the head next week.
It's difficult for schools but it makes me laugh that the day after we go the teachers are on strike!
I haven't done it before and wont be doing again as I just make sure we fit a holiday into whatever leave I'm allocated during the school holidays.
will see what happens Monday!

vivas00

This is just a government tax, plain and simple. They know that parents can save a fortune, even with these "fines", so these opportunists in power want a cut of the savings. Oh to be a Banker.

NMSE12

sorry to drag up an old post, just looking for information.
Has anybody had clear answers from their schools?
We are a family of three children hoping to take them out for 10 days in June. Will this be a £360 or a £720 fine. Also one child is a step child so will we only get fined £60 for her? Its not very clear... Just know we will get fined.
Did anyone ask for permission still first?