school fines for out of term holidays?

plzhelpmesave!

Hi Just after some info please
We are FINALLY taking our first ever family holiday abroad next week and are really excited about it!

Only snag is that kids will be taking missing 4 days off school in the first week they go back - they have excellent attendance, behaviour and are all doing really well at school so I'm not worried about the time they are having off and will make sure they catch up.

but just wondered what experience people have had with their kids missing term time on holiday and what to say to the school?


School did send out a letter about imposing fines on kids with unauthorised absences but I don't know of anyone who has ever been fined and have read it is in cases where the kids have bad attendance records truancy etc. I did call the education department to ask how it all works and they were very unhelpful - will get in touch with the school on the first day which is a teacher training day - but not sure what I should say??

Thanks in advance

tinkerfairy

It depends on the school, each school is different.

We took a term time holiday under exceptional circumstances so wasn't fined.

My county council's website has the policy under their education section so worth looking on yours.

martinthebandit

.....not sure what you should say?

How about, 'my little darlings are poorly with sickness and diaharea, they should be better by the end of the week'

London50

martinthebandit wrote: »

.....not sure what you should say?

How about, 'my little darlings are poorly with sickness and diaharea, they should be better by the end of the week'

OK until the " Little darlings" tell all their friends what a great time they had in "xyz" while a teacher or other staff are within earshot ;0)

Mojisola

tinkerfairy wrote: »

It depends on the school, each school is different.

We took a term time holiday under exceptional circumstances so wasn't fined.

My county council's website has the policy under their education section so worth looking on yours.

Not any more - the law changed in 2013 and Headteachers have to comply with the new regulations.

As you say, the LA should have information about it like this -
https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/schoolseducationandlearning/schoolsandcolleges/parentadvice/studentbehaviour/truancy/educationwelfareservicepenaltynotice.htm

couponqueen123

Mojisola wrote: »

Not any more - the law changed in 2013 and Headteachers have to comply with the new regulations.

As you say, the LA should have information about it like this -
https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/schoolseducationandlearning/schoolsandcolleges/parentadvice/studentbehaviour/truancy/educationwelfareservicepenaltynotice.htm

the school my kids go to as long as you ask first and it isnt an important time of year you can go , a few people have taken holidays

mainly because one parent cant take time off during the summer holidays like my o/h wasn't able to last year

all schools are different thats a fact

Mojisola

couponqueen123 wrote: »

the school my kids go to as long as you ask first and it isnt an important time of year you can go , a few people have taken holidays

mainly because one parent cant take time off during the summer holidays like my o/h wasn't able to last year

all schools are different thats a fact

Headteachers used to have a lot of leeway in deciding whether to authorise time off for holidays or not. The change in the law has tightened up what they are allowed to do.

alwaysskint96

if they are only missing 4 days you cant be fined. Has got to be 10 unauthorised absences- 5 days

mum2one

there are still exceptional circumstances, due to circumstances, I had to ask for 2 days for DD in Sept 2013, and the head authorised it. x

apesxx

I would like to know this. We are going to Florida for 2 weeks in October, 1 week of half term and they will have to miss 5 days of school too. It is a big family holiday which is very kindly being paid for by MIL and FIL, and it may be the only time we can ever afford to go so there's no way we were going to refuse. Don't know when the best time to tell school is tho.

lindsaygalaxy

That is the problem with this new policy - it teaches children it is ok to lie. If a child has good attendance and is doign well at school it should be the head teachers choice - they know the children not the goverment.

BTW - sickness comes with 48hours after the last time they are sick.