Taking kids out of school on holiday: how flexible is your school?

Former_MSE_Andrea

As we know schools have to be strict on term-time absences (Can you take kids on term-time holidays without being fined?) but it's still up to our kids' schools to approve or reject requests for time out if you're going on holiday.

If you've asked to take your child out for a holiday, did you find it easy to get it? Has your request been rejected? And did you appeal if it was?

Do you think the time of year made a difference? Eg was it allowed during a quiet time in the school calendar?

jackieblack

Head teachers don't have the discretion to authorise 'holidays'.
They can, however, authorise time out of school in 'exceptional circumstances'.

Former_MSE_Andrea

Thanks, yes, that's in the 60 second guide but I've tweaked my post a little, but not fully. We want to gauge peoples' experiences when the request is in order to go on holiday

Alikay

My youngest left school 4 years ago, but our children's secondary school had a policy of never authorising absences apart from funerals of close family members. We managed OK with this, and phoned in sick on the one day we took them out of school for a family wedding

HappyMJ

MSE_Andrea wrote: »

As we know schools have to be strict on term-time absences (Can you take kids on term-time holidays without being fined?) but it's still up to our kids' schools to approve or reject requests for time out if you're going on holiday.

If you've asked to take your child out for a holiday, did you find it easy to get it? Has your request been rejected? And did you appeal if it was?

Do you think the time of year made a difference? Eg was it allowed during a quiet time in the school calendar?

Are we supposed to ask first?

I just took them out of school anyway. Staffordshire Council will not issue a penalty notice if the total number of absences is less than 10 days in a school year whether authorized or not.

WantToBeSE

No idea, i am about to test my sons school on just this matter.

Last year i spoke to them about it and they said that i don't phone up and ask, i just inform them that my son won't be attending school.

If they have a 95%+ attendance record, i don't think anything is done, but i am not sure what is done if the attendance is lower.

marleyboy

Our Son's headmaster is very flexible and we have no problems taking our Son on holiday during term times.

However our Son is at an SEN School, his condition makes it awkward for him to go on holiday during the busy periods.

Baby_Angel

A year before (when the "fine" law came into force), we were told we couldn't take even a day as it was the beginning of the year and she would miss classes. We asked only for a day for my brother's wedding which was overseas. We managed to land back in England on the night before school started.

This year my DD has 100% attendance as always. We will be going again overseas in December. Not sure how the Head is going to react, but it will be at least 3 days before school end of term. I am sure DD will not miss much on these days anyway. Last year the last week of the term consisted only of Christmas fair, Christmas Carols, Christmas dinners, Christmas party and Christmas assembly/play.

pollyanna24

I took my two daughters out of school last September for my brother's wedding in Greece.

I wrote a letter requesting the absence and pointed out that they have excellent attendance.

What resulted was that they had the four days off school, but only two were "authorised" absences, the other two unauthorised. But I didn't get fined.

Jagraf

There are quite a few threads on this topic if I recall - some interesting experiences .

balletshoes

WantToBeSE wrote: »

No idea, i am about to test my sons school on just this matter.

Last year i spoke to them about it and they said that i don't phone up and ask, i just inform them that my son won't be attending school.

If they have a 95%+ attendance record, i don't think anything is done, but i am not sure what is done if the attendance is lower.

same here, we don't request absence for holidays (secondary school) we give advance notice that the child will be absent. My understanding of the policy here is that absence of less than 10 sessions (ie 5 days) won't attract a fine, but I haven't tested that (my child has not been absent in term time for that length of time).