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

pigpen

silvercar wrote: »

DS1's secondary school had number of high Asian pupils. I wouldn't have been able to tell who was born in the UK and who wasn't. How would you tell?

because it is on their computers and pupil files and they have to get interpreters in to ask parents to pick up their 5 year olds at the end of the day because they cannot let them walk home by themselves. Because they mark on their map in the office where the children are from so EVERYONE knows.

Just because as another parent you don't know where their family is from doesn't mean the school don't.. it isn't usually something put in newsletters.. though I have once seen a 'We have had X child join us from Y country.. let's all make him feel welcome' in the newsletter.

But still.. the rules should be the same for everyone.. if they have permission to 'visit the ex-wife of the father' in Pakistan (that is actually where he is from) why shouldn't you or I be able to take my children to visit their overseas relatives? Or on educational holidays?

elisamoose

SingleSue wrote: »

Think that would be my youngest son beggered in your area! His general attendance is not brilliant (never has been) because of his disabilities/illnesses. Not much the school/college can do about it as he is never off school for minor things but things that can become or already are, life threatening.

Youngest didn't go full time at school until halfway through year 6, has an average attendance of around 70% but is achieving triple A* at A level and is in the top three in his year....he does so love to buck the trend :rotfl:

He's a determined little begger!

Note I said unauthorized absence - almost all medical absence would be authorized especially if involving hospital stays etc!

barbarawright

How do you all know which parents are fined and and which aren't? I assume the school doesn't actually publish a list?

balletshoes

barbarawright wrote: »

How do you all know which parents are fined and and which aren't? I assume the school doesn't actually publish a list?

and how does one parent know that another parent has or hasn't had a child's absence authorised, and the reasons for it?

silvercar

barbarawright wrote: »

How do you all know which parents are fined and and which aren't? I assume the school doesn't actually publish a list?

balletshoes wrote: »

and how does one parent know that another parent has or hasn't had a child's absence authorised, and the reasons for it?

Talk at the school gates. You can virtually guarantee that a parent denied permission will be telling everyone about it.

SingleSue

silvercar wrote: »

Disagree. Family could be paying for the holiday or fare and this is more likely in families with less money.

We generally use Avios for flights. Carefully collected to maximise rewards and careful planning means we have only had to pay out for taxes.

Agree, we had free or very reduced cost use of a caravan each year, our spending money was my normal weekly budget for food but we made the best of it and had lots of fun.