School Holidays

michno8

We booked a holiday last year for this year to coincide with October half term and paid the premium . The school holidays have now changed for October so not only have we paid premium prices but we have to pay 120 for each  child so x 4 to take them out of  school. Are we entitled to any money back from the holiday  at all . Anybody done something similar . Thankyou 

jackieblack

No, you chose the dates you booked for, it’s not the holiday company’s fault that the school holiday ‘has changed’.

If the school had published their holiday dates to parents before you booked and subsequently changed them, then you should appeal to the school/LA with evidence that you had booked prior to the change, in accordance with the information they had previously given, and they should not apply for the penalty notice (and you could appeal if they do).

However, if you just assumed when the half term was going to be without confirmation from the school first, then it’s on you.  School holidays, especially half terms, do move from year to year, can vary from county to county and school to school, particularly if the school is an academy as they can set their own dates without reference to the county’s dates.

bagand96

Agree with the comments above. 

One option is that if the holiday is cheaper for the new dates then you could cancel your existing booking and rebook. You would have to look carefully at your booking terms, you'd lose any deposit already paid (and maybe owe more depending on your deposit and booking terms). But it may be worth investigating. 

NoodleDoodleMan

I don't know how it works in other parts of the UK - however in Scotland the various local authorities publish their annual schools holidays well in advance.

We have term dates for our 2024/25 academic year online.

tightauldgit

NoodleDoodleMan said:

I don't know how it works in other parts of the UK - however in Scotland the various local authorities publish their annual schools holidays well in advance.

We have term dates for our 2024/25 academic year online.

Not sure if some counties are different in England but yes where I am in Wiltshire the school calendars are always published well in advance, typically till the end of the next academic year at least. I can go online and see my daughter's term time until September 2024. Now whether they can then change those dates I'm not sure.

MATTR5

Which Tour Operator is it booked with? Some are more flexible than others 
So if the prices are cheaper for the new dates then you should ber able to amend for approx £50pp
If you booked with a Travel Agent and it's eg Jet2holidays there are more options - especially if you upgrade and find a dearer holiday - so speak to your agent about possible options

As said above you paid a premium to go the dates MOST schools are off (hence the higher prices)
So if you can go a cheaper week you should be better off 

NoodleDoodleMan

"Now whether they can then change those dates I'm not sure."

Only in wholly exceptional and unavoidable circumstances.

For example - thousands of parents will have arranged holidays with leave from their employers - having to change dates would cause major disruption.

Teachers and support staff across all types of schools etc. will have holidays booked.

Contractors will have arranged maintenance work scheduled.

Then there are potential knock on effects on schools exams........ and so on.

michno8

Will have to take it as a hit . Dates from September 2023 onwards have only just come out 2 weeks ago . Holiday was booked in June 2022 and now fully paid for and the resort we have booked is fully booked for most of October. 

daveyjp

October holiday is the one which does change.

This school year October break in our area was the week before the clocks changed, next academic year its the week after.

eskbanker

michno8 said:

We booked a holiday last year for this year to coincide with October half term and paid the premium . The school holidays have now changed for October so not only have we paid premium prices but we have to pay 120 for each  child so x 4 to take them out of  school. Are we entitled to any money back from the holiday  at all . Anybody done something similar . Thankyou 

michno8 said:

Will have to take it as a hit . Dates from September 2023 onwards have only just come out 2 weeks ago . Holiday was booked in June 2022 and now fully paid for and the resort we have booked is fully booked for most of October. 

So, just to be clear, when you said they'd changed, that was a change from your expectation rather than from anything the school or local authority had actually published?

NoodleDoodleMan

eskbanker said:

michno8 said:

We booked a holiday last year for this year to coincide with October half term and paid the premium . The school holidays have now changed for October so not only have we paid premium prices but we have to pay 120 for each  child so x 4 to take them out of  school. Are we entitled to any money back from the holiday  at all . Anybody done something similar . Thankyou 

michno8 said:

Will have to take it as a hit . Dates from September 2023 onwards have only just come out 2 weeks ago . Holiday was booked in June 2022 and now fully paid for and the resort we have booked is fully booked for most of October. 

So, just to be clear, when you said they'd changed, that was a change from your expectation rather than from anything the school or local authority had actually published?

That's a key point - although the advance notice quoted above from the school/local authority appears woefully late in being publicised.

Any parties affected by a local academic calendar unavailable within such a short timeframe would be justified in asking the obvious questions - throught local elected representatives.