School fines help!

jimjames

vacheron said:

Of course, the inevitable "teacher training days" on the days they should have returned to school after the 6 weeks teachers summer holidays doesn't cause any ill effects to his education. 

Very different if the whole class is out at the same time as lessons will be planned. If one child misses a series of lessons it's very disruptive to the rest of the class when they're not aware of what was taught the previous week and needs that extra to catch up. Same with sickness but then that's an unavoidable situation.

vacheron

NoodleDoodleMan said:

There are 175 days per academic year when pupils are off in accordance with published holiday dates, compared to 190 days when schools are open for their attendance.

So looking for extra convenience days off is a bit difficult to justify IMO.

In principle, yes, however at least 75 of those 175 days are mid term weekends which hardly facilitates a round trip to Spain.

This is after all a money saving site, and saving money was the basis of the OP's original question.

Morality is all well and good, but if you can take your child out of 2-3 days of school in exchange for saving £1-2K on a holiday because the airlines and holiday companies have intentionally jacked up their their prices when travelling during the other 100 days, this makes the decision far less clear cut than many responders consider it to be.

Even being fined offers absolutely zero deterrent in comparison with the financial consequences of "doing the right thing".

ellie0708parent

vacheron said:

NoodleDoodleMan said:

There are 175 days per academic year when pupils are off in accordance with published holiday dates, compared to 190 days when schools are open for their attendance.

So looking for extra convenience days off is a bit difficult to justify IMO.

In principle, yes, however at least 75 of those 175 days are mid term weekends which hardly facilitates a round trip to Spain.

This is after all a money saving site, and saving money was the basis of the OP's original question.

Morality is all well and good, but if you can take your child out of 2-3 days of school in exchange for saving £1-2K on a holiday because the airlines and holiday companies have intentionally jacked up their their prices when travelling during the other 100 days, this makes the decision far less clear cut than many responders consider it to be.

Even being fined offers absolutely zero deterrent in comparison with the financial consequences of "doing the right thing".

Thank you
To be clear, if we got fined to it is still cheaper to pay the fine then go when school is holiday.

Really appreciate your replies. Thank you 

flaneurs_lobster

vacheron said:

Even being fined offers absolutely zero deterrent in comparison with the financial consequences of "doing the right thing".

Easy solution, increase the fine until it does have a deterrent effect - little point levying them otherwise.

jackieblack

OP, you mention you also did this last year...

You may or may not be aware that there have been some changes around this... (and a reminder that the fine is per parent, per child)

From the 2024 to 2025 school year, each parent will only get up to 2 fines for the same child in a 3-year period.

If you get a second fine in 3 years it will be £160. If you do not pay the fine in 28 days you may be taken to court for keeping your child out of school.

If your child is off school 3 or more times within the 3 years you will not be fined but may be taken to court.

And, IME (23 years working in a school - not a teacher), children always tell someone when they've been on  holiday... 

and, if you're going to phone the school to report them sick, don't do it when the airport tannoy is going off in the background (have had this on multiple occasions)

NoodleDoodleMan

ellie0708parent said:

NoodleDoodleMan said:

There are 175 days per academic year when pupils are off in accordance with published holiday dates, compared to 190 days when schools are open for their attendance.

So looking for extra convenience days off is a bit difficult to justify IMO.

Can you send me then extra £3000 to take my family in holidays when school is closed?

175 days is more than sufficient.

ellie0708parent

jackieblack said:

OP, you mention you also did this last year...

You may or may not be aware that there have been some changes around this... (and a reminder that the fine is per parent, per child)

From the 2024 to 2025 school year, each parent will only get up to 2 fines for the same child in a 3-year period.

If you get a second fine in 3 years it will be £160. If you do not pay the fine in 28 days you may be taken to court for keeping your child out of school.

If your child is off school 3 or more times within the 3 years you will not be fined but may be taken to court.

And, IME (23 years working in a school - not a teacher), children always tell someone when they've been on  holiday... 

and, if you're going to phone the school to report them sick, don't do it when the airport tannoy is going off in the background (have had this on multiple occasions)

Yes I have seen that which is another factor into swaying towards sickness as we do visit our family there at least yearly.

I wouldnt want her to lie so happy to tell them shes been on holiday hence going half in half term so she technically 'allowed' to go. 

I find it difficult as speaking to teachers at school in previous years they've said next time say she is sick, I would if I could.

I will definitely make sure not to call if we choose this thankfully they have form online, no airport background noise.

prowla

Facebook family holiday snaps?

born_again

daveyjp said:

born_again said:

As stated N Yorks covers many councils. Each will have their own procedures.

 North Yorkshire is now a unitary authority.  The only part of the county which has a separate council is York.

Thanks.
Still OP could be in York?

https://cyps.northyorks.gov.uk/sites/default/files/Safeguarding/Child Protection and Safeguarding in Schools/School Attendance/Appendix_5_Code_of_Conduct_for_the_use_of_Penalty_Notices_April_2016.pdf

https://cyps.northyorks.gov.uk/school-attendance

ButterCheese

Funny how lots of people are judging the OP when a) OP asked specifically for help without judgement and b) none of the posters here know the child, or the family.  Lying to the school once a year is not a big deal if you know you will support your child at home, and with catching up with work etc.  A child that has missed school is nowhere near as disruptive as the countless other kids who cause disruption in 90% of the lessons they are in.  but teachers and other students still have to tolerate this disruption whilst nothing much is done.   When the school also does things like locking the toilets anytime they choose, causing some students to actually wet themselves or get a detention for asking; it hardly seems rude to pull a sickie once or twice a year