Can we take a week's holiday during term?

[lalalonglegs]

I don't get on with the head teacher of my daughter's school (mainly because it's a rubbish school and I have explained to her at length why I think this). We plan to go on holiday for a week in May which will tie in with a family wedding overseas - the headteacher refuses to give us permission (although other families in my daughter's class have been allowed to take time off for holidays). My daughter has 100% attendance record otherwise - is there anything the HT can realistically do if we just go or is it all bluster?

[SeaTrek]

I suppose you could get fined (I think it is £50/day) but I very much doubt that would happen for this!

It will be marked as a family holiday - unauthorised. That's probably all.

[lalalonglegs]

Ha - you don't know her. Thanks for the information, do you know who implements the £50 a day fine?

[bonkerz]

most counties operate a 10 day grace on holiday absence and last year we had this conversation with DSD school. we wanted to take DSD out of school for the last week of her term as it was the first week of our county holiday (live 40 miles apart) head said she could not authorise the holiday but would not persue fine as it costs the LEA more to go to small claims court to get money! Id say just take her out BUT i know that i will be flamed for saying that! LOL

[SeaTrek]

TBH I think you would have to be taken to court first! That is only going to happen after a notification of poor attendance and then a formal warning, with no improvment.

Honestly, I just think it will go down as an unauthorised holiday. So, if you keep doing it evidence will be built up.

I am a secondary teacher and I know that at least one of my student is at school now because his mum has this fine as a threat now.

I shall ask around more tomorrow about what can happen if you don't get any replies for primary teachers.

[SE13Mummy]

Your best bet would be to ask to meet the school's attendance advisory officer (AAO) and discuss it with him/her as they will know what the LA's stand is and are also likely to be the person who has to follow through with any action.

Somewhere in a school policy it should state clearly the circumstances under which absence will be authorised and what, if any, action will be taken for pupils with unauthorised absence.

At my previous school I was the teacher with responsibility for monitoring attendance and would not have been in a position to authorise any holiday during term-time because the LA wouldn't allow it. I could however decide which families needed chasing up and which had generally good attendance so could be monitored but required no action. If a child's attendance is 100% at present and remains so then I certainly wouldn't even consider fining a parent for a holiday that I'd been informed of. I'd reply with a 'sorry but I can't authorise it, but won't take any further action unless your child's attendance falls below 95%, have a lovely time' letter and leave it at that.

Obviously I'm not your Headteacher though!

[ktee1]

it will go on record as being an unauthorised absence, nothing more. It will only become an issue if it occurs more often than a one off.