lets start a campaign! parents rights to take kids on hoilday

[jayne222]

just want to rant a bit how unfair that schools no longer permit family holidays, the authorised absence thing is ridiculous for infant and junior children, the letter following and "unauthorised absence is threatening and rude, the fines are insulting and I feel mad about it!! I want to take a a short family holiday when it suits my family, I want to be concientious and make sure my child doesnt miss out on schooling, but this no longer feels like a free country!!

[UnSerpentQuiCourt]

Do they really fine you???

[jayne222]

oh yes! £50 or £100 per child

[seeker]

Oh don't be silly.

[jayne222]

going up to £1000 if you dont pay within a timescale, not a very long one a matter of weeks (shock)

[jayne222]

friend had letter today! seen proof with very eyes!

[GrimmaTheNome]

The fine probably isn't high enough to deter people who are just looking to go when fares are cheaper.

IME infants/juniors will authorise absences if there is a good reason for going in termtime.

[GypsyMoth]

never known anyone fined!

and why primary and infant schools only? so you think secondary isnt worth thinking about to?

[jayne222]

they no longer accept good reason to take a family holiday in term time, any holidays will be classed as unauthorised and therefore you get a fine

[Kewcumber]

School weren;t stroppy with me - we missed three days afer Easter (for very good reason but not good enough apparently to countr as authorised absence) - no rude letter from school, no fine, just marked as unauthorised.

I was reluctant to take DS out because I think he should be in school during school time and on holidays in the holidays - if too expensive to go abroad (and it is for us) then we holiday in the UK. DS isn;t dperived and he learns very young that school is not ditched in favour of holidays.

[ICantFindAFreeNickName]

GrimmaTheNome - Heads are under increasing pressure to not authorise any term-time holiday. Our authority are introducing fines from Sep.

[GrimmaTheNome]

What would constitute a 'good reason' to take holiday in termtime?

[jayne222]

I agree perhaps all ages, but accept that the run up to exams etc older children should miss as little as possible, but I think family time together and travel is great for all children

[jayne222]

my husband job means he cannot get leave in term time

[HauntedLittleLunatic]

It is up to head whether they will grant permission for term time holiday.

You can be fined - but even when you have paid the max allowable fine the holiday is still cheaper - so wouldn't be much of a deterrent even if fines were more rigorously applied.

One year a local travel agent issued voucher to all children at the school as a deterrent to termtime holidays. Still didn't cover increased cost of holidays outside termtime and could only be used on certain.tour operator...but demographics of the school were more geared towards UK hols so again didn't really help.

[jayne222]

oops cannot get leave in the school holidays (grin)

[GrimmaTheNome]

I think family time together and travel is great for all children

yes. And they have lots of breaks from school in which to do those things.

It stinks that the travel industry hikes prices, I'd rather campaign to stop that (if there was any feasible way)

[GrimmaTheNome]

Jayne - sounds like your DHs employer is out of line, not the school. Surely between xmas, halfterms, easter and summer there must be some time he can take that's not term time?

[jayne222]

I agree with trying to stop price hikes too! allowing holidays would help this too, everyone wouldnt be all trying to go on holiday at same time, supply and demand

[jayne222]

he works in airline industry and do not allow holidays in peek times, namely all the school holidays!!! yes completely out of hand!

[UnSerpentQuiCourt]

Cannot believe that you could be fined .... and I am a primary teacher! Obviously our LEA doesn't do it yet.

Couldn't you just be ill for 3 days? I realise that is not honest, but this system is totally unreasonable. Schools are taking themselves far too seriously - there is nothing that could be taught over 3 days/2 weeks that could not easily be caught up with a bit of good will.

I used to tell parents what we would be covering and what the children would ideally be able to do when they came back from holiday eg 'We will be reading fantasy stories;could you take one with you to read and talk about? We will also be practicing the 3x and 4x tables and when he comes back there will be a spelling test; these are the words.' In ten minutes a day, they could generally make sure that their child hadn't missed out, while having an amazing experience. In twenty years time, the child will probably remember the family holiday; there is far less chance that they will remember the slick and OfSTED-approved lesson on story openings or rules for spelling prefixes.

[GrimmaTheNome]

It'd be very disruptive if that was commonplace.
And teachers and other school staff wouldn't be able to go off willynilly.

[GrimmaTheNome]

I would suggest that an employer who won't let staff take holiday in school holiday times should stump up any fine.

[IHeartKingThistle]

It's the travel companies' pricing that needs to be campaigned against, not schools trying to keep children in school

[LawrieMarlow]

What about teachers? What if their partner is unable to take holiday during school holidays? Should they take time off work to go on holiday?

[ragged]

I think the fine is only a max of 100 quid (if you pay promptly)? That is hugely less than the amount you gain by going on hols in term time as opposed to school holidays... so I can't see the fuss, myself. If you can afford any holiday beyond camping then you can probably afford to pay the fine.