Unathorised Absence

[MrsFruitcake]

I know this is a thorny topic on MN and I'm liable to be flamed but I genuinely need some real advice.

I work frontline NHS and have had problems getting time off work during the school summer holidays this year. DH has his own business which isn't doing great and we managed to find a great deal on a holiday to France - basically, it's £600 less to go end of June than 1st week of school hols in July. We foolishly booked it, I filled in a form at DDs school asking permission to take her out for 5 days and thought no more of it.

On Thursday, a letter came home with her stating that as she's had 9 days leave in September 2010 (also for a family holiday), permission would not be granted.

Called travel company and they want £700 extra, which we don't have. We paid £400 for 9 days (4 of which are weekend days). School made no mention of SATs in the letter and attendance was the only thing they got pulled up on at their last 'Outstanding' ofsted report.

My question is - what will likely happen if we take her anyway - the letter makes it clear that this will be unauthorised absence and we could be liable to prosecution.

I think we'll probably have to cancel, and we'll lose the money paid.

Any advice? If you got this far, then thanks.

[goodegg]

You know the rules, why should you be the exception? Every single family in the school could do exactly the same, it's not exactly news that holidays are more expensive in the school hols.

Jeez what a sense of entitlement you're teaching your child.

I mean a second holiday in term-time? Your finances can't be in that bad a state.

Another and parents like you make me

[HRHDuchessLauraNorder]

Your school has been quite reasonable by already authorising 9 days of absence in this academic year so it's a bit unreasonable asking for more within the same year. Sorry probably not what you want to hear

Our school is less flexible. DH has just got a new job and all the AL has been sorted out. There is no availability during the school holidays and the school has refused any leave in term time. No family holiday for us this year.

[Collision]

I am totally against taking children out of school for holidays as they get enough holidays through the year anyway.

However some will come on the thread and say that if you do go on holiday and get fined via the council then it is only about £100 anyway and it is still cheaper to go away when you want to.

However I do think it is a bit much that you have taken her out of school for 2 holidays!

[MrsFruitcake]

Thanks Goodegg - all I really wanted to know was what will happen if I take her out anyway.

The last holiday was last September, right at the beginning of term and was paid for by family, not us. Not that I have to justify myself to you.

[lavenderbongo]

Hmmm - I think you should go. Providing your children are not in the middle of exams I would go. Childhood goes so quickly and family time is precious. The memories you make at during this time are worth far more than a week in school. (must stress providing your kids are not exam age)

I know loads of people will disagree with me but life seems to pass so quickly and I think we should try to spend as much time as we can with our kids before they up and lead their own lives. I speak as a teacher and as someone who is lucky enough to live in a country where we are allowed to take kids out of school for holidays as they are classed as just another learning experience.

I am very glad I live in a country where we do not have to ask permission to take our kids on holiday.

[pinkgirlythoughts]

She's allowed to have up to ten days of authorised absence in a school year, so the school could give you one authorised day, and then you take the other four as unauthorised absence, but it's at their discretion to do that, they don't have to. To be honest, I think it'd be extremely unlikely that you would be prosecuted for having one week of unauthorised absence, as long as you don't make a habit of it, but it is a possibility.

[onadifferentplanettoday]

I think you are very lucky that you have already had 9 days allowed in this school year and am rather surprised that you are surpised not to be granted these days too. I have to also agree that you can't be that badly off if you can afford two holidays in one school year. 14 days off school in one year other than for illness is a lot and if they allow you to do so it opens the floodgates for everyone else.

[MrsFruitcake]

I'm not surprised. And as I said, the first holiday wasn't paid by us.

[coccyx]

Rules is rules!!!!

[mrz]

Worse case scenario they can fine you a maximum of £1000
best case they give you a warning

[bustersmummy]

You are looking for two holidays out of term time in one year.

I think it's unlikely that any school would allow that tbh

[Pearlyjangles]

Goodegg, what a misleading name you have. I imagine you to have a house and garden like the Dursleys from Harry Potter. I'd wager there have never been any skids in your bowl eh? I suspect you are perfect, I aspire to be just like you.

Fruitcake, speak to the school, see if you can come to an agreement. It is only 5 days after all and can you honestly remember 5 days at school when you were at primary school.

[goodegg]

It doesn't matter to the school one jot who paid for the holiday. You as the parents are legally responsible for ensuring your child is in school. And September may feel like ages ago, but it's the same school year.

I'm all for one or two big, amazing holidays in a child's school career during term-time, but 2 in one year?

People are wondering if you're surprised by the school's reaction because you don't seem prepared for it. Why didn't you look into the legal consequences before booking another holiday?

[goodegg]

Pearly - eh?

[Hassled]

No one is "allowed" to have 10 days of authorised absence - it's not a right. So many parents seem to think it is - but it remains at the school's discretion. The 10 days thing is a real red herring - that's only the amount that HT's are able to authorise, not the amount parents have a right to claim. And some local authorities have removed that discretionary power from HTs altogether.

[sunnyday123]

i would still go - some kids are off sick for weeks and catch up - certainly wouldn't be worrying about their attendance records. If your DC has not had much sickness time off i wouldn't think twice.

[MrsFruitcake]

Oh look Goodegg, I'm really not in the mood for a ruck. If you don't like it, hide the thread.

I was asking for advice, not a moral judgement (although I do believe I stated in my original thread that I was prepared for a flaming.)

[goodegg]

I'm a teacher, there's a girl in my tutor group who is being taken on a second holiday during this year soon, and I've been pleading with the parents to not take her. It is genuinely disruptive to students' learning and also gives them such a sense of entitlement. Other students will, I guarantee you, be envious and asking the teacher, and their parents, why your child can go on holiday instead of being in school and they can't.

[LawrieMarlow]

All schools can authorise 10 days at their discretion. You've already had 9. The other ones actually bother me more - right at the beginning of the year will have been more of a bad time for child and teacher as so much happens at the beginning of the year.

We are going on holiday for the first time since 2008 this summer. In the school summer holidays.

Some people believe holidays in term time are fine. I don't but that is my belief. I can't understand booking first and then finding out about the school's position.

[bustersmummy]

BTW I'm a single parent. Money is tight. Very very tight.

I'm taking my kids camping the first two weeks of the summer holidays. In the UK.

That will be our only holiday this year.

We haven't been on holiday in 9 years.

I think you have a sense of entitlement to take your child out on holiday that I find mind blowing. Especially given that you've already had a 2 week holiday during term time in this school year.

[MrsFruitcake]

Well, it's alright because it doesn't look as if we'll be going now anyway.

[EvenLessNarkyPuffin]

How old is she?

[theghostofposhlymanor]

I would go and send a sick note in for your child.

[WhiteBumOfTheMountain]

Just pull a sickie for her. She canbe "unwell" don't fret about it. Take her out a day or two befor the hol...they can't call you a lar.

Makes me MAD that parents in state school are pushe about like this.

[LawrieMarlow]

Sending a sick note in will seem a little suspicious given leave has been applied for .