Missing school for holidays

[missingschool]

I've name changed.

I've got a relative in year 1 who has been taken out of school again for a week for a holiday. This is the second week this term, and about the 6th occasion (three a week long, three shorter) that DC has been pulled out for holiday since last September.

Of course, the school have just been told that the child is ill. Surely they'll see through this soon, but what will they do about it?

There is no issue with annual leave/sick relatives/funds to pay for holidays outside term time, although there are family abroad (less than 2 hour flight, only one of the trips has been to visit them).

Thanks

[ZeViteVitchofCwismas]

how is the child doing at school?

why are you sticking your sticky beak in!


Do you know the child and is doing really badly the parents dont care about education.....

[Footlight]

I think this isn't any of your business. It's between the school and the parents.

[MrsKCastle]

With that kind of attendance record, the school will almost certainly be monitoring the situation. If it continues, the family are likely to hear from the education welfare officer, and they risk being fined.

Are you close enough to the family to offer your opinion? Maybe you could tell a few stories of people you have heard of who have been fined...

[missingschool]

Thanks

I've no intention of raising the issue with them as what they do with their child is nothing to do with me I'm just the sounding block for the child's grandmother I just wanted to know what the likely action will be before we see them over the Christmas break in case it comes up (my own children are pre school age)

[catslife]

At some point OP, the child may give the game away - especially if they've been somewhere exciting!!
Each child has an attendance target usually 95% to meet govt guidelines and schools do monitor attendance, as if it is low it does affect the school. If attendance is below 90% it will raise concerns within the school, but if it reaches 80-85% the school may involve attendance officer or EWO. Usually a letter is sent out at the end of every term which states the child's attendance, expressed as a percentage. they count morning and afternoon as 2 sessions so if a child is away Mon-Fri that would be 10 sessions missed rather than 5!
The school may insist on doctors notes to prove dcs are sick in future or they could fine the parents for taking the children out of school without authorisation.
There may be some leeway in reception for dcs less than 5 years old, but this will no longer apply if in Y1.
Some schools may give out certificates or even other rewards to children who have achieved their attendance target and so the child may miss out in other ways too.
Even in the days when holidays were authorised, the maximum allowed was 10 school days so this does sound excessive.