To invoke the ‘otherwise’ option for school absence?

You want to deregister and the school not to offer a place to the first child on the waiting list which they are legally obligated to do so you can come back. Meanwhile the other child doesn't have access to education because you are having a holiday

Or you want to deregister and let the school take the other child whilst you have a holiday and then kick the other child out again.

Let me spell this out. It's not all about you and your child. It is also about other children who might want to go to school and get an education rather and don't complain that they are getting fined for going on holiday because they just want to go to school.

Your actions impact others.

Looks like ChatGPT wrote that letter for you…
It doesn’t always get it right you know.

I do wonder if temporary deregistration would be possible if you were being educated offsite so if you were a child actor or enrolled in a sports programme and they were providing professional teaching off site. We did a tv thing for a day and had to fill a lengthy LA form to get permission.

I am a lawyer, and was shielding during Covid: we looked into this idea in detail at the time, as we wanted to keep our kids at home while I was shielding but then be able to send them back in to the same lovely school once it was safe.

It just does not work. The school has no obligation to keep the space open for you, in any circumstances. If your child is on the roll the school receives funding for them, is responsible for them, and is responsible for dealing with issues of non-attendance. If the child is off the roll they are absolutely nothing to do with the school anymore, and the school has a legal obligation to offer that space to whoever is next on the waiting list.

Temporary deregistering isn’t a thing. You would make yourself look extremely daft, risk your child’s school place and you would also be expected to provide them with a suitable full time education as soon as you remove them and the LA will want to be satisfied that thsi is happening,
You also may endure the things that sometimes happen when people actually deregister including being referred to social services.

😂 That’s an extreme sense of entitlement you have there! Do you honestly believe that the school should save a space for you and make someone on the waiting list wait longer just so that you can get around term time absence rule? Just do what you want to do, own it, and accept the consequences. Don’t take the piss.

If you are going to try this make sure you can provide evidence of home education from the day after you de register. If you are going to use the legislation you also need to comply with it.

It’s interesting as I’m in Scotland and this happens. There were a couple of kids in my eldest class who spent half the year being educated in Belgium as mum worked ( moved out there) post brexit. More recently a kid spent four months in Spain. There’s another whose only in 4 days as they home educate one day a week.

I suppose they could de register but guaranteed a place in catchment school.

I expect the School will de- register your child and have a hefty fine for you. Despite what your letter says. Good luck OP.

Please send the letter so the Head can have a laugh. No actually, don’t, they’re much to busy this time of year for this shit.

Just take your kids on holiday and pay the fine. No need to be a knob about it. They will see right through you and you’ll be a laughing stock.

As soon as you de register the school will offer the place to the first person on the waiting list (if there is one).

No but you can de register and the go straight back on the waiting list / reapply if spaces ?

how long are you planning to do this for and why ?

Oh photo doesn’t show. Here’s the link to BBC. Scroll down a bit to the temporarily deregistration bit: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zfctcxs

How long will they be off for and why?

I just think she fancies a holiday!

Good luck with the “temporary de-registration” if your school is oversubscribed. The school can offer your child’s place to the waiting list if you do this and have no obligation to accept your child back. Screenshot attached on the topic from BBC News. Are you doing this to have a holiday without being fined? Not worth it.

Never ceases to amaze me how many people think they have a "clever" workaround for X that magically no one has spotted before...

A friend who is a lecturer did an exchange where she taught in the US for six months and took young teen DD with her. Teen had a temp school place in the US so was definitely in education and not on holiday, but her GB school wouldn't hold the place for her and she had to unenrol and re-enrol.

😂😂😂😂😂 pay your fine..my sister is a teacher in the UK this will not work and they will need to see where your kids are getting their education from and it's alot of paperwork before they are homeschooled and then try to bring them back to school ..nice try though ffs

I don't think you can temporarily deregister them. You can deregister them to home education but they don't have to keep the place open for them for whenever you decide to return. The place will be given to someone on the waiting list.

You think you've found a clever way to go on holiday in term time. You haven't. Either pay the fine or don't go on holiday in term time.

You can deregister and there is a temporary kind of cooling off time where you can change your mind .I think here it was two weeks/ 10 school days. They won't give the place away during that time. However depending on how popular the school is and if there's a waiting list for available places people who want to join as soon as that 10 days is up will be notified and in the interim 10 days they may invite them in to look around if they haven't already. They will them know that the place isn't absolutely available at the moment but it's likely to become available. if you are doing this because you want to take them on holiday and avoid a fine you run the risk of losing your place permanently. one to 10 days is up you'd need to reapply as if you were a brand new applicant And if they are up to numbered you're not guaranteed a place.

OP I think you need to open up your research on your available options here, most specifically in understanding the distinct differences between EHE and EOTAS.
EOTAS is something you apply for via your local authority and either get granted, along with the appropriate budget and support or not. There must be an EHCP in place per child. It is not something you inform a school you are doing until or unless you have finalised agreements. This can take many months if at all appropriate.
EHE is a parent decision, which effectively is you removing your children from the formal education system, with minimal or no access to support services. It is rare for EHE families to do so on a temporary basis.
Home education and home schooling are also two very different things.

Perhaps if you explain your reasoning for removing your children, we can help and advise you on the best options available to you? Why now, for what purpose and why on a temporary basis? Do you think your children will cope with the transitions either end of this arrangement? What the of education, development and activities are you planning instead of school per child? What SEMH provisions have you got planned?
Will you co-ordinate this? Fund teaching, resources and curriculum planning? What professionals, resources, services and activities will you need? And are they available in your area?

There is a great deal of growing support for education alternatives out there. We can perhaps guide you towards best things to explore if you provide a summary of what your reasoning and ideal outcomes from a temporary arrangement will bring for your children.

I can't imagine why they'd keep places open for children in this circumstance. It would be depriving another child of a place at the school which might have been their top choice.

That would mean all school places were basically holding placements and the kid can come whenever if the other days are being classed as 'otherwise'?! It seems ridiculous to me. You'd have empty classrooms which are recorded as being at full capacity for funding purposes?!

You can deregister to home educate but there are no guarantees that your child will be offered a place in the same school on their return..

You will likely also be contacted by the local authority to ask you to evidence the education that you are providing.

In our LA children who have recently left the school go to the top of the waiting list if they want to come back.

However EHE is not a way to keep a place open. You're either on roll or you're not. If we get notified that a parent wants to EHE we can off roll the child from the day the school is given notice in writing by the parent.

If you do this you may well find your child doesn't have a school place when they come back from holiday.