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Original poster

To invoke the ‘otherwise’ option for school absence?

413 replies

KuanKaKu · 20/11/2025 10:58

AIBU to send this letter in and request temporary de-registration?
WWYD if you are a Headteacher and received this?
Dear Headteacher,
I am writing to inform you that for the period xxx 2026 to xxx 2026 inclusive, my children, [Child’s Name(s)], will be receiving their education otherwise than at school, in accordance with Section 7 of the Education Act 1996, which places the legal duty for securing a suitable education on me as the parent.
Section 7 states that:
“The parent of every child of compulsory school age shall cause him to receive efficient full-time education suitable to his age, ability and aptitude, and to any special educational needs he may have, either by regular attendance at school or otherwise.”
During this period I will be exercising the “otherwise” option. As such, my children will not be attending school between these dates. You may therefore treat them as temporarily deregistered for this period, as their education is being lawfully provided by me.
This is not a permanent withdrawal. My intention is for them to return to school-based provision on xxx 2026.
For clarity:
Parents are the duty-holders under Education Act 1996 s.7 with the right to elect for education “otherwise”.
Elective Home Education does not require the school’s permission (DfE Elective Home Education Guidance, 2019).
Temporary periods of home education are legally valid where the parent is providing suitable education under s.7.
Compulsory school attendance requirements under s.444 apply only where the parent is relying on school attendance to discharge the s.7 duty, which is not the case during this period.
Please confirm receipt of this notification for your records.

OP posts:
NoSoupForU · 21/11/2025 13:47

KuanKaKu · 20/11/2025 13:23

Thanks again for the replies. I do understand the concerns. However to clarify this is not about avoiding a fine for a holiday. It is about recognising the attendance system we are all working within was made for a society that no longer matches how families live work or travel today.

  1. Outdated system versus modern realities
  2. The current model assumes parents work fixed hours in one place, that families only travel during the school designated windows, that travel outside those windows is rare and that education must happen in a school building Monday to Friday. That framework may have made sense decades ago but it does not reflect the United Kingdom in 2025.
  3. Modern family life global mobility seasonal patterns and real constraints
  4. For many families today travel and family time are shaped by real world factors rather than just cost.
Take Spain as a very clear example. Spain welcomed around 85 million international visitors in 2023 which was about a 19 per cent increase on the previous year and which went beyond the pre pandemic figure of 83.5 million in 2019. The income from those visitors reached about 108.7 billion euros. Spain received roughly 17.3 million visitors from the United Kingdom, 11.8 million from France and 10.8 million from Germany. The country is now dealing with overtourism in regions such as Catalonia the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands where residents feel the impact of very high visitor numbers. Spanish authorities have started to bring in measures to spread visitors more evenly across the year and to reduce pressure from intense peaks. Working patterns have also changed. Many parents now work remotely or in hybrid roles or with international teams in different time zones. These jobs do not align neatly with the United Kingdom school calendar and coordinating family time inside the rigid structure becomes extremely difficult. This is not luxury. It is the reality for many modern working families. Seasonal and climate factors also affect some travel. For example reliable snow in the northern hemisphere now tends to fall later and less predictably than in previous decades. This means some families cannot fit certain activities into the narrow half term week without overlapping with term time. This is not about extravagance. It is about how travel timing and seasons have shifted.
  1. The legal right to provide education otherwise and the relevance of the 10 day proposal
  2. Section 7 of the Education Act 1996 states parents must ensure their child receives efficient full time education suitable to their age ability aptitude and any special educational needs either by regular attendance at school or by education provided otherwise.
This legal route means ta parent is authorised to provide education outside school when they choose to and still meet their duty. There is currently a call for families to be allowed up to 10 days of term time absence without penalty each year. This mirrors the idea a parent might elect for education otherwise for a short defined period without it being treated as a permanent move out of school. Recent reporting has shown strong public support for this type of flexible approach.
  1. School place the 10 day holding period and why this is seen as a loophole
  2. In practice parents are aware that a school cannot simply erase a child from its roll the moment they are not in the classroom. There is a period, commonly understood to be around 10 school days, in which the child’s place is effectively held while the absence is clarified and any decision about the roll is made.
From a parent perspective this creates a de facto safety window. If they exercise their right to provide education otherwise and the absence is contained within that same 10 day span, the school is still treating the child as having a place. The child does not instantly lose their place and there is no realistic risk of it being handed to another family inside that time frame. That is why many parents see the combination of Section 7 and this 10 day holding period as a VALID loophole. It allows them to provide education otherwise, for up to 10 days, in a way that is within the law, while the school still has to hold the place. This lines up exactly with the petition request for 10 days of flexible term time absence and shows that the system already contains the shape of a workable middle option. It is just not openly acknowledged or sensibly structured.
  1. The absence of any meaningful middle option
  2. Currently parents are left with two extremes. They can request authorised absence which is almost always refused unless the circumstances are exceptional. Or they can elect to provide education otherwise under Section 7 which is lawful but is often treated as a major step because of how the school roll and place holding are normally managed.
There is no formal structured option for short term flexi schooling or educational travel aligned with global work and modern family mobility even though the practice around 10 days on the roll shows that the system could support it.
  1. The core issue
  2. A modern education system in 2025 should reflect how families actually live travel and work. Instead the current attendance framework forces every family into a rigid model that no longer matches the reality. That mismatch is what leads some parents to consider short periods of education otherwise. Not because they want to undermine schools but because the existing system offers no viable alternative.
Until reforms bring the policy into line with real life, it is therefore very possible for families to rely on the lawful option that Section 7 provides and on the practical 10 day window in which the school still holds the place. It is not misuse. It is a rational response to a system that has not kept pace with society.

There is no 10 day window. It appears that you're assuming there is, for reasons unknown. As soon as you deregister a child from school your place is lost. They can offer it to another child that same day, and often will to prevent funding gaps and lags. There is no window or cooling off period. There is no loophole.

You're made aware of how and when the school operates, and the terms and conditions you enter into upon registering your child to attend. If you do not like or agree with those terms and conditions then of course you're under no obligation to accept them.

It is really no different to the many industries which place various embargoes on annual leave at stipulated points throughout the year.

I'd suggest drastically altering the tone of your letter, cutting about 80% of the completely irrelevant content and actually basing it upon fact rather than assumption.

Tiswa · 21/11/2025 13:40

@KuanKaKu I HATE attendance rules trust me I do given DS EBSA and the issues I have had.

But it is like any other law (and it is a law) that you have to follow and that the school has to follow - your relationship with the school and the head whilst good for your journey through the school is irrelevant because it is the Local Authority who manage this and who make the decisions.

Your loophole issue isn’t the school place it’s the LA wanting to see your home education plans and still have the ability to fine you and make a record of it. Because your plans needs to show a suitable education and not just I want to go on holiday.

Look the relationship with the school isn’t going to change if you get a fine (at our primary my friend got a fine and her DH was Governor - still is and his youngest is in Year 8) and I think quite a few hate the rules and the implications it has for their workload as much as parents do.

But for now it is law, and your choice is either don’t go or risk getting a fine. It is literally as arbitrary a decision as that

oneoneone · 21/11/2025 13:32

I'm not saying the education system is perfect, but like most things set up to benefit the many, that functionality comes at the expense of the few. There are 10 million children in state education in the UK. Your desire for a cheap holiday isn't and shouldn't be a top priority.

I live in London and sent my kids to private school. While the school was more flexible around these issues - they are, after all, combining education with needing to keep consumers happy - you still needed permission from the head. And if you think they were pleased by parents pulling kids out of school in term time, you're incorrect. It really is disruptive. But those other options - private school and some form of home schooling remain options you should perhaps consider.

What you're asking for seems to me sort of akin to buying tickets for a London to Cape Town flight and writing a long, somewhat incomprehensible AI letter explaining the reasons you think it should make an unscheduled stop in Namibia because, a. there's a deal on a hotel there at the moment, and, b. you've always wanted your children to experience the Namibian desert.

Mademetoxic · 21/11/2025 13:25

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oneoneone · 21/11/2025 13:17

KuanKaKu · 20/11/2025 14:12

Why is wanting to enable change foolish? Surely accepting the status quo is actually the foolish option, the evidence the current system does not work is huge! Politicians want to ignore that for ease…school absences are complex and more deserving of a considered rather than blanket policy. We as educators, parents, pupils all deserve better

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We as educators, parents, pupils all deserve better

How does your extremely convoluted rationale for the system conforming to your wishes, benefit educators?

Redpeach · 21/11/2025 13:13

ParmaVioletTea · 21/11/2025 13:11

Indeed. I fail to see how a 2 week package holiday at a tourist resort is at all educational.

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Maybe they can learn how to walk whilst playing their ipad without bumping into sun loungers, that's a useful like skill

ParmaVioletTea · 21/11/2025 13:11

Redpeach · 21/11/2025 13:02

Lots of kids i see on holiday just sit on ipads all day

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Indeed. I fail to see how a 2 week package holiday at a tourist resort is at all educational.

Redpeach · 21/11/2025 13:02

KuanKaKu · 21/11/2025 10:38

Thanks for your question, my stance is I 100% do not agree with paying a penalty notice for providing your children with genuine additional opportunities such as holidays, within term time if the time taken out of school is limited and/or includes an existing school holiday e.g. turning 2 weeks and 1 day at Easter into 3 weeks (term time absence = 4 days) and the Government should not be treating families who do this in a controlled way, in the same way as those who allow their children to be absent as and when /or have no interest in their children's attendance. The one size fits all approach needs rethinking....so in answer to your question, I think the OP revised inline with useful comments provided, additional research etc...is more useful as a tool to try and instigate change at a higher level than an individual school. Although if there is a genuine loop hole for instance if a place does need to be held for 10 days post notification of de-registration then a revised version of the OP is probably perfectly useable (I'm not 100% clear if we got to the bottom of whether the place is cancelled immediately) however I am on pretty good terms with our Head, having campaigned for useful changes within school and these having been made...so no (sorry for the long winded answer!) I'm not going to burn bridges - yet!

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Lots of kids i see on holiday just sit on ipads all day

outdooryone · 21/11/2025 12:15

KuanKaKu · 20/11/2025 18:09

This is actually part of the bigger picture...part of the discussion is definitely around the appropriateness of the curriculum to modern lifeskills and jobs, a small example being how many professions require the use of manual calculations? The ability to programme software to make calculations - yes, but the ability to do those calculations manually - no, yet our children are still being taught in this way

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And that shows how little understanding you have of the process of child development and education.
Seems you are putting your values before the practicalities of a good education for your children. It seems you are also ignoring any repercussions on a school to have pupils ducking in and out of education, the change in funding that brings about, the practicalities for teachers in having pupils appear and disappear through a planned learning process, and so much more.
It also feels very 'freeman of the land with access to AI' to write letters.

ParmaVioletTea · 21/11/2025 11:56

providing your children with genuine additional opportunities such as holidays,

WTAF! A holiday to Spain is a “genuine” educational opportunity? Do not make me laugh. A package holiday in a hotel in another country is hardly a “genuine” educational opportunity.

I’ve never read such a wall of entitled, “I am speshul” guff in my life.

How do you expect already overworked teachers to catch your child up after you remove them? YABU.

If you can’t cope with the standard pattern of state funded education in this country, send them to a fee-paying school, or have them privately tutored at home, or send them to boarding school while you go off doing your terribly important international work.

Lots of British people have family all over the world. We manage without going all legalistic over wanting special treatment or we pay the fibres or we negotiate with those educating our children: teachers who have the best interests of all children at heart. More than some parents, it seems.

Tiswa · 21/11/2025 11:47

5 days is also a lot DS had just been off for a week with flu and it is a long time too be off

Superhansrantowindsor · 21/11/2025 11:21

10 days out is excessive. We should perhaps target holiday companies for fairer prices but in a free market economy I doubt that will ever happen.
Taking children out for 5 days is ample. Plan it around an Inset day and you’ll be able to have a lovely break that doesn’t cost the earth. Since the argument for allowing term time holiday is about cost - you can’t really be asking for ten days. That is a real luxury imo. Allowances should be made for military families etc who don’t have much flexibility.

Elleherd · 21/11/2025 11:06

(I'm not 100% clear if we got to the bottom of whether the place is cancelled immediately) I have answered that further up and provided you with the act.

It would be illegal for the school NOT to remove the child's name from their attendance roll 'when that day has passed.'
When their name is removed from the attendance roll, their legal right to attend that school (subject to behavior and reasonable attendance) ends.

(This is why the practice of schools forcibly 'off rolling' SEN and troublesome children is such a big deal, as the child no longer has a school place or right to all sorts of things)

'That day' is the day you remove your DC as you have now elected to home educate them. (for whatever period)
In what you are proposing, your 'beginning' of your assumed ten days date.

Honestly you are barking up the wrong tree with the way you are trying to abuse the Education otherwise than through registered schools (state or private)
education rights system. Partly because you will find so many parents who agree with flexibility will be against you messing up the system they often have to fight so hard over, and not putting your Dc's needs first, by actually securing an education that is amenable to family time out.

There are, and will be other ways to push for what you want, and rights to flexi school etc, where you wont be alienating your natural possible supporters, potentially trying causing mayhem to other DC's education, (in school and otherwise) and potentially attracting SS interest by the 'red flags a flying' way you are attempting to do it.

If you'd started the thread a different way, you'd find plenty of supportive discussion, rather that WTentitledF? you've had from a fair few.

Original poster
KuanKaKu · 21/11/2025 10:38

IchiNiSanShiGo · 21/11/2025 09:14

OP, what are your thoughts now, after having read all the replies to you? Are you going to email the headteacher what you wrote in your first post, or have you changed your mind?

Are you prepared to risk not getting the school places back when you return from your holiday, and have you thought about what that will mean?

Are you going to continue to campaign for change once you return from your holiday?

Show quote history

Thanks for your question, my stance is I 100% do not agree with paying a penalty notice for providing your children with genuine additional opportunities such as holidays, within term time if the time taken out of school is limited and/or includes an existing school holiday e.g. turning 2 weeks and 1 day at Easter into 3 weeks (term time absence = 4 days) and the Government should not be treating families who do this in a controlled way, in the same way as those who allow their children to be absent as and when /or have no interest in their children's attendance. The one size fits all approach needs rethinking....so in answer to your question, I think the OP revised inline with useful comments provided, additional research etc...is more useful as a tool to try and instigate change at a higher level than an individual school. Although if there is a genuine loop hole for instance if a place does need to be held for 10 days post notification of de-registration then a revised version of the OP is probably perfectly useable (I'm not 100% clear if we got to the bottom of whether the place is cancelled immediately) however I am on pretty good terms with our Head, having campaigned for useful changes within school and these having been made...so no (sorry for the long winded answer!) I'm not going to burn bridges - yet!

OP posts:
Sprogonthetyne · 21/11/2025 10:33

My kid has SEN and has days where he is "educated off site" or receiving education otherwise. Eg. He would be overwhelmed by sports day, so that day he received his education having a long nature walk with me instead.

The key to making it work is to communicate openly and work with the school, not to take the piss and used word salad based on how you think the rolled should work.

KarmenPQZ · 21/11/2025 10:22

KuanKaKu · 20/11/2025 19:10

I think this is evident in one of my earlier posts, where I've referenced the call for families to be allowed up to 10 days of term time absence without penalty, and this in effect being classified as 'otherwise' under S7 of The Education Act 1996. The concept is simple, to mirror the proposal set out in UK Government and Parliament petition 700047, by invoking the 'otherwise' option for up to 10 days without penalty. This petition was supported by over 181,000 signatures, but likely would have been more had it gained media and political traction earlier. All those putting arguments against a more flexible approach to attendance, are obviously unaware of the current system in countries like Scotland and Australia where there is no penalty and no damming stats to say their systems are not fit for purpose...

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If multiple kids took 10 days without penalty it would be carnage and to the detriment of the kids that don’t. Out school absolutely fly through the curricula and I don’t think teachers should need to take time out of teaching the class to catch kids up who missed 2 weeks when they were taught long division or coordinating conjunctions.

it’s a nice ideal for some perhaps but it’s just not practical in classes of 30. If you want this pay and send your kids to private school. Or homeschool yourself and take charge of their education holistically. I don’t think picking and choosing should be an option. I firmly believe your ideal would do a huge disservice to me and my kids.

Plus I didn’t think the Australian education system was much to be heralded - my understanding was it’s pretty poor for a developed country?

Patchedupsocks · 21/11/2025 10:14

Why bother trying to get the logics and laws across when OP's record is stuck and she isn't listening?
If it means that much to you OP set up a petition and forward it to parliament.

Mademetoxic · 21/11/2025 09:46

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

IchiNiSanShiGo · 21/11/2025 09:14

KuanKaKu · 20/11/2025 19:10

I think this is evident in one of my earlier posts, where I've referenced the call for families to be allowed up to 10 days of term time absence without penalty, and this in effect being classified as 'otherwise' under S7 of The Education Act 1996. The concept is simple, to mirror the proposal set out in UK Government and Parliament petition 700047, by invoking the 'otherwise' option for up to 10 days without penalty. This petition was supported by over 181,000 signatures, but likely would have been more had it gained media and political traction earlier. All those putting arguments against a more flexible approach to attendance, are obviously unaware of the current system in countries like Scotland and Australia where there is no penalty and no damming stats to say their systems are not fit for purpose...

Show quote history

OP, what are your thoughts now, after having read all the replies to you? Are you going to email the headteacher what you wrote in your first post, or have you changed your mind?

Are you prepared to risk not getting the school places back when you return from your holiday, and have you thought about what that will mean?

Are you going to continue to campaign for change once you return from your holiday?

Original poster
KuanKaKu · 21/11/2025 07:59

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

and what are you exactly? You’re the one comparing me to a circus performer with zero reasoning for that! I presume you are trying to be insulting?! I’m sure you’re lovely too ….

OP posts:
Lillush · 20/11/2025 23:59

I think they will require you to be more specific with the provision under section 7 so be prepared . I also think they will formally have to take your children off roll, however depending on your relationship with the school, previous attendance, need for places they might informally agree to take them back on the date you specified. Good luck

Tiredofwhataboutery · 20/11/2025 23:37

PurpleThistle7 · 20/11/2025 23:20

I live in Scotland and you can’t just take your kids out of school for two weeks. There are no fines, yes, but that’s not the most important thing. You need permission to miss school and it’s not given for everything. I took my kids out for 2 weeks in 2021 as I hadn’t been able to travel to my home country during covid so my children’s’ grandparents hadn’t seen them for 3 years. My children were 5 and 8 at the time and we had to get permission from the council - the head teacher couldn’t even approve it.

You can it just goes through as an unauthorised absence. I’m sure in some cases it can be problematic if kids are repeatedly off. Generally though as a one off holiday/ ski trip / trip to visit distant relatives it’s just accepted so long as kids aren’t behind.

BartholemewTheCat · 20/11/2025 23:28

Damn, that must be some holiday deal you’ve scored to warrant that pile of guff.

PurpleThistle7 · 20/11/2025 23:20

I live in Scotland and you can’t just take your kids out of school for two weeks. There are no fines, yes, but that’s not the most important thing. You need permission to miss school and it’s not given for everything. I took my kids out for 2 weeks in 2021 as I hadn’t been able to travel to my home country during covid so my children’s’ grandparents hadn’t seen them for 3 years. My children were 5 and 8 at the time and we had to get permission from the council - the head teacher couldn’t even approve it.

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