To take my kids out of school for three weeks

I know my five year old has learned an incredible amount in the four months he’s been at school. Absolutely loads. And I don’t think for a moment I could replicate that at home. Taking him out for nearly a month would mean he was hugely behind. I know some people home school and do it well but most of us can’t do that.

He isn’t sat in a classroom for years on end. He is in school for six hours a day; in that time he has free play with friends, structured play led by the teacher, time outdoors, and of course for the rest of the day / weekends / holidays. I actually think there are years where three weeks out of school probably wouldn’t make a huge amount of difference, but at this stage, it does.

Wholeheartedly this! I’d pay the fine because I’m all for doing the right legal thing. But at this young age particularly I’d promote life-enhancing experiences over a couple of weeks in a classroom absolutely.

Does their policy allow them to off roll a child after 30 sessions of absence? Seems unlikely?

In an oversubscribed school our LA would give away the place.

Think most reasonable parents would say no real harm at that age but - are you kidding yourselves about the value of a trip they’re not likely to remember at that age?

I would say just be aware op that the school will likely not be able to authorise it so there would be a fine. Also depending on other factors like the gender of your children and your heritage/ the country you're traveling to this may also be looked at as a potential safeguarding concern re fgm.

I’m curious what the trip is. Can you say anything without being outing?

Because there will be ‘no harm done’. If you think 4 & 5 year olds benefit more by being sat in a classroom for years on end as opposed to grasping ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunities with both hands then I pity any child you’re responsible for and I pity you.

..Do it, just factor in the cost of the fine.

At that age, they will be ok, do a bit of reading with them whilst you are away.

I don’t think we should have formal targets for kids of that age, but then again I think SATS should be binned (and if I had my time again I would withdraw DD)

I’m laughing here in Irish!… the UK is so ridiculously OTT about school attendance it’s laughable.

Your children are 4 and 5, their future prospects will not be affected because they missed a couple of weeks of school at this age.

Id be taking them out without question, and I’d be throwing any fine I got straight into the bin. Totally farcical to think a school can tell me what I can and cannot do with my child.

Are you sure it’s just a fine? Surely that’s enough absences (30 sessions) to take you to court?

I would never do it from Year 6 onwards but we did take our child out for about 10 days in Easter when she was in Y5. This allowed us to have 3.5 weeks in Florida, which was the holiday of a lifetime. We travelled out before school broke up and returned after they restarted. It was in 2023 so DC had had a lot of home schooling during lockdown. They had worked so hard and even won awards at school.

We were honest with the school about what we were doing. They phoned me up and said they obviously couldn’t approve it and we would
get a letter saying it was an unauthorised absence. But they did also thank us for being honest and wished us a good time. I really appreciated the pragmatic approach. They were doing space in science at the time and DC got to go to the Kennedy Space Center. We didn’t actually get a fine, but if we had then the holiday would still have worked out about £900 cheaper overall than if we had a shorter holiday and travelled during the Easter break.

This is the only time I’ve ever done this and I certainly won’t repeat it, but we have absolutely no regrets and it made zero difference academically.

So I say go for it - but don’t make a habit out of it!

You're right to mention this - missing that much phonics and early maths, for example, can put a child seriously behind their peers. And teaching these takes a lot of training for the teacher or TA - it's not so easy as for a parent to just do a bit of reading, etc with the child.

Is the three weeks around the summer holidays (ie missing 2 weeks in September) or around another holiday (ie missing early Jan or after Easter)? I wouldn't miss school in September personally.

Teacher here - school will say no, they will fine you but you are the only person who can weigh that up with the loss of learning/missing things in school against what your trip will give them. What time of year are you going? Year 1 go have their phonic screen in June.

They are young, so the long term effect to missing education will be minimal they are learning the most important things of all, surely: how to read?

If they already can read fluently fair enough but if you don’t learn to read, you can’t read to learn.

I think the 2 weeks at the start of a new term isn't a good idea at all.

When our DC were 7 and 9 we took them out of school for the last two weeks of Autumn term so that we could go to Australia to spend Christmas with my sister and meet my niece (their cousin). It's the only time we've taken them out of school.

They are now both in their 20s and they have almost no memories of the trip even though they got to do some amazing things. If you are going to do a "holiday of a lifetime" then wait until they are older.

There is a point where the school can deregister the children. I would doubly ensure that that won't happen.

Otherwise... well the fines won't really matter in relation to the overall cost to the trip. They are young, so the long term effect to missing education will ve minimal (especially if you keep up reading writing and simple maths while you are travelling.

Apart from the harm of missing school? Does your work "in Attendance" usually involve telling parents that they should "Go for it" as 3 weeks out of school for a holiday will result in "no harm done"?

There is no way I would take children so young out of school for three weeks unless they were seriously unwell.

The fines are issued by the council and the timing means they could be counted as 2 separate absences as they fall in separate academic years, you wouldnneed to speak to the school as it could also mean they lose their places, especially if you don't without notifying them of rhe absence.

if they class it as 2 absence, thanges in the law last year means that The 2 weeks in the new academic year would also face double the fine value and if you were to remove the 5 yo for a third absence during their school life (not sure if at the latest school or until they age out of secondary school) then you could also be prosecuted.

Read the absence/holiday policy abd procedure for guidance.

Will your youngest be just 4 and entering reception or will they turn 5 over the summer and enter year 1? If the latter the new term will count as a first fine for them.

I understand the once in a life time thing, but you appear to be going away for 9 weeks, can you not shorten it so they are not missing rhe first 2 weeks of the new school year?

Your children are so young, I would absolutely go for it. Sounds like an incredible opportunity and one your children would really benefit from. It’s not like they’re in high school. Take the opportunity and have an amazing time. Travel and family time are also important, not just school. Be honest with the school though and pay the fines

You won’t get it authorised by the school. Given their ages, though, I would be inclined to do it and front up to the school. I wouldn’t do it in secondary.

You will definitely be fined for the 5yr I think it’s £80 per parent per child for every 5 days of school missed.
However if the school take each week as a separate absence then you could end up in court.
The second weeks because it’s a new term might be treated as a second absence which would be £160 per parent per 5 days.
The school can’t stop you doing it but you do need to be aware of the implications for yourself. Financially but also potentially criminally as well

Out of interest, why work in attendance if your attitude to unauthorised absence is 'no harm done'?

Is the role very disconnected from the work schools do and why attendance is essential for learning and important for a teacher to manage progress for the whole class?