Do you think headteacher would grant authorisation for this holiday?

[Pabberss]

My kids range from 8 to 14.

All my family are going away together. Parents, siblings, everyone to celebrate my parents wedding anniversary.

We have NEVER been on holiday before. Never been abroad. I'm a single mum and am on long term illness benefits. The most I've ever been able to do was haven.

My parents have offered to pay for us to come with. We'll they are covering 80%

They have already chosen dates that fit everyone's work timetables.
The high-school kids finish on the Thursday before summer 2020 and we would be leaving on the Tue.so they would miss 3 days.

I'm not really bothered about the missed days as for the last week they just watch films and colour in and have the end of year trips. The kids were bored out of their heads this year. So I feel no guilt.

But my younger kids don't break up till the following Wed. Half day.

So they would be missing 6.5 days of the end of term.

Do you think if I wrote to the head teacher and explained its a huge celebration for my parents, we have never been able to go abroad before, that we are getting our flights and accommodation paid for and this is the only opportunity my kids have had to go on a plane she will grant leave?

Does it count as exceptional?

They have never missed time for a holiday before. Ever.

I'm scared she will say no and we will be fined.

Can they fine their dad too? We are seperated. He would go mad.

Any advice is appreciated.

I should add that I know it's not really the Head's decision about holidays but our old one adopted a common sense attitude to this based on attendance, what was happening at school, the reason for the request and has in the past given a parent a 'don't tell me you're going away just ring in sick' vibe in not so many words. Our present Head is very much 'lets get the bastards'.

LAs and schools have different policies on fining so you need to check for your own area/school. In my area fines seem to be applied ruthlessly even for a single 5 day unauthorised absence (which I would agree is ridiculous). And both parents are fined even if one did not agree to the holiday - again ridiculous.

Most schools don't do much on the last days. I'd probably call in sick.
It won't be authorised in my opinion.

Your reasons really aren’t exceptional in any way. That being said, I would definitely still go.

I don't think the school would find out. I'm not friends with anyone at school. Don't talk to them about my private life and am not on social media.

I just looked up the guidelines in my area. Head teachers are no longer allowed to authorise holidays and the fines are after five school days. Seems to be £60 per child going up to £120 if not paid within 21 days. Local paper said they were fining both parents £60 per child per parent.

I think it’s only courteous to be open and transparent with the school about taking the time off and why you’re taking it. I don’t agree at all with calling in sick for any part of it - surely that will make you risk a fine?

You have to let them know your DCs aren’t going to be in to aid the teacher/s with planning of things like group work. The more open you are with the school the easier time you’ll have of it, I think, unless the head/s concerned are tough.

The advice will vary between authorities.

I would not phone in sick for 4 children it’s obvious.

It won’t be authorised. Whether you will be fined depends on policy and current attendance. You need to factor in a potential fine.

Just inform the schools of a big family holiday you are still going to go so trying to fudge out reasons for holiday isn't going to make school authorise anything.

I thought it was the local authority who fined not the individual schools, the schools definitely don’t get the money.

My husband is on long term sick benefits and is disabled. We hammered home that the children are considered young carers (they pick up extra slack in house). That we were using a carers grant to go (the yearly bonus) We used the fact that a holiday with a disabled party is overwhelming expensive and the cost is halved in term time.

We only went to haven. They missed 5 days . No fine from high school or primary. Considered exceptional .

The fine is payable for a period of absence 1 day or 10.

It will still be cheaper to pay it but I'd try for exceptional circumstances

I dont agree with calling in sick but i think you should go (well you obviously will as its arranged!)

Our school fines everyone they can. When I googled I think it had to be 5 days OR a second offence (so could be 2 seperate 1 day offneces in space of a year)

Dif i read right thats 2 of your kids so potentially 120-240 fine (if they do it per parent). Id just accept that for the major holiday youre having.

I think the system is ridiculous.

Phone in sick for all your children, until this stupid system of fining parents is changed we have to play it. Enjoy your holiday

Would you still have permission from your ex if he knows he can be fined?

If there are 20 children going surely school holidays should have been considered when planning this holiday.

benfoldsfive You have actual exceptional circumstances, though. The OP doesn’t. I think she’d be clutching at straws for ‘exceptional’ with what she’s described.

Echoing what others have said, I doubt they'd authorise it, but they won't stop you from taking them if that makes sense. Is it worth trying to meet with the headteacher of the younger children's school to discuss it?

At our school, 6.5 days would be put forward for fine from the LA, but 3 days wouldn't. It's per parent per child, so I think their dad would also be fined. It might depend on your local authority as to whether they pursue the fine as it's not the school that does the actual fining - some authorities are stricter than others.

I hate to say it OP but ‘not being able to afford a holiday outside of term time’ REALLY isn’t a exceptional circumstance in the UK!

I think you would be surprised how many parents are in that exact same boat.
The only difference here is that your parents are offering to cover most of the cost. Which is nice of them but again not ‘exceptional’!

I understand that it’s a lovely opportunity and you want your kids to have the experience and enjoy it! But it’s no different to a family wanting to that their kids to Disneyland in term time if they can’t afford the extra £3000 to go in the holidays!

The ‘exceptional’ circumstance you’re claiming is an experience/holiday for your children that you otherwise couldn’t afford....and 90% of parents are in the same boat 😂

I hate to say it OP but ‘not being able to afford a holiday outside of term time’ REALLY isn’t a exceptional circumstance in the UK!

This!

It won’t be granted and you might be fined. The grandparents presumably could easily have booked it at the start of August when all the kids were holiday but didn’t as it’s cheaper mid July?

Having said all that, I would still go in your position and I’m a teacher! It’s not for ages so get saving for the fines.

I don't think it would be classed as exceptional.

Ds was granted a day exceptional last year (school actually asked if we needed longer) but that was becasue a vital hospital appointment dh had been waiting for arrived in the middle of our booked family holiday so we had to bring the holiday forward (dh had been taken seriously ill in the middle of dd's GCSE's and the worry also impacted on ds and at that point we didn't know if what he had was going to be life limiting).

A family anniversary celebration would not be exceptional.

And we were going to stay in my parent's caravan for 5 days, not abroad.

The school won't authorise your holiday OP. I had similar that grandparents booked and paid for holiday and kids missed 2 days of school. It wasn't authorised but I wasn't fined.

Trouble is that your child missing 6.5 days may potentially be fined as it is over a week. In my area anything over 5 days gets fined. However, it is all down to the headteachers of your school.

I would not lie and say the kids are I'll. 6.5 days of being ill is excessive and may trigger other investigation such as the school wanting evidence.

If I were you OP, just be upfront. Tell them grandparents booked so you had little control over dates. Explain it's the only time whole family can get together. It won't be authorised but schools have more respect (and leniency) for honest parents.

I think there ought to be a household case of some very infectious illness around the time you want to be away.

They won’t authorise it but unless your children have persistently low attendance they won’t care as they tend to look at attendance per academic year.

In the school I work at it would not be authorised (they very rarely authorise anything) BUT you would not be fined either.

Go on the holiday. Explain the reasons to the head.

OP, please, whatever you do, don't phone in sick. This is a lie and you will be asking your children to lie too. I see I think time and again. It's awful when a child is told to lie and then blurts out about their holiday. The pressure on them is huge.
If you go on your local authority website you will find a link to truancy, attendance, absence (or something similar) and then look for their policy on fining parents for unabuthorised absence. I've just looked at mine and it is very clear that holidays in term time are not exceptional circumstances and may well incur a fine.
The fines are currently £60 per child per parent, which doubles if not paid within 21 days. The holiday you are talking about takes place a year from now. You need to assume you are going to be fined some time next August so if you start saving for that fine now, you will be able to pay the lesser sum. I'd also save up for your DXs potential fine, although I doubt he would be fined if you are the primary carer.
Fill in the holiday application form and arrange a meeting with the Head to discuss it before you hand it in. Do this asap, then you will know exactly where you stand. Think of it as a smal price to pay for a cut price holiday.