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Original poster

term time holiday refused

66 replies

elliejjtiny · 30/09/2021 13:21

My eldest started school 11 years ago and I have never taken them out of school for a holiday/day trip.

DS2 is in year 9 and autistic. His obsession is formula 1 and he wants to work with racing cars when he leaves school. FIL has offered to take him to the grand prix next july. It's a 3 day trip, friday to sunday and on the friday you can walk on the track, see the pit lanes etc. It's a fantastic opportunity and very expensive too, thankfully FIL is paying as well as taking him.

We filled in the form for a term time holiday request and it's been refused. They say that it's not essential and if we take him out anyway it will be an unauthorised absence and we will be fined. His attendance is almost perfect. Since he started secondary school 2 years ago he has had 2 days off sick. That was when he took an overdose in february and ended up in hdu. He took his overdose on Monday morning, came out of hdu on tuesday morning and came home from hospital on Tuesday afternoon. He went back to home learning on the Wednesday morning (his choice - I would have given him time off).

The lady who signed the refusal form was the same person who was our first point of contact after his overdose. So it's hard not to take it personally.

I know that attendance is important but it's 1 day and it will make him so happy. Can I appeal/fight for this?

OP posts:
PlonkyWillyWonky · 30/09/2021 13:53

Let him go. School have to say no at the moment, even if they agree with you
The admin to enforce a fine for a one off is just not economic
I wouldn't even lie about it. You'll be fine, enjoy

00100001 · 30/09/2021 18:00

@Aroundtheworldin80moves

Could you talk to SENCO and see if they can classify it as Educated Offsite? Probably a long shot unfortunately.
Why waste everyone's time Confused

She just needs to not send him in...take the unauthorised absence and get on with life..

donquixotedelamancha · 30/09/2021 18:33

The lady who signed the refusal form was the same person who was our first point of contact after his overdose. So it's hard not to take it personally.

It's not personal, there is no legal basis on which the school can authorise it.

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Tickledtrout · 30/09/2021 18:34

Of course they could call it work experience if they were minded to. Go and enjoy. And there won't be a fine for 1 day

Hellocatshome · 30/09/2021 18:47

They are not allowed to authorise holiday. Its not personal. Just do it. I doubt they will even fine you.

donquixotedelamancha · 30/09/2021 18:49

Of course they could call it work experience if they were minded to.

I always wonder where people get such certainty when the know fuck all about a topic.

MyDcAreMarvel · 30/09/2021 18:53

The threshold for fines is not one day, you won’t be fined.

Glenthebattleostrich · 30/09/2021 18:55

We are hopefully going to Florida next April. I've told school they can fine me for the 2 days DD will be off because the £60 is a hell of a lot less than the extra £2000.to fly on the Saturday.

Just take him out. If they fine you they fine you

Tal45 · 30/09/2021 19:01

Just do it, I'd be surprised if they fined you for one day as I'm sure it has to be longer than that. Knowing your situation though I'm surprised how it was handled, they could have used a bit of discretion and quietly said not to worry you wouldn't be fined for one day or to just phone him in sick on the day - I've been told this by a school receptionist before as a one off.

I wouldn't give it a second thought though honestly.

Howshouldibehave · 30/09/2021 19:01

The school won’t notify the LEA unless there have been 10 sessions (2 sessions a day, so this is 5 days) of absence.

They can’t authorise a day out or holiday like this-they hands are tied. Just go.

Normandy144 · 30/09/2021 19:03

You're misunderstanding the process. They're not making a judgement based on previous absence record and special circumstances. It's a blanket no to all requests. They will pass it onto the local authority who are responsible for fines. In our area a fine is triggered after 4.5 days of missed school. So if you lived in our area you wouldn't be fined for that. Don't give it a second thought and just go and enjoy yourself!

SpiderinaWingMirror · 30/09/2021 19:30

Honestly, forget about it.
I'm taking DD3 out for 2 days before May half term. We are off to the sun for 10 days.
She is year 9. I'll be ringing her in sick.

residentkaleidoscope · 30/09/2021 19:32

I'm taking mine out for a week in June. I've been fined before and no doubt will be again and if I am so be it. Once they start high school I won't take them out for a while week but the odd day I might.

If you get a fine so be it. Your son will have an amazing break!

toocold54 · 30/09/2021 19:34

You could speak to the SENCo but honestly I would just phone in sick that day. Some things are worth having a day of school for. You could even have two days off and say you’re waiting for a PCR test. I doubt they will fine you as they can’t prove it. I’m a teacher btw.

CloseYourEyesAndSee · 30/09/2021 19:37

Just take him away. If you have to pay a fine it's not a lot (assuming you've got the funds to pay for a holiday, it's a small %).

Tulips15 · 30/09/2021 19:40

Just call in sick for that day. Or pay a fine.
Just let him go.

BurbageBrook · 30/09/2021 19:40

Ex-teacher here. They can’t really authorise it, their hands are tied. But they really won’t care if you just call him in sick.

WhereYouLeftIt · 30/09/2021 19:50

It sounds like a brilliant outing/opportunity for your son and it's lovely of your FIL to take him.

Don't waste any more headspace on the school's refusal. Just forget about it and come July, phone in sick with a mental flick of a V sign.

Sarahlou252 · 30/09/2021 19:55

Nothing personal there, they just aren't allowed to authorize it.
I would simply ring in sick on the Friday. Nobody will even question it.

Seriallover · 30/09/2021 19:58

I took my children out of school two days before the summer term ended as I wanted us to all isolate before we went on holiday the following week. I messaged the head, said I wasn't asking for permission but that I wanted to be honest about what I was doing. She said she appreciated it and told me to enjoy my holiday when it came around. I was never fined.

I think you did the right thing. I would take him out still and be prepared to pay the fine (which probably won't happen just for a day) its a small price to pay when he'll be enjoying the experience he really wants to have, after having such a crap time.

AliceMcK · 30/09/2021 20:03

I use to be a school governor and this subject came up several times. It was far easier for the school to apply a blanket refusal rule because it caused too much trouble with parents when they tried to apply discretion. There we’re obviously exceptions like death in the family where other parents couldn’t kick off. The HT was lovely and I’m sure in a situation like this she’s subtly point you to the school absence policy which outlines at what point you would get fined, it wouldn’t be for taking him out for one day. It would just be marked as unauthorised absence, which unless there is a major attendance issue, it means nothing.

xyzandabc · 30/09/2021 20:09

You don't have to fight it or appeal it. Just don't send him in on that day. It'll go down as unauthorised absence and that'll be the end of it.

Unauthorised absence is literally just a letter on a piece of paper (well a screen), in terms of your son's schooling or well being, it means absolutely nothing at all. No one is going to come knocking on your door and drag him in to school.

Very very very unlikely to be fined for just one day.

MackenCheese · 30/09/2021 20:15

Agree with all of the above. Take him out and put his mental health/future aspirations first! My ds is autistic and I'm thinking of doing something similar next year!

SammyScrounge · 30/09/2021 20:25

@00100001

Ehh... just take him out. Pay the small fine.

Who care about unauthorised absence. Doesn't mean anything.

Take the fine. The thought of this trip should perk him up and stop thoughts of another overdose. I hope he has a lovely time.
escapeyou · 30/09/2021 20:28

My god. I am so glad we don’t have this shit in Scotland. Let him go and I hope he has an amazing time.