Have you taken dc out of school for a holiday

[sunsunpleasecomeout]

Dc 1 in primary and one in year 7 secondary and pricing up holidays and it's looking close to £1000 cheaper to take them out of school for 6 days.

Am I guaranteed a fine? How much would it be? Could I say they are unwell for the week?

So it looks like a lot of families do this. I used to work term time only so could never go in term time but this year defo eyelet seems worth it. They have 100% attendance otherwise.

Who does the fine come from? Is it school or the council

I never did it, always managed to go away during school holidays but I would have done it without hesitation had I been unable to book a holiday during the long break. If I had been fined, so be it.

I'm doing I this week. Never done it before with ds1 in 14 years. Both had 100% attendance most years, never ill. Ds2 will miss 3 days. I'm not going to lie, not going to say he's ill. I'm just going to say he won't be in.

Yes I have and I'll do it again. It literally halved the cost for us. We usually go somewhere in October but not half term. We camp in UK during May half term and in summer hols. No fines for us.
I'd never lie about it though or ask the kids to lie. We ask for the head

Soz pressed post too soon!
We ask the head to authorise and

I did it once but was a once in a lifetime type trip - took 3 days out. Would never do it again.

Did it last year. Ds had never had any other time off (sick or others) since starting school in 2017. As a key worker child, he attended in the lock downs too. So 100% attendance for 5 years. Still fined us....his teacher is will be on her 4th strike day this week...one more and I will issue her a fine!

Dc school have form to complete for absences.

I’ve done it before, dc missed 3weeks in year 6, for trip of lifetime to visit family (so not 2 weeks on beach), no fine, agreed to take school work.

don’t lie or make excuses, 1 or 2 days can make a difference in price and many parents do that.

It's your local council that send the fines.

I did it every year. It was never a problem. My family's need for a holiday always came before whatever they did in school the last week of term, i.e. nothing important.

🤣🤣 I'd pinch that line but I can bet my life my school would question it. We even have to show the dentist slips!

I haven't yet but we go to dip when the school has a few days off. We are going 5 nights though so need an extra 2 days off.

I know lots of folk that do it though. Don't think u get fined here in Scotland.

Growing up it was my dads busiest time at work he wasn't allowed July/August off so my parents took us out for 2 weeks every year. Usually just before the summer holidays so we wld end up with an extended summer it was great!

Yes, several times. I have absolutely no regrets.

Have done this a few times before- much cheaper- and never been fined, but it may well depend on the school

My wife took ours to her home country, 3 days before Easter Holidays and she was back the Friday after term started. We requested the time off some time in advance and got an email that, whilst it wasn't authorised, we wouldn't be sanctioned. They haven't seen that side of the family since before Covid, which I explained.

Yes although mine are grown up now but we did up to year 8. Only once for a week which was my dsil wedding abroad, usually only a few days which can save a significant amount and I know two teachers that have taken their own dc out of primary one teacher who was on maternity leave the other who is supply. Definitely no regrets here no fines either.

The school inform an attendance team at the local authority/council and they issue the fine. I believe they have to issue it within a certain amount of time following the child's return to school.

From the council in our case

No, I haven't done it and I wouldn't. DCs are in private though so we'd be paying for the education they'd miss (which is quite packed in, so harder to catch up). School holidays are longer so we can sometimes book during the term time of state schools.

We went to florida for 3 weeks in May when dc were in years 3 and 6. School were ok with it. It was unauthorised absence but no fine.

Every year ive taken a day or 2 in May to go early for a holiday and save flight costs. We just message School and say the kids are not coming in.

I never want to go too far outside School holidays because I need to use my leave to cover holidays and I don't have enough as it is.

After covid and strikes its a joke that schools insist on attendance like this. Bugger that.

Don’t lie, they will find out. Did 5 school days max, haven’t been fined. Do you need to do 6 days?

Yes this year , saved 2k on a skiing holiday. Dd year 6.
School said I would get a fine, but I haven't had it yet. Now 2 months on.

Not sure I would do it during secondary school though in year 7 as they are still finding their feet.

I won't do it in high school, we are very lucky we got into an extremely sought after and high performing state school that emphasise the importance of attendance with a higher than normal minimum expectation, I feel we owe it to the Gods to take this seriously ha!

They do have very unusual holidays that sit differently to most schools which helps though, as such we are having to take our youngest out for 2 weeks in order to not take our eldest out, I've budgeted for a fine, he's year 4, I wouldn't have taken him out in year 6. Not ideal, but it's a "once in a lifetime" thing, once they both go to the same school it'll be easier!

My son is only two but we go on holiday for a week in May or June every year and that's not going to change when he goes to school (bar major exam years). I'll just tell the school he's going and if we get a fine so be it.