Emailing school to say child is going on holiday, do I tell them or ask them?!

[Diddumms]

I mean I know I can't really 'ask' them because it's booked but I'm struggling with the wording

I've currently got a waffley email saying

Good morning. Due to the nature of our work (we run a holiday park) school holidays aren't available to us to go abroad, so we have booked to go away next week meaning Sons name won't be in until this date. We apologise for any disruption this may cause and will ensure we do reading and some cultural experiences whilst we are away. Please let me know if you need to discuss this further"

Husband thinks I'm mad and just need to factually say "Sons name won't be in school next week as we are on holiday, he will be back on this date"

He's only in reception so not actually compulsory school age, if that changes things

Why? What's the point of making up a stupid lie?

We took her out of school in reception too, was for my 40th birthday holiday and the teacher tried to blame me for being behind in her phonics. I can confirm she has not suffered and is in fact ahead of the game in her reading, still makes me chuckle.

I've taken ours out twice and am just very factual about it when I inform the school. We've never had it authorised and were fined once, but that's the risk we take in choosing to go out of school holidays.

We've got a family trip coming up in Feb, and will be doing the same again, by tagging a week onto half term. we are going long haul, wanted to do two weeks, and Easter/Summer isn't an option, so Feb with a week of term was our best bet. We are breaking the rules, so will have to pay the fine if it lands.

we do reading and some cultural experiences

Oh come off it. A week in a resort is hardly a "cultural experience." Just go on holiday.

I usually say something like we have to pick these days, I appreciate this isn't ideal but these are our reasons, in the circumstances please can you make this an authorised absence, I understand if this is not possible and it has to go down as unauthorised. They were quite lax post-COVID, but I think things are tightening up.

You just need to fill in a holiday form. They won't approve it but they don't approve anything.

Your email is fine, as would be a factual email stating the dates. You'll probably be given a form by the office to complete which allows you to give your reason. It will then either be approved or unapproved but the school won't expect you to be in either way. Send the email soon though so you have time to fill the form in.

Your mad. Tell them your son will be out of school by filling out their official form with the dates and info and take the fine. I take my kid out all the time for holidays.

I just tell them. I am not asking their permission, I’m letting them know out of courtesy that my child won’t be in. I understand it will be unauthorised and I’m ok with that. If you’re only taking him out if it will be authorised then yes, ask. And then base a decision on what they respond with. I am never asking. I am telling.

As a teacher I don’t have a problem with taking children away for a week holiday in term time provided they have good overall attendance. Except in the first term!!! I know you have already booked for this year but in future please be aware that the first term is the settling in period where the children get to know their teacher and the routines and expectations of that teacher and the classroom. It’s when the teacher gets to know the children and where friendships may form or reform after a six week break. A week at this stage can really affect the child.
As for work at this stage just make sure you read to your child while he’s away and if he has been given any books etc to look at make sure you do that. Maybe ask the teacher for extra books but do be aware that organising this is one extra job to do in a teacher’s already overflowing workload tray and that they may say no as to do it for one child is fine but won’t want to set up the expectation that they will do it for every child

I think your email is fine, so is his. As you say he's not legally required to be there yet so don't over think it or tie yourself in knots.

just seen he’s in reception too, I definitely wouldn’t be waffling too much.
also given your situation I might even expect it to be authorised to be honest, we had a holiday authorised once as my partner worked in hospitality and they allocated annual leave, so we only had what we had. We had to give proof that he had been allocated the week we were going, his work just wrote a letter. And it was authorised.
but even if it’s not, it’s really not a huge deal. Book the hol so you don’t go over a week off and you won’t get a fine, and just go and enjoy holiday. They also won’t really care if you’re doing reading etc. the person that’s reading it is just a secretary aswell, not his teacher x

Your husband is right.

Besides, as he's not even CSA yet, there's nothing they can say or do about it.

That's interesting....
So, do you take your child's school work with you, when you take him out of school on holiday? Or do you expect his teacher(s) to help him catch up during their lunch breaks on what he has missed? I taught for a few years and then tutored primary school children. Some children's maths was very badly affected because they had missed out on the early basic building blocks that non professionals don't realise are essential.

I am surprised you are not aware that they are no unauthorised absences for non CSA children , there is a different code.

Reception is actually compulsory, unless you’ve applied for your child to be kept behind a year which in this case you obviously haven’t. So your child not attending will go down as unauthorised.
That being said most schools will authorise holidays if asked in advance and child’s attendance is not below standard.

For future reference reception is a crucial time for phonics (learning to read) they are taught a new sound each day so even missing one day is quite crucial. There is a reason schools don’t like children to be absent.

Having worked in a school dealing with this I would say your email is perfect.

Yes we booked end of September because we always do, and then had a bit of a panic that actually we shouldn't of done the start of term. Going forward we'll try and do the later months towards summer if we are going to take him out in other years. We read to him every night and will do phonics. We've got the school recommended maths game app thing on our phones he can play on and we've downloaded a phonics and tracing apps on to my iPad he can do too so we will keep up some learning.

@Snippysocks I took mine away in term time every year. I didn't take any books, schoolwork, nor play catch up once back.
Holidays are for fun, not work.
They didn't suffer either academically or socially.

If DC is still 4 then you won't get fined at all, since the requirement to be in education starts at age 5.
We did unfortunately get fined (60 quids each parent) for taking our DD(5) up to Scotland for 5 school days in term time during her Reception year. We were pissed off about it tbh, but what can you do? I'm not going to go to court about it, just payed up.

CSA is term after fifth birthday not when you turn five.

@DoorStopper
So did their teacher give up their lunchbreak to help them catch up on missed work? Or perhaps the work they missed wasn't necessary?

Also just keep it to the back of your mind that once he’s older they can take you straight to court without fining you etc. people seem to go it’s ok I’ll just pay the fine but they don’t need to legally do that and I know of two schools who did it

they rarely do it though. But it’s not impossible.

Reception is not compulsory for children who are not of compulsory school age. Obviously. It goes down as an X (Non-compulsory age absence) in the register. Not an O (unauthorised absence).

You have no appreciation of how irritating it is to be asked as a teacher to provide all this for kids going off in term time. It's not just you, it's others too.