Taking kids out during term time for family holiday?

[NotmySundaybest]

Do any of you do this?
When we were kids we always got took out to go away. I know times have changed & obviously fines are now issued.
Just wondered if you would still take the kids out of school as paying the fine is cheaper than the extra holiday cost?

If you would do this or have how old are your kids?

Since mine have been at senior and mid way through Primary I always book when they've broke up. If I knew they deffo wasn't missing anything important I would be tempted.

How much is a fine?

Every year when DD was in primary. No fines here provided their attendance is otherwise good.

Taking her out for 2 days in year 8 for a long weekend trip.

The fine is £60 per parent per child.

The fine is going up in August to £120 per parent. Even taking your child out of school 4 days earlier can save you hundreds of pounds it's a no trainer to me. However I'm a single parent paying both fares obviously DC has been adult fare since he was over 2 years old.

Glad we don't have this.
It's ridiculous.
Never had it when my two were little.. just sent a note to say they won't be in school for next two weeks because we are going Greek island hopping.
They learnt so much more on holiday.. all my GC are HE.
Too many rules and regulations.
It's worse than borstal.

I take DS out during term time. 6 days in December, 5 days in June.

He is 10 and is extremely bright and ahead of his peers academically so I don't worry about him missing school work. (Before anyone jumps on me, that's not a brag - he has asd so is behind his peers in lots of other things like sport.)

Yes we do, for a week max but not at the start of the school year as I think this is an important settling in time.

the fines aren’t just increasing, they’re changing the rules to say two occasions of 5 days + absence in two years could lead to prosecution, so we won’t be doing it as often (or taking them out for 4 days instead of full week)

Given your grammar @NotmySundaybest it’s a pity you didn’t spend more time at school.

Perfect example that school doesn't teach you everything (kindness and manners).

I am. I will explain that he's going on holiday and won't attempt to lie and I won't try to justify it by saying it's educational, of course it isn't 😂😂

We took DD to Disneyland Paris when she was about 7 in term time. I was chatting with the headteacher when her class teacher walked past and asked how we had enjoyed Disney. I started spewing stuff about practicing French and trying new foods and learning about gravity (tower of terror) when the headteacher stopped me and said “it absolutely fine to go away and just have fun, you know”.

I do. Almost every year but Wales aren't so strict about it. So we have never had a fine. It's either that or we don't go. School holiday prices are ridiculous.

I would but work in a school so I can't. Ds is bright so I wouldn't worry about him academically. I'd probably do it during the last term, making sure it wouldn't coincide with transition days etc. I would love a holiday abroad, but absolutely cannot afford school holiday prices. So sick of the rain on holidays in England. Last year we went to Cornwall in August for a week, only managed one beach day (due to crap weather) and even then it was too cold to take our jumpers off, it's miserable!

They’ made a horrible comment and you were right to call them out on it . But calling someone a Karen is also really not ok.

I did it and now my DD does it with her girls…..she took them to Australia for 6 weeks last year, takes them to Glastonbury festival every year ( 4 days out of school) and she takes them out of school a week early every July to go abroad….never been fined

I wouldn’t because I need all my annual leave for school holidays when there’s no holiday clubs running.

We are at a private school and they don’t fine if you go on holiday, but if you are a repeat offender and your child is behind the head calls you in for a meeting.

We are going to be hit with the higher fine as we have booked a January ski holiday. My DD has had 100% attendance this school year and my DS has misses one day for illness. I am tempted to say the kids are ill. For the week. We have booked first week back in Jan. I will say we went over xmas so the kids don't have to worry about letting it slip in conversation at school. They are in primary school it will not make much difference to their educational attainment. I was in school pre these ridiculous fines and I missed school in my GCSE years and it caused me no issues.

We are going away for the first time during school time this month. I'll be ringing them to say she's ill. Not paying a fine. I believe education is extremely important but it's not the end of the world for a few days.

I wouldn't do 2 weeks or even a week really.

Till the teacher asks if they’re feeling better and they tell them exactly where you have been.

@SneezedToothOut ha, I know. I hope she is smarter than that!

It’s a very dangerous game (and not a great lesson for your child). Why not just tell the school you’re taking her away?

@CommeUneVacheEspagnole you won't get a fine just for a few days! Just be honest and write the school a little note saying you are going on holiday. DS teacher wishes us a nice holiday and even asked us where we was going. He missed 3 days! We have not long since come back. Some schools do home visits so I would be careful about sating your child is ill for more than 1 day.

If your going then go but don’t ask your children to lie it’s not fair on them, and telling them it’s ok to pretend to be ill so you don’t have to go to school isn’t sensible either!

If you're a two working parent household then it's not just the cost of the fine to be factored in, it's the cost of having to pay childcare for extra holiday days.

I personally think taking children out of school for a holiday is a bad idea, but I can see why people do it and would suggest it's not an issue through most of primary (but not Year 6). At secondary school I think they miss too much (my DC's school literally teaches up to the penultimate day of term; it only has one "fun" day). But if you're going to do it, then don't lie and say your children are ill - that's a really poor message to teach them.