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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to take DS on holiday even though I am more than likely going to get fined for it?

32 replies

TheLifeOfRiley · 27/08/2010 20:05

DS is 5 (will be 6 by holiday date) and I have booked us a mon-fri holiday in May. Local rag had as it's headline the other day 'clamp down' on term time holidays a success. Fining parents £50 per child if they are taken out of school during term time for a holiday.

TBH I have just shrugged my shoulders. Paying a £50 fine on top of my holiday is still hundreds of pounds cheaper than going in school hols. Plus DS is autistic and would find it hellish going on holiday at peak time.

OP posts:
HecateQueenOfWitches · 27/08/2010 20:07

could you not request permission on those grounds?

zazen · 27/08/2010 20:08

Go, and pay the money if you are fined.

I'm sure you can get a letter from your GP to appeal any action taken.

Enjoy your precious family time.

Original poster
TheLifeOfRiley · 27/08/2010 20:08

I am going to ask for permission from the head but if they deny it I will still be taking him. I reckon head will say no as absences due to parents taking children out for term time hols was actually mentioned in their recent ofsted report.

OP posts:
nigglewiggle · 27/08/2010 20:12

I think you have anwered your own question. I personally think that some staggering of school holidays would benefit everyone, but until that happens it presents dilemmas for schools and parents. Holidays are not essential (though sometimes it feel like itWink) but if everyone decided to do it, schools would be fairly chaotic.

I think you have decided that you can afford it, it will be beneficial to your child, so YANBU.

Minxie1977 · 27/08/2010 20:15

YANBU - I think people should take DC's on hols when they see fit. I despise the idea of fining people for doing it. I doubt a 5yr old will miss anything vital to his life. Hols are essential in this household!

aniseed · 27/08/2010 20:20

I work in a school and I am under the impression that if there are exceptional circumstances (and having an autistic child for the reasons you described) would be exceptional then you would most certainly be granted permission and not be fined. Just be sure to put your reasons in your letter / on your holiday form.

TrillianAstra · 27/08/2010 20:22

He's only 6, he won't miss much at school. Unless autism + interrupted routine = disaster of course.

Original poster
TheLifeOfRiley · 27/08/2010 20:31

It is somewhere we have holidayed that he is familiar and comfortable with. He likes to look at detailed pics of prk and accomadation and whatnot before we go, and we have to take alsorts of familiars from hoe but he does enjoy it. Smile

DS is not too bad re:routine but he likes to be reassured by using visual clues. Has a daily timetable and for big events a countdown of sleeps and lots of info and reassurance.

He dislikes school and finds it very upsetting, tedious and draining but is doing well I'm very proud of him - he is getting a TA in sept so I'm hoping that will help him feel more supported.

I won't be telling DS it's a school week BTW, he will think all his friends are off school that week too.

Will definately ask in a letter then and explain circumstances too in case it helps.

OP posts:
fabsoopergroovy · 27/08/2010 20:35

Who are you being fined by?

Original poster
TheLifeOfRiley · 27/08/2010 20:39

I'm not sure who is responisble for the fininf fabsoopergroovy, but I'm guessing the local authority(?)

Here is a link to the artical I read.

OP posts:
Original poster
TheLifeOfRiley · 27/08/2010 20:41

Blimey my typos are even worse than usual today! Blush

I do know how to spell and type....honestly. Hmm

OP posts:
fabsoopergroovy · 27/08/2010 20:56

Education (Pupil Registration) Regulations Act 1995 gives schools discretionary power to grant leave ? up to 10 days ? for an annual holiday during term time. Headteachers do therefore have discretion and YANBU at all.

It seems that there are differing opinions within LEAs depending whereabouts in the country you are. I can see no valid reason why your application for leave of absence would be refused.

Go and have a brilliant time whilst your DS is not bound by revision timetables etc. and say poo to your LEA.

HermanTheGerman · 27/08/2010 20:59

I've never understood the legality of being able to fine people in the UK for missing a week of school. After all, school is not compulsory, since you can home ed. As long as you can prove that there was some sort of educational component to the week - like you were teaching your son, I don't know, biology (looking at a snail) or geography (visiting somewhere interesting), or sport (running around) - surely you are fulfilling your obligation. I can understand the local authority doesn't like it, but that's not the same as them being justified to fine you. Has anyone ever taken this argument to court?

AgentZigzag · 27/08/2010 21:01

Fuck it, there's more to life than school.

Enjoy yourselves and don't feel guilty Smile

cleverlyconcealed · 27/08/2010 21:12

You can home ed German and if the OP were to officially withdraw the child from school then they can't fine. However if a child is registered at school then the parents have a legal obligation to ensure regualr attendance.

OP - school are unlikely to fine you for 5 days absence if your child's attendance is otherwise good.

Also schools should not have a blanket policy on refusing to authorise all absence. Each request should be viewed on an individual basis (they may still, and probably will refuse) but supposed to consider any exceptional circumstances.

Giddyup · 27/08/2010 21:39

We had our holiday request turned down and were told if we took DS we would be fined; we never were. Truancy officer (or similar) sent a letter and I phoned and explained why we went and it wouldn't be a regular occurrence. I was thanked for calling and we never heard from them again. It was week tacked on to the xmas hols to visit my Dad who was about to sail from the Caribbean to Oz where he lives. We also hadn't seen him for a couple of years.

I was told by the teacher that because attendance was poor at the school and they could't do much about the scummy parents who never sent their kids in short term so by fining parents who take their children out for a few days they were showing the LEA that they were cracking down. She didn't care at all that we were going, just said they had to go through the motions. I am not sure how much truth there is in that but we are going to visit my Dad down under early next year and DS's new school that has excellent attendance have no problem with it.

NestaFiesta · 27/08/2010 21:58

I like what Herman says. Has anyone ever taken it to court?

YANBU TLOR, nobody can be too surprised about holidays in term time when prices are scandalous and we are talking about 5 and 6 year olds, not a 15 year old missing essential exams. If your autistic son would be uncomfortable with overcrowding in school hols, then you are totally justified as far as I can see.

Kayteee · 27/08/2010 22:33

Agree with AgentZigzag, 'there is more to life than school'.

We got fed up with all the controlling within the school system so took the dcs out to home educate.

We go on holiday whenever we like/can afford it and no-one can do anything about it. Hah!Grin

TheCoalitionNeedsYou · 28/08/2010 08:17

Well, they've put a price on it now haven't they? So if it's worth £50 to you - go for it. I suspect this wasn't there intention though ;)

DogDays · 28/08/2010 08:28

My DS is in secondary school now so if I took him out in school time for a holiday, I'd DEFINATELY get fined. I'd still do it though, £50 is nothing compared to the premium I'd have to pay to go away in the school holidays.

If they don't want kids being taken out of school for holidays, the govenment should make it illegal for travel companies to put up their prices during the school holidays. Why should low income families be priced out of the holiday market??? it really annoys me.

Lizcat · 28/08/2010 09:30

Herman's point about playing up any educational angle is a good one. We were caught in the ash cloud and should have been home two days before school started and ended up missing 4 days of school. When DD returned we had made a map showing all the different forms of transport she had used to return, the tickets she had used and examples of all the different types of money we used on our journey. I expected this to be an unauthorised abscence (sorry spelling really bad today),however, on reviewing all the evidence the head of juniors thought we had made it an educational experience and authorised the abscence.

SweetGrapes · 28/08/2010 09:38

Ahh, but they don't put up their prices, they put them down at off peak times, donchaknow...

Dd has always got permission though. She is autistic and it's bad enough at quiet times, on school holidays it is horrendous taking her out anywhere.

lazarusb · 28/08/2010 14:34

I once took mine out of school for a week for a wedding (midweek) which was a long way from home and needed to stagger travelling. That was authorised by the Head.

deaddei · 28/08/2010 14:46

I would not take dcs out of secondary school, but have done the odd day either side of the May half term when they were in infants school.
We haven't had a family holiday this year, and don't feel we've missed out. I don't consider them essential- more stressful!

Morloth · 28/08/2010 14:50

I wouldn't take kids out if they had exams or something coming up, but don't think it is actually any sort of a big deal at all otherwise. My parents did it with no ill effects. I have friends who took their DCs out for 8 weeks and went on a huge tour of Canada and the US and they were 10 and 12, hasn't made a lick of difference in the long term.