OMG. Are these 'penalty notices' for taking children out of school in term time legally enforceable?

[Utterlyastoundedmum]

Not interested in having a debate about whether it is 'right' to take a child out of schol, in term time for holidays etc. just wanting to know whether they can be enforced from a legal perspective.

I have just read the latest school newsletter and am to be honest, very annoyed indeed to find that as of September the school are changing its policy on authorising absences. Until now it's always been on a case by case basis but now they are saying no absence will be authorised whatsoever no matter what, except for one day for weddings ( with proof!)

The penalty is £60 or £120.

Not very fair on any parents such as myself who booked a holiday for a week in October as we really CANNOT get away in half term this year.

I will not be paying unless this is legally enforcible!!

I appreciate how you feel Marmalade, re not getting a holiday. I'm married to a teacher so haven't been able to take a holiday in term time for years. Now we've got small children we can't afford to go on holiday at all. We get by.

Grow up marmalade, wankery!? Maturity at it's best.

Have a holiday at home.

The fact remains that academies can set their own conditions - take it or leave it. Non academy schools' don't have any powers to change the requirements for attendance and government decision that term time holidays should not be taken. The schools may well be sympathetic to individual family need but they aren't responsible for the policy and nor do they have power to influence it or be flexible. Parents are directing their complaints at the wrong people.

And yes: failing to support your child's non academy school threatens its status and paves the way to more Gove power and less choice for parents ie comply with the rules of your academy or lose your child's place.

Well that's fine for YOU, giddy. It is not fine for ME or DH. Just because you don't place importance on holidays it doesn't automatically follow that no-one else should! What an odd attitude.

I am VERY mature actually.

The fact that it doesn't suit you Marmalade doesn't enable the school to do anything about it.

Obviously you can choose to do as you please but once your child's school has to become an academy you risk losing your place. And remember academies can set their own holidays which may differ from neighbouring schools.

This is a government issue. Direct your anger to them.

They weren't the conditions when I sent my child to school though, were they?

You're right - they weren't, but they are now. So, you have a choice. You can opt out and home educate, follow the rules (at the same time, campaigning for them to be changed) or you can break the rules and accept the consequences.
Or is it just my life which works like that?

I'm glad I don't employ people who expect me to alter the terms of their employment to suit their personal financial circumstances! If I need them here at 9am, I'm not going to overlook the fact that they don't arrive until 10am "because the bus fare is cheaper off-peak"!

It shows Marmalade.

Where did giddysay she placed no importance on holidays?

Have a holiday at home

I can't think of anything worse - I'd be begging to go back to work within 2 days...

We've just paid £3K for our summer hol, flying on Sun. Same holiday flying last wednesday evening was £1K cheaper.

Last Thu the school had a 'clean out the classroom' day and bought home all the work they have done over the year, they also watched Yr6's summer panto in the afternoon - No teaching took place. On Fri they had a 'fun day' and the summer fete - No teaching took place. On Mon DD watched Diary of a Wimpy Kid and yesterday watched Toy Story 3 before finishing at 1300.

I've paid an extra grand to take my DD away in the school holidays, but for the past week she's done F all at school. Now that grinds my gears.

I don't see the problem here. The rules say, and have always said, that you should avoid having your child out of school unnecessarily. There were truant officers in my day and before so this is not a new concept.

A holiday in school time is not a necessity even if you work really really really hard and therefore is unnecessary. If you must go during term time because that's when it's cheapest then expect and budget to pay the fine.

Honestly, the sense of entitlement is strong in this thread

"The fact that it doesn't suit you Marmalade doesn't enable the school to do anything about it."

I wasn't implying that. I was saying that just because it suits Giddy not to have a holiday, it doesn't suit everyone. In fact, there are a lot of people on this thread that think that they are in some way superior and pious because they have made do without a holiday since 1976. Well, bully for them.

I do apologise RVP. I had missed the bit in the MN T&Cs when I signed up that said that I must post in a most mature manner at all times. I will deregister in shame, immediately.

I think you need to check the definition of holiday.

Ahhhh, sense of entitlement. Surprised it took until page 20 for that one to be wheeled out...

Psssst, authorised holiday isn't truanting. Truant officers were to catch TRUANTS.

Well, if there is one thing this thread has made clear it is that there is no point directing your ire at the school, or even the LEA, over this.

The last government brought in the legislation, this government is now requiring it to be enforced in a zero tolerance way.

Like it or don't like it, the teachers have no more say than you do.

Sense of entitlement? Wow.

I?m just so sick of people saying that holidays are not educational, they must be going on really shit holiidays then.

My kids have learned a vast amount from our holidays and their development has hugely benefitted. No, you don?t have to go on holiday, but you shouldn?t be penalised for choosing to do so when you can, when your child?s progress is otherwise excellent.

Are people really happy with being dictated to to this level, about what they can do with their own children when it?s to their benefit? And yes, until schools can say that they don?t waste a minute of the day ? no free lessons, spurious video lessons, activity days, school trips, community visits, bl00dy prayer cr@p etc. etc. - then they certainly should not be begrudging me and mine the opportunity for our own bit of development and family time.

(I don?t disagree with school trips, activity days etc., just saying that they often provide the same benefits as holidays do)

But it's not authorised is it?

If you're not in school and you should be isn't that the very definition of truanting?

Amimagic, I think it's telling that the people saying "holidays can be done without" are either teachers, married to teachers of can't afford a holiday at any time.

I don't think as a nation we value the education system. Look at that ppor girl in the news who was shot because she was fighting for her right to an education. It is a privilege that every child has the right to an education

I never thought of it as truanting if the child was with their parent, after all it's their child, they are in charge.

"But it's not authorised is it?

If you're not in school and you should be isn't that the very definition of truanting?"

IT WAS UNDER THE PREVIOUS GUIDELINES. You know? When you got a signed slip AUTHORISING the absence?!

Lots and lots of people are happy to be dictated to to this level and beyond and they pay through the nose for their children's education.

Just because state education is free doesn't mean it shouldn't be valued even if it is far from perfect

Oh bloody hell, Vickibee.

Taking your child on a holiday does NOT equate to not valuing the education system.

Marmalade yes, very telling. Do people really think that missing a week of school once a year is damaging to education?!? (not talking about exam time etc)

Really smacks of sour grapes and needing to get a grip.

These rich government bods are still getting their hols, no problems.

State education isn't free though, is it? Just like the NHS isn't free. There seems to be an attitude that in this country that we have to put up with things in the state sector because they are free.

The huge tax deduction on DH's payslip demonstrates that neither are "free".

I feel entitled, I feel entitled to see more of the world and take my DC with me, as much as I can.

I feel entitled to say and judge myself as an educated person how my DD is doing at school and whether one week away in term time will affect her.

I feel entitled to say I know my holidays are very educational!

Entitled Entitled Entitled.

Yours

The prince of Cambridge