School Abscense Fine - huge amount

[PMDD]

If I am correct, if you take your child/ren out of school without prior agreement, there is an automatic fine of £60/day/child/parent?

So for us, a family with 3 children, a 2 week holiday in (say) June, would cost us £3600 - or double that if we don't pay within a certain amount of time!

Is it me to think that is totally unreasonable?!

That is a huge amount. The people who take their children out normally can't afford the hike in holiday prices, so how on earth would they afford the fine?

its only been in recent years this obsession with taking children on holiday in school time. I'm not that ancient (37) and remember one child going on holiday in school time it was not normal thing to do and everyone went on holiday in the school holidays

I am a similar age to you (a year younger!) and I also remember similar (although secondary school was different)

I think its down to the high inflation of holiday prices now through tour operators. Prices for the main summer holidays are quite ridiculous.

Theoriginal the curriculum is so jam packed and result focused enrichment is falling by the wayside.How can it not?It's only going to get worse.

Rich parents can enrich their kids during the school holidays the rest of us can't.

Numpty - you are in danger of sounding like you believe that bright children who are ahead with their learning deserve a holday more than other children. Entitlement to a holiday isn't based on how academically able a child is.

It's nothing to do with teachers having god complexes - it's not even the teachers who are imposing these fines.

I was upset when they brought in the new 'rules'. My daughters have autism, we have always taken them out of school to go away for a week during May or June, not because of the price of holidays in the summer holiday but because my dd's can not cope with noise, busy places and crowded beaches, going away in May or June often meant places were a lot quieter, we didn't have to queue or wait for food and my dd's did not have to socialise as much with other children ( yes there were other children about but not as many as there would have been in the holidays).

Now it has become a lot harder for us to find somewhere quiet where the dd's can enjoy a break, we have managed to book a holiday ( we have found a log cabin through hoseasons on a small sight which specialises in fishing holidays ) but this has meant chiseling a sight with nothing else on sight, it has cost a lot more this year to find a sight suitable ( and we are paying double for a place that has less on sight then where we usually go ) but we are respecting the rules and I do understand why they have stopped term time holidays ( but does not mean I fully agree with it ).

I can see how it's going to effect a lot of families who can not afford to pay for a holiday in the summer holidays, I think it's wrong that the price differences are so huge, a lot of families will not be able to take their dc's away, I know there are still some bargain holidays to be had if you book last minute but these will become harder to find.

Yes original 'energising' not "enervating" oops

I would personally find a trip to Florida enervating but for kids, its exciting, a chance to see how people in other parts live, exposure to different social situations etc. In my family, every second is a learning opportunity whether we're in Tesco or the Dordogne.

If Disney trips are not educational why then do schools offer class trips at extortionate prices to children to Disney?

Good god, do they? I'd have something to say about that if our schools tried it!

I think this is one of many advantages conferred by wealth.

OK, so there's a few things to consider I suppose.
Whatever the ability of your child, whatever their attainment levels, rate of progress, additional needs... the school is tasked with challenging them to do the best that they can. Even if a child is working at age-expected levels, they have to see if they have the capacity to go beyond that. (Apart from anything else, if a child is coasting along they get bored and disengaged).
So at any time a school can be putting short-term interventions in place to address any number of things. They might be looking to "close a gap" that they have identified for a small number of children (they could be high achievers). They might be dealing with a number of children who need some help to come up to age-expected levels, or some sort of special or additional needs. It could be that a whole class needs a bit of extra boost in one subject. In any of these cases extra support and staffing may have been put in place to help things along. They might be working on one day, or one period a week for 6 weeks, there are many ways they might tackle these issues.
When you book your holiday you don't know whether your child is going to be involved in this sort of activity, and the school might not know either at that point. But if your child misses that slot it's going to be very difficult for the staff to backtrack or put in extra support for just that one pupil. They might even have been using some extra support or funding - from the LA, Pupil Premium for example - to deliver the intervention. Once it's spent, it's spent.
So that's why parents need to think very hard before taking any child, however bright or advanced they think they are, out of school for a week or two in term time. The child may miss out on something useful that has been put in place specifically for their benefit.

In the example given in the press I have no doubt that the school were already tearing their hair out about the lost hours from the oldest child's absence.

Marne- you may find that your situation counts as exceptional. Nobody with any sense and understanding of autism can argue that it is difficult to holiday during the busiest time of year with 2 daughters who have autism. You are clearly not just choosing term time for the cash saving, you have a genuine reason.

I think any primary kid with good attendance isn't going to suffer with 1 week off during the school year.Actually I don't just think,I know.And if said week was in July it would be a hugely better use of their time.

People who agree with fines ime are those that can afford hols in the hols or who are driven by jealousy.

The fines have been there for years haven't they? Its only now that the Govt have seen it as a way of clawing money back.

Rather than go after Corporation Tax dodgers etc.

or teachers (though they may fall under the jealous camp )

tiredemma - i think it depended on your lea. they only came into effect here in september just gone.

I hate busy places - and my dh works in London so he wants peace - so we don't go to resorts - we get a little cottage as far away from others as we can - conversely the children would probably like the busiest seaside town and the cheesiest campsite - and be quite happy.

We make our holiday choice based on the cheapest cottage we can find in the sleepiest location - so that can mean somewhere cheaper as it is not the most popular. Weather can be a bit crap - but as I got sunstroke in Scarborough as a child I like to avoid sunny climes. Armed with a bag of food, macs, sweeties, map book and sturdy sandals we have had great adventures in the less fashionable parts of Britain - try it you might like it.

Personally I would rock up with the money the day before you set off it's still cheaper than paying the extra during the school holidays

Quite frankly for the last 3 years the last week of every term ds watches videos plays games and larks about oh and there are lots and lots of end of term parties

my other concern is how divisive it is.

this family are allowed because they have dual heritage, this family are allowed because they are travellers, this family because they have religious duties etc. it's the kind of thing that causes resentment and understandably really in some ways.

Sadly our case does not come under the 'exceptional circumstances'

We will manage to find holidays somewhere quiet but it's not easy during the summer holidays, we have to chose holidays that are being sold to older people ( or in this years case a fishing holiday ).

My dd's school is full of people who ( up until now) would often take their kids out to go abroad several times a year ( skiing in the winter, Florida in the summer and a break in the uk during the spring ), these people are not happy but can afford to still do these things in the holidays but there are a few people who will no longer be able to go on holiday due to the price.

I don't think it has done my dd's any harm taking them out for a week once a year, dd1 is working at a very high level and dd2 works t her own pace ,they have never had to catch up on work when they return but I can see how it could be a problem when children do need to catch up.

this family are allowed because they have dual heritage, this family are allowed because they are travellers, this family because they have religious duties etc. it's the kind of thing that causes resentment and understandably really in some ways

I read through our local LEA guidelines and there is a section regarding children going far overseas to visit family and then coming back just under 20 days (which is when the school place can be withdrawn)
So some children can get up to 20 days to visit a relative but I might have difficulty in getting 5 days to visit our own relatives- but in France. It is divisive.

its a wonderful world we live in with a government more concnered about school attendance than child abuse but hey ho priorities and all that

agreed tired. we all have special circumstances - not just those of a particular culture or religion or heritage. only allowing for some not all to exercise those rights is divisive.

yes sofucked up - and a country that wants to fine parents for going on holiday but doesn't fine absent parents who refuse to support them and wants to charge resident parents for the privilege of seeking maintenance. interesting priorities isn't it?

its a wonderful world we live in with a government more concnered about school attendance than child abuse but hey ho priorities and all that

I think this is why I am so enraged about my LEA -

When you read stuff like this and then think that they have the very nerve to get all shitty about term time holidays- they need to sort their priorities out

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/10380523/Birmingham-is-national-disgrace-says-Ofsted-chief-inspector.html

Fortydoor

Fortydoors