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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to be angry about attendance charge from school

562 replies

HidingInTheBathroom · 07/02/2014 15:36

I am very upset at the minute. Received my fine today for taking my children out of school four days before they break up for Christmas.

Me and my husband have received a £60 fine for each child for each parent.

We are being charged more for being a couple. Which I think is wrong. The last week of school they only watch films and went to a pantomime. Oh and had a school disco. The holiday was far more educational than watching films and family time is hard to come by with work.

When I have requested a meeting with the head teacher I have just got a mouthful of abusive from the receptionist.

OP posts:
PiperRose · 07/02/2014 15:52

You are not being charged for being a couple. The Education Act states that it is the "Duty of parents to secure education of children of compulsory school age."

There are two of you and you both broke the law.

Another way to look at it is that your children get twice the emotional, educational and monetary support than children of single parents.

DoJo · 07/02/2014 15:52

What did the receptionist actually say?

TamerB · 07/02/2014 15:52

You can't have requested it or it would have been turned down. If you did, and it was,then you should have known the consequence. I don't see how getting annoyed with the Head helps ( or changes things).

theborg · 07/02/2014 15:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Whitegrenache · 07/02/2014 15:54

if its only for a few days why dont parents tell the school the kids are sick?

I am planning to do that on a monday when we are at center parcs.

I will however convince the dc that "they are a bit peaky and need to rest"
Hmm

ChocolateWombat · 07/02/2014 15:54

The receptionist issue is a red herring on this thread. It doesn't have any bearing on whether the OP should have been fined or not.

Receptionists should not be rude, but they are sometimes pushed hard by people talking to them.

PiperRose · 07/02/2014 15:55

If you do not pay it within 28 days it will double. If it remains unpaid it will go to court.

Probably best to suck it up and pay it.

ShadowOfTheDay · 07/02/2014 15:55

and it is not an "attendance charge" it is a truancy charge.... that is after all what unauthorised absence amounts to...

TheWitTank · 07/02/2014 15:56

To add, why are you taking it out on the school? They have to follow the guidelines set, which are leave is only to be taken in exceptional circumstances. A holiday is generally not this. It is not the fault of the school. If the receptionist was rude, then of course this is not acceptable-unless you went in all guns blazing about the fine and gave her a earful?!

Whathaveiforgottentoday · 07/02/2014 15:56

Why did you think it was ok to take them out 4 days before the end of term?
Schools make it very clear that they will not authorise holidays except in exceptional circumstances and your scenerio doesn't appear to be that.

PiperRose · 07/02/2014 15:56

Whitegrenache, what will you do if your children tell their teachers about their holiday, or are you planning on asking them to lie?

BalloonSlayer · 07/02/2014 15:57

Whitegrenache won't you worry that your DC will bound back into school telling everyone what a fab time they had at Centreparcs?

I'd be worrying so much I wouldn't enjoy meself!

BalloonSlayer · 07/02/2014 15:58

xpost with PiperRose

jacks365 · 07/02/2014 15:58

I suspect the mouthful of abuse was the receptionist stating that meeting the head wouldn't change anything. Some people can see rudeness in anything.

MelanieRavenswood · 07/02/2014 15:59

Interesting that the fine is just being seen as a charge to go on holiday in term time. The way some well off people see parking tickets as a charge for parking in a place convenient to them.

starballbunny · 07/02/2014 15:59

It shouldn't be a crime to want to spend time with your family.

School should not be a provision sentence.

It's an absolutely obscene law and I'd even vote Labour if they said they'd bin it!

theborg · 07/02/2014 16:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

wetaugust · 07/02/2014 16:00

YANBU

Is the school going to compensate you for failing to supply a vital day's worth of education when the teachers go on strike - thought not.

Whitegrenache · 07/02/2014 16:00

Nah the kids will be warned not to say a word, and even if they do, how would the school not know the were not ill?

Its my word against them.
However our school is a lovely rural and i can not imagine the head mistress actually doing anything about 1 day

Plus a little white lie is ok once in a while

pixiepotter · 07/02/2014 16:01

'Whitegrenache won't you worry that your DC will bound back into school telling everyone what a fab time they had at Centreparcs?

she's say 'Yes we did go to centreparcs last weekend and unfortunately were unwell on monday.'

Whitegrenache · 07/02/2014 16:02

there have been days in the past when i simply can not get the children to school if the snow is bad as the roads dont get gritted.
would that be unauthorised? I think it is if the school remains open?

Original poster
HidingInTheBathroom · 07/02/2014 16:04

Sorry forgot to add parents (who are family) also took there 3 children out the same week to go to Disney land Paris and did not get fined. They are however on the PTFA. This is what I mad about.
The receptionist was herd screaming down the phone at me saying she was not just a receptionist she was the school business manager. I was very calm did not raise my voice but wanted a meeting with my children's head teacher and do not want to discuss the matter over the phone. The conversation is recorded and I will putting in a formal complaint.

Sorry should of stated this in the first instance.

OP posts:
WooWooOwl · 07/02/2014 16:06

Unless you have been living under a rock for the last year, YABU.

You knew you weren't supposed to take your children out of school for a holiday, but you did it anyway. Now you have to face the consequences.

YouStayClassySanDiego · 07/02/2014 16:06

Hmm right then, ok.

WooWooOwl · 07/02/2014 16:08

Why was she feeling the need to defend her position in the school?

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