Term time holidays and residential school trips

[shebird]

Sorry another rant about term time holiday fines.

DCs school have a residential trip in years 5&6 to an outdoor activity centre at a cost of approximately £250-£300. The trip involves a week out of school in the middle of term. My understanding is that if your child does not go they get fobbed off to another year group and probably won't learn much while their classmates are away. While I'm sure my DCs would love this, I am a bit annoyed that schools can choose to take a week out of school to build rafts and call it education but if I wanted to take my DCs to visit another country or roman ruins I could face a fine or prison? AIBU to send a letter to the school reminding them of the importance of education quoting statistics on attendance and GCSE failure rates?

The nearest suitable specialist provision is nearly 2 hours away. There is a nearer school which is both independent and out of county but he is too young for that yet. He is not aware that he is not included in some things so I have chosen not to fight that battle. I make sure that he is included in things that I think he would enjoy or get something out of.

So start gathering evidence now, document in detail every instance where ds hasn't been able to take part or you have collected him early or kept him at home so as to ensure that he can transfer to the independent specialist school at the earliest opportunity. Unless of course you feel up to a battle just now as well in which case contact IPSEA and SOSSEN and let them help you force the LA to meet your child's needs from today rather than when your ds is older.