To take DS out of school for 4 days next year?

[The3Bears]

We came back from our family summer holiday last Sunday, 2 weeks in Cyprus at the Holiday village and we absolutely loved it so want to book again asap while we can benefit from the free child place as ds2 is 2 next year so we will have to pay for him too. We went on the 24th May this year and our holiday cost a fortune, no free child place and £1600pp aswell as our wedding in Cyprus on top of this
So we had a look and it's over £1000 cheaper to leave on Thurs the 28th May next year and a free child space but ds1 whose 7 and will start Juniors next year will miss 4-5 days off school and I'm unsure wether to book. We've never had a holiday in term time before and his attendance is great, he's doing really well with all his work and with how much everything cost this year we'd be unable to pay extra to go on the 24th this year so would have to miss out
IABU if i book this holiday as I'm feeling really unsure about it all and would like some advice as to what you would all do?
TIA

The last week I had authorised was before the fines were introduced so I guess now it's up to the LEA. The day I had last week from a previous post was by the sounds of it at the heads discretion as only one day but both senior and primary authorised one day.

Suburban You might be right, maybe in a better school than ours they would not have golden time and something similarly not academic in the morning the whole aft of the last day.
I am a bit miffed myself at times as I came from a much stricter education where for example the thought of watching tv in school time would have been regarded as total madness.
Maybe it is wrong, maybe it is right, maybe there good and bad in both. But this is what we got, the dc love their school and learn and are happy, the head is happy to authorise few days off provided one does not take advantage.
In my very strict secondary it was very normal to take a week off in winter to go skying. (No half term where i went to school).

What you going to do when these four days aren't authorised then?

Sorry for very confusing post. Tired and hurried (and maybe too many hol when I should have studied ).

I think you are tired, cinderella

In your first post you said it was the last few days before half term which are more relaxed, now you're saying it's only the last day and only in your DC's school.

Oh FFS. Just book it OP, it's a long way off to be stressing about time off school. If the 4 days off is before half term, when the time comes tell them he is ill. If it is after, send them an email and tell them your flight has been delayed/you had passports stolen/you all got food poisoning whatever. You will have been able to go on holiday anyway over the half term, so they should not question his tan .

4 days off school is not going to impact his education at 7/8 and £1.5k is not to be sniffed at. I would do it. I would not be controlled by Gove and his ilk and lose out on a family holiday or waste that amount of money if I could get away with it.

The standard of education in the UK is one of the lowest in the industrialised world and is worse than before they brought this 'no holidays in term time' rule in.

I will speak to the school tomorrow and ask about it, if its a no then we will not be going. I would much rather pay the fine than pay £1500+ to go 3 days earlier, the fine is £120 for 10 days unauthorised absence.

OK if you live in the North East of England, the Head can not authorise a holiday ILoveCoreyHaim

Well that's strange as they were on holiday on Friday. She asked me to put in a holiday form and told me it was fine and so did the senior.

Previous to this was a week in 2012 authorised by the head and a week in 2010 authorised by the head both times after submitting a form and having a meeting wiwith her.

What do you mean if it's a no OP?

Head. Teachers. Are. Not. Allowed. To. Authorise. Term. Time. Holidays.

There has to be exceptional circumstances and Mum and Dad refusing to holiday within their budget when they have school aged kids, certainly does not fit that criteria.

I was under the impression that heads can only authorise holidays in exceptional circumstances. So other than family affairs it's things like with army families where there is a certain few weeks of leave that cannot be changed,not because it's cheaper.

Amendments to the 2006 regulations remove references to family holiday and extended leave as well as the statutory threshold of ten school days. The amendments make clear that headteachers may not grant any leave of absence during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances. Headteachers should determine the number of school days a child can be away from school if the leave is granted.

<a class="break-all" href="http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20131216163513/www.education.gov.uk/schools/pupilsupport/behaviour/attendance/a00223868/regulations-amendments" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Taken from the D f E website

This is the guidelines for my LEA words

The rules on Holidays in Term Time have recently changed, from the 1st of September 2013 Head Teachers may not grant any leave of absence during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances. Head Teachers should determine the number of school days a child can be away from school if the leave is granted.While leave of absence may be granted during term time, it is entirely at the Head Teacher’s discretion and it is not a parental right. If the request for a leave of absence is refused by the Head Teacher but the parent takes their child away, the absence will be marked as unauthorised and the Head Teacher may refer the matter on to the local authority. The parent is then at risk of receiving a warning (in the first instance) or a £60.00 fixed penalty notice.

But chances are the HT will not authorise as having absences longer than a day or two reflect badly on the school in reports etc

That's what I'm saying ILoveCoreyHaim

If your circumstances recently weren't exceptional, I don't know how/why it got authorised?

IDK it's confusing. Put in a holiday form and see what they say. That's all you can do, if they say no and you decide to go as the savings more than the fine then that's your decision.

Don't know what I would do as I haven't applied - bar the one day last week, since he fines were introduced. I guess I would apply and see what the school say. Mine only go every 2 years and as it's not something I can afford and the school in the past haven't had a problem with itii have let them go.

It's probably holiday time again next year for mine so I guess it depends what week the ex in laws can all get holidays from work although some now have kids so will be in the same position as me.

WorraLiberty

IDK either I'm just hoping I don't get and unexpected fine now

It won't be unexpected

The Head will tell you they can't authorise it and advise you that if you go ahead anyway, you will be fined by the LA.

This is where the problem kind of lies at the moment. A lot of parents accept the fines because it's still way cheaper than the extra cost of a non term time holiday.

This is the reason fines are likely to increase massively soon.

I have taken my dd's out of school in the past, but wouldn't just to get the holiday cheaper.

I took them out for one day to attend their grandfathers 70th Birthday party in Ireland and another time took dd1 out to attend a dance competition abroad, it was the world championships and she missed 3 days at the end of term, however this was authorised by the head.

If taking your DS out for 4 days was the only way you could afford to go on holiday, I would have some sympathy as I do believe family holidays are important. However £3,700 is plenty to go on a 2 week holiday in the school holidays, you may just need to look at other destinations / different accommodation.

Have you tried searching flights from other UK airports? we are going to Spain this year and managed to get the price of our flights to Malaga down from £1,500 to £900 by flying from Bournemouth instead of a London airport, it means we have a 2 hour drive but worth it.

She definitely said it was fine and I could take them out and so did the senior so I doubt I will get fined. Have no idea what other parents are doing as I don't do the school run so can't ask anyone earwig at the gate

If you can afford £3700 then surely there are other places you could go for 2 weeks in holiday time? You might find somewhere you like even more than Cyprus (and that's cheaper).

DS1 is missing 3 weeks of school next year.

We have told the school and the Head Teacher's response was what an opportunity it is for him and that of course they can give us some school work to take.

We are not in the UK though. How come UK school need to be like this when so many other places are not?

Does it have to be the Aliathon OP? There are cheaper hotels in Paphos that have just as good facilities. Or maybe look at cheaper HVs away from Cyprus - the Manar in Tunisia is good.

I feel for you, the difference in prices is absolutely ridiculous isn't it. We were going to try to do the Disney thing this year but the price was double during holidays than outside them. It was really disappointing.

Personally I don't think 4 days at the end of a term is that important, but then DDs current school is one of those that seems to 'play' that week. Maybe if it was a 'better' school I'd feel differently. Look again towards the end of term/year in July - we had a bargin holiday last year because our school broke up 2 days earlier than most and we took a night flight that very day - DD travelled in her school uniform!

The fine is £60 per child per parent per absence. So your fine would be £120.

Many LAs have a policy of only fining for 10 missed sessions in each year provided attendance is otherwise good. That's not 10 days though as was suggested above. 10 sessions is 5 days. If DS1 was out of school for only 4 days you may escape a fine.

If you want to do it and DS1 doesn't mind missing school then I'd do it. I'd write to the school a nice letter telling them what you plan and saying that its a one off (if it will be) then not agonise over it anymore. Make sure you help him catch up on missed work.

I have a question (no children yet so no recent experience of the school system) - my dad is in the emergency services and holidays are just allocated so not everyone gets time off in the school holidays. Are families in this situation now just expected not to take family holidays if the weeks allocated fall within term time?