To be confused by school holiday authorisation...

[MerryMarigold]

So, we have done the unthinkable and taken the last 3 days of term off in order to fly long haul to visit dh's family (saving ridiculous amounts of money, and meaning we could go). We do this every 4 to 5 years so the last time we went, my eldest was in nursery. Told my friend who is a teacher in this borough and she said it would be fine as attendance figures have been worked out already plus obv it is the very end of a long summer term.

My children (3 of them) always have attendance of 99-100% every term (lucky they are strong and healthy!). I have 2 children at infant school and one in juniors.

Infant school authorised the absence. Was surprised as thought both schools would probably just 'ignore' rather than officially authorise. Junior school sent me sniffy letter about referral to LEA! I do not understand. Is it ultimately the head's decision? What happened to using discretion? I am not asking for something unreasonable. Why does it have to be so black and white? Nothing authorised or everything authorised?

It's made me really cross tbh. If they are going to refer me for this, I may as well have taken 2 weeks either side of Easter. That would've buggered up their attendance! However, I do genuinely care about my children's education so I wouldn't take them out at a time when they may actually be learning something. They will be learning diddly squat in the last 3 days of school.

I got 3 different responses from 3 different schools about DC visiting relatives once every 4.5 yrs, too. Even the ones who sent a shirty letter didn't fine, though (yet?).

it seems like some HTs have some influence over fines, though.
I think I won't be able to say with confidence that we weren't fined until 6 months after the holiday, does that sound right? I have something in my head about fines being issued up to 90 days after end of term when the absence occurred.

Your holiday would almost certainly come under 'exceptional circumstances' in my dd's school. As it did in the infant school.
YANBU.

It's usually only people who want to go on holiday who claim there is no learning in the last few weeks of term, IME

"Not it's not."

What an powerful counter-argument, wobbly. I can't possibly come back from that.

I am surprised one school authorised it.

I would have expected the schools or LEA to say no as they would say you have 5 weeks or so of school holiday to travel.

So, if I've understood correctly, you can take 5 days a year either unauthorised or authorised because no fine will incur? That's for tiggy tape please.

I had to 'fight' to get authorisation for my 2 to have a Friday afternoon off of school to attend their uncle's wedding in September. It was originally denied but after a friendly chat (helped by the fact I had a very good counter argument) it has now been authorised so I am not surprised that the school have not authorised it for you.
That said, to the person who said only people who want to take holidays at this time of the year claim not much learning goes on, ds2's teacher told me exactly that when I was explaining why he has had to miss school twice this week due to hospital appointments. Apparently if they had to be in any week, this was the best one!

"I want to go on holiday early to save money" is not a exceptional circumstance. It may be an understandable reason for wanting to go early, but it's not an exceptional circumstance.

What an powerful counter-argument, wobbly. I can't possibly come back from that

Good...

Want half a day (last day of term)to take DGS to Commonwealth Games. Surely nothing much will be happening that day! I would be interested to know if this heavy handed approach has had an effect on the attendance of children who were persistently absent from school but not on holiday.

wobbly, are you five years old, by any chance?

(Apologies to five-years-olds with better debating skills than wobbly)

It's usually only people who want to go on holiday who claim there is no learning in the last few weeks of term, IME

Are you a teacher, Rhonda? I have a number of teacher friends including my sister. During the last 3 days of a particularly long summer term (early Easter, early half term), no academic learning is occurring. That's according to them. Ok, so dc are missing a picnic, but I don't think it will damage them for life. I think a trip to a third world country is far more educational. And no, we couldn't have just gone in the holidays. We would have had to spend another year saving if we didn't take the 3 days. 1,000 is a lot of money, which is also a lot of time saving. And dh's Dad may be dead by then. He's pretty frail, but not at death's door, so not a reason which could be put down.

I agree 2 weeks ago wouldn't have been great. But now is different.

Interesting that governors set the 'interpretation' of the rules...I didn't realise that. Obv 2 schools means 2 sets of governors.

So, if I've understood correctly, you can take 5 days a year either unauthorised or authorised because no fine will incur

It depends on your LA. Some will fine for a single unauthorised absence, others will not fine until the absence reaches a threshold. Many LAs will not fine unless you have 5 days unauthorised absence but that is by no means universal.

where are all the schools that do nothing in the last week.... my DD's - in secondary school - have reports, get "set" for next year, get their new (compulsory) planners, have a music concert where they are both performing, have sports day, pick up all their work from each class, have an awards assembly, meet their new tutors, are allocated a registration classroom as well as doing tons of "fun" last-of-each-subject lessons - think great egg race, mentos in a coke bottle, loom band pattern weaving etc....

My girls said - we CAN'T take this week off, it is tooooooooo important (and, I'm guessing, fun)

Hmmmm...maybe secondary is a bit different. I think at 11+ years old you have a greater tolerance for the school term than at 5 years old. They are all looking a bit glazed, even the 8 year olds!

DC are in 2 different secondaries. They have both already (weeks ago, even)
been moved into new sets
started next yrs class programme
got new planners
had sports day

DS had a "combat day" today with Royal Marines. DD is away visiting Ripley Believe it or Not & eating at Planet Hollywood on a school trip most this week. Today at primary, the highlights were winning a huge bag of sweets in a 3 legged race & making chocolate caterpillars. Education of sorts, I guess.

No, not a teacher but I work in two primary schools and one of my responsibilities in one of them is managing attendance.

It always puzzles me when people place a high value on non-academic activities undertaken on holiday, but criticise any non-academic learning that takes place in school in the last few days of term.