Holiday fines?

[frozen1234]

Hi.

Im after some advice.

We have been on holiday and took our son in september. We paid the fine.

We have another holiday in march and wondered what the process is? Would we get another fine or do they take you to court for the second time you do it. Out of curiosity can you keep having hols each year and paying the fine? Or will they eventually take you to court?

Thanks for any answers on the above questions..

The old system was that headteachers used their discretion!

But they didn't did they because people came to expect that they would be allowed no matter what. The old system was pointless!

The difference is that headteachers are no longer allowed to authorise absence due to family holidays.

Common sense and discretion were not given the chance to work because head teachers never really had the power did they. it was all up to the LEA or the governors

Maybe because very few are prepared to accept that they are pisstakers? As any headteacher will tell you, it's always "someone else's fault," "if they got it I certainly should" and so on

It's hard enough coping with large numbers of kids crying "it's not faaaiiirrr!!" Faced with a blizzard of increasingly demanding parents doing exactly the same, there really was no choice but to bring in the blanket ban, however imperfect it may seem at times

people came to expect that they would be allowed no matter what

I'd suggest that's hardly the fault of the system, though - as we see on here, people with this attitude won't accept anything other than exactly what they want. If the system is changed then they consider that "unfair" too ...

I agree it's not the fault of the system but that is why the system needed changing. And while people still take the piss then a firm system is needed Unfortunatly.

The new system does allow for time to be allowed for for a family holiday IF that is for exceptional circumstances not just a case of "it was the cheapest time for 2 weeks in Spain"

And while people still take the piss then a firm system is needed Unfortunatly

Fully agree, and as you rightly say, real exceptions are usually allowed for as they always have been. Obviously we can't know the true circumstances of the cases where an apparent exception has been refused, but such people can still appeal - and a good thing too

As I've said, though, it will never be enough for some ...

There is no right to appeal.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2808106/Parents-allowed-children-class-term-time-government-plans-relax-holiday-ban-introduced-Gove.html

There is a chink of light here, its not a fait accompli.

The system needs to be back to discretion end of.

But the system before wasn't discretion. It was we are going and the rules say we can. It was right to change it.

Most people do not need to go on holiday in term time. Children should be in school during term time unless there is some exceptional circumstance

revealall I was referring to appeals to governors where a headteacher's decision really does seem perverse. Luckily it doesn't seem to happen very often, but the option is still there and I've known a couple of cases where it's "worked" for the parents. Equally I've known a lot more where it hasn't ...

KnittedJimmyBoos - No doubt the few "pisstaker parents" will celebrate suggestions of another change. If there's any truth in the report, the thing which wuld worry me is an exception to allow children to "recover after a personal or family crisis." I really don't think it takes a genius to see how that would be massively abused ...

Interesting about that 40 day funeral absence - apparently it was for a muslim ceremony in Pakistan, followed by an extended mourning observance

I mention it because it's been asked many times on MN how faith based requests are handled; obviously this is only one case but it does seem that, rightly or wrongly, no special allowance was made

Why not make a system whereby head teachers have discretion to authorise up to 5 days holiday in exceptional circumstances

The current system gives head teachers discretion to authorise unlimited holiday in exceptional circumstances.

If some HTs have issued blanket bans on all leave then they are wrong to do this because there is still supposed to be flexibility in genuinely exceptional cases

Agree completely. Those heads who have used the rule change to say no days off will be authorised under any circumstances are wrong. Indeed, should a parent choose to take such a case to judicial review I think the court would rule that such blanket bans are illegal. Each case must be taken on its merits.

Those heads who have used the rule change to say no days off will be authorised under any circumstances are wrong

But how many have banned absence under any circumstances?? Doubtless a few misguided types exist (which is why I mentioned governor input) but most still authorise the genuine exceptions and will in future. It seems to me the coming "relaxation" isn't anything of the sort, as exceptions like weddings and funerals are often allowed already, within reason

I'd also suggest that parental claims about "unreasonable refusals" should perhaps be treated with caution; it may be that we simply don't know all the facts. As I've said, nobody likes being refused something they want, but it doesn't necessarily make it unreasonable ...

its fascinating how accepting people are on here of authority. Within reason parents should be the ones making the decisions about their dc's upbringing.

I wouldn't take my children out of school for a holiday btw because I don't agree with it. But I still think it should be my decision . It almost makes me take dd out to rebel

And as an ex-teacher sometimes when they were on holiday the rest of the class made more progress depending on the individual!

In terms of attendance its the ones who just stop turning up and they can't make come back they should be concentrating on but no, easier to fine the ones who care to make it look like you're doing something.