Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

To take my dc out of school for a free holiday?

65 replies

JadeJaderson · 05/07/2015 21:53

I'm very much by the book usually. we've never taken the dc out of school during term time and always book holidays in the holidays.

But...I entered a competition a couple of weeks ago and have won a free 5 night stay in a holiday park (similar to Centre Parks type thing).

The con is it's in October, smack in the middle of term.

It's somewhere we've wanted to go for a couple of years but never have because a weeks holiday there in the school holidays costs more than a week abroad. So the week in Spain invariably wins. And I'd never have dreamed of booking a holiday during TT.

But I've won it, it's there for the taking and the total package is worth about £400.

Wibu to take them out? What about all you rule abiders who, like me, would never book during term time. Would a free holiday sway you?

OP posts:

RudyMentary · 05/07/2015 22:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Starlightbright1 · 05/07/2015 22:20

no rainbow...the government made it difficult...

Mehitabel6 · 05/07/2015 22:22

I would go but tell the truth.

Wolfiefan · 05/07/2015 22:23

My DS has had one holiday out of school term time in 12 years (it was either that or no holiday at all that year)
I'd go. It'd be a shame to waste the prize BUT I'd be honest with the school and budget for the fines.

broadbeanstew · 05/07/2015 22:24

I'd go! And on a side note I'm going to start entering competitions...

RainbowFlutterby · 05/07/2015 22:26

Oh well that makes it all OK then Starlight. Silly me.

LaurieMarlow · 05/07/2015 22:27

Go & pay the fine. You'll have a ball.

ghostyslovesheep · 05/07/2015 22:33

go go go!

although I am always sat on the MN naught step on threads like this because I don't ever see the issue if a) they don't have exams and b) attendance is normally good :)

Pippa12 · 05/07/2015 22:45

Definitely, 100% go. I went out of school every year on a family holiday bar my GCSE year. I'm still alive at 30'odd with a great job and a degree, the world will not end because of a family holiday! Enjoy every last minute of it x

Smileyaxolotl1 · 05/07/2015 22:50

I'm with the others on this - Go! As a teacher I would like the law changed so that parents who take kids out of school in examination years get a massive fine and all other years they can take a week without consequence. When I was at school children regularly took time off (including myself) and it was certainly not detrimental to my education.

rollonthesummer · 05/07/2015 22:58

I'd go-without a doubt.

NickiFury · 05/07/2015 23:05

I would definitely go.

I'm surprised there's so many supporting you though. MN usually comes down on Term Time Holiday Criminals like a ton of bricks. Is it because it's free?

chewymeringue · 05/07/2015 23:35

Yes, go and be honest. DD won tickets to see her favourite singer at the O2. It was on a Monday night. I did think twice about it but it seemed incredibly cruel to say no. We took her out for 2 days to go and were completely open about it with the school (she's in Year 7). Obviously it will be unauthorised which is fair enough but they were absolutely fine about it.

AndNowItsSeven · 05/07/2015 23:40

I would go , the fine will be £240 . However in our LA they only fine for ten missed sessions per term. Therefore if possible take your to school Monday morning and pick them up at 10am.
My dc's school advises this to families where they want to authorise but cannot legally.

MummySparkle · 05/07/2015 23:43

I'd go!

When I was at school we used to be able to take 2 weeks off per school year for holidays anyway.

Maybe speak to each of your DCs teachers a week or two before you go and ask them what topics they will be covering. And try and find a little bit of time to chat to the DCs about things related to those topics whiles the you're away. They will still be a little behind when they get back, but it won't be so bad. If your teachers had some worksheets prepared they might be able to have a look at them during some quiet time? I'm not suggesting you spend your whole holiday studying, but a little bit of educational chat here and there will help them to be on track once they return

And enjoy it!! Keeping a holiday diary for a week with pictures, cuttings and a few words is just as beneficial to a child as a week of school.

Theycallmemellowjello · 06/07/2015 07:55

Ah, in this case jade maybe you could contact the contest organisers/CPs and ask if they can move the prize? You could offer to pay the difference between its value and a half term break and point out that a family holiday that a family can't (officially) go on is a bit off. If you wanted to put the pressure on you could ask them in a tweet. They might be reasonable about it.

MrsItsNoworNotatAll · 06/07/2015 07:58

Go!

TheAssassinsGuild · 06/07/2015 08:03

I thought the fine was £60 per parent per child per day. So a 2 parent family with 1 child absent would pay £120 per day (£60 x 2 as there are 2 parents). If absent for a whole week of school this would be £600 (£120 x 5). If there are 2 children, then the total fine would be £1200.

I could be wrong - DD is not yet at school - but this is what I had understood.

If you do go, be very certain what the potential total fine could be and that this is acceptable.

TheUnwillingNarcheska · 06/07/2015 08:05

Find out what the council fines are for your area.

Leeds will not fine for 4 1/2 days, but will for 5. That is in their leaflet that they kindly send you with the fine notice.

In fact, Leeds state that you can have 4 1/2 days with no fine as long as there are 12 weeks between each unauthorised absence of 4 1/2 days.

Maybe you could take them out for 4 days or 4 1/2 days so as not to incur the fines.

Butlins1 · 06/07/2015 08:33

In my LEA it's £60 per child per 10 unauthorised sessions or more per term.

whois · 06/07/2015 08:39

Years 1 and 3? Good god god you should go!

DandelionDaydream · 06/07/2015 08:55

Here its £60 per parent, per child for anything over 10 sessions.

I'd go on the holiday whether it was a competition win or whether you'd paid for it tbh, especially if previous attendance has been good.

We took dd out for the 4 days leading up to half term break in March for a holiday. I chickened out and rang in sick though (before I realised the 10 session rule), but she'd only had one day absent for a wedding (bridesmaid) in which I was honest about.

And she hasn't had any absence days since so for the whole school year she has had a total of 5 days off. I don't feel guilty.

DandelionDaydream · 06/07/2015 09:02

In fact DS who has just finished his gcse's has had more time off for genuine sickness and dental appointments (he didn't come on holiday but did to the wedding) which couldn't be avoided but hasn't been an issue.

Chunkymonkey79 · 06/07/2015 09:05

As long as it isn't during a crucial time in school I would definitely go!

As long as it is a rarity I am all for very occasional time off school to do something special

GoblinLittleOwl · 06/07/2015 09:07

I am wondering why you entered the competition if you knew the holiday time was non- negotiable?
If this holiday prize is aimed at families, it is very irresponsible of the company promoting it to do this, as it is bound to contravene school regulations; sounds like a way of bumping up falling sales. I would try contacting Head Office and asking for an explanation.
If you do go, don't lie to the school; your children will announce it to the whole class as soon as they return.

Flip

1 2 3

Swipe left for the next trending thread