to be think the head teacher is wrong (TT holiday)

[Thancred]

We've booked a week long holiday for mid-September. I filled in a leave request form at school citing the reasons for the absence. DH can't get any leave until September, they have a lot of term time workers so the year round staff aren't allowed to take more than one or two days off in school holidays unless it's an emergency/sickness. In addition to this we have a DC with ASD who cannot cope with how busy everywhere is in school holidays, even day trips in school holidays are a nightmare if it's somewhere too busy or loud so he ends up miserable or melting down and we have to come home early - a week of that without the option of escaping back home would be horrid for him. So we made the decision that the only way we will get a family holiday is to go in TT when it is quieter and when DH can get the time off work.

We've had a letter back from the head this afternoon and she has rejected it outright. I rang up to discuss it and she has said she does not consider any of it to be a good enough reason. I explained about the ASD issues and her response was "that's life, if xxx can't cope with in the school holidays then don't go".

I've rang the LEA for advice and they've stated that under their guidance it would be classed as exceptional circumstances but they can't overturn the heads decision so we will probably be passed over to them for a fine to be issued.

AIBU to be annoyed at the head? Does anyone know if fines can be appealed once issued?

Well it's all a load of bollocks.
Just take the fine and do what's best for your Ds.

Yanbu, wr used to have simular issue and dh was unable to have leave during school holidays, not just the summer break but any school holidays. He also did shift work, only getting one wkend a month off and worked bank holidays, Xmas etc often on 30hr shifts, it was crazy. Ds2 also has asc. We did get one holiday authorised, a few years later it wasn't authorised but we didn't get fined.

Dh has now moved jobs, set shifts, weekends and school holidays off, much much better! We were very fortunate this new job came up and that he got it though.

I would still go, they may not fine you, document your phone call to the lea, get it in writing or email. Some areas like ours only fine if you miss ten sessions, which is five days, so if you can get to school for registration on the day you leave, then go afterwards it would be nine sessions missed as opposed to ten, that may be a loophole you can use?

Scotland has a TEENY population though

If you get a fine, pay it. Magistrates will NOT take a lenient view. They will impose a bigger fine plus costs plus victim surcharge (min £20) plus the new Court Charge (min £150). You'll be much worse off and will have wasted hours hanging round at court

there are very few if no loopholes in school attendance requirements

Home ed.

what Offas said

I have seen loads of cases as JP - and out of the ones i have seen the reasons only ever count as mitigation not a NG plea

Yanbu.
We used to take holidays during term time, three children with ASCs. Your headteacher should be informed that she needs to cater for your child.
Strangely, mine do not seem to have missed out on their education. In fact ds2 is doing really quite well at uni.

I can't believe how much authority schools have over people's personal choices. All this issuing fines business has just got out of hand, I can understand as a last resort if a child fails to attend school on a regular basis. But automatically fining a family for stuff like this is bollocks.

What's the new court charge all about?

ollie what's a 'regular basis' to you? What would your cut off point be?

Just go and pay the fine.

I'm taking dd out for a fortnight in September for a holiday that will not happen any other time of year. If we don't go then, we can't go at all. It's a fantastic opportunity at a fantastic price due to being term time. We are going and I couldn't give two hoots what the school or anyone else says about it.

You're right Ollie it's nonsensical.

I do sympathise as I have children with ASD so really do understand the need to go when it is quieter. That said, am also a teacher and I have to agree that Sept is not the best time. I would perhaps have gone for end of term or some time slightly less disruptive. It is however now booked so would just go ahead and take the fine.

Our head used to be really sensible about absences.
But now she wants an ofsted outstanding rating before she retires so has cracked down.
id just pay.

Sadly not everyone's personal choices were/are in the best interest of the child

Schools aren't saying people cant go on holiday. What they are saying is as the law is that children who are of school age should be in school unless they are ill or there are other exceptional circumstances they are not going to authorise people to go away and as a result they may be fined. Go away by all means but know you run the risk of a fine if you do.

yup

Wouldn't it be better for a child with ASD not to miss the settling in that happens in September?

You are most definitely NOT being unreasonable.

Either the head teacher had the right to authorise this or not. iIf they do, they should. If not, you should take it up with someone else.

It's frankly a joke that people can't take their own child out of school for a holiday and should be challenged until the law is changed!

Holidays bring so much happiness, fun and education, widen horizons and help people to unwind. Many families cannot afford the extortionate fees during summer holidays.

Thancred that sounds pretty horrible. How much is the fine, is it worth having to pay the fine. If you do I would be so tempted to pay it in 1p pieces!

Can you make a formal complaint, is it worth it to you?

Can you ask your local MP to intervene?

woodlands01 well I think that this is pretty exceptional circumstances, not everyone has a child on the autistic spectrum and it would not necessarily apply every year because this year the OP's DH is not avaivalable for holidays before September. The OP's child may dvelop some coping skills and the OP's DH may be available next or another year so it may not apply. But even if it did. So what. Exactly how much of the chi's education are they missing in a week off school. I would be very surprised if it was much!

ilovesooty I can't quite see how having one fewer pupil to teach is 'disruptive' to a school. Ten extra pupils, maybe so, but one fewer?

PtolemysNeedle did you say holidays aren't essential? who gets to decide that? If my dd were on the autistic spectrum (which she may well be) I would find it pretty essential to have a holiday when my husband would be around to help etc.

AnyoneForTennis I am not sure that having the chance to take your own child on holiday should be called special treatment!

eggsandwich I agree, some of the comment show no sense of empthay at all. Very sad.

WinterOfOurDiscountTents15 what a breath of common sense! I wish more people would challenge the system. How silly we cannot take our children on holiday at a time that suits us.

I'm not a fan of TT holidays but I can see that they make sense for DC with ASD etc - but missing settling in at the beginning of the school year really doesn't seem like the best time to go.

Court Charge: those who use the criminal justice system (ie criminals) should pay for the privilege. Ranges from £150 for a guilty plea up to £1000 in magistrates courts for conviction after trial for a relatively serious offence. If convicted after trial for non-school attendance, the Charge would be £500.

Magistrates have no discretion and must order you to pay regardless of your income.

Money goes to government. Victim surcharge also goes to government, theoretically to improve support services for all victims of crime.

mrstweefromtweesville not to disparage home education but why should someone have to home educate their child simply because they want one or two weeks holiday with their child and husband.

This system is literally mad!

we pay our taxes which are then paid to teachers to teach our kids. These teachers get about 30 weeks a year to teach these children is there truly any suggestion that missing one or two weeks is going to make any real difference to the child? And even if it does how much does a holiday with family improve our well being and our ability to learn? I would say a lot.

Schools should not be allowed to state that parents cannot take a child out for a holiday. It is just crazy.