To be pissed off about term-time holidays

[SeahorsesSwim]

My dc is in reception at an academy. The policy is the requests for time off school in termtime to be approved by the Head, but obviously frowned upon.

I wasn't planning to go on holiday this year, maybe a weekend or something as holidays are so expensive. I just found out that another parent has applied for and been given a week off authorised by the head, to save money vs going in school holidays. She said they're going to the med, nothing special happening etc. The school won't charge for the time off.

Aibu to be really pissed off? Other parents have paid through the nose for holidays not in term time, some people don't have a holiday etc. I think if this is permissible the policy is pointless.

[winniewigs]

I took my ds out of school for 2 weeks when he was 4. I wrote to the school, but got no response. I mentioned it to his teacher the week before we left, and she said that the school are not going to care about it at this age. Have a lovely holiday.

[HeCantBeSerious]

You probably already know this but it isn't compulsory for a child to attend school until the term after they are 5.

It's not compulsory for them to go AT ALL.

[Olivialoves]

Is this a thread about a thread?
So one has posted that they are taking their child out of reception for a week

[Trifleorbust]

I would understand if you had made that request and been turned down, but why the heck are you bothered that someone else has? It's none of your business, is it?

[harderandharder2breathe]

I could understand if you'd applied and been refused. Or even if you'd actually paid school holiday prices. Neither of which is the case here.

If you want a term time holiday then apply to the head, as they have done. If you can't afford a holiday then what someone else does is neither here nor there and you sound jealous.

[Luttrell]

The policy differs from school to school, LEA to LEA. Your school is lax. Yay.

Not every school goes mad over it. My LEA already announced it was giving up the hassle of fines.

[Witchend]

She may be lying about it being authorised because she thinks you'll judge.

But more likely she has some reason that she doesn't want to share with you.
I've known a few people who have had authorised holidays and people have got their knickers in a twist with jealousy.
What they didn't know was there were extenuating circumstances (such as mum having been given 6 months to live-she looked totally fine) which they didn't want to share with everyone.

[Nataleejah]

One kid even bragged at how he'd be on a plane skiing whilst everybody else was working.

One goady little shit. Still none of your business what other families do with their holidays.

[GreenGinger2]

Actually it is when we have all been told by letter that no holidays in term time would be allowed.

Thanks to said goady little shite and the charmer who posted her Florida pics online from one of her annual Florida holidays whilst the rest of the class were at school it became clear the above was just a show and the rest of us mugs were enabling the school's good attendance figures and thus funding cheaper holidays for others.

If the figures were shite he'd have been tougher.

It is the same as parents riding roughshod over uniform rules. Sorry if we are told only black school shoes will do it is not ok if a blind eye is turned to those who send their kids in in cheaper sandals during the summer months. If in reality there is no rule own up to it. Why should some fork out and not others.

Frankly I don't care re either but I do care if I'm made a mug of. Those who work don't see or hear the rules that are just there for show,it needs to be clear.

[Nataleejah]

You're right -- you've been taken for a mug.
Why a blind eye is turned -- because "its detrimental to your child's education/future employment prospects" is rubbish. Cheap sandals, odd holiday, or a chocolate cookie in a lunchbox means zilch.
I wish there were more parents willing to stand up to or simply ignore the nonsense. But nobody wants to be 'that parent' or 'daily fail sadface'.

[Pseudonym99]

There is no requirement for you to obtain authorisation for a term time holiday as there is no requirement for your child to attend school at their age.