To ask what the rules are about taking kids out of school?

[toiletanger]

Child not yet 5

Legal/illegal for one or two days to see family?

You'd better ask the school. Head teachers tend to interpret the rules differently.

If they aren't 5 they don't legally have to be at school so you can't be fined
Ask school for a term time request form, you will probably get it back unauthorised but it won't matter

If he was 5 wouldn't even think of it only because it's last fortnight I think I may still technically be allowed to ever ...

It's not about legality. It's about whether they will authorise it and whether they will fine you.
I wouldn't. Not unless it can't be avoided. Eg very sick relative. You have lots of holidays and in reception they really do need to settle in.

You aren't obliged to have your child in school (or being educated) until they're 5 so there's no penalty for taking them out for a few days.

TBH lots of local authorities won't penalise for a couple of days anyway.

Hmm would anyone do it

It's not vital just no childcare

Just ask the school!

Wolfie how can they fine you if it's not illegal ?

Fine only kicks in at 5 days

If they don't have to be in school till 5 and you take them out, would you be happy if the place was offered to someone else?

It's up to each Head to decide how best to proceed. I agree they shouldn't.
Why can't you go another time? Reception children really need to settle.

They can't fine you. They may not authorise it but that means sfa really. They also won't offer the place to someone else

Legally, they don't have to be in school until 5 so it's fine. No penalty notices.

If under 5 it's fine. I'm taking my 4 year old out for a few days near Christmas. Don't worry about it, it's not like they are in the middle of gcse's or anything!

It's not about legality. It's about whether they will authorise it and whether they will fine you.
Of course its about legality. You can only be fined if you commit a crime, go to court, get found guilty and the judge fines you.
Taking a child out of school before they are of legal school age is not a crime, so you won't go to court (or if you did, the judge will just laugh at the council), so you won't get fined.

But you will disrupt their settling in. I wouldn't do it.

You cannot be fined because they have not reached the compulsory age. However as you have chosen to enrol them, they are still expected to attend regularly (which means 'in accordance with the rules" not 'most of the time').

You can be subject to all other attendance management procedures (including involvement of EWO) other than fines.

Two days as an isolated incident is unlikely to trigger such action. Frequently missing a few days may well do so. It all depends on local policy.

If they're not 5 I wouldn't think twice. Tbh I wouldn't be worried even if they were 5, I'd just think about the dining.

We took our DD1 out of school for one day in mid September, it was an authorised absence so that she could attend her little sister's Celebration Hearing (day in court when the adoption is finalised).

But I would agree that it's not ideal so soon after the start of Reception.

It's not five it's term after the fifth birthday.

I think it depends on the head/school.

I took my 2 DC (13/14) out at the end of last term, 10 days early, for a holiday. I wrote a letter to the school telling them (not asking ) and never heard a thing from them! To be fair it was the last 2 weeks of the year so exams etc were over.

Ex EWO here. A child is not legally required to be in school until the beginning of the term following their 5th birthdays. So they cannot fine you.

You can be subject to all other attendance management procedures (including involvement of EWO) other than fines.
Don't be daft. They're not going to send the EWO after a four year old child who doesn't have to be at school

Don't be daft. They're not going to send the EWO after a four year old child who doesn't have to be at school

No, not for an isolated incident of 2 days they're not. But if it's frequent short absences, or a single much longer one, then yes they might. Depends on school and LEA policy.

If a child is not of compulsory school age, the term after they turn 5, then it is not compulsory they attend school. The clue is in the name.