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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To ask if you got fined or not

108 replies

BanginChoons · 10/07/2018 13:00

For taking your children on holiday in term time?

I'm not asking if you should or not, just if you got fined. And if you did, how long did you take them for? Did you ask for permission first? And how long did it take for the fine to come through? Thanks.

OP posts:

HollyGibney · 10/07/2018 17:05

. If they need to be sick they go to the bathroom.

Passing their illness on to anyone they have contact with too. How self centred you are and horrible to your sick children too.

fluffyblanket17 · 10/07/2018 17:06

I've taken my 3 children out of school for 1 week for the last 6 years. I've had 1 fine so far, I'm not sure if I will get one for this year yet.

tictoc76 · 10/07/2018 17:13

Such rubbish that missing a week for a holiday impacts your education. I was always taken out of school a week before summer holiday so and often an extra week at Easter. My education didn’t suffer.

AtomicGlitterBomb · 10/07/2018 17:14

Dc in year six,
In their 7 years of school we have been....

Fined for two 1 week long holidays.

Fined for a long weekend Friday and Monday off.

And fined for two days off just before the Easter holidays because we were going to a wedding but the school didn’t believe that it wasn’t a holiday.

We were also reported to the LEA for an unauthorised absence when Dc had a chest infection but someone ‘informed them’ we had been on holiday, we hadn’t and could prove it but I still had to go to the LEA to defend the fine... it was set aside.

I was also threatened with a fine for taking dc to my grandmothers funeral, she and dc were close so I told them not going was not an option, they refused to authorise the absence anyway.

Wateroffaduck · 10/07/2018 17:20

Yes got fined 7 years ago for 2 kids, but different school and no fine. The fine was because they missed the first week of school. Second holiday - 5 years later was a full 2 weeks and no fine.

CtrlCandCtrlV · 10/07/2018 17:21

two days off just before the Easter holidays because we were going to a wedding but the school didn’t believe that it wasn’t a holiday.

to be fair to the school, it WAS a holiday

starryeyed19 · 10/07/2018 17:22

No fine here but we did get a letter

Gardenpicnic · 10/07/2018 17:24

Two of my friends have been fined. They both said they would do it again because of the £££ saved.

Original poster

BanginChoons · 10/07/2018 17:30

I'm deciding whether or not to book for next summer. I am a single parent and an NHS student. My annual leave is in July next year before the kids break up, changing it isn't an option.

OP posts:

CrumpetandSausage · 10/07/2018 17:32

Have you looked at your local authority’s unauthorised absence policy. Mine you get fined for missing 10 sessions (5 days). I have been fined for this but not shorter.

Original poster

BanginChoons · 10/07/2018 17:33

Thanks Crumpet, I'll see if I can find it.

OP posts:

Caribbeanyesplease · 10/07/2018 17:34

The headteacher rang me to wish me a lovely holiday.

Needless to say, no fine

Jengnr · 10/07/2018 17:34

Took him out for three days. Requested holiday, they granted two (apparently they can’t grant more) and no fine.

Caribbeanyesplease · 10/07/2018 17:34

And that was to take them out for three full days

Jengnr · 10/07/2018 17:37

Look at the cost of the holiday in term time, compared to holidays. If we’d have been fined we’d still have been a few hundred quid up.

WaitrosePigeon · 10/07/2018 17:37

Skarossinkplungerridesagain I am well aware they can’t refer until we are back but they won’t be doing that anyway. Lovely people at our school.

Ragwort · 10/07/2018 17:38

This is something I have really changed my mind about over the years, I can remember being quite self righteous here on Mumsnet 10 or so years ago and said I would never take my DS out of school for a holiday - but he has missed about three days over the years (now in sixth form) and he will miss another two days this summer. My views have changed when I see how easily the school closes for a 'snow day' or how little seems to be done at the end of term etc etc. Never been fined (yet). A group of his mates have just taken three days off to go to a Festival - I wouldn't agree to that .

greencatbluecat · 10/07/2018 17:41

I am a school governor. Our head is very open-minded about holidays and has actually OK'd an educational of 1 week holiday for my DC in y7 (this was before I was a governor). Anyway, he said in our last meeting that he was going to start fining all holidays. It is because attendance is not yet at the target of 95% and holidays are one of the main reasons we are below target.

TeenTimesTwo · 10/07/2018 17:41

Snow day argument doesn't wash, as no learning is going on that day so your child isn't 'missing out'.

End of term can be a bit self fulfilling. The more parents take children out 'as it's nearly the end of term' the less likely teachers are to try to do anything important in that time, so more parents take their children out ….

Fluffyears · 10/07/2018 17:45

I was wondering about a friend down south who took her kids away for a holiday recently. Their father is in the forces and deployed overseas for months at a time so I assume this would be approved.

PurpleCrazyHorse · 10/07/2018 17:46

I've not been fined for a Monday absence (took DD out of school straight after PM registration on the Friday). I just wrote a note saying we had a holiday paid for, for us and DD wouldn't be in school on the Monday.

I think it really depends on your school and their overall attendance, plus whatever policies or guidance are in place in your LA. TBH, I'd just pay the fine if we were ever issued one. We don't usually take time out in term times but sometimes it is unavoidable.

dontbesillyhenry · 10/07/2018 17:51

No teen no learning is happening because the school makes the decision to close...

TooMuchSunshine · 10/07/2018 17:51

No fine when DS went b away with his dad. As his dad's work holidays are allocated and he doesn't get to choose when to take them as he's in leisure industry and busiest time is sch holidays so sch holidays they're not allowed time off.
He wrote explaining this and a letter from company owner and it was allowed

DS has had three holidays in term time. Varying from 5-10 days. And never a fine. He's now at secondary so don't know if situation arises again if it would happen

dontbesillyhenry · 10/07/2018 17:54

But it's a choice to work in the leisure industry. Or a factory with set holidays. Either all kids are allowed holidays or none where you work shouldn't come into nor should whether you want to go skiing when it's snowing either

TooMuchSunshine · 10/07/2018 17:58

Totally agree but that's the case. And he worked there before DS was born.. Andv has good benefits etc there and great pay.
My DS is top set of everything except art. So I have no worries there. If I thought his education suffered I wouldnt allow him to go.. He gets to see the world and go places I could never afford to take him so to be fair hell learn alot from different cultures etc too... In fact when he's had topics in geography of certain countries he's had the experience to help him..

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