Compulsory School Age Confusion AIBU

[minnierose3]

Hi, DD is not 5 until next July so even though she is in reception I was under the impression she was not compulsory school age until next September. I have requested 2 days holiday as we travel to Wales to visit family, I was a little surprised to have this request denied and have just received a formal letter talking about fines, explaining the law on absences during term term and that UNAUTHORISED (in capital letters!!) absence are very harmful to my child's education. New to all this school stuff but I assumed with her not being compulsory school age this wouldn't be an issue. Will I get a fine? Can I get a fine?

I was that parent that wrote to my LEA with the document from the DoE website. I never heard from them again . I wouldn't bother writing if I was you. As PP said, it's just a computer generated letter. They won't have even checked your daughter's age - their thinking is "She's at school, holiday is automatically unauthorised".

You can start Reception and have her parttime the entire year, (or not send her the entire time until Summer term starts without losing your place). That is under the Code YOUR decision to make. There is nothing the school can do about it and it is not te case that by accepting the place in Reception school no longer is bound by the law! So taking her out for holiday is totally fine (your decision to make, although they will not like it). She reaches CSA 31 August in her case. The school can use code X for absences. So just go.

It's a very small village school they definitely know shes just turned 4 😕

They are just follow their standard procedures that they don't deviate from.

Don't stress you are ok to take her out of school without risk of fine.

Our school authorizes holidays in July, so maybe worth asking..?

Just ring in sick, its only 2 days, that is what everyone I know does. The schools will know but wont care as it doesn't affect their absence figures that way.

Just ignore and have your lovely trip op. If by some chance you get a fine then write back & object. She's not compulsory school age so you can do what you like. Some schools are hotter on this than others from what I can tell but only anecdotal.

A bit early to be worrying about missing out on her education too at that age! She's hardly doing GCSEs is she?!

Where we live apparently they do fine for a full week but not 4 days once they are older but even then the fine compared to the holiday costs is often nothing!

CSA is the term after they turn 5. So you are absolutely correct. There is a different code for pre CSA absence (was X when I last used it as a teacher). Plenty of children go part time in reception or start later. I imagine it’s a standard letter but I would send a polite but clear letter advising them of their error. Don’t listen to the ill-informed advise. Some people get a bit authoritarian when you mention the “s” word.

Advice not advise, obvs...

@minnierose3

The fine is around £60.
I take our daughter out every year & inturn save around £800/£1000 on our family holiday as we fly the last week of term.

Unsure on your dates etc but I we always go the last week of term as all my daughter does that week is watch films and have own clothes/play days so I don't think it effects her schooling, and if we didn't I wouldn't pay 3-5k to go in school Holidays.

Missing our holiday time all together having quality time (me and other half work 60 hours a week on shift in demanding jobs) I see would be a lot more damaging than missing a few days of watching Mary poppins at school :)

If your daughters attendance is otherwise good it sometimes slips under the radar I would just go on your holiday and see if a fine comes through (provided you can afford to pay the fine) xxx

X is usually used for marking sessions where children below CSA aren’t expected to attend I.e. the parents have deferred entry or agreed part time attendance.

Unless you’ve arranged that, then it’s fine for the school to mark it as unauthorised absence. What they can’t do, is fine you since your child is under CSA.