... school not authorising absence- WWYD?

[Llanali]

Just had a letter to say the school will not authorise absence for DD (reception class) for the week before half term in February. This is after the school office advised we would get permission as she’s only in reception.

We tried to go away last year before she started school, to see DD grandparent in Aus but I had a second trimester miscarriage so we had to cancel the trip as I wasn’t allowed to fly following haemorrhage and surgery. This grandparent is the only living one she has.

We can’t go over Christmas as my husband cannot get leave. We can’t go over Easter as he can’t get leave and I can’t have holidays over the summer.

Any ideas? What would you do here? I’m really disappointed they wouldn’t grant us 5 days.

School is threatening prosecution if we take her anyway.

@giggly sounds ideal!! I’d love to. Northern Aberdeen here I come.

It’s weird, the council website states that it’s the Headteachers discretion, so she definitely could.....

I hate all of this.

Go in and see the head and have a reasonable conversation, explain this is her only living grandparent and they can't travel here and the need for family following two miscarriages plus the restrictions on travel at other times.

heck there are no issues with child in school too whilst you are there that perhaps if you wor on they will feel easier letting her go

Go in and see the head and have a reasonable conversation, explain this is her only living grandparent and they can't travel here and the need for family following two miscarriages plus the restrictions on travel at other times.

heck there are no issues with child in school too whilst you are there that perhaps if you wor on they will feel easier letting her go

You see as far as far this government are concerned. Working class kids aren't allowed holidays. They're only for the upper and middle classes. Who can afford extra thousands of pounds. The fact that the working class Slog their guts out for a lot less money means nothing.

Congratulations. You win most OTT post of the day

OP it just means you will be fined.

Her sickness will be authorised her holiday will be UNauthorised. Totally different but still count towards her over all attendance.

The sickness was most likely authorised but it still brings the overall attendance down.

I think magistrates would be bemused if your LA didn't issue a FPN as a first offence and went straight to prosecution.

OP DS has reached 88% this term (having completed last year on 90%) - due to his tonsils.

The EWO is monitoring this and if I dont have a medical note (which is not that easy to get) I will be called in for a meeting. At no point has anyone suggested prosecution at this stage. Having spoken to the headteacher we just need to flag its tonsils on file and it will be left alone

But I have still requested 3 days off unauthorised for a family holiday at Christmas and its not really effecting any of the above at all. Many children in the school do and if it reaches 5

It is at the headteachers discretion but it is rare.

OP you are really making far more of this than needs be. yes that can ignore fine and prosecute but why on earth would they pick you!

They cannot authorise holidays, but if you state exceptional circumstances you should avoid a fine, if they do do fine it's about £80 I think. I've just said family wedding / religious reasons / education elsewhere when I've signed mine out (not sure they would have accepted a five year old has a gig but we pulled it off for my 15 year old, had to sing at a wedding - true she did)

It would make headlines if you were taken to court and not allowed to pay a fine. Honestly, try not to worry about it. Ironically, funerals are usually authorised 🙄. I know several children who’ve ‘lost’ grandparents abroad very close to school holidays.

I don't wish to hijack the thread but can someone clarify is the fine £60 per parent so £120 in total regardless of number of days taken? I thought that it was £120 per day!?
Thanks

Thanks for the input everyone. Much appreciated.

I’ll have a think about it. As for why they’d pick me, @Quartz2208 I’d say my luck is pretty shit right now, and that’s probably reason enough.

@onepotato. It’s £60 per adult per child for 10 sessions so one whole school week at the same time. If you can get away with 4 or 4.5 days then you won’t be fined.

We had the same as BlueJava. Wrote a letter stating it was the only time we could go away as a family. Had a letter back saying we cannot authorise absence and to enjoy our holiday

OP, I work in a school and have not heard of a family being prosecuted in this sort of situation, it's usually for persistent non-attendees. At most you will get a fine, even if they prosecute. The letters say the school will prosecute but it rarely gets that far.

You’re best off looking up your council’s policy as many people stating here there’s only a fine after 10 sessions but our council (staffs) changed last year to be able to fine after only one unauthorised missed session and also being late for 10 sessions across the year. They should clearly state their policy (ie a fine, prosecution if it isn’t paid). There May be a trigger for the fine if attendance is below 95% but as she’s already been ill for a week she’ll be close to that anyway without another week off. Do you have a local Facebook group to find out what is happening to other people taking term time holiday in your area? As that will give you more info than nationally.

You only live once. It costs them a lot more to go straight to prosecution than it does to issue a simple FPN. They would only prosecute if you were a repeat outrageous offender. Just GO. Tell them why so they don't wonder where she is, but go.

@OnePotato2Potato, the maximum fine is £60 per child, per session, per parent.

So one child from a 2 parent family could equal £240 per day. (2 sessions - registrations). But that is worst case scenario.

All this over a five year old. Schools in this country are an utter joke.

Read up your county’s policy. Each county is different.

Is there really no way at all that you/DH could get leave to go in the school holidays? Or one of you go with DD at day Easter - whoever's relative it is? Or can relative come to you? My brother is military and so leave is tricky to plan but he still manages to organise some in school hols to visit family.

I know people will say 'oh it's only 5 days' etc but my son is in reception and the amount he does in a week - even just in reading is massive. I teach secondary and we always have a few kids who get taken on holiday 'because it's only 5 days/the last week of term' etc. And they miss loads too! And they almost never catch up the work missed.

I would look for an option that doesn't involve taking her out of school - however unpopular that opinion will be!

I took my just 5 year old out of reception last July for 5 days, the school did not authorise it and said we would be liable for a fine but we took him anyway and never received any fine. Absence has really been cracked down on recently so unless it is a really exceptional circumstance all requests are denied, it doesn’t mean you will be fined but it’s a waiting game to see if one comes through the letterbox

As long as you pay the fine there will be no further action, no court.
Bloody ridiculous. I think just state in writing the reasons that she will not be in school that week and try not to worry about it.

Our LEA fine on day 5. We took DS out for 2 days after the Easter hols in year 5 and got a letter to say it would be marked as unauthorised but there would be no fine. Other parents who took a week or more were fined £120.

Is your school oversubscribed, or filled up completely?

Why not withdraw him and then reregister? I did this and it was really easy.