School absence

[Norfolkenchancemate]

Am I being unreasonable? Got a fine from school, we too the Friday and the Monday over the Easter half term to take the kids to a family christening, £300 fine, I'm fuming. Has anyone appealed and won? Has anyone any experience whatsoever?

Easter hasn’t happened yet?

Presuming the Feb half term? £300 seems a lot.
How many children?
What other absence have they already had this academic year?

You wouldn't get fined for just 2 days absence.

Op, isn't it half term over the Easter break? If it's just a christening can't you miss it?

Tell them to stick it up their ass. What right does a school have to fine someone? If they try to take YOU to court it'll cost them too surely? So I'd tell them to shove it.

A fine for two days? What’s the attendance like otherwise?

A christening won’t be classed as exceptional circumstances though.

Tea In England the LA have the right to fine £60 per child per parent per session missed, if the child doesn't attend 'regularly' which in the test case with the chap from the IoW was found to mean 'in accordance with regulations' as opposed to 'most days'.

Don't absences have to be approved by the headteacher before the date? You must have known there was a chance of getting fined, you took the risk and lost.

You don't get fined for only 2 days/4 sessions absence. Either you've taken them out before or there is something else you are not telling us

You have to get approval for absences BEFORE the trip, then they can consider if it's authorised. If you simply called the school on the day or sent a note in the fine is £60 per parent per child.

Yes I meant feb half term, panicking, for the purposes of transparency they've got pretty good overall attendance (I didn't realise, the % figure takes offsite learning into account) all had four days absence in December with Noro, the week before Christmas hols, we daren't risk passing it on as one or the other of them was vomming for the whole week, there are 3 kids and yes I put a holiday form in, I was godparent at said christening so couldn't really miss it, and yes they can fine us and they have, received the fine notices this morning. £60 per parent per child, total, so £180 each.

I think it'll be the 4 days off for each child week beforechristmas holidays what dunnit - our secondary refers any absence the week before/after a holiday to EWO automatically, and the fact that you were unlucky enough to have all three off with the same thing at the same time probably roused their suspicion and this just finished them off.

Did you not know about the £60 per child/per parent fine beforehand?

I cant see that a school would ever authorise absence for a christening.

I was in constant contact with the school, phone calls both ways, so they're aware I was at home (cleaning up puke) I'm just so annoyed, another school parent has taken the kids out to go to a festival and not been fined!!

My guess is that they don't believe they were really ill in December and the reckoned you had gone on holiday.

Why did it take 11 days to attend a christening?

Suck it up and stop moaning. You knew the absence hadn't been authorised, everyone and his dog knows unauthorised absences get fines now. You could have gone on your own.

You may have been godmother but the choice to take them out of school for two days to do it was still yours.

Most christenings are on a Sunday so even if travelling is involved two days off school (especially either side of holidays as it sounds) seems excessive.

What would your ground of appeal be?

Check the details on the LEA website regarding their criteria for fines for unauthorised absence.

I know where I am that the children have to miss 10 session consecutively in order to be find. Morning session= 1 and afternoon=1 so basically 5 days.

And if you do so, yes it's £60 per child per parent.

Next time maybe call in sick?!

Fined *

Our lea only gives one fine per year no matter how many absences you have, its capped at £120 per child per year. I dont know why there is so much inconsistency among leas , and doesn't the absences have to be consecutive (5days/10 sessions) to incur a fine?

Our LEA also only fines for 5 days/10 sessions absence. How can you miss a Monday and a Friday over a half term? Was it the last Friday before and the first Monday back? Where on earth was the christening?

Not that I agree with the fines, I think it's bollocks.

£300 or £180?

For 3 children you would not be either of those at £60 per parent per child?

How do you confuse Feb half term with a Easter and the amount isn't right. This thread is so unbelievable due to lack of ability to be accurate. If it is true, were all 3 children ill for the same 4 days? That would be unusual and school would assume holiday.

I get that you were a godparent, but why did that mean the kids had to come with you? And why a four-day trip just for a christening? Surely if you live so far from the family of the recently christened child, you wouldn't be chosen as a godparent?

Sorry, but as a teacher, this just sounds like an excuse for a long weekend!