To ask how many of you take your children on holiday during term time?

[Afternooninthepark]

In order to have an affordable family holiday do you take your dc out of school?
If you do, have you ever been fined by the local authorities?

Yes and no fines as I live in wales where we are allowed two weeks holiday in term time all the way up to and including high school.

It's discouraged and we don't do it every year but DD has 2 weeks off in reception and this yr in yr 6 we took 2 days off to visit Harry Potter studios when it was quieter.

Every year. our school don't fine luckily! but if they did I'd just pay the fine.

I did it this year first time ever and didn’t get fined. It was my first ever holiday abroad in too and I have no regrets taking dd out of school.

We did it a couple of times in junior school, but never in senior school.

Assuming our DC aren't behind at school they'll likely miss the odd day to visit DH's home country - we think it's important that they get sufficient exposure to their 2nd nationality and language. I wouldn't ever allow them to miss school once they begin studying for GCSEs.

Yes but this is the first time I've done it and he misses 4 days of school in total.

We don't, the cost to cover childcare during the school holidays is just as expensive as going away. So it just makes sense to go on holiday during the school holidays.

Once when he was in reception. He's now 17 and we've not done it again.

I have done for 2 days maximum at the end of a term. Wouldn't do it for any longer than that, would not do it at the start of a new school year and will not be doing it when DS is in last year of primary or in secondary school.

I did this year with DD7, only for 4 days which I think is why I didn't get fined.

I did do a holiday request form knowing they would say no, but the school also knew that them saying no wouldn't make a blind bit of difference to me. I have a good relationship with the school and DD is very well liked by her teachers - whether that made a difference or not I don't know.

Planning the same again for 2020

I will happily when our child is school age. I don't think its a problem as long as not in major exam time, and that you as parents ask what they will cover while away and make sure your child has caught up.