Taking four year old out of school for a week?

[RiverFlowers]

DD is four, started school last year. We want to go away for the week but the only week we have free is a week after half term - so first week is half term then second week we want to go away.

I have been receiving mixed messages about if I can take her out of school without incurring a "fine". Apparently as she is four and therefore not legally required to be in full time education, we can take her out without receiving a fine - is this correct? Then once she is in Year 1 taking her out would then incur a fine?

Thanks

Also if you’re fined presumably it is per child? DD starts next year too, so might be a double whammy if we end up taking them both out 🤦🏼‍♀️

@bumblenbean

What process do people follow when they plan taking a DC out for a week or 2?

DS starts school this year and I’m half Australian and desperate to go back to see relatives etc some time in the next couple of years. Planned to go before they started school but couldn’t due to covid and finances etc. When we do go it would be for 2.5 weeks minimum, so I’d aim to go during Easter/ Xmas holidays but would probably need at least an extra week tagged on the end of the school hols.

Do people generally seek permission and then go anyway if it’s declined? Or just say they’re going and accept an inevitable fine? Not sure what the etiquette is! Presumably the school wouldn’t be pleased if they didn’t authorise it and you went anyway - but I probably still would 😬

When I did it, I just informed the school that she'd be off for a week because we're going on holiday.Didn't ask for permission or expect it to be authorised. As such there was no need for the school to say yes or no.

I emailed school to tell them - they sent a letter to say absence wouldn’t be allowed and that a fine would happen

Whether the fact we get fined is another rhinf

Will tell you when return in June

But considering some in her class have had 5/6 days off due to waiting for a pcr to be posted as didn’t drive / to get pcr. Test.then post back et then had sickness

That child has had more time off then dd will , just in 3 and 2 and 3 days / not w blown together

*block together

@bumblenbean

I'd just send a note saying we are taking DC to Australia to see family from x date to y date.

I'm not asking permission, I'm informing.them - even if they fine, it's still way cheaper than school holiday fares.

DS doesn't turn 5 until August.
We went away in Decemeber and they sent us a letter saying along the lines of "we value education but as your child is not yet 5 then at this point of time no further action from us is required".
Kind of sounded like they were doing is a huge favour in the tone, but there is nothing they can do. We've got our last affordable holiday booked for the start of July. After that we can't really afford the fines or the cost of the increased prices during the school holidays.

Well we finally got the letter back from the school whereby the headteacher has literally just ticked the box to say it isn't agreed.

We are still going, she is still 4 and isn't 5 until end of May so she isn't even legally required to be in full time eduction until September 2022! I also find it amusing that only a few weeks ago they closed the Reception year group for an entire week as they didn't have enough staff to open it they didn't care then about her not being in for a week then!

Well that week they were all( very unfortunately) missing school. So not alot was getting done. When you choose to take your child out for a week the rest of the class moves on. People always dismiss reception as the year group that doesn't matter. Its actually where the building blocks for the future are being laid down.

It is all very well people saying family time is more important but ofsted look at attendance so if you do take them out, don't then moan if the school's ofsted rating isn't good or outstanding.
I understand people needing to do it but don't think it teaches the child a good work ethic.
Maybe l am just bitter cos my dad was a teacher and would never in a million years take me out of school for a holiday even if he could have done!

We’re missing the last 3 days of school, we have to fill in a form which will come back unauthorised.

As far as I know, the school hasn’t fined anyone.