Fine for taking kid out of school- 8 days?

[NeedToGoOut]

Just got penalty notice letters for DH and I.

We only took DC out of school last month for 8 days, first ever time. I didn’t think a penalty was given unless DC is taken out for 10 days?

DC had 100% attendance outside of that and is top of year. No effect on education at all. Had assessments the week after we returned and got 97-100%!

AIBU to be a bit pissed off the school ran straight to LA to rat on us?

What grounds for appeal do you have tho if you actually did take the kids out of school

Don't appeal it, you'll end up with a third one!

Well it was when I was a kid, what's your point?

Or do you think because you didn't get to go abroad nobody else should?

I never went abroad as a child, which is the biggest reason I take mine now.

Its not a race to the bottom.

Not surprised. It's s almost like treating school as some nice to have thing that can be allowed and withdrawn at a moment's notice might have a longstanding impact.

Not surprised. It's s almost like treating school as some nice to have thing that can be allowed and withdrawn at a moment's notice might have a longstanding impact

It isn't. A lot of prolonged absence/poor attendance is due to unmet need in the state school/support system.

That doesn't surprise me. Like lockdown rules, they only apply to the plebs.

Afraid that’s the law. What annoys me is the inconsistency of it. Best thing to do is tag it onto a half term so you don’t need to take more than 10 sessions

YABU.

8 days! 😱what an example to set you dc.

I absolutely believe in the need for kids to be on the beach, rock pooling etc, that's why we go to Cornwall in summer/easter/half term hols .
The only parents against this are those who happily take their kids out of school on a whim, usually because they want a break. It's selfish.
We didn't go anywhere abroad as kids, just the beach every day in the school hols. That was enough for us.

Yes but your children had a parent who dripped with poisonous judgement against anyone who did differently to them. Can’t have been pleasant atmosphere whilst rock pooling!

Speaking as a headteacher, there is a continuum between those parents who are providing meaningful experiences for their children, visiting family, etc. and those who are really taking the mick and whose children are always off doing something. It is neither easy, nor appropriate in terms of equality, for schools to be making judgment calls on whose holidays are fair or not. So, somehow, a blanket policy needs to be in place to treat all equally.

The fine is set at the same price as if you parked on a double yellow line. You could equally argue that you didn't cause an accident or tailback outside the fish shop at 8pm on a Sunday evening, but unless you were having a huge emergency, as opposed to cod & chips, you wouldn't expect a fine to be overturned if you were caught.

This is on the same principle - some families are damaging their children's life chances by keeping them out of school excessively. Others are enhancing their life chances. But either there is a law or there isn't, and law can't work on personal "opinion" - so either it's a free-for-all, or there's a penalty for all, with mitigation allowed in "emergency" situations. Having worked all my career in areas where convincing parents of the importance of their child's education is a challenge to say the least, I'd rather the former than the latter.

My point was that people didn’t seem to need to take kids out of school because there wasn’t such a commonly available but high cost option (holiday abroad) that was sky high in school hols but only affordable to others during term time.

I was simply stating a fact as I experienced it, no need to have a go.

The fine is set at the same price as if you parked on a double yellow line. You could equally argue that you didn't cause an accident or tailback outside the fish shop at 8pm on a Sunday evening, but unless you were having a huge emergency, as opposed to cod & chips, you wouldn't expect a fine to be overturned if you were caught.

this is one of the weirdest analogies I have ever read and… i can’t make head nor tail of it

I hope you are more clear in RL as a head teacher!

You got fined for one day off??

That’s simply not true.

And equally the school has no choice and the money does not go to them

If you take your children out of school for an unauthorised absence then you'll probably be fined.
Why would you remove your child from lessons? If it's for a cheap holiday, it's your problem.

What's not true @Navigatingnewwaters

@SausageAndCash but it's been this way for a long time, higher prices in school holidays is not a new phenomenon

Fucking ridiculous attitude. Parents are adults who should be trusted to decide whether their children will be affected by missing a couple of days school or not!

OP, we take DS out for a few days now and then. It’s never had any effect on his education. We did get fined once & just paid the £120. We had saved over £1000 on the holiday for the sake of a few days at the end of term where the kids weren’t actually doing anything anyway so was well worth it.

I clearly do....by the time we go away next year my 4yr old will be 5 ;) I've worked in Children's Services for 20yrs so I'm quite aware of education rules. Sorry to disappoint you trying to make someone look stupid though, you obviously really needed to try and boost your own self worth with that comment today lol.

Yes. Obviously that was also a problem pre pandemic.

@MaryShelley1818 no you look stupid by saying “I will be taking my four year old” You won’t be taking your four year old so maybe post actual facts.
Also just so you know a parent of five year old isn’t fined either if they are not CSA. HTH.

My child is 4. I am taking him out next year when he will be 5....because well...children age, that shouldn't be a shock to you. Also 5yr olds are fined in our LA so you are wrong again.
Instead of being gracious that you were trying to be a smart arse and got it wrong you've now quoted a part of my sentence out of context for reasons known only to you, look we're all wrong and misread stuff now and then. A simple "ah sorry I misunderstood you" would have been fine 🙂

That parents who keep their kids off for ‘pathetic reasons’ never get fined, it’s just bull.