To holiday in Year 6 Term Time?

[ellieboolou]

Eldest going into y6 this September and we've not had a holiday for 4 years, I was thinking of booking 2 weeks in late June to go abroad (after SATS). Also have another child who will be in Y2. Risk the fine by being honest?

My eldest has asd so finds peak holidays times a struggle due to crowds and really busy environments, also it's about £800-£1000 cheaper!

AIBU to book a TT holiday and ask head for authorised leave?

I’m taking my ds’s away in term time next year when ds1 will be in year 6. I figured it’s the last opportunity we’ll have as once he’s at secondary I don’t want to risk him falling behind and he’s going to be spending most of this summer holidays doing 11+ practice.

I’m fully expecting a fine though as it’s obviously not exceptional circumstances. It’s still a huge saving though even with the fine.

Taking a week out before feb half term and haven’t really worried about it tbh.

Thank you both! @ShrillSiren22 this is exactly my thinking too, last chance before secondary!

Does anyone know if the fine is per child, per day or a one off? My kids have never taken a TT holiday.

I absolutely would do this (especially as after SATs) and work in a Primary School myself. The fines are per child, per week and instigated by the HT reporting - my advice is to put as much info on the form as you can including extenuating work arrangements, exceptional circumstances etc in the hope that school will be able to authorise. If not, as you say, the term time savings will we’ll outweigh the fine!

The fine is per holiday and also per parent, regardless of whether you're together or not. If attendance is excellent, the LA would be unlikely to pursue the fine!
If a LA school the head cannot authorise it so not point in asking for authorised leave but of course worth letting them know and explaining why.

Our eldest also goes into year 6 in September, we are taking a months holiday in February next year 🤷‍♀️

Just book it OP

Someone posted this week complaining about the size of the fine they received. Budgeted for 5 days but got 10 days as it was "per session missed". Across 2 kids it mounted up. Poss worth checking the fine print as unlikely the school can/will authorise.

My DD had wall to wall Leavers stuff then including day trips. On the one hand, not doing much work it appeared, on the other she would have missed a lot of events with her friends.

Isn't the fine per child , per parent and I read going to £120 ?

My only thing would be is if they would be worried about missing all year 6 leavers bits , also its not that quiet in june
We just had a holiday mid end of june and airport was packed , hotel was busy but def quieter than peak as come beginning of july last few days it really got busy

I would make sure he won’t be missing any transition stuff and otherwise go

If it was to visit an elderly relative, I'd support you 100%. Not just for a standard holiday.

That point in the term of Year 6 here is trips, school shows etc. will your DC mind missing out?

Will he miss out on any leavers' things - and will he mind if he does? At DC's primary school, going away then may clash with the school residential and, if not that week, they would be preparing for the end-of-school play and various other things.I think you should at least give school plenty of notice (as it seems you will) so they can plan accordingly - it would seem a bit unfair if they gave the leading part in the play to your DS and then he disappeared off on a holiday.

Would missing Y7 transition be problematic?

I think 1 week wouldn't be unreasonable, 2 is maybe a bit much?

There will be probably transition activities, and if he has ASD they will be presumably be even more important for him? Some schools do extra transition days for SEN kids too.

However transition stuff with secondary generally won't start until after GCSEs, so if you were back before the 4th week of June starts it would be less of a risk.

I don’t think you will get authorised leave for 2 weeks tbh but hope I’m proved wrong. I would think it more reasonable to tag an extra week onto the half term holiday at the end of May.

We’re going Florida for 2 weeks at the start of year 6 for ds. Won’t be able do it when he’s in high school (well, maybe a week at the end of term). I have absolutely no issues with it

As others have pointed out, transition could be a problem. In my area end of June is when kids visit their new schools, and there are extra days for kids with SEN and evening meetings for parents. As long as you're fine with missing these and any other end of term projects then go for it.

I think missing any education won't be an issue at all but they will miss other things which your child may feel are important.

I think a week after the end of May would be OK. If you take them out before this expect the school to be annoyed and for them to recommend the fine. Your dc will of course also have missed quite a bit of work and be a bit lost when they return. End of term stuff is really the last couple of weeks of term only.

TrainBrainCrain
That is so unhelpful for your child and sends a message to the school that you really don't value education. The first weeks of term are very important.

Agree with pp that the timing of transition days and leavers events are usually end of June beginning of July so bear that in mind - he could potentially miss out on a lot of special activities.

Could you go in October instead incorporating the half term?

I wouldn't do it under any circumstances. I do get that it's so much cheaper but I think attendance it really important. We have had major issues this year and at about 90% attendance - all totally unavoidable. So I wouldn't want to willingly miss any days on top.

I have a child who struggles with crowds. In fact I don't think we would get him on a plane so it's not really an option. But the UK has some amazing places. We go to a small coastal village in Norfolk. The beach is so vast it's never crowded. Other people are just specks in the distance. It's heaven!!

It won't be authorised, they just don't authorise them now. Don't think I'd advise that time of year tho. Not with a year 6 leaver especially. Could you try the Easter holidays and see what you can get then?

If you are planning this, please give the teacher notice. I genuinely wouldn't care either way about your reasons etc. but after SATs we focus more on writing and science to ensure best grades in teacher assessment, make sure PSHE and sex ed is complete, do school production, after school events, transition support planning leavers' evening etc etc. It would be really helpful to know who was not going to be there so I didn't give them a lead role in anything.

Get in whilst you can. The schools bill going through at the moment will take effect from September 2023 and is likely to clamp down further on taking children out of school for holidays.