to take 4yo DD on holiday during term time?

[myvitaa]

My 4yo DD (in reception) has had to miss school quite a bit this academic year because of her underlying medical condition as well as a severe form of chest infection. During all her absences, we've had to go to the GP or A&E because she was that bad, bless her. The head teacher called me in to discuss her attendance as it's a lot lower than her peers. I've let her know of DD's health condition, provided hospital letters and also said I'm happy for the school to contact the GP and access her medical record.

Next week is my only time off work until early September (she will be at school then), so the only time we can go on a beach/summer holiday this year.

AIBU to take DD on holiday, which means her attendance will most likely go lower than what it is and she will miss a week of school?

Honest to God just go on holiday. She is not if statutory school age until next term. There is nothing the school can do about it.

The medical absence should be put down as authorised. They also only send those letters because they have to. It's a box ticking exercise.

In ten years time you'll look back and think of the memories and not being full time at school at age 4 is not going to affect her life chances.

My child has SEN and I didn't feel that she was ready for FT school socially and physically due to her SEN. She had two half days off a week when she was 4 until she was statutory school age, just to give her recovery time. I don't regret that time she had off then one bit.

She then had 6 months off school in year 7 due to a breakdown (trying to cope in a mainstream school). She started a special school in year 8. She was tested in GCSE maths at age 13 on a practice paper and scored a level 4, also regularly scoring 80%+ in Science and English tests.

If they're fairly academically able, a few weeks off here and there in Primary school will not affect their life chances.

Level 4 is like a low grade C and she has 3 years before she takes her GCSEs.

At 4, go for it. She’s not required to be in school yet anyway.

She doesn't legally need to start school until the term after she turns 5.

So whilst technically if you've chosen to enrol her for year R she's on the attendance register I wouldn't worry she's missing something she doesn't legally need to be in school to do.

I'd tell the HT that DD has been so poorly and so you re taking her on holiday on X dates as you won't get a chance before now and year 1.

And if your dd has a long term health issue you'll have to get use to these stupid meetings about attendance you can't control.

I learnt to just look the Head in the eye and say "as you clearly are able to offer a cure to my ds for his health condition I'd like to discuss how you're going to cure him and what you expect that cure to do to his attendance levels".

No it won’t! When I was a child, summer born children didn’t even do reception. Some still went on to do exceptionally well academically!

Your school puts children into three ability streams in reception?

As it is your only chance to get away this year, just do it. Experiences are just as important as what happens in the classroom!

Yep! In the 70s and early 80's, kids started school the term that they turned 5.

I got a full year in Reception but the Spring/Summer term kids only got two terms. In my school, the Summer kids would do the summer term in Reception and then stay there for the Autumn term. They'd then move up to year one in the Spring term so they'd only get two terms of Reception and two terms of year one.

Ignore the judgement of others. Mums get judged for tonnes of stuff, it's just something else to add to the list. Your little girl will learn through play wherever she is and you'll have some lovely memories. She won't be missing out!

Go go go. She is obviously bright and hardworking and will catch up on anything missed. She’s 4 so no fines and she deserves some treat for the rough year she has had.

😂 not scared or anxious at all, just many years experience in early years and KS1.

It is irrelevant what they do in other countries or how old us adults were when we started school and it has been proven that attendance has an effect on educational outcomes. Unfortunately schools can’t have one rule for the very able children and another for the lower ability children that genuinely need every day they can get in school.

Theres nothing else that schools can do except pass it on to the LA for a possible fine OP. Don’t worry.

I agree with this.

I would normally have said definitely do it but I wouldn’t want her missing so much school.
Its not just about academics but about friendship groups and getting into the routine of going to school everyday and joining in.

I personally would just do weekend trips to the beach this year and then save up for a proper holiday next year.

If she's doing well, I suspect that if you explain about your lack of time off in the summer, the teacher will be sympathetic to you taking her off.

Thinking ahead, will you always have a problem getting time off during the holidays? If it's a question of getting in quickly with booking time off, make sure you're ready next year; if it's just that you've always been expected to take the term-time slots, you need to talk to managers about the fact that you now have a child in school and how you could really do with at least one week off in the summer holiday.

Obviously there are some job situations where it just isn't possible for everyone to have time off during the summer holiday. (That is why the old rules on termtime holidays used to allow heads to authorise them - so that they could make exceptions if it was the only way a family could get a holiday.)

This.

She doesn't have to be in school until age 5. Make sure the headteacher knows this. You can and should take her on holiday when you can 😊☀️

My DC is august born and you’d better believe I’m making the most of being able to take him out this year 😅 did a long weekend away last weekend and then we are having a week’s holiday just after half term. I’m also August born and didn’t go to school full time until something like the February after I started (80s kid) and I got the best results in my school.

School isn't compulsory until term after they turn 5.

Explain to the school that you have no annual leave until September and take her.

Take her!you both could do with the holiday.

She's 4, I would.

I'm taking my 6 year old out of school for the last week of term this year. Culture is good for the soul and I can't get worked up about it.

If she was at SATS or GCSE age then I wouldn't but at this age 🤷🏼‍♀️.

I would take her. It’s precious time if you are working all the way through the summer holidays.

How low is her attendance? Very low attendance can get a safeguarding referral to the local education officer/welfare officer/social services but that’s usually if parents don’t engage and just drop off the radar. It’s not something I’d probably worry about for genuine illness and holidays at all!

A week of school at 4 school wont affect her over all performance and she's doing well anyway.

It sounds like she's had a rough few months and a holiday in the sun with her mum will do her good.

There won't be any consequences, she's 4, turning 5, compulsory school age for her starts 31st August.

That would be highly unlikely a the current approach in both phonics and maths is whole class and catch up and keep up