Taking kids out of school for a term

[Whenthechipshitthefan]

Possibly the wrong place to post- if so sorry!
Has anyone had any success in taking their kids (legally!) out of school for a term or even a half term. I want to take 2 x DDs (Yr 4, Reception) to my mums country for a long stay. They don't know the culture and I'm aware that we are all losing that connection. The flights are expensive, and it takes at least 24hrs to get there. Its a big country so that if we go over I want them to see a lot, experience a lot and see everyone.

Has anyone applied and been successful? Is it just headteacher opinion that matters? What can I promise to keep their place and not get taken to court. Happy to pay a fine!

OP I did this with my daughter, and chatted to the local school about the best way forward for them to accommodate this. DD went to school for a month in my home country (at her request!) in order to meet local kids and integrate into local culture, we then stayed for three more weeks of their school holidays. The local school listed her as being 'educated elsewhere' for the duration so then it didn't affect their absence stats. They didn't ask for any proof of said schooling, though DD ended up giving a presentation to the class about her exchange school on our return. She returned to her school/class with no issues, although the local school is definitely not oversubscribed so that may have made a difference!

I teach in Scotland and this kind of trip is not uncommon. There is a registration code which lets us know if it is with consent or not.
Would not expect anyone to be off rolled for this. In fact, if I remember correctly, we can’t off role a pupil unless they are actually registered with another school.

How about a month in total? Leave day before Easter break, then back 2 weeks after? Only 2 weeks of school is missed that way.

The school has no option about giving permission for this. We are simply not allowed to authorise absence that doesn’t fit the rules. Once your child has been absent for 20 school days they have to be removed from roll. If you are lucky their place may still be available on your return but the school cannot guarantee this.
Added to this, if you don’t tell the school where you are going and/or where they are receiving education then they have to report to the local authority that there is a CME (Child Missing Education) which means investigations into the child’s whereabouts so it’s important that you are honest with the school.

If you go to Aus and haven’t paid taxes, by working for a certain length of time, you will need to pay for the children to attend school.

People did this when my dc were at primary school. One lot did it to visit family in New Zealand for four weeks over Christmas. Another went back to Brazil for a term before reappearing. The third family went off on a world trip that was supposed to be six months duration, but they came back half way through because the parents split up.

I’ve no idea of the admin/mechanics of their school places. I do know that in all cases, they were honest and open with the Head from the start. It’s a sought after school, but a small village one that tends not to have long waiting lists.

This will be so disruptive to their learning. And so unfair on the teachers who will be expected to just pick up where they left off.

Teacher. Yes - it does happen. We had a kid who went home to Hong Kong for a bit. 🤏

How about going for 4 weeks, and going around easter so they miss less? So maybe the week before until the week after? You will get a fine but not much else.

A friend did this to take her daughter to Japan, where mum was gone. The school were actually very supportive and her daughter gave a presentation to the class when she hot back. Think she was about 8. I think this might have been an unusually supportive school (top of the national league tables, so was surprised they kept her place open).

Loads of people do this. Many people have to take their kids away for a work assignment. It’s not at all unusual. Suggest speaking to the head, making the case.

You will lose your school place and it will be very detrimental to your children's education, especially your younger one (as she will be learning phonics). They will then come back and the teacher will have to work doubly hard to catch them up and the rest of the class will be negatively impacted too by the fact that they have missed out on learning. On the other hand, maybe they will gain more life experiences, depending on what you do. I think the summer holidays are long enough for you to give them life experiences and there's no need to hamper their education.

I agree.

DS just finished reception and he would be quite abit behind having that much time off

Don't take them out for the mid oictober census - the schools funding the following year is based on that

My friend did this, this year. She had to remove child from the school (no longer enrolled). Child attended school in the different location (but you could home school). Then came back and as no other child had taken the space then re registered into the school.

it wasn’t disruptive, it was a really valuable cultural experience. I think it sounds really meaningful and important to you and to them. Go for it 😊

It won't be allowed, attendance figures are something that schools are absolutely hammered on. I think the only way is to deregister them to home school, then re-register them when you get back (could be a different school). They will have missed a lot of learning, so depending on how old they are you will want to plug some gaps while you are away so they don't feel anxious going back behind others.
I think if you want to do it then go for it but nothing you say to the head will mean they keep your children's places in the school for 3 months.

Definitely. They learn so much in Reception.

Pacific islands? Alaska? Why not go for a year enrol them in local school there then come back chance your luck on a school place

If you ask the school, they can hold the place in terms of recording the absence as unauthorised- this may mean the LA prosecute for unauthorised absence. There is a strong push regarding attendance if enrolled at school (including independent schools). To avoid the risk of prosecution you can legally re-register, go away then apply for schools when you return, which maybe original or another. They may grant exceptional circumstances but there is limited guidance on what counts as exceptional circumstances, (assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65f1b048133c22b8eecd38f7/Working_together_to_improve_school_attendance__applies_from_19_August_2024_.pdf)

A headteacher may see all the benefits of such a trip and wish you well, but won't want the potential work that goes with that amount of unauthorised abscence.

Normally headteachers are understanding of attending a religious service would be granted, unless attendance was poor (see page 76 onwards of document linked above)

They arenot hot on absences 'sadly' -but rightfully so.
Fixed it for you.

This is what I would do. Wait for a 2 week holiday like Easter or Christmas and add on 2 weeks.

I would hope that OP is planning to keep up with the curriculum whilst they are away. There are loads of free and very low cost resources which are suitable for home educating primary aged children. The majority of Reception class is play but she will need to be doing daily maths and reading, Y4 is a bit more structured but as long as they do the necessary maths and English they won't have any problem slotting back into the class. They tend to change topics for science, geography, history etc. every half term anyway and their "topic" will have been exploring the culture of another country, probably a lot more educational than a 6 week unit study on volcanoes or the Romans.

If by some miracle your children weren't taken off role (and it sounds as if they would be), you would almost certainly be prosecuted.

The rules have now changed (or will this month) and headteachers have no choice but to report every unauthorised absence to the LA, who will fine every offence, but have the power to go straight to court, and with the amount of time you would be absent for I can't imagine the LA would fine, I imagine they'd go straight to court.

Deregistering is the safest (and only) way to keep the LA out of it, but you run a huge risk that the places will be filled when you return.

I would still be tempted to do it at the age they are, you certainly cannot do this when they are older.

As I said the rules have changed, so stories of going with the school's blessing are now meaningless as no head could authorise it for even a shorter period.

Deregistering is your only option, as even if the children are taken off role, you could still face action by the LA as your children would be classed as 'missing in education' and the LA would have a responsibility to make sure they are safe, whereas if you take them out of school to home-school them, the LA wouldn't intervene.

She would still definitely get a fine for the older child (the younger one may be under CSA depending on the birthday.

I have some experience doing it the other way round. Coming to the UK for the same reason.

The home primary school provided teaching materials so that the child could be home educated while away. They didn’t have to deregister or lose their place while away. Different country and different regulations though.

Perhaps ask if the school is willing to do this.