Term time holiday.

[TwinklySloth]

Hi folks,

I know I'll probably get blasted for this, but I was planning on taking my kids out of school early before the may half term, they break up on the 23rd, I was planning on them only attending Monday 19th and having tues-fri off 'unauthorised' simply because the difference in price for the holiday I'm looking at is £850 more expensive if we go on the 23rd or 24th than if we went on the 20th. £850. for the sake of 3 days.

I know people will say 'if you can't afford kids don't have them' - I can afford my children, I just don't want to needlessly pay an extra £850 because the school says I'm a criminal and my kids are going to suffer if I dont. My kids have never had time off school, apart from a day here and there for sickness and funerals. My oldest son's secondary school sent an email to all parents this morning about how missing any school with unauthorised absences could destroy their lives bla bla bla, come on, he's in year 7, missing 4 days isn't going to have a long term effect.

Anyway, what's the worst that they're going to do? I don't care about the fines, but I really can't be bothered with being visited by social services for something this utterly ridiculous. I despise the level of control we are all under. Big brother is watching.

Thanks!

I think the worst they can do at this stage is a fine. I doubt SS are going to waste their time even if school reports which they won't. No judgement from me!

No judgement from me either. How many kids do you have though so you can work out what your actual saving is, taking into account the potential fine? 3 or fewer, probably worth it. 4 kids, unlikely to save anything.

I've done it almost every year for 2/3 days. I've not yet had a fine. Christmas just gone we were in disneyland paris for 3 days before term ended, the worst they do is a fine. After that if you do it again you may now get further fine, but like I say, done it annually and no fines here yet, and if I get one I'll take it

No judgement from me cause I nearly always do this. You will probably get flamed on here though.

🍿

Just 2!

Yeah I just got back from disneyland last month, we went during the half term so naturally it was extremely expensive.

Oh I know I will 😂

This is my plan when the kids start school so no judgement here.

I don't know whether you would get fined but that is obviously the main consequence.

Apart from your eldest being in year 7, what age is the other child?
I would look to see whether there is anything on in particular those days that they would both miss (e.g. does sons secondary school do assessment week or anything like that?).

What a ridiculously melodramatic post 🙄. School aren’t treating you like a criminal FFS - and social services don’t have time to be dealing with shit like this. Just go on your holiday, don’t be such a drama queen.

In our area (Surrey) you don't get a fine for missing less than 5 days unauthorised, not sure if all local authorities are the same. Good luck and enjoy your holiday!

I used to be judgmental about this sort of thing but I've just had a letter from my child's school about a skiing trip....to Italy ...during term time for next year ....she's 8! Takes the piss

I'm going to take term time holidays from now on

the other is in year 5, they won't be missing anything

Well, thanks for that! Given that the email sent to parents this morning stated that term time holidays may result in fines or 'other legal action' does make one wonder what that actually means, and yes, does indeed make it sound criminal.

I think I would have done the same as you. I know the rules on this has changed from this school year and this is what it says on the government website:

Your local council can give each parent a fine of £80, rising to £160 if you do not pay within 21 days.

From the 2024 to 2025 school year, each parent will only get up to 2 fines for the same child in a 3-year period.

If you get a second fine in 3 years it will be £160. If you do not pay the fine in 28 days you may be taken to court for keeping your child out of school.
If your child is off school 3 or more times within the 3 years you will not be fined but may be taken to court.

So, it's £80 per parent and child, in your case £320. I'm guessing it's not per day but for each period, but you should probably double check that.