To invoke the ‘otherwise’ option for school absence?

[KuanKaKu]

AIBU to send this letter in and request temporary de-registration?
WWYD if you are a Headteacher and received this?
Dear Headteacher,
I am writing to inform you that for the period xxx 2026 to xxx 2026 inclusive, my children, [Child’s Name(s)], will be receiving their education otherwise than at school, in accordance with Section 7 of the Education Act 1996, which places the legal duty for securing a suitable education on me as the parent.
Section 7 states that:
“The parent of every child of compulsory school age shall cause him to receive efficient full-time education suitable to his age, ability and aptitude, and to any special educational needs he may have, either by regular attendance at school or otherwise.”
During this period I will be exercising the “otherwise” option. As such, my children will not be attending school between these dates. You may therefore treat them as temporarily deregistered for this period, as their education is being lawfully provided by me.
This is not a permanent withdrawal. My intention is for them to return to school-based provision on xxx 2026.
For clarity:
Parents are the duty-holders under Education Act 1996 s.7 with the right to elect for education “otherwise”.
Elective Home Education does not require the school’s permission (DfE Elective Home Education Guidance, 2019).
Temporary periods of home education are legally valid where the parent is providing suitable education under s.7.
Compulsory school attendance requirements under s.444 apply only where the parent is relying on school attendance to discharge the s.7 duty, which is not the case during this period.
Please confirm receipt of this notification for your records.

You’re well within your rights to lobby for change on this issue at school trust level and higher. But on a single school basis, if you de-register you’ll have to re-register afterwards and then you might find your child’s place has been given to someone else in the mean time! Both my kids school have waiting lists and they can’t refuse school children are enrolled if a space comes available.

I had to de-register and re-register mid term on a single day when my child changed school last year and admin wise it wasn’t an easy thing to do.

When I was in primary school one of my friends went travelling around Australia for about 8 weeks (possibly longer). The school just accepted her absence. She didn’t have to do any extra homework. She just had a massive holiday.

In highschool that same person left year 12 months before graduation to get a job in an office. She came back to visit wearing her office clothes and high heels. The Deputy Principal still allowed her to graduate even though she didn’t meet the 80% attendance requirement and obviously never even submitted her assignments or attended tests. She also missed her final exams. It was so unfair that she was allowed to graduate when she didn’t earn her place.

It seems like the mother wants to take her child out of school to go on holiday and doesn’t want to get fined.

I would suggest you acknowledge receipt of her email and report her to be fined for failing to attend school as it’s very clear she isn’t going to be homeschooling her child and is only using the Act to get out of the attendance requirements. You either homeschool or not. It’s not up to you to make that determination- it’s up to the Court. She can explain to the Court the reason for the withdrawal from school.

I would formally acknowledge the request and tell her that it’s not possible to temporarily de-register from school and keep her child’s place and as she has not indicated she has registered for homeschooling you will escalate this matter.

Then send all correspondence through your normal channels for the purpose of a fine being issued.

I'm getting, I can afford a fine, but just don't want to pay it. And I don't want another child to have the school place while I ponce about travelling.

What do you mean by antiquated? Didn't the more draconian attendance rules come in recently? Under Gove? Because of a link between missing chunks of school, disruption and poor educational outcomes.

If you don't like the system you have the choice of HE full time and take full control of your child's education exactly how you wish - so you don't have to use a system you disagree with. In some countries HE is not legal and you do have to use the system.

In a neighbouring LA there was a deal of off-rolling when parents took children out of school to go on a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia. The date changes every year and so when it coincided with the summer holiday - no problem. But when Hajj falls in term time children could return to find they'd lost their place.

Pressure schools attendance rates, lack of communication, pressure on places all exacerbated the problem.

Some of the schools in that area were quite popular and oversubscribed.

Hajj itself is a relatively short festival but some children would be out for 2+ months if the parents included a trip to see relatives in their heritage country. Often schools were not given a return date, sometimes the children were just not there.

As worries about forced marriages came into public awareness then social services would be involved if the child concerned was a 14-16 year old girl.

If you feel that you need to be away and take your child with you then honesty and an open discussion is probably best for all concerned.

General School Governor here (sec) The simple answer is no .. you are welcome to withdraw your child from
school but they’ll be removed from roll with no guarantee of being able to return

I love the idea that , as with the travelling community, wanting to take your kid skiing for less money means you're a protected minority and should be treated as such.

My parents couldn't afford to take us on holiday outside of term-time, so we just didn't go. If you can afford a holiday at all you're doing better than a lot of families are right now, so spend the time you're spending on this Chat GPT legalese nonsense on trying to find a break that's more suitable for your dates and budget. That would be more productive.

Think the OP would find the idea of paying private school fees rather ‘antiquated’ too!

I think some schools will work with special circumstances for children with exceptional needs for chunks of time away like high level sports or child actors but most of those children go the private route and also hire tutors.

Were you considering taking a tutor with you on your trip @KuanKaKu ?

Ah, who knew that any complex policy issue could be resolved with a simple "Out with the old and in with the new!"?

Is there not an online school, King's Interhigh or something, that is aimed at children who can't attend school in person for whatever reason but particularly kids who are acting/competing in sports? There's an option.

You can deregister and re-register a child at any time; what you can't do is guarantee their school place will still be available. If the school is oversubscribed or someone new moves into the area, the school place will absolutely be gone by the time you try to return them. They have no obligation or reason to hold the place open for you.

If you deregister your child, you'll be expected to provide evidence to the local authority fairly soon. Some LAs have a two step policy where they want plans outlined for the education within a couple of weeks, some LAs will wait about six weeks for a response outlining the progress made and education provided so far. There's no option to be unknown to the LA if you're deregistering a child, so that will definitely happen.

Please don't deregister spuriously. There's a community of responsible, dedicated home educators pushing to maintain the rights of home educating families, and things like deregistering for a big holiday make it much harder for those of us who are in this for the long haul.

OP.
You do know that deregistering your kids so you can go skiing educate them elsewhere temporarily means the school will erase any and all trace of them the day the letter arrives on the head's desk. Don't bank on them going back into the same class, sitting in the same space, having the same drawer, the same peg.

Besides, what education are you planning on providing while your children are in kid's clubs while you are on the piste you are temporarily HE them? Although there's no legal obligation to provide it, a lot of LA's now ask to see flight tickets HE plans.

The current even more draconian rules came in August 2024 so just over a year ago having been initially done in February so definitely not antiquated at all and came in for the specific purpose I think of improving attendance and stopping term time holidays

You're in the minority, however modern you feel you are.

Fortunately there is so much excess money in then state school system it will be fine for there to be a tailored flexible system to suit those parents that want to travel…No wait…

If you do a Google search, you'll find messages both on Mumsnet and Facebook dating back to 2012, 2017...in fact most years, where people have had the same idea and been told the same answer. Your idea is not new and it's no more workable now than it was then.

If you de register your dc their place is gone, schools cannot keep their place. If there is a waiting list the place will go to those dc. If it’s not an oversubscribed school you may be able to register them on your return but not guarantees. There are some exceptions for specific circumstances, my friend got permission to take her dc out for 1 month on compassionate grounds but this is working with the school not quoting legal documents at the school

If you do a Google search, you'll find messages both on Mumsnet and Facebook dating back to 2012, 2017...in fact most years, where people have had the same idea and been told the same answer. Your idea is not new and it's no more workable now than it was then.

@KuanKaKu
You repeatedly banging on about Travellers having it better than poor old you is not the "gotcha" you think it is. The educational outcome of traveller children is extremely poor in the main, which kind of proves the point that your idea is actually a really bad idea.

If you do a Google search, you'll find messages both on Mumsnet and Facebook dating back to 2012, 2017...in fact most years, where people have had the same idea and been told the same answer. Your idea is not new and it's no more workable now than it was then.

If you do a Google search, you'll find messages both on Mumsnet and Facebook dating back to 2012, 2017...in fact most years, where people have had the same idea and been told the same answer. Your idea is not new and it's no more workable now than it was then.

It seems like the mother wants to take her child out of school to go on holiday and doesn’t want to get fined.

Eleven pages in and someone has finally seen through the OP's ruse 😄

I would suggest you acknowledge receipt of her email and report her to be fined for failing to attend school as it’s very clear she isn’t going to be homeschooling her child

Err, who are you addressing here? The OP is not the head teacher 🤔

Bizarre contribution....

Wealthy enough to go skiing but too tight to pay a fine. 😂 My heart bleeds.

the thread is full of posts laughing at the OP and her holidays, maybe you should read it?