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.

I am having a good old chuckle about how smugly thinking they have found a loophole in not having to a pay a fine, the OP has morphed into a crusader for more progressive ways of running state education! PLEASE! No one is falling for it. You're being entitled and tight - you can afford a nice holiday but not a financial penalty on top? Or is it that you've spent all of your money on Sharpies, planks and cardboard for all of the campaigning you're going to do on College Green? Remember to come up with a catchy slogan and invite itv along...

This is actually part of the bigger picture...part of the discussion is definitely around the appropriateness of the curriculum to modern lifeskills and jobs, a small example being how many professions require the use of manual calculations? The ability to programme software to make calculations - yes, but the ability to do those calculations manually - no, yet our children are still being taught in this way

Just go for it and send it and let us know what they say, what have you got to lose?

You'd be better off putting your energy into helping stop the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill. That is seriously stepping on the toes of every family with school age children while using poor Sara Sharif as the poster child for why home ed is bad. It is plainly obvious that the services that already knew about her failed her. Nothing to do with home ed. And don't get me started on the judge that placed her with her murdering father yet has been excused of any wrongdoing.

What's with the personal attacks? Is this how those of you making the personal attacks converse in real life? I highly doubt it, opinion on the topic is fine, but why are personal comments necessary?

It's not really the question of a law preventing parents from temporarily withdrawing their children from school to home educate.

What you are looking for is a law that would compel the school to keep the space for a child that has been temporarily withdrawn by their parents. And that doesn't exist.

Nice bit of ageism there, OP.

As was asked up thread, how would you like our educational system to work?
Drop in, drop out whenever?

"Reliable snow" 🤣
Chat GPT never fails to come out with wanky bollocks.

I think the responses may have been different if you hadn’t tried to be smart and use lots of text, sub texts and policies that don’t don’t actually meet your needs op.
The school did not beg you to send your DC’s there, you applied and in doing that agreed to the conditions made clear before you made that decision. The school you applied for has not moved the goal posts.
All that being said I am amazed at parents being fined for taking children out of school, up here in Scotland teachers wish the children a lovely holiday and move on. No drama whatsoever.

People always misunderstand maths. Children need to be able to do the calculations or they won't understand them to think about them, make connections ..unless you think we should all stop thinking

You sound like a self righteous asshole, sorry OP. Suck it up like the rest of us.

You should be able to tell us that. You've made a fair number of personal comments yourself.

You are right on many of the points that you raise and you are certainly right that younger generations could force change but that would be their choice as adults. What you are doing risks disadvantaging your children, who are not the ones deciding this, to make a point.
Education is essential, holidays are at best enriching and at worst a chance to collect a selection of foreign germs to bring home. The school system will probably change but this will necessarily be slow. To change as you want would mean that at some point in every term each child would be off for two weeks out of thirteen, this would be a nightmare for teachers trying to make sure everyone covered the curriculum. Or that the schools would have to be open for a greater number of weeks and increase staff numbers and costs as necessary.
A tacit opt in/opt out each day or week would further break the assumption that, once you have registered to attend a state school the children attend. Sadly it would not be only the children who could cope with losing time who would not always attend. Real danger of increasing inequality of opportunity.
I don’t believe in fines for holidays in term time and I actually agree that occasional absence for a special trip should be allowed, many schools recognise and allow this for parents who approach openly and discuss it.
Petition parliament, start a campaign, speak to your MP but don’t waste the headteachers time and use you children as pawns.

Where do you stand on the need for drivers' licences, @KuanKaKu ? Are you driving or travelling?

The drivel on the subject gets worse. OP just isn't getting it but posts rambling posts from god knows where. Almosr deluded that they are right.

I think this is evident in one of my earlier posts, where I've referenced the call for families to be allowed up to 10 days of term time absence without penalty, and this in effect being classified as 'otherwise' under S7 of The Education Act 1996. The concept is simple, to mirror the proposal set out in UK Government and Parliament petition 700047, by invoking the 'otherwise' option for up to 10 days without penalty. This petition was supported by over 181,000 signatures, but likely would have been more had it gained media and political traction earlier. All those putting arguments against a more flexible approach to attendance, are obviously unaware of the current system in countries like Scotland and Australia where there is no penalty and no damming stats to say their systems are not fit for purpose...

I am writing to inform you that for the period xxx 2026 to xxx 2026 inclusive

Exactly how long are you planning to remove them?

This.

Nah. Home Ed message board, surely?

You want to “enable change”, become a MP. You want the benefit of free state education, you follow the rules if keeping the place is important to you, or if you don’t follow the rules, don’t expect to be able to slot your child back in where he or she left off. You might get a different school. Only you can decide whether consistency or adventure is best for your children.

Yes, you effectively release the space so if the school is oversubscribed and there is a waiting list, you could lose the child’s place in the school.

Exactly. How would a child who has never done manual calculations using established mathematical formulae ever have a feel for whether the output of the programmed software is actually correct? In fact, how would they programme that software if they've never worked with formulae that are the very basis of maths?

Until reforms bring the policy into line with real life, it is therefore very possible for families to rely on the lawful option that Section 7 provides and on the practical 10 day window in which the school still holds the place. It is not misuse. It is a rational response to a system that has not kept pace with society.

Ah, so it's a ten day holiday during term time. 💡

Bit of a palaver to withdraw them wholesale surely? What if your return flight is delayed and you miss an additional 2 days? Your kids will be out the door and the next eager beaver will be warming their seat.

Why can't you just take your holybags during outside of the school term time like normal people?

What do you do for work @KuanKaKu ?