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Original poster

Reqeust for term-time absence refused - what happens if we go anyway?

54 replies

MonkeyBear · 14/01/2008 20:05

ds1 is 5 and in reception. Dh's grandmother will be 100 in May and we have asked for permission to remove ds1 from school for 3 days to allow us to travel to Ireland to celebrate her birthday with the whole family. It's not a very big family and the five of us (me, dh and 3 ds's) represent almost half of her living relatives, so we are very keen to go and had thought that, given the special circumstances, we would be given permission to do so by the school.

However, we have just got a letter back from the headmistress saying that it is the school's policy not to authorise absence during term 5 because that it the term in which assessments are carried out.

Dh is adamant that we should go anyway. Would this have any consequences?

OP posts:
TheIceQueen · 14/01/2008 20:08

now - I'm not usually one to advocate taking children out of school during term-time - however in these circumstances (and especially given your DS's age and school year) I'd just take him......you could always call in and say he was sick .

TheIceQueen · 14/01/2008 20:09

oh and AFAIK all that will happen is that it will go down as unauthorised absence - which for you as parents (given that it's obviously a one off) probably won't affect you at all....it'll just affect the schools "unauthorised absence" stats.

Beetroot · 14/01/2008 20:12

I think it is ridiculous. Of course you should go.

Nothing will happen.

jaynehater · 14/01/2008 20:13

I don't know the position in England, but here in Scotland, the schools aren't able to grant authorised absence except under certain limited circumstances, examples of which are outlined, none of which include family based travel.

I don't think there are usually any repercussions provided it is not an habitual issue - the school perhaps has it's hands tied regarding what can be put in the letter home. If you're worried, trying giving them a call?

peanutbear · 14/01/2008 20:15

I agree wholeheartedly with IceQueen I think that due to the very special circumstances you should go

mylittleponey · 14/01/2008 20:16

what's more important - 3 days of school or the once in a lifetime day of being with his gran on her 100 birthday. Plus his gran must be looking forward to seeing you all on this day.

I'd just tell them I would be going like it or not.

Desiderata · 14/01/2008 20:18

Reception isn't legally compulsory anyway, is it?

ConnorTraceptive · 14/01/2008 20:18

I can assure you NOTHING will happen it will be simply recorded as an unauthorised absence by the school.

You won't go to prison and employers won't throw your son's job applications in the bin

needmorecoffee · 14/01/2008 20:19

go anyway. Family is more important than school.

Original poster
MonkeyBear · 14/01/2008 20:22

thanks everyone - that's made me feel better about going! I was just a bit taken aback by headmistress saying no...

OP posts:
NKF · 14/01/2008 20:23

It will go down as an unauthorised absence. That's all.

Heated · 14/01/2008 20:25

Only if your child has had considerable absence and there was a long running saga involving paperwork, EWOs etc would this be an issue.

The only thing you cannot reasonably expect is for your child to have 1-2-1 support to help him catch up the work he had missed (have met some parents who expect this!) but somehow I think aged 5 or was that year 5?, well whatever, that the rest of his schooldays won't be blighted!

I would, out of good manners, let his class teacher know that he will be absent, shortly before you depart.

needmorecoffee · 14/01/2008 20:26

see, i don't ask. Just tell them afterwards. ds(14) will be missing the last week of term time cos we've been offered a free 'holiday for families with a disabled child'. Buggered if I'm missing that just cos of school.
Mind you, mention disabled and they fall over themselves to be PC and let you go

jenkel · 14/01/2008 20:27

Is term 5 the term after the easter break.

The reason I asked is my dd is 5 and in year 2, we have asked if we could have 1 week either side of the easter holiday to go to a family wedding in Australia and to enable dd to see her grandparens who live in Australia, Australia is not the sort of trip you could easily do in 2 weeks with 2 small children, we were told we could take the week before easter but not the week after the easter break, which is fine for us, so we are taking her out of school for 1 week.

I do think it is ridiculous that you are not allowed to take ds out of school for 3 days for a very special birthday celebration. Its not as if you are going to on a normal family holiday for a week.

lennygrrl · 14/01/2008 20:27

Message withdrawn

MrsCarrot · 14/01/2008 20:31

If we go away after permission has been refused we get... The Leaflet

This tells us all about how it is harming our childs education to go away in term time so of course we read it diligently on the journey.

needmorecoffee · 14/01/2008 20:32

yup, we've had 'The Leaflet'.
Should my kids fail their A levels I will hang my head in shame over the naughty absence when they were 5

ScienceTeacher · 14/01/2008 21:05

I thought you could have 10 days absence per year. Is that still the case?

My boys' independent school's policy is don't ask because it will be refused - I think the only thing they give their blessing to is representing your country in sporting events. Take the absence and tell them afterwards. My own school's policy is fairly liberal - we have quite a few Asian girls who spend quite a lot of time in India and Pakistan - as a teacher, I send them on their way with lots of work, and ask that they will take lots of pictures and look for things that might interest us and email them.

I took my state school kids out of school early last year for our family reunion in the US in July. I wrote a fairly grovelly letter explaining the different patterns of holidays in the US, and also the need to connect with their culture, and meet their relatives. It worked - they wished us well. I will be glad when they are all in independent schools, and getting off in early July - never conflicting with our family reunion.

dividedselfridgesxmaswindow · 14/01/2008 21:07

I'd go anyway. What makes assessment so important in this week, the best assessment is ongoing imo.

Funny how he might just get poorly that week, eh?

Whooosh · 14/01/2008 21:10

Iam with IceQueen-do it!-he is 5 FGS....

ravenAK · 14/01/2008 21:13

There's nothing they can do about it. Your ds's form tutor will theoretically put it down as 'unauthorised', which looks bad on the school stats.

So she'll probably then get gently nudged by the Powers That Be to record it as 'other, authorised by parents'

In general I'm quite anti taking kids out of school in term time, but ultimately it's your decision. If ds was in Year 10 or 11 it might conceivably be noted unfavourably by college/employers IF his overall attendance was below the high 90%s - but no, there's not going to be repercussions for a 5 year old wagging 3 days!

Hulababy · 14/01/2008 21:14

I would still go. Just send a note in on his last day, or on day you return, sying that due to family circumstances then DS s/will be absent.

Nothing will happen to you other than it being recorded as unauthorised. Ths statistic will have a greater affect on the school's figures than on your DS's education record.

Olihan · 14/01/2008 21:17

I'm assuming the 'assessment' is SATs (formal for Y2 and Y6 and the internal ones for the other year groups) but these don't happen for reception afair. Just go, like others have said, it won't reflect on you, just on the school so go any way.

LadyMuck · 14/01/2008 21:17

For 3 days I don't think that there is much that they can do really, other than it does appear as unauthorised absence. If you manage a full 2 weeks of unauthorised absence they can give the school place to someone else I understand.

TheStepfordChav · 14/01/2008 21:23

What a shame the school haven't been more flexible. I bet if it was for a funeral they'd authorise it. It's pathetic. Go anyway, and hold your heads up.