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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:
mrspnut · 14/01/2008 21:24

Personally I would write to the chair of governors stating that you feel that the headteacher has not fully appreciated the situation.

I would stress that you want the 3 days to visit family and attend a 100th birthday party and that you would like the time to be authorised but that you are considering removing your child for those days anyway as it is so important to you.

COG's will probably want to know why the HT has refused it and is risking their attendance record for just 3 days.

unknownrebelbang · 14/01/2008 21:27

I'd take him out, given the circumstances.

OverMyDeadBody · 14/01/2008 21:32

Just go anyway, as everyone has said here nothing will happen, it will just be recorded as unauthorised.

Family reunion sounds like so much fun, and how often do kids get to celebrate their great grandmother's 100th birthday with theM? sounds great!

Acinonyx · 14/01/2008 21:41

Rules gone mad - definitley go. Enjoy!

soopermum1 · 14/01/2008 21:42

say something about kids connecting with their cultural heritage and get them to present a big painting of a shamrock to show on their return, a bit of irish dancing might go down well as well

nooka · 14/01/2008 21:45

Next time remember that you shouldn't ask permission, just write expliaing that you are taking him out of school and why (politely of course). If schools told parents what was happening and when important things were coming up maybe as parents we woudl try and be more considerate about significant times like assessments (it is a pain for the teacher because they will need to reschudule for your ds).

AbbeyA · 14/01/2008 22:42

We had a 100th Birthday in our family, it is very special and all the family was there. It had to be on the day-you can't make someone who has reached that amazing milestone delay it to the weekend or holiday!!Go and enjoy it;all it means is that it goes in the register as unauthorised.

AbbeyA · 14/01/2008 22:44

Having just read your post nooka, I didn't ask permission. I just wrote a letter explaining that they would be away for the day for a 100 birthday! They had their picture in local paper and a whole interview with birthday person.

Ubergeekian · 15/01/2008 00:21

"My boys' independent school's policy is don't ask because it will be refused"

Who's the customer here?

duchesse · 15/01/2008 00:29

Go. Three days of school at that age are far less important than your granny's 100th. If it meant him missing 3 A level exams, you might have to think twice, but the school's is in my opinion high handed and unnecessary.

Niecie · 15/01/2008 00:42

I wouldn't usually agree with taking children out of school during term time but this is one of those exceptions when it has to be done. You can't have a 100th birthday celebration on any other day than the day it is meant to be.

I am surprised that the head is being so rigid about this. 5 year olds shouldn't need specific assessments. In fact due to a cock up with the booking by her DH, a friend of mine had to ask to take her DD out of school during the Yr 2 SATS last year. I don't suppose for one minute the school were happy but they authorised it and the girl did her SATs when she got back. The assessment thing is a total red herring.

Just go and have a wonderful time.

bellabelly · 15/01/2008 00:44

Just write a sick note after the event. You'll know you're lying and so will the school but they WON'T CARE. All they'll care about is whether it'll affect their unauthorised absence figures (which it won't if you claim it's time off sick).

partsky · 15/01/2008 00:48

I asked my Sons School to allow an extra week after I had been very ill and they were great. He was 11 at the time. I think Schools should basically look at all circs but my understanding is that you can actually be fined if you take them out without permission but I think the biggest problem is the pressure your kids will get, often from the Teachers. I found that offering to do extra work BEFORE we left and during the holiday did sway the decision as well, so my Sons form Teacher told me. Guess what? We all survived and the world did not fall apart.

fortyplus · 15/01/2008 01:31

Tell the school that you regard yourselves as part of the travelling community and you are giving reasonable notice that you are leaving the area for a few days but your ds will return to school on x date. They will then have to grant permission or they are guilt of racial discrimination. Seriously...

fortyplus · 15/01/2008 01:31

'guilty'

duchesse · 15/01/2008 01:37

at 40+

arfishy · 15/01/2008 05:19

ooh. You lot are so anarchic.

I'd be far too scared (DD starts school this month, I am not yet blase).

Actually. What happens in Australia if they do bunk off? I don't know the rules. Had better check with a local before I go booking Fijian holidays halfway through term .

dayofftomorrow · 15/01/2008 09:26

Two children in DD's primary school were refused permission for time off to go to a funeral of an old lady they called their third granny on the last day of christmas term (catholic school, catholic funeral)

They are in years 2 and 6 and got a standard printed letter about how important the sats were etc saying it was "governers policy"
They went anyway (the parish priest is a school governer and possibly didn't realise they were playing truant)

Their elder brother at secondary school was granted permission.

MrsCarrot · 15/01/2008 10:46

I stopped caring about it after ds1 was refused
an authorised week of seeing a private dslexia tutor when he was really struggling in year1. There wasn't a box for it apparently, and they weren't sure how much it would help.

There was a box for his fellow classmate to go skiing that same week, however, because the 10 days holiday is actually down to the school's discretion and of course the headmistress understood that skiing would be a great experience and couldn't be done during the summer.

Then a friend was refused leave to take her dcs to see their Grandad in Tenerife and got The Leaflet. It seems completely arbitrary, at our school anyway.

AbbeyA · 15/01/2008 15:41

It is not the individual schools. Our LEA has decided that holidays in term time are to be unauthorised and has written to all schools to tell them this, the schools have forwarded the letter to all parents. You were entitled to 10 days but not anymore and Heads are not allowed to grant it unless there are very special circumstances. (Your LEA may not have done so but I don't think it will be long, with pressure from central Government). You can still go, it is just frowned upon, and marked on the register as unauthorised absence. I wouldn't have contemplated my DCs missing Great Grandfather's 100th.

NorthernLurker · 15/01/2008 15:46

Take your child anyway - I'm still smarting from our school's refusal to authorise 1/2 a day (2 hours of teaching time plus 1 hour of lunch) so we could go to an important family birthday - 300 miles away! We took them anyway

Original poster
MonkeyBear · 16/01/2008 21:19

thanks for all the advice - really love fortyplus's idea - funnily enough dh said much the same thing!

I did think about just pretending ds1 was ill, but don't want him to have to lie to his teacher when he gets back. I think we'll just go and enjoy ourselves!

OP posts:
woodchip · 21/01/2008 09:50

Hi, just a quickie to say I have had the experience of taking children on hols during term time. Up until last September we were allowed 10 days leave during each school year. Then the rules changed! We are not allowed any leave unless it isa in 'exceptional circumstances' and i would certainly say that yours was in that category.

I wrote to the school informing them we intended to take our son out of school for 5 days. I received a response that it would be marked down onhis record as 'unauthorised leave'. Presuming that was the end of it, we went away on the hoiday. A few weeks later, my husband and I both received letters with a fixed penalty of £50 each. Each parent with parental responsibility receives a fine. If not paid within a certain time, the fines double. Apparently, these fines are generally sent out if the child has more than 3 days, so you should be ok. Cheap holidays are not a valid reason we are told. Anyway, basically we wrote to the council and have not paid, and our fines are now £100 each!! The third stage is prosecution, and this is where it gets interesting. Many councils do not proceed with the prosecution and leave you alone. I believe this will be the case in our situation on speaking with the Council. Lets hope so, as the fines will be £1000 each! BUT I am confident it will not come to this. A Headteacher can use their discretion when authorising leave, and in your circumstances, she is a miserable old bint!! I shall continue to take mine on holiday during term time as even a £50 fine is worth paying when you can save hundreds on the cost of the holiday.

HappyMummyOfOne · 21/01/2008 11:07

I dont agree with taking children out of school but in your case I would. Its a one off event and an important one for your family.

If you were asking to take your child out just for a holiday, then no it should be refused. Our school wont authorise any absence for "cheap" holidays and I do agree with it. I dont want DS thinking he can miss school for a holiday unless it was something as important than this.

woodchip · 21/01/2008 11:24

I should have mentioned in my post that my other 2 children have a different holiday system, 8 weeks on 2 off, at secondary school, and consequently dont match up with the little ones. Therefore, we take the youngest out of school for our holidays. They are both state schools coming under the same Education Authority who have now realised this is a problem which needs to be addressed. During the summer they are all off for just under 4 weeks, which by the time you have gone on the scout and guide camps does not leave much time for a family holiday, which we feel is very important.
Worth noting however, that each Education authority has its own policy and I do know of some who still allow the 10 days so always worth checking on their website.