Term time holidays

[Treadingwater19]

Feel like term time holidays are such a mine field. I’ve never thought twice about taking my children out once a year for our annual centre parcs Christmas break - she’s now in year 1 and is 6, last year was our first year to get a fine, but we didn’t get one. She had no other absences from school apart from the one week holiday and is working at her accepted levels, does this have some baring on the decision to send off the fine? We did get notified from the school that they were sending fine off to the council, but we never received anything. Presumably the council can choose to pursue or not?

anyway, 2 weeks time we are going away. I’m so conflicted wether to say she’s got a high temp and cold symptoms for 2 days and then Covid for the other 3 days - as she’s got something “contagious” Will they send someone out to “check” the house? Should I say she’s unwell for 2 days and the on holiday the rest of the week? Or should we just do as we always have, say we’re going away and just see if a fine comes. The money for paying the fine isn’t the issue, we just feel like whole system is broken, why shouldn’t we be allowed to take our children on holiday? Their our children, the holidays are educational, their grades are on target and we don’t take the mick.

anyway - just wanting advice on wether to say she’s sick or just say we are away? Something doesn’t sit right with saying she’s sick, but again why should we be penalised for having a holiday with OUR children.

Personally I wouldn’t lie, very embarrassing if caught out and kids that age will tell all their friends they weren’t sick but on holiday. Just pay the fine if one comes.

Just be honest. The school will notice she's conveniently ill for one week each year.
(Plus what will you do if she is genuinely ill at a similar time?)

Be aware though, the fines grow each time. You might need to cut it down to 4 days of school missed.

The children always tell! Just be honest and pay the fine if charged, you’ll have saved money by going outside the school holidays.

Don’t lie, what’s that teaching your child? And it’ll be even worse if she tells her teaching what she did for the week when the teacher asks if she’s feeling better. If you want to take her out of school, then just own it.

Don't lie.

Ideally take your holidays (whether educational or not) during the extensive school holidays.

Be grateful your DC have this education available to them, no need to be cross anyone is telling you what to do, they are simply trying to educate your children.

Take 4 days and add to an inset day …that way there’s no fine

Yeh as others say, just tell them you are on holiday and pay the fine if it comes. You will have saved money on the holiday anyway and you are happy to take your DD out of school so I agree, own it.

I mean you are allowed to take your children on holiday. But there is a price to pay I guess. I am not a big fan of the fines as it goes.

You’ve got the bingo cards except one

My child is bright and able
Attendance is good
It’s educational
Should we lie and say she’s ill.

The one you haven’t got is ‘ask the teacher for some work’.

Not sure how Centre Paris is educational, but never mind. Perhaps you’re going somewhere different this time.

It isn’t the school that makes a decision or issues a fine. The school has to pass information to the authority and they decide on whether or not they will issue a fine.

No one is stopping you from taking your children on holiday whenever you want. Unless it’s during school holidays though, it will be unauthorised. If you don’t agree with the system, home educate.

Can you leave after school on the Monday? Or even just after the afternoon registration?
Then you will only be absent 4 days and probably won't be fined.

I am not a fan of the fines as they dont seem to have achieved the aim of reducing term time holidays at all, people feel entitled to do it regardless and just pay the fine.

The reality is the impact of tt holidays is about all kids not just those who go away due to need to catch kids up, give teachers more workload etc. However I do think at 6 this is managable as kids are at very different stages, and as I said I believe fines are a broken policy. I would not myself lie though.

'why shouldn't we be allowed to take our chidren on holiday?!'

Because...

1 - would you say the same if your child's teacher takes her children out of school to get 'cheaper holidays' leaving your child without a teacher for X amount?

2 - you signed your child up to a free education. People in this country do not value education, and some children do not even get an education

3 - your child is ONLY in school for 150 or so school days a year.

4 - it distrupts every other student and teachers...

If you don't like it you can always homeschool your bright child.

5 - You can take your children on holiday. Nobody is physically preventing you from doing so. You might get a fine (or worse?), though.

The money for paying the fine isn’t the issue, we just feel like whole system is broken, why shouldn’t we be allowed to take our children on holiday? Their our children, the holidays are educational, their grades are on target and we don’t take the mick.

How is Centreparks educational?
Went don't you home school as you obviously think you know better.

Ps your spelling mistakes are atrocious... Maybe you could do with going back to school? Education matters after all ....

The time off is cumulative.

4 days one week and another day within the rolling 10 weeks period can be counted together.

A day off every week over 5 weeks can trigger a consideration.

@Treadingwater19 MN hates term time holidays so you’re not going to get balanced views here.

Do not lie. Tell the truth, take the holiday and enjoy it. Suck up any fines, educate yourself for future fines (they change) and do not expect the teacher to catch up your DD.

I find the hypocrisy of our education system ridiculous. I have three DC with SN. I am the only one who gives a toss about their education. I have been fighting their respective schools and local authorities for years to get my DC the right support to access education. It’s exhausting and frustrating and constant.

When my DC was out of school for a year due to autistic burnout, nobody gave a toss. Not even a safeguarding phone call. There are thousands of other children missing education and nobody gives a toss. Behaviour in schools is abysmal and teachers are leaving in droves.

So the rhetoric of “every day counts”, you should “value the education on offer” is privileged BS; unless you’ve seen the other side of education, don’t judge.

It’s a week, not a month. She’s 6 , not in GCSE years. Take the holiday , I’m sure she’ll be fine.

Life is hard. I am a great believer in taking joy where you can, tomorrow is never promised.

Don’t lie, it’ll put your daughter under pressure as she won’t be able to talk about her holiday. I’m an attendance officer, the rules for my LEA are 93%+ attendance and 5 days or less taken = no fine, holiday authorised. Less than 93% then fine issued. More than 10 days taken fine issued regardless of attendance, more than 20 days taken = no fine but taken off school register so place in school lost. No fines issued for children under 5 years old.

We would send someone to check, it’s a safeguarding issue more than anything. We also notice when families get sick at the same time of year, every year. Children also come back to school and talk about where they have been!

Don't lie. If you free that taking your child out of school for a holiday is ok, then own your choice. Don't say she is ill - what if she really does get Covid later in the term, for example?

And in answer to your other points, your lack of fine last year will not be related to her attendance (which in November is only based on about 8 weeks of the school year) or that fact that she is working at "accepted levels" (not sure you mean "accepted" btw).

I'm not sure you can call mid-November a "Christmas break" either, tbh.

Last year she was in reception correct? Same time of year? So she would have been in the term she turned 5 at least therefore not subject to fines

so yes it will this year

it is a HUGE thing for schools now whether you agree with it or not it is fairly straightforward 10 sessions or 5 days and it will be a fine - you get 2 fines then 3rd time prosecution so doing it every year may not work

yes you can lie but this bit is crucial they don’t have to authorise sickness - they can unauthorise it (even if they are genuinely ill trust me I know) the only guarantee for authorised sickness is evidence

now for Covid that could be a test - it is up to you but it will only work once or twice before they cotton on (and they will) and then you could find your relationship with the school at risk and all absence needing evidence to authorise

Most primary age children will say something about their holiday, so I wouldn’t lie, especially if you took her out last year as the school may not authorise the sickness either. Check your local authority’s policy, you probably didn’t get a fine last year if she was under statutory school age, but you may well get one this year. You also need to be aware of the implications if you take her out next year as the fine may well increase.

Don't lie. It's really unfair on your child.
You'll probably get a fine and you just need to decide whether that's acceptable to you.

Yea, the reason you didn't get a fine last year is because she was in reception most likely. Are you in England? If so, the rules have become much harsher in recent years and you can face procecution and a criminal record if you do this more than twice in three years.

There was another thread on here from a woman who had taken her kids out for 3 weeks and it was straight to court for her. The penalty I think was anything from £2500 fine to prison time. Not sure what the outcome on that particular case was though.

Be honest. Also tell them in advance. It was very annoying when a child with a lead role in the Christmas play turned out to be at CentreParcs the week before the performance.