Holiday in term time, what do I need to put in the letter asking for permission ??

[IllegallyBrunette]

We have a holiday booked for 7-14th Sept.

What do I need to put in the letter ? Do I just say that I am asking for permission to take children out, or do I also give the reasons why I am taking them, and why I think it should be allowed ??

Does your school allow the 10 days holiday still?

It doesn't matter what you put. If you mention the word 'holiday' you are going to get refused.

We have a form, I didn't bother filling in the why as I knew it would get refused (policy), so I just filled in the dates. It was, as expected, refused. We went anyway. Have just had ds1's report, including attendance record - computer sheet which the teacher has written on "excellent attendance ds1".

We have a form to give to parents. Some schools like you to write just so they can have you grovel a bit more

Haven't a clue about the 10 days.

All I know, is that no one I know, has ever been refused yet.

Will ask in office if there is a form or if I need to do a letter.

I would go wether given permission or not.

we have to give a good reason so when we took ds out as we couldn't go away over the london easter holiday as dh was abroad I put that due to dhs work commitment this was the only chance we had to go away as a family over easter
head was very sympathetic as hols weren't over actual easter this year
not sure I would have got permission if we didn't have a good reason though

We are refused, all holiday, unless in exceptional circumstance and that is up to un to the discretion of the Head.

Otherwise fines all round, and i have been there!

Some areas though, are quite happy for the 10 day holiday, just as it always was.

Apparently OFSTED are starting to look at the amount of authorised absences as well as unauthorised ones
Our head (new last September) was so horrified by the number of holidays being taken in term time that she started a new system - there are no forms, no letters, you have to come in & see her & explain the circumstances - very few absences get approved.
Te rate of absence has dropped dramatically.

we don't get fined, it is just refused.

Our school refuses to give permission for any authorised absence during the first two weeks back after summer hols (which this is). I think it's a really terrible time of year to be going, it's when they are trying to get the kids back into a routine, assess levels, place them in working groups, etc. They seem to be much more relaxed about absence at this time of year as exams are over and a lot of the days seem to be filled with sports day, leaving assemblies etc. Realise that doesn't help a lot if you have already booked the hol, but be prepared for more aggro than usual.

They will go back for two days, and then miss the next week, which ime is spent doing not a fat lot, at our school anyway.

I do appreciate that taking them out of school is not ideal, but imo I have good reasons for doing so. The school may not see it like that, but I know my children better than they do, and they need this holiday.

It isn't likely to ever happen again either.

Isn't your DD1 Y6 next year? - most schools need to get year 6 going really quickly these days, so I can't see them being too happy about it tbh

Yes she is in Yr 6 next year.

Won't which groups/level she is in have already been decided though ??

It is 5 days, not a month.

My first letter for holiday said
" I am writing to request .... days absence for family holiday"

any other letter I have written states
" I am writing to inform you that ds's will be absent on days .......

Our head is cool, its not a problem.

You all deserve a holiday nutty.

my letters always say "I am writing to request an authorised absence for my children between dd/mm/yy and dd/mm/yy"

no reasons given

Sorry, didn't mean to soud bolshy. All holidays are refused at our school, standard procedure. I thought it was the same everywhere. I hope you are successful.

I think I wrote recently (for a 1 day absence) "I should be grateful if you would excuse .... from school during (dates)....... I fully understand County's position on term-time absence, and acknowledge that my request probably does not fulfil the requirements for authorisation..." Sub-text: but we're going anyway.

if it's going to be refused anyway, why do people bother writing in the first place? (genuinely curious, just thinking I would not bother)

Malory I can't take them in May or June, the holiday is booked for Sept.

I was careful to avoid any time that either dd might be taking any tests and whilst I see your point about the first week, I can't say that it is important in the grand scheme of things.

Both dd's are doing very well at school right now, and Ds is trying his hardest, but unfortunatly things have not ran as smoothly for them at home in the past couple of years, and this is starting to show, especially in dd2, and so for them this holiday is absolutly needed, more than being in school at the right time to be picked to be a monitor etc.

Morroco, tbh i am only writing because other people have. I also don't really see the point, because I am taking them anyway, authorised or not.

Gah, just take them. World gone mad with all this. They would be off for 2 weeks if had measles, chicken pox, flu, glandular fever, mumps, rubella. lots of them less common now so they effectively get more schooling.

Don't forget will have forgotton most of schooling by the time they are 25 anyway.

Thats exactly what I think Flum.

My kids have very good attendance records, and don't have any time off unless properly ill, so I am not worried about them losing 5 days.

Have printed off a letter and will take in tommorow.

morroco - I filled in the form because it let them know, in advance, that ds1 wouldn't be there. Despite the fact that I don't care a fig for abide by their rules, it seemed only good manners to let them know.