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Original poster

Taking DD out of school for holidays - been unauthorised.

194 replies

Bunch · 07/10/2008 13:41

Me and DH have booked a 2 week holiday for next May. DD is in Year 4 and DS in Year R. DS headteacher has authorised his 10 days but DD's headteacher has not. We realise now that we should have had the school authorise it before we booked it but its too late. Apparently it is the week that they have their QCA tests (whatever they are). I know it is Sats time but not until Year 6 so I didn't think it would be a problem. What would everyone do?

OP posts:
RustyBear · 07/10/2008 16:11

Where I work, if a year 5 was away for the qca tests,they would do them when they come back.

It would be a pain in the arse for the teachers and TAs who have to arrange it & would hold up the analysis of results for the entire year group, but if that doesn't bother you, then go ahead.

forevercleaning · 07/10/2008 16:13

mine was year 2 when he missed his SATs.

I wasn't bothered, as I dont believe in testing of 7 year olds.

MaloryDontDiveItsShallow · 07/10/2008 16:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Bunch · 07/10/2008 16:15

I hadn't even heard about the QCA tests till the Head wrote about them on the returned holiday form. As I said, I knew about the Sats and how no holiday is authorised during those times for Years 2 and 6. But at no time has it been pointed out that the rest of the school do tests at the same time as Sats and therefore can't have holiday authorised.

OP posts:
forevercleaning · 07/10/2008 16:15

you are very lucky malory

Mine was Penalty Notice
Section444A Education Act 1996

MaloryDontDiveItsShallow · 07/10/2008 16:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MerlinsBeard · 07/10/2008 16:17

you may not bel;ieve in the testing but they still do it

to the OP, you are obviously going to take them anyway so what was the point in your post?

MaloryDontDiveItsShallow · 07/10/2008 16:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Bunch · 07/10/2008 16:17

DS Head has written a lovely message on his returned 'authorised' form saying he hopes DS returns to school with plenty to tell them! He understands the importance and educational benefits of family holiday time!

OP posts:
Original poster
Bunch · 07/10/2008 16:19

Yes, mumof monsters I was happy to take them out anyway but now it has come back as unauthorised it has made me have second thoughts. That's why I was asking for other opinions.

OP posts:
newpup · 07/10/2008 16:22

We are taking Dds out of school for the two weeks after half term. Our school authorises 10 days at the heads descretion but parents have to write explaining why it is necessary to go in term time.

They will not authorise any holidays in term 1 (Sept - October) or term 5 (S.A.T.S.).

Our head is quite accommodating to family holidays if you are not taking them on a regular basis ( I think you can only ask once a year and must have over 95% attendance in the previous term) . I have to be honest, we would have gone anyway even if it was not authorised. My Dds do well at school and I will make sure they catch up on what they miss.

My DH is furious about the whole thing. He says he will add up all the times my children have classroom assistants instead of teachers (to cover lessons) and take it as time owing!!! The last two weeks of term before the Summer holiday my DD cleaned cupboards and watched dvds!! Hmmmm she would have missed a lot there!

Samantha28 · 07/10/2008 16:25

i don't understand why you are all so hard on parents who take kids out of school for holidays. surely you realise that not all parents can take holidays in the peak weeks. what's the alternative - no family holidays for 20 years?????

its not as if her children are sitting university entrance exams.

forevercleaning · 07/10/2008 16:27

I really dont see what a child will be missing by being on his/her hols for a couple of weeks.

I can certainly see there will be much education going on whilst on holiday, experiencing different cultures, visiting places, or just having fun in the sea.

I'm all for it.

nailpolish · 07/10/2008 16:33

it wouldnt ever cross my mind to take my children out of school for a holiday

its reeks of "one rule for me one rule for you"

they get enough

surely you could have chosen school holiday time to go away?

id really like to know why you arent going away during the loooooooooong holidays they already have

and dont say money

juuule · 07/10/2008 16:35

Why not say money? Surely that is a very big factor for a lot of people. For some it's the difference between going on holiday or not.

forevercleaning · 07/10/2008 16:37

not one rule for me, one for you. You could do it if you chose to.

Lots of people have different reasons for having holidays during term time, and yes, money is a very important factor.

Some just couldnt afford it during the official hols, so why should they never have a family holiday?

Family holidays are a lovely part of childhood.

nailpolish · 07/10/2008 16:38

we dotn have a lot of money
we manage to go away in unpopular holidays like december

its cheaper then

or just go for a weekend

nailpolish · 07/10/2008 16:39

i think it sends children a wrong message
"yes there are rules but we dont give a shit about them"

bundle · 07/10/2008 16:39

then you go for a cheaper holiday.
during the -ahem- holidays

nailpolish · 07/10/2008 16:40

"stinking letter"

sorry but you dotn ahve a leg to stand on!

forevercleaning · 07/10/2008 16:43

nail polish - did you read my post - my stinking letter did get me off the hook

nailpolish · 07/10/2008 16:44

yes i did see that

er, congratulations???

great message to send you children

forevercleaning · 07/10/2008 16:46

what is your problem? I'm not taking yours out of school?

nailpolish · 07/10/2008 16:47

my problem is people seem to think they can do what they like

but its up to you

school holidays are long enough as it is fgs

im sure if you looked hard enough youd find someting suitable

teslagirl · 07/10/2008 16:49

Yes, I'm going to say 'Money' as well. Bully for you if cost isn't a factor but it is for most of us.

I recall someone posting here a while ago on this subject. They were from the UK but had emigrated to NZ. They wanted to take their DC out of school for a family holiday and wrote a long, explanatory (begging) letter to the Head. He replied 'I don't know why you're asking my permission- they're your children'...

Once again, we Brits demonstrate our complete inability to recognise 'shades of grey'. One parent thrashes a poor DC to within an inch of its life. So they attempt to enact laws that make the tap across the legs of dangerously badly behaving 3 year old an imprisonable offence.

Certain parents couldn't give a fig about their DC's attendance at school at all. Ever. So the rest of us get saddled with the laws and fines that make it a serious offence.

Of course, I think there should be limits- that's 'common sense' (remember that?). One should 'get permission' from the head if only to ensure no vital tests are being missed, and there should be a limit on the maximum allowable time (so as not to disadvantage the other DCs whilst a holiday-ee (!) 'catches up') but I believe a parent should be able to expect a no questions asked agreement if the DC is normally a good attender and progressing well at the school.

Finally, I too am a bit alarmed at the amount of time I've seen wasted in school- on an Open Afternoon I saw my DS1's NQT spend TEN MINUTES of an art lesson getting ALL the DCs to search for a pritt glue stick cap. If that's what they do whilst being observed, how much arsing about goes on otherwise??! Yet if WE want to 'waste our DC's time' by taking them OUT of school on holiday, boy are we castigated!