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Original poster

Term time holiday

34 replies

Doubledecker22 · 26/05/2016 13:45

I'm looking at holidays for next year. Ds will be in year 2 I'm aware they have sats then. Term time holidays are £600 cheaper tho, if we took him out of school it would only be for 4 days as I'd do it around a bank holiday to minimise time away from school. Aibu to take him out tho even if it is for 4 days???

OP posts:
apple1992 · 06/06/2016 06:35

You're not being unreasonable, but you might receive the fine.

AnnPerkins · 06/06/2016 06:41

Can you go in June? SATs take place in May.

Original poster
Doubledecker22 · 06/06/2016 12:04

I would prefer to go away in June but dh isn't allowed time off as its busiest month at work Sad I'll quite happily pay the fine, it would still be cheaper than going in school holidays. I just don't want to interfere with ds schooling. We took him out this year which I didn't worry about as he isn't having exams and we had an amazing week

OP posts:
mummymeister · 10/06/2016 11:12

be really careful when booking a holiday for 2017. the govt have already said that they are looking at a much tougher crack down on term time holidays following the loss of the court case.

this could mean what they euphemistically describe as "more reasonable" fines. in other words a lot, lot more than the fines currently are. would you still go if the fine was £1000 per parent per child? or £2,000 per parent per child? I really think that this is in a state of flux at the moment and whilst some LEA's are holding back from fining all but persistent offenders, the govt have paid for an appeal by the IoW and if they don't win this then they will re-clarify the legislation and the strong rumour is that this will include really hefty fines. just because you booked your holiday in advance wont make any difference.

just think people need to be aware of this instead of thinking that the fine will stay at £60 per parent per child.

mouldycheesefan · 10/06/2016 11:14

I took mine out in year two, but I made sure it was after the sats.Don't take him before or during the sats.

Original poster
Doubledecker22 · 10/06/2016 12:39

Omg I might not book anything yet then! This is crazy all we want to do is have a nice week as a family without breaking the bank for it. I wouldn't take him out of school at a really important time I.e sat preparation but I think the government need to be sorting out the holiday company's not increasing the fines to parents. We both work hard and we all appreciate the time we get as a family our children are only young for a short amount of time and I believe family time is just as important as education and I would quite happily go away during half term if it didn't cost so much more money

OP posts:
Wolfiefan · 10/06/2016 12:41

If you think family time is as important as education then take him. Or perhaps you could make the most of all the evenings, weekends and holidays you already have. Can't afford a big holiday in the school holiday? Book a cheaper break or just have days out.

MumOnTheRunCatchingUp · 10/06/2016 12:53

What happened when you took him out of school this year?

And what would you like the government to do?

mouldycheesefan · 10/06/2016 13:01

The government can't tell holiday companies, or any other companies, to charge less in school holidays that is ridiculous.
I take mine out for 4 days every year, HT is not bothered and we have never been fined. They have not had a day off sick in 3 years though so attendance is still fine. It's not about h,I day cost for us it's because we want two weeks in May.
Just book your holiday for after the sats.
They won't increase the fines to £1000 they have just lost a court case and a group action is now being brought.
If they did increase the fine to £1000 I would be less likely to take my kids out.

Original poster
Doubledecker22 · 10/06/2016 13:19

It's not a luxurious holiday were looking at it's a holiday resort in the uk, even a caravan is a lot of money during the holidays! He only missed 3 days of school this year, we didn't get a fine. He is never off sick so has good attendance still.
I would like the government not to fine me for taking my children out of school for a couple of days because we can not afford to go away in peak season

OP posts:
MumOnTheRunCatchingUp · 10/06/2016 13:27

oh,well in that case can we all go in term time then?

you said the government should be sorting out the holiday companies.....but what would you like them to do? sort them out,how?

mouldycheesefan · 10/06/2016 13:36

Op, but you weren't fined!!! You say you want the government not to fine you, but you weren't fined at all! So what is your issue?
I joined this thread sympathetic to you as I too take my kids out for holidays but honestly you aren't making sense.
You want:

  • the government to do "something" about holiday companies (what exactly?)
-you want not to be fined...but you weren't fined... ?????
Original poster
Doubledecker22 · 10/06/2016 13:41

My point was in response to them poss increasing the fine to £1000.
If the school put all their training days together and each school chose a different week to do that in we could all take advantage of cheaper holidays too.
All I was trying to say is that we would like some family time without breaking the bank, I have already said that I wouldn't take him out at a crucial time at school and it would only be for 4 days. I do not think iabu

OP posts:
MumOnTheRunCatchingUp · 10/06/2016 13:43

Well we have the 3 tier system here and for us, and many, that means 3 kids in 3 different schools so no, that wouldn't work at all

Original poster
Doubledecker22 · 10/06/2016 13:43

I was not fined this year as it was only 3 days he missed, I accept the £60 fine if I get one next year but if it is increased as was previously suggested may happen I do not think that is fair

OP posts:
MumOnTheRunCatchingUp · 10/06/2016 13:44

There are no 'crucial times' though? They learn all year round

Original poster
Doubledecker22 · 10/06/2016 13:49

I know they learn all year but I consider just before and during sats to be a crucial time also when they visit new classes/schools and the initial settling in, in September

OP posts:
Original poster
Doubledecker22 · 10/06/2016 13:54

Don't worry I have changed my mind now, we can not risk booking a holiday for next year and the fines being higher than they are now. Also with sats next year and then learning all year round I do not want to disrupt schooling so I will not be booking a term time holiday. Thank you for all your help guys

OP posts:
mouldycheesefan · 10/06/2016 14:01

You don't need to decide today surely. Wait and see what happens with the fines. I would be very surprised if they increased.

Original poster
Doubledecker22 · 10/06/2016 14:05

We had an offer, if you book within so long of getting home you get a discount so needed to decide quite quickly to take advantage of the offer

OP posts:
idontlikealdi · 10/06/2016 14:07

The school my sister is at in America has a track system - school is open year round with phased holidays for each track. Teachers get their holidays with their track. In that state there are no peak holiday seasons which makes a lot of sense IMO but you can end up with kids on different tracks so holidays are nigh on impossible.

I don't think there is a solution that makes sense tbh.

I'm pulling mine out two days early this summer, they're August born so below compulsory school age and quite frankly the head can poke it if she makes a fuss. We are going early because DH is a teacher and they have voted for twilight insets so we get to leave before the masses.

DiggersRest · 10/06/2016 14:08

I'm going to be taking dd1 out for a total of 9 days next year. Going to Australia at Christmas and SIL is getting married in Ireland on a Thursday so there's 3 days. I don't think they'll increase fines to £1000 per child. I'd take her out and 'home school' if they tried that. I say 'home school' as l have no idea about teaching, l appreciate there are professionals called teachers for that Smile

apple1992 · 10/06/2016 19:09

If the school put all their training days together and each school chose a different week to do that in we could all take advantage of cheaper holidays too.
That's a good idea, but our inset training schedule is planned on what is relevant and what comes up through the term that we need training on.

I'm interested in seeing what happens, maybe fines will be increased? At the moment, they're not acting as a deterrent..

Badbadbunny · 30/06/2016 19:57

There are no 'crucial times' though? They learn all year round

Except this time of year when the teachers are demob happy and the kids don't do any proper learning. It's all cover teachers and either watching videos or doing fairly irrelevant "lite" activities to pass the time. My son is year 9 - still the same as it was in year 1 - absolutely no new learning going on, all school trips, exam marking and other "anything but teach" activities for the teachers.

t4gnut · 12/07/2016 10:32

I wouldn't try quoting the court case at any school - its under appeal and all schools have been instructed that the existing policy still stands. even if they lose all I'd expect to see happen is a tightening up on defining 'regular attendance' which is the grey area the guy won his case on.

Saying that - if it were me - I'd just go without asking permission or telling them. If overall attendance is good what school realistically is going to go all Hercule Poirot and prove you took a term time holiday.