Taking a Year 9 child out of school for holiday, should I be honest or not?

[RustyBong]

This has probably been asked before...what do you do when you take your child out of school to go on holiday - are you honest and try and get it authorised, or do you make up an illness? We've never taken either of ours out, and they have good attendance. I have one DD at college, so not worried about her - it's just the one in yr9.

The heads hands are tied and they are not allowed to authorise.

No point lying and it won’t be authorised. The Government have given clear guidelines to schools around attendance. The amount of time off will determine whether or not you are fined.

Don't insult the teachers' intelligence by saying they are off ill. They can spot these lies a mile off.

It won't get authorised BTW.

Don’t lie.

Do you expect your child to lie about why s/he has been off?

If you’re going to make something up it should be the reason for travel, eg a family wedding or funeral or 100th birthday celebration, an exhibition that’s only on that week that will support her education , or assessment at a school in that country as you’re planning to move there. Those are all reasons a head might say yes. I’m not saying you should lie but if you do lie then don’t lie and say she’s ill as someone will see her social media etc and you won’t be able to prove you didn’t travel as the stamps will be in your passport.

How long for? if it’s just a couple of days, phone them in sick.

I wouldn't lie. Just email on the day of absence and tell them when you'll be back. I wouldn't even tell them why.

We do neither, no point asking for permission, but I don't lie, I ring up each morning and say we are on holiday. Keep it under the 5 days and no fine

We will be doing similar for NYC this year. My child is also year 9.

My child was fined for having 1 day off in 2023. Has it changed now?

The teachers couldn’t care less. I’m not losing any sleep over what a parent says as to why their child is absent.

You can only be fined if off for 5 days. How long are you away for? Just be honest

It will only be 3 days at the end of summer term. I think I'll just be honest, and take the fine if I have to.

If attendance over 93%, take 5 days or less then no FPN.

I just don't get the logic. DH and I have worked for over 30 years in education (uni level), what would you say if we booked holiday and pretending we were sick during term time? Adults in education can't take their holidays in term time, neither can children. End of.

3 days at the end of Summer term?, by which time they have dialled down the proper curriculum etc. and mainly doing fun stuff anyway. I would just be calling in on Day 1 and saying child is not well, and cannot come in today, on repeat 3 days just to cover yourself. It isn't like they are going to turn up to school tanned and have to make up an excuse. Don't get me wrong, if it is 2 weeks off mid-term, or during important periods of learning - a different story, but fairly sure it will not make any difference to anyone 3 days at end of term. If they have a good attendance record, 3 days won't make any difference, and the next academic year is a different year. Also, don't feel bad. That you have posted here for advice speaks volumes about how you view this stuff. x

I understood you have to miss a full 10 sessions before you could get a fine, with a session being a full morning or full afternoon, so you shouldn't be fined for 3 days. Plus last 3 days of the summer term they are very much winding down anyway, I seriously doubt they are learning anything of consequence. Assuming there are reasons you can't just wait a week then I would just do it, but likewise I would be honest I wouldn't phone them in sick.

Set a good example for your child and tell the truth.

If you are happy to teach your kids that it's OK to lie to get what they want, then just do it.

As an ex head, schools can never authorise holiday. Advise to tell the truth, it will save the school a lot of work and home visits etc . In light of the never ending, cost of living crisis it’s understandable. What’s shocking is the governments insistence that the problem of holiday during term time shenanigans is one to lay at the door step of schools, as opposed to dealing with why everything now costs an ABSOLUTE FORTUNE.

Do you honestly think the school will believe you?
They aren't stupid.

Just tell the truth. Nothing will happen except possibly a snotty letter that can be binned.

You won’t be fined for 3 days. That counts as six sessions. You have to miss 10 (5 days) to be fined

I agree up to a point but I also think that if parents can't afford the holiday outside of term time, then they can't afford that particular holiday. Most families aren't taking their kids out because they can only afford a Haven holiday when there's The Sun £10 holidays offer on. They're going to places like New York and want to go when it's cheaper, rather than lowering their sights and going to Amsterdam which would be just as educational. I have 4 kids and, barring 1 day when they were bridesmaids / page boy at my brother's wedding over 300 miles away, have never requested an absence.

If you do take your kid out for a holiday just own it for God's sake