How should I tell school about taking my child on holiday?

[iphammer]

Going on holiday towards the end of next week with my partner and our 2 boys aged 2 and 8.

My 8-year-old will miss a few days off school ( We fly back late afternoon Thursday 4th June)

This will be our first holiday abroad as a family of 4 and the first time I'm taking my 8-year-old out of school for a holiday

What do people usually do when it comes to notifying the school? I was thinking of emailing them this week to let them know he won't be back until the 8th ( some have told me to call in on the day to say he is sick)

I've never done it, but our school has a form you need to collect from the office. If you're not sure, I'd call to check.

We fill in a form for permission, get it back saying unauthorised. Then go on the holiday :)

Most schools have a form, they won't authorise it but better to be honest

You probably need to ask them for a form and then they won’t authorise it anyway. Just ring them in sick for the days you need off. That’s what we always do. (Son has autism and can’t cope with crowds at peak times).

As PPs have said the school will usually have a form. Don't say your child is sick as they'll be telling everyone about their holiday.....

There will be a form to complete. It won’t be authorised but that’s okay.
Don’t lie. The kids always say where they’ve been.

Thanks, all for your replies. So, if school don't authorise the absence, i take him on holiday; then what happens?

Nothing unless he misses 10 half days in a 10 week period, in which case you get fined

10 unauthorized half days that is

Nothing happens. Its just recorded as unauthorised.
If it was a regular occurrence or more than 10 days then maybe a fine.

Nothing. Unless it’s more than 10 sessions (so 5 full days) then you’ll get a fine.

Nothing will happen unless you miss 10 sessions in which case you will get a fine. It is extremely unlikely they will authorise time away for a holiday.
Our school has a form, I sent it in as a courtesy to let them know the kids wouldn’t be in and so that they wouldn’t phone me on the day asking where they were.

I'd send him in on the Friday - then it's only 8 sessions, not the tipping point 10.

I spoke to the school office today they have asked me to email them as there is no form.

Is sickness classed as a missed session or do schools put this down as something else ?

Also when does the sessions start and finish is it per term or per year ?

Details here of penalty notices.

From the Dept of Education document. Full details contained in it. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66bf300da44f1c4c23e5bd1b/Working_together_to_improve_school_attendance_-_August_2024.pdf

I never filled in a form but emailed office with the dates

they replied saying will be fined (as was 10 sessions)

if flying back on Thur and back to school fri then shouldn’t be fined as it’s 4 days /8 sessions

def don’t lie - kids will tell people and likely to have a suntan

If the school has no form just email and tell them. Dont lie about it being sickness as they will know and when you are actually sick its likely they wont beleive you.

You need 10 or more missed sessions in a 10 week rolling school period to trigger a fine. Looks like you will hit the 10 sessions unless you have a training day that first week back.
Just take the fine and pay it if they issue one. Its down to the coucil not the school if you get the fine. School can only say authroised or unauthorised.

Well i suppose it depends on the school they might fine you or might not, it will be an unauthorised absence.and it will go against his attendance, but that isn't the biggest deal is it ?

yes staff training on the Monday

You'll be under then so don't need to worry about a fine. Just be careful for the next 10 school weeks. Anymore absence could kick in a fine. Just tell them he isn't going to be in then go and enjoy yourself.

I use to be very anti taking kids out of school but sometimes I think it is ok if you aren't doing it all the time. I took mine out 2 years ago for a wedding in Australia (we got 3 days authorised so it took us under the fine threshold) and will be doing it again next year for a wedding in South Africa. But we don't make a habit of it.

sorry if I’m being stupid but can someone please explain the last bit of that extract to me? If it’s a rolling 10 week period , how can it span terms and years?

They won’t authorise the holiday but don’t ring sick, as your child will tell them about the holiday. I politely say I understand you can’t authorise this, however I’m letting you know I’m taking my daughter out from x date to y date.

It's a shame you couldn't do it over the half term on summer holidays. You won't get fined this time, however it will mean you must be sensible going forwards.

Also, bear in mind that the curriculum is so full nowadays that every day really makes a difference to a child's learning - the data shows that this is never really caught up and those children regularly off for holidays tend to perform far worse in assessment throughout their schooling. Hopefully your child will somehow manage to catch up, but I can completely understand why the government is so concerned about it.

A rolling 10-week period for school absences counts any 10 consecutive school weeks (excluding school holidays).
Because the counter is "rolling," the 10-week window dynamically moves forward with every new week of the academic year.
It ignores term boundaries and summer holidays, creating a continuous look-back period.

The count does not reset in a new term or school year.
So for instance 4 absences in the last week of term in July, carry forward into the next school year. 6 more absences within 9 school weeks (Sept/October) would hit the 10 absences.

Super helpful, thanks so much!