taking reception year child out of school for 3 days ?

[pippylongstockings]

Hi

We are looking to book our holiday this year and so as not for it to be v.v.expensive we were looking to tag it onto May half term - but it means taking DS1 out of school for 3 days - he is in reception. Has anyone else had experience of this? Just feel it's not that long but cautious that it could be a long time in the minds of the school or even the kids.

Overthinking it ?

Do it.

DS1 is in reception, and he has missed a grand total of 2 days so far and will miss a further week in March - Daddy is in the Navy and it will be his only opportunity to spend time with him in 7/8 months. We requested and it was granted.

Missing a few days isn't going to effect him adversely...see if the school agrees!

Ahhh see being such a skinflint I need to book the holiday this weekend to get an online discount, so I don't have time to ask th school - guess worried that I book it and they say no? Then what do I do?

I don't know how likely that is...can you think of a good reason to add on...eg only time you can get off work? I know others on here will be better placed to answer.

book your holiday, reception year is an OK time to take them out of school. Dont fret... and if the school asks, tell them it is an educational holiday, make sure you talk to your child about weather and the contrasts between 'our' country and the one you are visiting. seemples.

Go ahead and do it. There is no legal requirement for children to be in school until age 5. But even so, looking back I wish we'd done it, we could have saved a lot of money and Reception really is not an important year. I really think they guilt you badly in this country about this sort of thing. In NZ its fine (At primary school level) and you don't even have to give a reason beyond 'We're going on holiday'.

I was wondering the same thing. We wanted to take our children to Disneylad Paris but it is so expensive that I don't think we can afford to do it unless we take our 5 year old out of school for a couple of days. She is in Year 1. I'm thinking 2 days wont hurt as she normally has a very good attendance record.

3 days isn't all that long, not in Reception when there are no tests, exams etc. Don't feel guilty about it, enjoy it.

3 days in reception is a non-question really.
book it

Be aware that some local education authorities are now adopting a "zero tolerance" approach to non-essential absences. If you take your child out of school without the school's/LEA's consent, they may fine you. Someone at our school was threatened with a fine for taking their child on a long weekend trip to see grandparents.

Schools don't always buy the 'travel is educational' argument - they take the view that there are 14 weeks holiday a year for educational travel and term time is for school.

I do worry about that zero tolerence - ie what happens if we ask for permisson but it is refused ?

They can't say yes to everyone.

We are now loking to split the difference - so book to go away for a long weekend with the option of camping in a friends garden for a few days if the weather is nice and we want to stay on as DS1 doesnt have to be back at school til the Wednesday.

Headmistress clearly still scares me!

You could always not way anything & then claim your child had been ill! If you want to do it the honest way then approach the HT before booking the holiday. Heads hate being told you are taking your child out & would rather be asked. Unfortunately, if the Head does follow government guidelines you could be fined, but (and this is the bit I find terrible) you get fined per parent per child SO if you are taking two children out and you are a two parent family, you would be fined 4 times as much as a one-parent family taking one child. I think that's discrimination. However, having said that it is still often cheaper to pay the fine and go away during term time. Hope that's of some use.