Term time absence

[LegoNinjaWarrior]

Hi, just wanted to clarify amounts of potential fine if DD goes to her dad’s home country for a week. I will stay behind with secondary school age children but we thought we might break the rules and take her out of school (yr 4). We will notify school in advance and be honest as to why (quasi religious/ family reasons).

Having read the guidance, is it £80 per parent per child 10 sessions? So £160?

Or is it £160 per day which would make it a lot more?

Thank you.

If it is for a religious festival it is possible it may be approved.

I’m going to push the religious angle but it’s not a proper religious festival as such. More a cultural experience with her dad’s religion which she doesn’t practice.

Do you know if it’s a one off of £180 or £180 per day? I’m sure I read somewhere it was per day but the guidelines appear to say a one off fine of £160.

I’ve just had a quick Google and I think it’s per period of absence, not per day. But the amount increases each time you have another block of unauthorised absences.

@mindutopiathanks, that’s how I read it. To be clear, we don’t intend to make this a regular occurrence. She has 99% attendance so far this year. But I want to work on the basis the request will be denied and a referral made to the LA.

It's per period of absence and per parent. The fine is £160 but reduced to £80 if you pay within so many days

Do emphasise the family/cultural/religious nature of the trip because that is a justifiable reason for the school to approve at least part of the absence, (In theory, you/DH could sue for religious/cultural discrimination if refused!!)

The key here is to keep below the max days of unexcused absence. Since your DC is in good standing for attendance this should be possible.

The school is likely to approve the religious/family days but not the travel days, but that should be enough to avoid fines since it's only a week.

e.g. Several years ago, my DM remarried the week before May half-term. I applied to the CofE school for absence for my DDs to attend their GM's Christian wedding and for family/cultural reasons. The school approved the days for the wedding itself and family party which meant that we were not in violation and thus not fined.

(MN in other places has many, many threads about DH taking DC to home country. Read them for knowledge if nothing else. There is also a school of thought that minor children travelling with only one parent need a statement of permission from the non-travelling parent this is easy enough to do - plenty of templates online.)

It's £160 per parent per child even if the second parent isn't going so maximum £320 in this case but for a first offence if you pay quickly it can be £80 per child per parent so £160. They don't have to fine you. In our county this would be headteachers discretion.

Thank you all. I think that’s made up my mind that she can go. The family will be pleased to see her no doubt.