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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Absence during term time

83 replies

tamzin12 · 02/08/2012 13:09

I have just received a fine for taking my child out of school for 6 days during term time ( last week of school). I am a travel agent and dont believe fines should be given if parents dont take the mickey. My child has a 98 % attendence and has just acheived level 5 to go to high school in Sept. I have done a bit of research and it seems East Sussex Coounty council have no lee way and just fine - and dont give the 10 days absence as most of the other councils seem to do in the rest of the country. I did not sign the offical form or hand one in. I just gave in a typed letter stating family commentements. Is this fine legal. as I have not signed anything in the first place.? I would be grateful of some comments, and whether to take this further and refuse to pay- as per my comments above. thanks

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

RiversideMum · 02/08/2012 17:43

I don't know if all LAs are the same, but ours charges £50 per child per session missed (ie £100 a day). This is if more than 20 consecutive sessions are missed, so a family going on a 2 week holiday during term time will be fined £1000 per child.

RiversideMum · 02/08/2012 17:45

I work in Early Years. A mum phoned her child in sick for a week and the child came back in telling us all about the lovely holiday they'd been on. Can't shut 4 year olds up! Red-faced meeting with HT for that mum!

MonsPubis · 02/08/2012 17:46

They very very rarely take it through to court. I have inside info on that. They will only do it if they are sure they will actually get the money back. It is expensive to take a parent to court.

MonsPubis · 02/08/2012 17:49

Riverside, which LA are you out of interest? £50 per session seems extortionate.
Ours was after 3 days a fine of £50 per child to each parent with parental responsibility. So £100 per child off.
Well worth the holiday in some cases.

hermionestranger · 02/08/2012 17:49

Pay the fine, move on. We're taking DS put next July. Education does not just take place in the classroom.

Wolfiefan · 02/08/2012 17:53

Do other councils give 10 days? Here it is up to the Head BUT has to be applied for in writing. No child is entitled to time off in term time for holidays. It matters little what you agree with!

TheCrackFox · 02/08/2012 17:58

Riverside - 4yr olds don't have to be legally at school until they are 5 so unlikely that a fine would be issued.

omfgkillmenow · 02/08/2012 18:04

Its total discrimination. There is no way I could ever afford a holiday during the school holidays. Ive never been fined I would punch the cow in the face if she asked me for money.

Panzee · 02/08/2012 18:04

Take it up with the travel agents, there's one on this thread. ;)

mnistooaddictive · 02/08/2012 18:12

Omfg- what a lovely attitude you have! the govt make the rules, why not go and punch your mp?

mnistooaddictive · 02/08/2012 18:14

Four year olds don't have to be at school, but if you choose to send them, then you have to follow the rules. You can't pick and choose what days suit you.

Feenie · 02/08/2012 18:16

Its total discrimination. There is no way I could ever afford a holiday during the school holidays. Ive never been fined I would punch the cow in the face if she asked me for money.

Really? You sound lovely, a fantastic example to your dc, well done.

Original poster

tamzin12 · 02/08/2012 18:58

It just seems we all live in a nanny state!!. What we do with our children is up to us. Travel is a great way to broaden the mind and learn new languages, new cultures etc. Looks like I will have to pay , but next year Ill phone them in sick!!!

OP posts:

epeesarepointythings · 02/08/2012 19:04

There would have to be a pretty compelling and special reason for me to take the DDs out during term time, TBH - DH and I resigned ourselves to rip-off holiday prices when we chose to have DCs.

However, if there were a compelling reason for the absence, I would simply lie.
The only compelling reason I can think of is the thing that has in fact happened to us:

School and council website provide term dates and inset days.
DH and I book holidays, having arranged this with work
School and council website change term dates 4 months before the end of term

So we said 'Sod you.' You mess us about, we mess you about - we did everything right.

Can't think of another reason, really.

lovingthecoast · 02/08/2012 19:24

As a teacher I can confirm that very little takes Place in the last week of the summer term esp the last two or three days. It is true that DVDs and games etc abound and that very, very little teaching and learning takes place. So although I avoid taking mine out during term time, I really, really don't see how schools and/or leas can justify fining parents who takes their kids out during that week.

I'm also a big believer in the idea that learning does not just take place in the classroom. I hate the obsession we have with legally making sure small children are sat in a classroom instead of potentially experiencing new things; cultures and languages on a holiday with their parents.

I also hate the glaring fact that the whole policy has very little to do with families whose kids have otherwise excellent attendance taking them to Italy for a trip that overlaps term time by 3days but rather to improve the attendance of kids who are missing far too much school. I have an issue with policies which penalise all as a Result of addressing problems with a few.

snowball3 · 02/08/2012 19:28

Speak for yourself!
You might confirm that "little teaching takes place" in your class, but not in mine!

MonsPubis · 02/08/2012 19:35

well my 3 dc did more or less nothing in their final week of summer term. Both state and indie schools. I think you will find snowball that you are in the minority. Ask your dc what they do, look on the agenda for the week on the school websites, sports, end of term assemblies, prize givings, more sport, messing around. tidying up classrooms, parent consultations, desks cleared and on and on. Half the text books are handed in during the last week. Everything is tying up loose ends and preparing for the next year.

ByTheWay1 · 02/08/2012 19:37

Our school has just issued a policy letter stating it will ONLY authorise absence for those with 95% (or higher) attendance.... one parent is already challenging this on disability discrimination grounds - their child is often absent through no fault of their own due to illness associated with disability - so they can't get leave authorised for a family wedding etc...... but a non-disabled child can....

this will run and run.....

meditrina · 02/08/2012 19:38

"Travel is a great way to broaden the mind and learn new languages, new cultures etc. Looks like I will have to pay , but next year"

True, but not a justification to do it during term time.

The 10 days is entirely at the head's discretion, wherever you are in the country. Parents have no automatic right to it, even if their DC have a perfect attendance record.

(Perhaps, to blur threads a bit, that's why so many Olympians come from private schools - no fuss about authorising absences for training and competition there).

mrz · 02/08/2012 19:39

My class worked up to lunchtime of the final day the afternoon was taken up with the leaver's assembly and emptying drawers

Ketuk · 02/08/2012 19:42

Where are you taking her? Macchu picchu or spain?

Floggingmolly · 02/08/2012 19:43

A level 5 does not entitle you to a weeks holiday as a reward.

Is the fact that you're a travel agent relevant? Only you announced it as though it lends you a certain gravitas it doesn't

tiggytape · 02/08/2012 19:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Floggingmolly · 02/08/2012 19:49

Maybe because if they're already missing a lot of school through illness / medical appointments; they can ill afford to miss even more by taking holidays when they should be in school?

Floggingmolly · 02/08/2012 19:49

Maybe because if they're already missing a lot of school through illness / medical appointments; they can ill afford to miss even more by taking holidays when they should be in school?

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