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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

When term time holiday is not authorised...

146 replies

Lukethe3 · 19/04/2013 16:29

....how do you politely tell the school you are going anyway? An email on the Monday morning or a letter? Or do I just tell the class teacher?

OP posts:

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FasterStronger · 19/04/2013 17:49

www.education.gov.uk/popularquestions/a005551/can-i-take-my-child-on-holiday-in-term-time?

from the DoE

"The current law does not give any entitlement to parents to take their child on holiday during term time. Any application for leave must be in exceptional circumstances and the headteacher must be satisfied that the circumstances warrant the granting of leave."

Ledkr - I don't like incorrect information.

radicalsubstitution · 19/04/2013 17:51

the school cannot authorise absence.

I don't like incorrect information either. Talk about contradicting yourself....

FasterStronger · 19/04/2013 17:53

i thought we were talking about holidays.

pumpkinsweetie · 19/04/2013 17:53

You could write a short letter about how educational the holiday is and that you are visiting family in the hope the head changes his or her mind. I done this and it worked, but my trip was educational and the only stretched truth was that we were going with very close friends, head agreed that as long as dd didn't take any absenses between then and the hol he would authorise it and he did.
If not you could just go anyway, but be careful your dc haven't already had too much time of previously as you may be fined or visited by someone.

Taking a holiday in term time isn't ideal, but sometimes its the only option.

Lucyellensmum95 · 19/04/2013 17:57

At our school it is the governers that authorise absence, it is NEVER authorised. But people still take their children out of school, i think there is pretty much an unspoken agreement. To be fair, it is a good school and people really don't take term time breaks unless its for good reason. Our reason was the opportunity of a "free" holiday that could only be taken during term time as the opportunity was not there for school holidays. That was this year - this year my DD has just been recognised in the school newsletter for being one of the few in her year with 100% attendance. Its all about common sense really.

As for performance reviews and box ticking exercises - these are one of the things that are very wrong with education today. It should be about the children, and individuals, not ofsted and league tables. It makes my teeth itch, i tell ya.

JWIM · 19/04/2013 17:57

The Education Act grants the discretion to Headteachers to authorise an absence in term time - the resaon for the absence is not stated so could be holiday - but there must be exceptional circumstances. Our county issues guidance on the Headteacher's discretion that is on the website and available to all parents. If the Head authorises an absence for holiday within their discretion then it will be recorded as authorised. Faster your DP may want to clarify their understanding of the law.

sunshine401 · 19/04/2013 18:02

There are reasons people can get an authorized absence for holidays taken during school times. If you are on a low income/benefits and go to the HT and explain the price reason behind your holiday, you can get an authorized holiday but only 14 days a year. This is what my DH's school does.

Angelico · 19/04/2013 18:02

Just tell the class teacher and ask if they want a reminder letter. Don't lose sleep over this, especially when your child is at primary level. This is one of those topics that sends people utterly mental on MN but in RL people just go ahead and do it.

I'm a teacher and I've seen a few idiots take kids out on holidays during exams or coursework madness etc. They're the twats who need a slap with a wet kipper. Most people have the wit to just take a day or two at the end of term.

FasterStronger · 19/04/2013 18:03

JW - I think the different view relates to " exceptional circumstances". I am only talking about holidays.

handcream · 19/04/2013 18:03

I think lying to the school about why your DS isnt in school (ie telling them he is sick!) sends out a message to your own children - when you want to do something that isnt allowed - lie....

cazboldy · 19/04/2013 18:08

ours are allowed 10 days (primary)
and 5 days (high school, but up until yr 9 only - never allowed for y10/11)

we don't have holidays, but exhibit cattle at shows, have always had it authorised by both schools, except for ds1 last year (y10) but had a phone call from head, who said it was "policy" but that he had no problem with ds doing it.

girlsyearapart · 19/04/2013 18:08

It is partly at the discretion of the head also though.

Fil booked a holiday for us all as sil was over from Australia. He didn't realise they wouldn't have started the Xmas holiday yet from school.

I really thought it would be unauthorised but they authorised it.

At the school I work at in the same borough there's no way the same thing would have been authorised

Lucyellensmum95 · 19/04/2013 18:10

But Faster, our absense was for a holiday - i did howevr consider the circs to be exceptional, you may or may not have done so.

I certainly wouldn't lie

I just told the school i was going anyway and whilst it wasn't officially authorised (i couldnt care a shit about that actually) the school sent DD home with "holiday bear" and told her to have a lovely time

radicalsubstitution · 19/04/2013 18:13

FasterStronger I think you're missing the point. HTs can authorise holidays in exceptional circumstances. Our LEA gives some guidelines on examples that would constitute this. These include parents being unable to take leave during school holidays (eg if they are in the armed forces). Ultimately the HT can authorise the holiday if they feel the circumstances for forcing it to be in term time are exceptional enough.

Shesparkles · 19/04/2013 18:13

I've only every taken my children out for a day or 2, and have never ever asked permission. I have always TOLD school that they won't be in. I did receive a big standard letter saying it wasn't authorised, and I replied to that stating that I wasn't asking, I was telling. As a parent, I have to give permission for my child to step out of the school gates on an organised trip, therefore I fail to see how or why a school can grant me permission for my child not to attend.

Jinsei · 19/04/2013 18:14

Faster, the fact that parents have no legal entitlement to holidays in term time doesn't mean that heads can't authorise them if they consider the circumstances to warrant this.

FasterStronger · 19/04/2013 18:14

i couldnt care a shit about that actually I am sure you have benefitted from a wonderful education

FasterStronger · 19/04/2013 18:15

radical - I don't disagree with you about armed forces.

handcream · 19/04/2013 18:16

So for all of those who think they can do what they like? Who will pick up the slack when the child comes back and has missed a number of days?

Is the teacher expected to teach the child 1-1 to allow them to catch up on the work.

And the person who says that its cheaper to go on holiday during school term and that is why she is doing it - well we can all say that and if we took this stance the school would be in turmoil....

Hassled · 19/04/2013 18:17

Heads will authorise holiday if there are circumstances such as the parent genuinely not being able to take leave from work in holiday time (so eg people working in tourism-dependent industries, or say a forces family where leave options are heavily prescribed). It will also depend on factors such as current levels of attendance (if it's below something like 93/94% you can probably forget it) and whether it clashes with SATs, etc.

Lucyellensmum95 · 19/04/2013 18:18

Thankyou Faster - I have At the very same school that my DD goes to - they couldn't give a fiddlers fart about box ticking either. Too busy making sure the children are happy and well edumacated innit.

FasterStronger · 19/04/2013 18:19

jensei - only in 'in exceptional circumstances' that is as far as their remit goes.

FasterStronger · 19/04/2013 18:22

Lucy - and I am sure your couldn't care a shit is a great assistance to them.

radicalsubstitution · 19/04/2013 18:22

Who will pick up the slack when the child comes back and has missed a number of days?

Trust me - this is far worse in secondary, where 'school sponsored' term time holidays take place all the time. They are called 'residentials' and 'field trips'. Due to varying GCSE and A level options, you could be missing from just one or to up to half a class.

It is a pain in the arse for teachers who have to deal with this disruption many times a year.

I don't blame parents for feeling 'if the school can do it, why can't I?'

Some 'residential' trips are of very dubious educational value.

handcream · 19/04/2013 18:25

I guess what I am concerned about are the lessons where the child will miss something and the way some on talking on this thread - they dont really care, not their issue etc etc. As long as they can take their child out of school whenever they want!

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