Rules on taking holiday during term time - 4 year old in reception

[MoonHare]

Can anyone help me clarify what the rules are around school attendance for under 5s?

I did some research and thought I'd found information to indicate that since parents are not legally obliged to ensure their child is receiving an education until the age of 5 that it would not count as an unauthorised absence if a 4 year old was taken out of school for a family holiday.

With this in mind I've booked a weeks holiday in June, including DD who is 4.

Put in my absence request to school yesterday and thought I'd double check the rules. The DFE website suggests I might have got it wrong. It says there's no obligation to have children in school before 5 years but then goes on to say that if a child is registered at a school then parents have a duty to ensure attendance. So does that include 4 year olds who are registered???

Eeek! Am now worried about incurring a fine!

MaggieS41 how did your 5 week trip go? How did the school react? I’m in a similar situation for 6 weeks and I’m scared to tell them in advance in case they give my son’s place away. I’d really appreciate your advice.

Assuming your son was 4 at the start of term he is below compulsory school age so you cannot be fined for taking him out of school for a holiday. However, you really do need to tell them what you are doing. Provided you do, they cannot take your son's place away. If you go without telling them they could take his place away.

Hello please can you tell me what's happen after you took your son out of school ? Because I'm in the same situation! My son is summer baby born and he is on reception class he's 4 years !!
Thank u

I doubt you will get an answer from whoever you were asking. However, the law has not changed. If your child is under compulsory school age, you cannot be fined for taking them out of school for a holiday.

My son going to turn 5 in may next year. He has been enrolled in reception. It is going to start from Sep. we stay in England
we need 3 weeks of leave as my fil is ill
I cannot stay alone with him as our presence is important too. Travel time would take 4 days..
do school accept our request. If not what could be done

do they remove my child from school? I am worried
can we go still?
Please help..

@Unknowntoall You should really start your own thread rather than add to an old one. You may now get people replying to the OP and not seeing your post.

The law has still not changed. Your son is not of compulsory school age until the start of term following his fifth birthday. You cannot be fined for taking him out of school before then and your son will not be removed from school. Just make sure you tell the school what is happening.

Update: Thanks for reply
school was considerate and sujjested us to not to take further more leaves .as it would affect attendance. We were able to go and we are back as well as per dates we mentioned to them.