Unauthorised absence and removal of child from school roll

[wickedfairy]

We have a family event (Wedding) on the other side of the world and have been refused authorisation to remove the children from school. We have asked for 16 days, which I know is a lot but we have to fly our family so far away, that we cannot make it a short trip. Basically, the children would be off school for one month, with half term in the middle (hence the 16 days).

It costs so much to go there, that we thought it could be a trip of a lifetime and we would be making sure the children would benefit from the trip – experiencing local culture and visiting historical places during the trip. I have proposed that the record the trip and what they do in a diary to share once back at school and also that we would happily take schoolwork away so that the children would not fall behind. One child is in Yr2, the other is younger – wedding is near the beginning of the year, not SATS time.

The standard letter we were sent says that we will most likely be fined, which we would accept. The very worrying thing is that it also says that the children could have their names removed from the school roll and lose their places. They both have excellent attendance (96%). Can they really do this? I am so worried and the flights are already booked….. I will request a meeting with the head teacher, but I am not sure she will accept/it will make no difference.

Any advice please? I am totally stressing that we will get back and the children will have lost their school places. They have never missed school before....

[buss]

If the HT does remove them from roll for being out of school in the circumstances you describe then you've probably had a lucky escape to be honest.

[clothesrack]

Could you clarify with the local authority the circumstances under which a child would be removed from the roll?

[Pizzahutlover]

Got my place taken away as a kid as my parents took me to another country for a month when i came back went to a rubbish new school and messed my life up dont recommend it as if the children are happy at the school then why leave it to chance. Dont do it as it may just ruin their lives and they will miss friends etc not worth it

[NynaevesSister]

Can I ask if everyone who is saying 16 days is too long just to go to a wedding or that they should just suck it up and do it in the two weeks has ever travelled to a country that takes 24 hours in a plane to get there? With children?

[Sirzy]

Like I said Nyna we didn't go to a family wedding whereby the travel would have taken over 24 hours each way because it would have meant missing too much time from school.

16 days off school is too much for a wedding irrespective of where the wedding is IMO.

[Lucyccfc]

We did a trip half way round the world (with a 6 year old) for 1 week. It was not big deal and 1 day was plenty to get over the jet lag.

16 days is excessive.

[FiveExclamations]

"Re the post about missing a funeral - I wonder is there is a misunderstanding amongst some parents. Afaik the HT can't authorise the absence but they can't stop you going."

I'm a bit baffled because, as mentioned in my previous post, I spoke to our HT, explained that I fully understood that the rules had changed and would not make a fuss if he said no, filled in a form as requested for a one day absence and he signed it off as authorised. We got the form back inside a week.

He has done so for other people as well. It isn't even for a funeral or wedding.

So, has he gone somewhere else to get approval, or will the local education authority come along and remove him in a plain van? What's going to happen to our HT?

[marriedinwhiteisback]

I think a four week (3 excluding the half term) is too long and is unacceptable. School have 13 weeks of holiday and you could visit your family, including the newly weds then. We once had a family wedding during the first week in January - it was about 300 miles away and in the UK and the children would have had to miss the Friday beforehand for travelling as they had already gone back to school. We declined the invitation because of it.

Looking at this another way our DC both attend(ed) private schools and we probably pay about £450 per week each for their education. We wouldn't piss our own money up against the wall and I think it's entirely wrong to do so with the state's money to be perfectly honest.

[juneau]

You booked a month-long holiday to an expensive long haul destination during term-time without checking it was okay with the school first? I'm baffled as to why you think the school would think that was acceptable - even under the old rules.

[keepsmiling12345]

Nynaeves Yes I have travelled to a country which takes 24 hours to reach. And yes, with children. What is your point?

[lborolass]

Five - don't worry about your HT, I'm sure he can support his decision if challenged.

I wasn't clear, what I meant was if a request was refused a parent can still take the child out of school and face the consequences.

[FiveExclamations]

Ah, okay, phew.

[juneau]

Thing is, if the HT approves this very long absence (which I suspect he/she won't), they'll be bombarded by requests for term-time absences from lots of other parents who will, quite rightly, ask why one is being permitted and others refused. There can't be one rule for one and another rule for everyone else. IMO you books your holiday, you takes your chances.

[claresf]

Can you put your children in a local school whilst you are there? We have had a few children who have had to go abroad during term time for a couple of weeks to a couple of months. They have gone on roll in the new country, the school email the school in the uk to confirm attendance and so they are recorded as educated off site or something similar.

My head is not allowed to give permission for something like this, even if she wanted to (she wouldn't authorise such a long period of time, at any rate).

[admission]

OP, it might also be worth pointing out to you that if the school did take the draconian decision to de-register your child and bring somebody else in instead, then you need to apply for the place again. Presumably the school would say sorry full no can do and you then need to go to appeal. If you have informed the school when you will be away, where you are going and when you will be back then I find it very hard to believe that any admission appeal panel would not have great sympathy for your situation. I suspect the school may well get your child given the place back and all that will have happened will be that the class has an extra pupil and everybody is annoyed and been put to a lot of extra work and expense.
However far better to avoid that situation and come to some kind of agreement with the head teacher.

[lljkk]

I wish I could get over jetlag in one day. I couldn't even do that prekids, never mind after them. Always a week to adjust, each way. DH once did it in a day (flying without kids). But he spent 2 days in bed when he came back from Australia, too.

I missed my Gran's 80th birthday party (only grandchild not there). She'll be 90 in 2015 and that's already ruled out.

[elliegoulding]

16 days is to much to miss in Y2, its not fair on the children and a massive PITA for the teacher.

[vestandknickers]

I can't believe you thought it was ok for your children to miss so much school. Surely it shouldn't take the HT to tell you that. You don't need to go to a wedding. If you fancy going to Australia you have six weeks summer holiday in which to do so.

[Pooka]

We've flown to Oz with kids a couple of times. Really, didn't find the jetlag that unmanageable, certainly not in this direction - worse going than returning.

So if the OP were to take 5 days before half term and 5 days after half term, total of 10 school days missed. Not ideal from school perspective, but, taking into account the weekends on either end still plenty of time to travel, get over jet lag, and have fun.

[23balloons]

We are going to visit relatives this Christmas, 24hrs each way & are doing it within the 2week school holiday. Yes we will all be jet lagged when we get back & will have to return to school / work 36 hrs later. I didn't even ask for time off school as ds in secondary & would miss so much even in a day that he would struggle to catch up.

I really think a month is very indulgent. How did you manage to get a month off work?

[morethanpotatoprints]

Hello OP,

Wow you have taken some stick on here, fwiw I don't think your dc would miss any education even if you kept them off school for 6 months, but unfortunately this is the system you are stuck with.
I think it is so wrong that the gov seem to think they know what is best for our dc, but that is the downside of being part of that system and allowing them to educate your dc.
It does seem that the emphasis is put on how much it effects the system i.e teachers, schools, ofsted ranking, targets etc.
The cynic in me also sees it as a money spinning opportunity for the LEA in the form of fines. It stinks either way.

[DoesBuggerAll]

Teachers and schools really have an inflated sense of their own importance. Missing a few weeks is not going to have any appreciable effect on a child's education. As for not being able to provide work for the child during their absence? How much effort is that really? Do you teachers not actually have a syllabus or scheme of work? Get over yourselves, you are not undertaking leading edge research in uncharted territory, you are regurgitating sometimes millennia old concepts to a new class each year. Why the absolute fuck you have to try to treat this as some kind if black art I just can't fathom. As for the poster who said that they couldn't just give worksheets or even point the parent in the direction of some relevant workbooks because it is their talking, explaining, questioning etc that couldn't be replaced just get a life. If a company carried on in the way teaching seems to they'd be out of business very quickly. It seems to me that the teaching profession likes to reinvent the wheel on an annual basis rather than work in a more efficient way.
As for homework - useless. Virtually no evidence it has any positive effect at all.

OP - take the time off. Your child will not lose their place.

Anybody would think it was the law you had to send your child to school.

[clam]

DoesBuggerAll It seems to have escaped your notice that it is not teachers who invented this absence rule, but the Government Schools are just expected to implement it, or get shafted by Ofsted.

[morethanpotatoprints]

Ditto *DoesBuggerAll.

It never ceases to amaze me how most parents are conditioned to believe that school is essential and a few weeks off will harm their dcs education.
I don't think the teachers are to blame in this instance though as they don't have any say in what happens regarding unauthorised absences.

OP, you could buy one of those work books from WHSmith or likewise and spending just 30 mins a day when you return your dc will be no further behind their peers. In fact you'll probably find them ahead.
I really wouldn't worry.

[RaisinBoys]

DoesBuggerAll and morethanpotatoprints No of course school is not essential! Only in this country where you can get a free education would some people be so cavalier about it.

If you don't want to be constrained by school rules then home educate and you can have as many holidays or attend as many weddings as you like.

It never ceases to amaze me that some people seem to think that school is some sort of pick and mix; take the bits you fancy, leave the rest. And it never ceases to amaze me how many people think school is just some sort of glorified babysitting service.

16 days off for a bloody wedding is ridiculous and the OP knows it.