Termtime holidays whilst at School Nursery

[OsmiumPhazer]

My DS has a nursery place at a highly sought after Primary in London, but soon after he starts I have a pre booked short break planned. As my DS is not in the compulsory reception year, he allowed to have 3 days off? I spoke to a teacher at the school about this already, and she said that we would have to write a report to the headteacher. My son has already been attending a private nursery where taking time out was not an issue

Afaik you can as he is under the legal age where school is compulsory which I think is the term before their 5th birthday. Until this age they don't have to be in an education setting at all.

Of course you can take him out for the trip at any age but can get fined if they're in compulsory education.

I read something about the fact that, even if they are under 5, if you have chosen to put them in a school setting, you have to ensure they attend when they should. Not sure if that applies to nursery though, or just Reception.

As above, you are taking a place that could otherwise be taken by someone else who would use it full time, so therefore school rules apply.

She will be using it full-time, apart from one three-day absence, which could be for a number of reasons. Why on earth should that mean she should give up the place to someone else?

'No term-time holidays' refers to school, not nursery. Whilst it's not a great habit to be in, taking a child out of 'school', my dd certainly wouldn't have known if she should have been at nursery that day at that age, so I doubt you're causing any lasting damage.

clam because you would get parents abusing this, taking kids out whenever they felt like a day out. if you are taking a place which could go to someone else you should be prepared to use it full time.

But the system just doesn't work like that. If you qualify for a nursery place, according to the admission requirements, you get the place. Whether or not you might take the odd day off at some point in the future is irrelevant.
And I speak as a teacher in KS2, who had 7 children missing due to term-time holidays/trips on Friday.

The school will be annoyed because it effects their attendance figures, but they can't actually stop you/fine you as he is below the age of compulsory education.

when people play the Im a teacher card i usually switch off.

Well, that might explain why you appear to be so ill-informed then!!
Hey ho, you switch off then, and carry on making up the rules as you see fit.

My DS was at a nursery school and I just called/emailed to let them know he wouldn't be in the next day!

I guess if you miss a lot of sessions - like only showing up a couple of times a week - then they might be able to withdraw your place, but not for an occasional holiday.

I guess if you miss a lot of sessions - like only showing up a couple of times a week - then they might be able to withdraw your place

This is another complete guess. They cannot and do not do this.

Can they definitely not do this for the 3/4 year places? I know LA settings than make attendance a requirement for 2 year places.

I certainly wouldn't worry about a nursery child missing some sessions for a holiday. I think as a matter of courtesy you should let the school know.

What do you mean by "2 year places?"

Nursery places for 2 year olds.

That's a different system, I think.

It's all called Nursery Education Grant where I am - 2 year places are an extension of the 3/4 year old places.

Places can and have been removed and reallocated if there is a waiting list due to ill attendence, eg making a habit of taking a child out for days.

clam I have found it is teachers who assume they have all the answers and play the Im teacher card who actually make alot of mistakes.

i took my ds out for a week this year as did alot of parents at his school nursery. The nursery didn't seem particulary bothered but requested that we informed them in writing. Also as part of his year end report he got a sheet which showed the number of absences and reasons so i think the holiday affects the attendance statistics they have to report to ofsted which is why some schools may be more bothered but ds's nursery still had above average attendance overall on their inspection this year.

If children miss a lot of time then the place can lose the funding for that child therefore the child would lose their place. But that would need to be massive amounts of time missed not just 3 days

My daughter attended a private day nursery and received the 3 year funding. We took her out during "term time", the nursery is open 50 weeks a year, all the time as it was cheaper than term time. We just informed them.

There was never any talk about removing her and all parents tried to plan holidays in term time if there was no school-age sibling to cater for.

We gave done it with our dd this year for school based nursery. Had a week off for holiday and a day for legoland. From an admin point of view, dd's school treat nursery like other age groups, So we had to fill in an absence notification form do they would know where she was; and we had a note back saying it would be recorded as unauthorised in line with lea guidelines. It shows as unauthorised in her attendance percentages on end of year report.
But in practice it didn't matter -noone said anything else to us about it, I don't think they could fine or anything this year and no one ever mentioned loosing the place in nursery. Most of the class seem to have had term time holidays this year!