Authorised absence request denied (Y1) - have to go anyway. What can school do?

[cat71]

We recently submitted a request for authorised absence for my dd1 (Year 1) to miss 2 days of school following May/June half term. My dh's sister is getting married in France on Saturday at end of half term week. The request came back this week, was not approved by headteacher, as board of governors decided no absence will be authorised in May or June due to assessments. If she was in a SATs year, I wouldn't want her to miss school, but she is only in Year 1 and won't miss much in 2 days. We obviously can't miss the wedding and to change our flights to return the day after the wedding would incur a massive extra bill that we really can't afford, so we have to carry on as planned and go against the rules of the school. What can the school do? I read that they can charge a penalty, but even if they did, it would probably be less than the cost of changing our flights. Any advice would be welcome!

Tell them she'll get some educational value out of it as it's abroad and go anyway. Just make sure she does any holiday homework by the time you return her!

I took my DD (yr 1) out of school for one day for a family graduation and her teacher was absolutely fine about it. Mind even if she'd kicked off, I'd have still done it.

We did this last year for a wedding in France also. I was told that the absence would be noted as unauthorised, even though I'd asked, as they don't approve of holidays in school term time, but that is decided by the local authority not the school itself.

The teacher was brilliant, gave dd1 some homework to do, which she didn't have to do as the teachers don't have to give homework if you're taking them out of school, and also asked her to keep a diary of our week in France. When she got back to school dd1 took in photo's to show everyone, the kids in the class all loved the French wedding cake, and did a talk to her classmates all about the French wedding, the people we'd met, where we had stayed, etc.

Linnet, I like the idea of dd1 keeping a diary of the holiday and then giving a presentation to her class with wedding photos, etc. when we get back. Haven't spoken to her teacher about it yet - will do so nearer the time. Just don't want to put her in an awkward situation, as I know the rules are nothing to do with her!

But surely if a school is cracking down on absences , then a parent being refused time off for a mtter like this makes the school record worse as it will be shown as unathorised absence ! and it will make the schools record even worse , will it not ?

Surely school are harming their own record by not authorsing any abscenes ?

I would go.

Hi, I dont know where abouts you are in the country but I'm down in East Sussex and where we are, the local Education authority have got very hot on taking hols in school time and it has got ridiculous, to the point that I know people have even rung the school from America to say their son was ill!

At my sons school, all request for time off are denied, family weddings, christenings etc. and if you continue to take the child out you can be fined up to £100 a week and the parent can be handed out an educational ASBO!

This is why its easier to lie to the school and say they are ill rather than suffer the wrath of East Sussex County Council!!

It really is ridiculous, but the school say this zero tolerance policy is not set by them but comes from up high, where they believe that saying no will discourage parents from doing this.

We are coming home from our family hols 2 days after term has restarted in May as the price of our flights more than halved if we travelled back in school time. If travel companies did something about their unfair price rises which they inflict on us parents with children of school age then perhaps we wouldnt want to take them out of school time!

regarding your situation, Id ring them each day and say your dd is unwell! they cant dispute that and at least you wont be labelled a trouble maker by writing and asking questions of the schools daft policy.
Enjoy France and the wedding.