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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

Reception Term time Holidays

109 replies

Roseaal · 23/07/2017 12:05

My little one is august born and will be 4. Her reception year is starting on mid September. We have booked holidays and she will be missing out exactly 9/10 days. I haven't mentioned anything to school yet. The only reason we booked holidays was vast price difference in holidays during term time. We are going back home to meet family.

I'm now worried will we be incurring fine? And can I make her start the very next day after returning from holidays. I don't want her to miss out. She used to attend nursery 15 hours per week.

Need your advice!!

OP posts:

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mrz · 26/07/2017 08:45

They aren't ignored by the school but LAs don't waste stretched resources chasing up children who legally don't have to be in school.

sunrisetosunset · 26/07/2017 08:52

No, they don't ignore it as I've already said, for the usual reasons non attendance isn't ignored. Just as they're not exempt from other school rules because legally they don't have to attend yet

mrz · 26/07/2017 08:53

Almost a third of my Y1 class last year hadn't attended regularly in reception (4 different schools in different LAs) and were basically starting from scratch because they had late summer birthdays.

sunrisetosunset · 26/07/2017 09:02

mrz · 26/07/2017 09:23

The telephone conversation with a parent of a child in our reception

I'm very concerned your child hasn't been in school ...
He didn't want to come
But he's only attended three days this half term
Well he doesn't need to come to school because he's not five yet
He really needs to attend regularly
I've talked to someone from County hall and they say he doesn't because he's not five and there's nothing the school can do if we choose not to send him ...

sunrisetosunset · 26/07/2017 10:03

"I'm very concerned your child hasn't been in school ...
He didn't want to come
But he's only attended three days this half term"

It wouldn't have been allowed to get to that stage, in my experience. As registered and attending school pupils they're not exempt from school rules, including lateness and absence, and it will be chased up by the school, for the usual reasons absence is not ignored. Most parents wouldn't try this, however, or even be aware of the 'term after fifth birthday' aspect.

mrz · 26/07/2017 10:06

The point is they have been chased up by the school. Daily phone calls and weekly letters.

sunrisetosunset · 26/07/2017 10:48

You didn't say that in your post.
The point is that a registered school pupil is not exempt from school rules, that applies to those who are not yet five years, and absence is still chased up in the usual way (not to LA court and fine stage as has been mentioned already by other posters, more than once).

mrz · 26/07/2017 10:50

And what a waste of time that can be ...

mrz · 26/07/2017 10:52

Did you miss this earlier post?

"They aren't ignored by the school but LAs don't waste stretched resources chasing up children who legally don't have to be in school."

TittyGolightly · 26/07/2017 10:55

No, they don't have to attend a school at all until the term after their fifth birthday. Hence home educators aren't usually pursued until after this period.

No child has to attend school, full stop. And there's no requirement for home educators to have any involvement with the local authority whatsoever, so they shouldn't be "persued" as a matter of course.

mrz · 26/07/2017 11:03

"No child has to attend school, full stop. " no they don't

mrz · 26/07/2017 11:03

Sorry that should be thank you

sunrisetosunset · 26/07/2017 12:17

I think you're arguing for the sake of it now. I was quite clear.

mrz · 26/07/2017 13:35

As was I. The school can make as much noise, waste as many phone calls and time as they like but the truth is there isn't a thing they can do about non attendance if the child is below statutory school age regardless of whether they are enrolled or not.

sunrisetosunset · 26/07/2017 14:21

Are you actually reading the thread and what people have said? Or this a case of having the last word? I suspect the latter.
I refuse to repeat myself again. Do grow up

mrz · 26/07/2017 16:26

I've read the thread and contributed to it now I'm replying to your assertion

storynanny · 27/07/2017 10:23

Hello Roseaal, very ancient teacher here with an opinion if that is ok. In my experience of reception, in a variety of schools, there is a phased in start for many pupils for various different reasons. Some might do all day from start, some might do mornings only, some might not stay for lunch for the first week etc.
It is quite likely that she will not be the only child who does not complete 2 full weeks at the beginning of the term.
I don't think your child would be disadvantaged if she missed the first 2 weeks but I would not have the same view for any other year group.

mrz · 27/07/2017 10:31

I think it's more usual now for children to start full time from day one as there is universal entitlement. In my area it's unknown for children to start part time unless the child has SEN.

storynanny · 27/07/2017 17:29

Not in my county at present. Phased in start over first 2 weeks but flexible re age/maturity/need.
When I say ancient teacher I don't mean I'm quoting stuff from back in the day, just mean now in my 39th year of teaching.

NellWilsonsWhiteHair · 27/07/2017 18:20

My son (started reception last year) had a phased entry: a third of kids started the first Weds, did three half days, then full time; a third started the second Weds, same pattern; and the final third started the third weds, same pattern. I thought it worked really well. I know a couple of other schools nearby also did variants on this.

mrz · 27/07/2017 20:06

My area hasn't done phased entry for fifteen years and I'm surprised schools are still doing this

Hersetta427 · 27/07/2017 22:06

Our reception class are all in full time from day one. I also don't agree that the first month about settling in. Within 2 weeks of starting reception DS was blending and reading Cvc words having been a non reader before. His progress amazed me.

prh47bridge · 27/07/2017 22:55

It is debatable whether the school forcing phased starts complies with the Admissions Code. They can certainly suggest it but forcing it may be a breach of paragraph 2.16. It is definitely a breach if the school forces children to delay starting until October or later.

storynanny · 27/07/2017 23:56

That is why I said "with flexibility".

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