Taking 2 week holiday during term time

[Potatohead2]

Hi, my DS is in reception and we are planning to take a 2 or 3 week oversea holiday to visit grandparents in February next year, around the half term holiday. It’s a long journey so 1 week half term is definitely not worth it, but I’m still debating myself if we should go for 2 or 3 weeks.

DS will still be 4 until the end of March, so technically school is not compulsory for him yet, and this is probably our last holiday during term time anyway. I’m a bit worried if he would miss out a lot from school or it would be hard settling him in again after 3 weeks off? And how do I ask for the permission from school? Do I email school office or the head teacher? I heard he can lose his school place if he is absent too much, is it true?

Any advice please?

Well firstly it is not a holiday, you are visiting family so put that on your email to the school., explain it is too far to go for a week.Also state that you will do reading everyday ( and do it) and ask if there is anything else you can cover. Then go and enjoy.

Email should go to the school office. They almost certainly won't grant permission, but they can't really do anything about it as he isn't complsory school age. If you have been honest where you are, they can't take him off roll. That can only happen if they have a reasonable expectation that he has enrolled in a new school.

I would try to time it to limit the amount of time off school as much as possible. Two weeks is a lot to miss.

Do not ask for work to cover. Read with him.

Is there a reason you don’t go over one of the longer school holidays?

As he's only 4 I would make the most of this as it's your last opportunity and go for 3 weeks (2 of school plus half term).

Edited to add: I've never taken my kids out of school btw! But I would in these circumstances.

Do it now and take as long as you want. Under the current rules you won't get this chance again unless you include one of the holidays in which case the cost may prevent you. So go now and make the most of it with your family. Agree with pp about keeping up the reading though.

Don't ask permission as they won't give it, just tell them the dates you'll be away and why.

Schools now usually have a holiday request form that you complete. Just fill it in, hand it into the office and that’s it. You don’t need to give complicated reasons - it’s not going to be authorised for that length of time but it’s not a massive issue. It’s likely you’ll be issued with a fine (the new rules are strict) from the LA so factor this into your budget.
I would advise that you take the time off before and including the half term holiday and make sure your Dc is back in school as the new half term starts rather than a few days before and after the half term holiday. That’s doubly disruptive. Don’t ask school to provide any work for your DC - it’s your choice for him to miss school, the teacher has enough to do!

Email the school and ask, they might have a firm they want you to fill in. You won’t be given permission so it will be an unauthorised absence.

Go for as little time as possible. Two weeks is already disruptive, especially when they’re teaching new sounds every week to get the children reading before year 1. Do what you can to keep up with your child by asking other parents and using information in the newsletter or website. Do not create extra work for the teacher by asking them to provide work.

You are highly unlikely to get 'permission', as in an authorised absence, but because of his age you won't get a fine. They don't kick in until compulsory school age.

Yes he will miss a lot of school in 2 weeks and may struggle to settle back in. It's up to you to decide how much you think it's worth it. Personally, I think two weeks rather than three, with one of those being half term, is the ideal compromise. You still get a nice long holiday visiting grandparents, but he only misses one week of school.

Summer or Easter holidays would be less disruptive.

I'd do it if I could. 2 weeks with 1 falling in half term. Keep up with reading every day and be prepared to help them catch up once you're back (phonics sounds in particular).

Visiting grandparents, not a holiday. Can you tie it in with any cultural event e.g. is it for Chinese New Year (as an example)?

Hey yes it will be for the Chinese New Year! So I should mention it to the school?

Definitely yes! Cultural and religious learning, life experience, similarities and differences with life in the UK and other countries - forms part of the EYFS framework and Early Learning Goals. It will be hard for the school to say no in terms of giving permission and authorising the leave (which is at the discretion of the Head). You could offer to go in to the school to talk to the rest of the children about it afterwards and to share photos / show them hongbao, couplets, calligraphy, teach them to say 新年快乐 and 恭喜发财 etc etc. Your son might enjoy sharing about it with his peers too. He will be missing out on school, yes, but he'll also be learning so much while you're away as well and from sharing/teaching his friends about it after the point when he gets back. Be prepared to help him catch up some of the learning he missed out on once you get back.

(Here's an extract from the EYFS framework:
"Know some similarities and differences between different religious and cultural
communities in this country, drawing on their experiences and what has been read in class.
• Explain some similarities and differences between life in this country and life in
other countries, drawing on knowledge from stories, non-fiction texts and – when appropriate – maps.")

This is extremely helpful. Thank you so much!!!

It’s a lot of learning to miss at that age. They might miss out on some key concepts.
You must do what you think right OP but please don’t ask the teacher to catch your child up or to provide work or to give you a list of what they will miss - that would be unfair on the teacher - they are already overburdened with work.

Yes, if we do go, I know it’s my responsibility to help DS keep up with his school work. They post a newsletter telling parents what they have done in the week every Friday so I will use that instead of asking his teacher.

I was a teacher and I would in thoses circumstances- infact I would do it now as in future when he is compulsary school age it will be harder. It wasn't that unusual where I worked anyway to have children go for say 3 weeks including a half term to family overseas (festivals, weddings etc) I wouldn't have set work but maybe ask them to talk to the class about it when they got back or share photos etc. They might authorise it but even if not it would make zero difference as he is too young for you to be fined.
We have family who live along way away within the UK and have had absences (shorter) authorised for family reasons (weddings/funerals) before- Schools do authorise things sometimes when they can!