Taking 4 days unauthorised absence to take kids on respite

[IcyPeer]

Hi there.

Starters i haven’t yet submitted the request but after reading elsewhere it sounds most likely it will be unauthorised and be fined. Which I don’t mind due to the circumstances.
taking my child out of school who has adhd and suspected autism who also has sibling with same and other medical problems on top on a 4 day respite break during term time where it’s a safe environment for them.
i don’t mind paying the fine if it comes to it but my actual question is will the school remove my child off the school roll and get kicked out for this unauthorised absence or for having slightly low attendance (which is 97% at the moment only missed 3 days in the whole year) might go in the 90% range after this. Or will they be able to go straight back to school and just pay the fine?
my child really loves her school and don’t want her to lose her place

thanks

Don't quote me on it, but I thought the fine was for 10 sessions, so 5 days. In which case you'd be OK. Off rolling would be very extreme. I'm sure others will have more information.

What kind of respite break?
Organized by a charity? Tell the school
You taking them to a caravan?
Same explain to school

But if your child loves school why take them out?

Loads of kids go on term time holidays. They don’t get taken off the roll.

Has to be 10 sessions OP and of course they won't off roll you! You'll get a letter saying unauthorised and they will probably monitor it for a while but that's all.

No, they cannot kick your child out for this level of unauthorised absence.

Has someone told you that they'll be taken off roll? Of course that won't happen, children are off school on holiday every day

Our school would have very kids if thry kicked out everyone who had a term time holiday.

There actually should be an exception around kids with disabilities where the holiday timing is linked to their condition. Have a Google.

@LightYearsAgo i looked into their school attendance policy and says this “Schools are also under a safeguarding duty, under
section 175 of the Education Act 2002 to investigate any unexplained/unauthorised absences. At this point your child will be considered to be “absent from education””
which sounds to me they will be considered to be removed

@SleepingStandingUp ive googled and says even with disability’s breaks in term time are still not acceptable, but its down to headteacher to decide apparently.

Do you mean a holiday you’re taking in term time because it’s quiet/cheap and you’re calling it respite? Or do you mean actual respite care through Social Care?

Cut off for a term time holiday is 10 sessions (5 days) usually. Some schools have their own ideas though!

I have a son with severe learning disabilities. We easily got authorised time off but we can’t do it now as unable to take my daughter out of school (she’s 10 now, suspected adhd/asd) but as mainstream she’d be missing quality learning time.

looked into their school attendance policy and says this “Schools are also under a safeguarding duty, under section 175 of the Education Act 2002 to investigate any unexplained/unauthorised absences. At this point your child will be considered to be “absent from education”” which sounds to me they will be considered to be removed

No, it does not mean they will be considered to be removed. It means that they will make sure your child is ok and, if they feel it is necessary, take enforcement action to make you send your child to school.

As I said previously, they cannot legally remove a pupil from the school just because they have 4 days unauthorised absence.

Just talk to your senco.
Explain the "respite" break.
They might not be able to authorise but will likely be understanding.
be upfront and dont just disappear!

Respite? I think you’re just dressing it up a simple holiday during term time when it’s less expensive. A lot of people do this.

@Sometimeswinning not at all about the cost it’s about my children being able to have a break like everyone else in a safe environment without being overstimulated and able to regulate better in a less busier and crowded time of year than it is in the school holidays.

I used to authorise such breaks for families with similar difficulties, some Heads will, some won’t. But nothing will happen for 4 days absence, just be honest!

I think it’s respite, in the sense that it’s a holiday venue, which will be less busy during term time and therefore less stressful for the children.

It will be unauthorised, because there’s no other choice, but that will probably be the end of it.

My grandson just went back to school today after an unauthorised week away (we went to Australia for two weeks to see my ds1 so one week was half term)
DD1 asked school for any work he needed to do, and we did it while away, and he's not been off rolled, or fined (yet). His attendance was virtually 100% before the holiday.
I've worked in special ed for 20 years (just left!) and quite often the children would have holidays in school time for the reasons you mention. Needs must!

Attendance rules are all about Ofsted, not about the children...

You probably won't even get fined for a 4 day holiday if the kids have otherwise good attendance.

To get removed from the roll you'd have to be off for weeks with no contact.