Should I worry about an unauthorised absence?

[blueballoons]

I am an american expat here and DD is in reception. The last time we went back to the US was nearly two years ago, so for our most recent visit, we spent 3 weeks - during the two-week spring break (really wanted to avoid going in summer due to scorching heat and my mother's lack of air conditioning).

Anyway, the absence form came back to me as "unauthorised". Other expats have had their trips authorised and I know several others who just wanted a cheap holiday during term time who wrote nice stories on the form and got the absence authorised as well. I think I was too concise and instead of a detailed story wrote just "family reunion" as the reason.

Anyway, what's done is done, but the main thing is - are there any consequences of this unauthorised absence in the future? Should I make sure I write a more sympathetic story the next time we need to do this or does it really matter?

Thanks!

the protocol is to request a form and get permission before you go
did you do this?
your child is allowed so many authorised abscences during the school year
I think it is 10 days, but I am sure someone more informed will be along in a minute
unauthorised abscence do matter, as you can be fined if there are too many
I am surprised the head did not authorise a holiday to visit family though

Has your child had a lot of time off?

Schools don't like the attendance rate for a child to drop below 95% so if your child has had other time off and would drop below this then that could be a reason they might not authorise the holiday.

won't really matter - it's statistics for the government. I think you're perfectly justified to do so (daughter in reception!) but there will be scores of posters who think otherwise. You could certainly ask why it was unauthorised - has she already had some time off this year and your '10' days (usually allowed for this sort of thing at head's discretion) were used up?

And ... I found out that the 10 days should actually read 'one period of absence up to 10 days'. If you take 10 days at once, that's fine. If you take 5 days, that's it ... you don't have 5 days left.

We had a letter from the head teacher at my DC's primary last week, stating that all rfequests for term time holidays would be refused except in exceptional cases.

My friend is off on holiday next month with her reception age daughter, she has been told it will not be authorised.

She isn't sure yet what the consequences will be, but there are a lot of unhappy parents at the school.

I would guess that if your dc attendance is otherwise good all it means is that the school mark it as unauthorised and give you dirty looks.

I took my DCs out of school for two weeks either side of the Easter break to visit my parents in NZ for their 50th wedding anniversary. This went down as unauthorised absence as this is County policy. The Head was understanding that it wouldn't be worthwhile flying half way round the world for just the official 2 week Easter break but was bound by the County guidelines to not authorise the additional time off. All that happened was we got a standard letter from the school stating that they didn't like holidays in term time and not to do it again, consider yourself told off. Nothing else followed and letter is now in the recycling!

IMO you will be fine so long as your child has a good attendance record.

I didn't think there was such a thing as unauthorised leave for reception children given that there is no legal requirement for them to even be in school at that age!

We had a letter only this week saying
'All children are expected to have attendance of 95% or above. Where a child?s attendance is below 95% for any reason, including sickness, parents will be sent a letter outlining the amount of school missed.

Where a child?s attendance falls below 80%, or where there are concerns about a child?s attendance patterns or lateness, parents will be asked to attend a meeting with the headteacher which may include the Educational Welfare Officer.

The EWS has the authority to issue Fixed Penalty Notices to parents whose children have levels of unauthorised lateness which bring them below the Borough Target for attendance. This process will be initiated by a referral to the EWS from the Headteacher where there is a concern'

i wouldn't worry, we're going to Spain for halfterm and leaving on the weds, back on the monday so taking 3 days off school (friday before half term is an inset).

i wrote a letter requesting the time off before i booked the flights, letter came back thanking me for letting them know, it would be recorded as "unauthorised absence".

it's all to do with their school score i believe, the magic 300 they are all striving for. % absence has a big influence so they do everything they can to minimise it.

i don't expect any comeback though, it is just school policy and ok for the odd trip imo. dd is in reception too btw.

Unauthorised absence will be recorded as such but it will not effect your Dc in any way. It will be known they are on holiday and the figures are purely for attendence records collected by the school for the government. There is a lot of pressure on Headteachers at the moment to stop children taking holidays in term time, Head teachers do not have to authorise any holidays, the 10 days is at the Head's descretion.

Although in reality an unauthorised absence for a holiday will have no real consequences on your child. Unless they suffer educationally from missing out on teaching.

Thanks for your replies. I sent in the form 2 weeks before we left, but it didnt get returned to me until we were already back. DD has had no other absences other than some illness time (though we were told off for lateness in the first term - it was tough getting into our first morning school routine!)

I know the school is under intense and increasing attendence (=financial) pressure, so i assume this is what is behind it. I was thinking about arranging a meeting with the head to clarify the policy, but if there is no consequences to us, I may not bother taking her time.

i honestly wouldn't bother as you will only get the party line, ie that no holidays are to be taken outside school time.

a boy in DDs class went to Puerto Rico for Christmas to see his grandparents - they requested 4 days off school and were told "unauthorised absence" - i mean, the week before christmas when all they did was make decorations and watch other classes nativity plays.

it is just the policy. consequence to the school but not to you unless the unauthorised absences reaches a level worthy of the school calling social services!