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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

what do you think about planning to take a couple of days off in reception?

17 replies

Aranea · 18/05/2009 16:56

PIL are keen to go away for a long weekend next year during term time. It would mean DD1 being off school on a Friday and Monday.

She only starts school in September and I am worried about this. Am I being overly precious, or would it be a bad idea?

OP posts:

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tonysoprano · 18/05/2009 17:00

I have done this and although the school will frown upon it, it'a absoultely fine, especially at this stage in thier education. Life's too short!

TreeTrunkThighs · 18/05/2009 17:02

I suppose it depends on the school's policy. DD1 can have up to 10 days off during term time in each academic year. You have to complete a request form well in advance and 'permission' is granted or not. I've never known it not, although my requests have always been pretty reasonable.

Check with school first but I say go for it

terramum · 18/05/2009 17:08

Shouldn't be a problem imo - she's not of compulsory education age yet.

Original poster

Aranea · 18/05/2009 17:12

thanks everyone! Good point terramum, I hadn't thought of that.

OP posts:

hellywobs · 18/05/2009 18:01

Whether she is of compulsory school age depends when her birthday is and when you want to go away. You have to be educated/go to school in the term after your 5th birthday. So if for example her birthday is December and you want to go away in March, she would be of school age. But if she's not 5 until June, say, then it's a different matter.

However, in YR I realy wouldn't worry about taking 2 days off and the school shouldn't be snotty about it.

mrz · 18/05/2009 18:04

It can be more of a social problem when children take holidays at the start of their school experience but 2 days shouldn't be an issue. Write asking for permission don't take it for granted and you will usually get a positive response

SallyJayGorce · 18/05/2009 18:05

Our children's school encourages it - they are independent and Montessori based so think that learning takes place everywhere, not just at school. But they only go up to 11. I'd do it but not keen on those rules anyway - I believe in learning about the world in all sorts of situations especially when they are young (well - forever - but as far as school is concerned).

Original poster

Aranea · 18/05/2009 18:05

She will be 5 by then. But if the general feeling is that it wouldn't matter, I'll ask the school. I had assumed it wouldn't be a great start to be asking for time off straight away, but maybe I'm being unduly concerned.

OP posts:

bigchris · 18/05/2009 18:06

why do they want to take her away in termtime? can't you negotiate with them a more convenient weekend?

amidaiwish · 18/05/2009 18:08

DD1 is 5.3 and we are going off for half term early, so she is finishing school tomorrow. wrote a letter asking permission pre-Christmas, it came back thanking me for letting them know but days off in term time were not acceptable for family holidays and the time would be recorded as unauthorised.
(1st time she has had any time off btw)
however, form teacher is totally fine about it, i think it is just school policy but deep down it is ok if it isn't too often.

foofi · 18/05/2009 18:12

It won't do the child any harm, but some Heads don't like it.

pollywobbledoodle · 18/05/2009 18:15

ours officially discourages it but actually will ok up to 5 days off per year for compassionate/holiday leave

gets more difficult if child has a lot of sick time at start of shool and their average attendence gets low...

forkhandles · 18/05/2009 18:20

I wouldn't worry about it, our school is relaxed about holidays in term time anyway, but in Reception I can remember several children taking the week off before or after the October half term to go on a family holiday.

You could offer to make a journal of your weekend with DD and she can show it to the class when she returns.

Original poster

Aranea · 18/05/2009 18:59

I like that idea, forkhandles.

bigchris - it's for purely financial reasons.

OP posts:

Smithagain · 18/05/2009 20:04

We had to take DD1 out of school for a week, three weeks after she started. It was for BIL's wedding, which he helpfully booked for a Tuesday, in term time, 400 miles from our home!

On the one hand, it had no discernible effect on DD1. She did miss out on some of the letter sounds they were learning, one per day. But she soon caught up, and carried on as before. No problems with settling in again afterwards.

The school were fine about it, on the basis it was an unavoidable family commitment. They might have been a bit more sniffy about a holiday. And we did get a stiff letter from the Head in January, because she also had a few days off sick, which brought her attendance down to an "unacceptably low" level.

But in the grand scheme of things, she's had more or less 100% attendance ever since and it's all blown over.

Mulanmum1 · 18/05/2009 20:20

Just out of interest, does it matter if you don't get "permission" from the Head. I mean s/he can't physically prevent you from taking your child out of school. And even if they "frown" upon it they're not going to take it out on your child are they?

Not directed at OP, just a question to everyone.

foofi · 19/05/2009 16:24

Well, it goes on your record as 'unauthorised absence' instead of authorised. This is probably worse for the school than for the family!

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