Term time holiday

[FayreDarling]

I wanted to ask for your advice regarding an upcoming family holiday that we've booked during term time. Unfortunately, this means that my child will miss 5 days of school.
Last year, we received a fine for doing the same thing and I'm worried that we might face a similar consequence again. I understand the importance of regular school attendance, and I don't want to make excuses or lie about my child's absence.
Could you please share your thoughts on what we might expect this time around? I would appreciate any advice or guidance you could provide.
Thank you for your help.

Well, I would expect another fine. What else?

What else would you expect other than a fine?

Another fine.

Likely to be exactly the same as last time. Just pay the fine & it won't be a problem. It's only usually an issue if you take 3 holidays during term time within a 12 month period - that will result in court action (in my LEA anyway.) I sometimes see really odd advice on here regarding this but until recently I worked in this area so feel quite confident in my answer! Also you will only receive a fine if the school requests it from the LEA. If the school doesn't contact them then you won't get a fine (its surprising how many headteachers just don't do it because they don't agree with the fines.)

You’ll get another fine. Surely as this has happened before you should have known to expect it?

Surely you just expect the same fines again?

I find these fines ridiculous, especially at Primary School.

About 20 years ago we lived about 5 minutes walk from the (village) school. However every time there was even a sprinkling of snow the HM would close it . Sometimes there would be no sign of snow by 10.30 but they wouldn't re-open despite 70% of the children being within walking distance of the school.

One year I had taken the boys out for 2 days for a weekend trip, and then was taking them to Australia for 3 weeks in the February to family. The school allowed a fortnight's holiday if you could prove it was educational (ish). I booked the trip around the Half Term and sent a letter about the two weeks. They refused it because I had taken the 2 days . They said I was to expect a fine.

I replied saying the boys were able to go in for 4 days when she had shut the school, and thought it a cheek that she thought those 4 days were ok for them to be in school,.

I didn't get a reply but I didn't get a fine either.

I find it so annoying that the govt don't stand up to the companies ripping people off over holidays in school holiday time yet punish people who take kids out of school.

I understand from teacher friends that it isn't helpful in secondary school but they can quickly catch up in primary.

Sorry this is more of a rant than advice but....

Take your child on holiday.

Sorry - I should add that I wasn't sure if things escalate after the first fine.

Attendance was good until recently school sent my child home with a tummy bug and since had a letter about attendance. The holiday was already booked.

I wish things were more affordable in the school holidays.

I do agree with you! We have had lots of closures recently.

Can you not just say that they're sick?

@FayreDarling I'm not sure why you wouldn't think you'd get fined again?
Plus if the holiday really pulls your child's attendance down then they also might refer you to the education welfare officer.
However much you may not agree with fines for term time absence, the rules are clear so if you choose to take a holiday then you have no choice but to face the consequences.

Hello, thank you.

Yes I would expect a fine again I was actually wondering would there likely to be a more serious consequence where it is a second fine?

I may have to but I prefer not to lie. Also, do they sometimes check up on you?

I don't know if they would bother to check up on you, don't they have better things to do? But my DC's school you register absences online so wouldn't feel the pressure of lying.

To be fair, I've never done it but it's easy to be struck down with a stomach bug for 5 days. It depends when you're going as a tan might look suspicious when they go back to school 😂.

I bet the staff didn’t all live 5 minutes walk away.

What is his current attendance? If you have had a letter it has presumably dropped a bit. I wonder if they might ask for proof if he has 5 days off sick soon. How long until the holiday? Do you have time to improve his attendance again beforehand?

Yes, missing 5 days will trigger a fine.

Just tell the truth and pay the fine when it comes through, you would have saved a lot on the cost of the holiday.

I don’t agree with the fines personally. We took our DS’ out a couple of times for holidays. We were never fined, as only took them out for a couple of days, still made a huge difference to the holiday cost, but did not trigger a fine.

Not sure if the rules have changed since but you only got fined if you missed 10 sessions, so 5 school days.

I wouldn’t lie, my DS’ would have definitely dropped me in it! If they call you, they will get the international dialling tone when calling your mobile. Surely you don’t want to call school everyday on your holiday.

Each LA sets its own rules. As far as the law is concerned, you can be fined for any absence. However, most LAs won't fine for a single day if attendance is otherwise good.

I'm not sure why you're making your life difficult. I'd just call them in sick and save them the admin.

As long as attendance is 95% or more expect a fine, if attendance is below 90% before the holiday then they may be investigating overall attendance. At DD's last school they had kids with attendance in the 60-70.% range, not with serious illness or issues, just loads of odd days off, the council welfare team was involved, they won't act for a single holiday

why lie, your kid will say exactly where they have been
go on holl pay the fine if you get one

I’m sure there is a way to draft a law that means no holiday company can charge more for a holiday in any given week than Y x the price of the week before or after (say perhaps Y = 1.1/1.2). So the middle of the summer holidays might still be very expensive but you wouldn’t have the same huge differences in price.

However they won’t do it as there’d be so much push back from child free people who currently benefit from what is in fact a big discount for off peak times - companies are safe in the knowledge some of us have to book during the peak time and they can charge what they like, so they give huge discounts at other times.

I think it’s wrong though and there should be legislation.

Snow days are irrelevant here 🙄 it’s great that you live within 5 minutes walk of your child’s school, but I bet most of the staff don’t! Unless they can get enough staff in (including senior staff so there’s a trained safeguarding lead on site) it’s not safe to open, and it could be that staff have long or difficult journeys in. I also suspect snow days playing at home will be a thing of the past now post Covid and kids will be expected to log in to teams/google classroom and do work like in the lockdowns.

OP, you’ll get a fine, that’s it. I highly doubt it will go any further than that. It’s a pain for your child’s teacher as they’ll have missed stuff and will need extra input to catch up, but if they’re doing well academically I doubt it is the end of the world.

I completely disagree there should be legislation to stop private companies charging what they want for a non essential. You wouldn't expect legislation to make say BMWs closer in price to a Dacia because otherwise it's not fair?

I've taken my kids out of primary every year, sometimes for a Full week, sometimes leaving a day or so before term ends, and never been fined. We've had some amazing bargains. Now my dc are older, the eldest doesn't want to miss school, I've accepted that holidays are now more expensive. A holiday is not a right, there are still bargains if you look, especially well in advance or last minute.

OP, you'll likely just a fine if that's the norm for your school, one a year is unlikely to trigger any further action