Three-week school holiday in November for Year 7 and informing school

[Madisonsha]

Hey guys,My aunt's son is getting married at the end of November, and we're planning to go for three weeks with the kids to malaysia. My son will be in Year 7 then. Is that too long? He hasn't been there since he was three, so it's been a while. How should I tell the school?

You’re going to take your son out of school for THREE WEEKS???

i think it would be reasonable to expect a hefty fine!

It is a terrible idea when he is settling in to a new school! He will miss so much work and in terms of friendships the grass will grow under his feet.

Sorry I agree with the others, I couldn’t do that to my kid

You want your son to miss three weeks of education, mid-term, so he can go to your cousin’s wedding on the other side of the world?? Family is important, sure, but the wedding of your mum’s cousin is not a reasonable excuse that any head teacher would accept. I mean, come on. Surely you don’t think this is normal?!

Expect a fine. No school is happy about that plan. 3 weeks is a lot.

I have to agree with the others - 3 weeks is too long during term time. I doubt you would get permission for this length of time and for such a distant relative.

I urge you strongly to re-consider this plan - I understand you want to you but the timing is just wrong

Making friends in the first term of secondary school is really important, and he’ll miss important foundation work.

you’d be insane to do that damage to him for such a remote relative’s wedding!

why are you needing to go for 3 weeks? Surely you can make it into a much shorter trip?

It is extremely unlikely the school will allow it, not matter how you word it. Sorry.

Wow! Three weeks term time is insane, let alone in first term of Year 7. Critical for settling in, making friends, lots of early assessments too.

You will get a significant fine, which is per parent, per week too.

Seriously, don’t do it!

Don’t do this to your child. Taking them out of school for three weeks is a terrible idea at any time. However taking them out of school for three weeks in the first term of year 7 is even worse. There’s no justification for doing this.

This is extremely selfish. Sorry but it’s not a close relative and you can’t be that close if he hasn’t been since he was 3. Book it over the Christmas holidays instead and adjust visit to accommodate relatives accordingly.

no child should be out of school 3 weeks if they don’t have to.

I would not do this OP.

They have chosen to get married during term time, so they have to understand that not everyone can make it. I have missed many family weddings abroad, simply because they weren’t in the school holidays. If this is a close relative to you and you wish to attend the wedding and you have someone to look after your child, then leave them here and attend the wedding on your own.

missing three weeks of school in Year 7 is going to make things very difficult for your child to catch up with the work missed, friendship groups and I dread to think how much you’ll be fined for that absence

3 weeks for a relative that’s not even close and your son doesn’t even remember? That is an incredibly poor decision on your part op.

You son doesn’t even know this relative. Why would you make him miss so much school?

I'm guessing you think it's a good opportunity because a lot of family will be in the one place at the one time, so it's easier to catch up, hence why the summer holiday suggestion isn't as appealing. It's less about your son getting to see his mum's cousin get married, and more about the broader family?

I'm not from the UK, and taking children out of school to visit relatives overseas is a little more normal here, so I'm not as immediately opposed to the idea as many in England/Wales would be.

However, three weeks when he's only a few months into high school is a lot. Can you go for the full time, then your partner and kids come across for 1.5/2 weeks? I know it's a lot of money in airfares for less time, but might be offset by a smaller fine?

Otherwise, I think you'll have to send your apologies and plan a three-week trip during summer.

It is a long time but quite common in the school I teach in tbh. There are a lot of children from Asian Pakistani backgrounds who go to visit relatives in Pakistan for weeks at a time.