Different holidays to my children - holiday fine

Tweensandterribletwos · 2025-04-01T10:17:48+00:00

Hello! Not sure if anyone has been through this before and can advise - I work in a different LA to the one my child goes to school in and we have different Easter holidays this year. We’ve taken advantage of being able to get a cheaper holiday (as this rarely occurs) and obviously I can’t miss work but has meant taking DC out of school for 8 days. Our leave of absence request was denied as not being an exceptional circumstance - but to me having my AL decided for me and different to my child’s leave is. I’m expecting a fine anyway but could I contest it or would it just result in me getting a more expensive fine for not paying within 21 days? Thank you!

ThesebeautifulthingsthatIvegot · 01/04/2025 16:38

That's definitely not exceptional circumstances. Many working people don't get absolute say in their annual leave. I'm totally on board with how annoying it is that teachers get no say at all, but you've not got a leg to stand on in terms of them having 8 days off school.

WibblyWobblyLane · 01/04/2025 16:39

Having different AL wouldn't be special circumstances so I would just suck it up and have the win of the cheaper holiday.

PurplGirl · 01/04/2025 17:13

Respectfully, it’s 1 week difference. You still have the other 10/11 weeks the same. We have this as my husband works in a school in a different LA. We go away in May half term, summer or one of the Oct weeks (he gets 1, kids get 2). You’ve booked a holiday during your children’s term time in order to get it cheaper. I’m not judging, that’s just the fact. So no, defo don’t bother trying to appeal. Suck up the fine and enjoy your holiday. But be careful about doing it again, as the new system means mounting fines and after the 3rd occasion in 3 years, court.

Emmz1510 · 01/04/2025 17:18

how much is the fine? I’d just pay it. It’s ridiculous but they will not see this as exceptional circumstances. Holidays are a luxury,

leccybill · 01/04/2025 17:19

8 days is a lot, didn't know there was such variation this year. I'm a teacher and my daughter's school in a different LA is different but they overlap.
It was different weeks at October and February last year too 😬
Just gotta suck it up and be grateful I don't have to find childcare anymore.

ThanksItHasPockets · 01/04/2025 18:42

Eight days or eight sessions, ie four days? Eight days / sixteen sessions is a lot and I'm afraid you're unlikely to get any sympathy. To make a case for exceptional circumstances you'd essentially have to demonstrate that this is the only point in the year where you could take this holiday, for example if a parent were in the military and home on leave. As you presumably have approx ten weeks of coincidental holiday period with your child this year I'm afraid this won't fly. I'd work on the basis that you will need to pay the fine.

Only4nomore · 01/04/2025 18:48

PurplGirl · 01/04/2025 17:13

Respectfully, it’s 1 week difference. You still have the other 10/11 weeks the same. We have this as my husband works in a school in a different LA. We go away in May half term, summer or one of the Oct weeks (he gets 1, kids get 2). You’ve booked a holiday during your children’s term time in order to get it cheaper. I’m not judging, that’s just the fact. So no, defo don’t bother trying to appeal. Suck up the fine and enjoy your holiday. But be careful about doing it again, as the new system means mounting fines and after the 3rd occasion in 3 years, court.

It's not bloody cheaper at all have a look holiday companies know this happens and they up the prices to reflect school hols in both England and Wales. The only exception I see is in Scotland during the summer holidays when they break up before the rest of us so cheaper for them to fly from English airports in June/ 1st week of July or cheaper for the rest of us at the end of August to fly from Scottish ones.

Original poster

Tweensandterribletwos · 01/04/2025 23:47

8 days - so 16 sessions in total. DH is only allowed 9 days of leave between 1st April and 31st October due to the nature of his job.
I’m also part time at the moment (so finished last Tuesday) but even when I move to the same LA in September and go full time I will have different holidays still due to LA run school/MAT run school for us! Thought it might be an exception with me getting zero say in when I can take my leave but will just wait for the fine when it comes! Turns out even the holidays aren’t a perk in teaching anymore 😂

OP posts:

Shry · 04/04/2025 11:50

I don't know how strict your LA are, but i've taken my child out of school for holidays twice during primary school - once for 2 weeks and another for 2 days and it seems to be used only for parents who are regular offenders.

Its not special circumstances unfortunately, they usually have a criteria for this and its usually weddings and funerals so I wouldn't bother appealing. I would just budget for the fine and if you don't get it - great.

TicklishMintDuck · 05/04/2025 15:21

Just pay the fine. No exceptional circumstances here.

Leafy74 · 05/04/2025 16:21

Turns out even the holidays aren’t a perk in teaching anymore

13 weeks isn't a perk!?!

No wonder people hate teachers@

Original poster

Tweensandterribletwos · 05/04/2025 19:03

Leafy74 · 05/04/2025 16:21

Turns out even the holidays aren’t a perk in teaching anymore

13 weeks isn't a perk!?!

No wonder people hate teachers@

You hate the people you leave your children with 190 days of the year?

And by the way only 6 of those 13 weeks are paid, the salary is just paid pro-rata.

I can’t choose when I am allowed time off work AT ALL, so if that time is different to the timey child is allowed off and my husband is only allowed 9 days of annual leave between 1st April and 31st October then no it isn’t a perk if I’m getting fined for going on holiday during the time I am forced to be off. I had more freedom and flexibility when working in corporate. People just see school as free childcare. When treated with such contempt, and that’s just the parents, no wonder teachers are leaving in droves…

Lets hope you’re not one of the people starting another thread about how your child is being taught by someone that isn’t a qualified teacher anytime soon!

OP posts:

Leafy74 · 06/04/2025 06:08

I'm a teacher.
Stop moaning.

Original poster

Tweensandterribletwos · 06/04/2025 10:57

Leafy74 · 06/04/2025 06:08

I'm a teacher.
Stop moaning.

And you sound an absolute delight.

OP posts:

Original poster

Tweensandterribletwos · 06/04/2025 11:03

The fine will just be paid if/when we get given one, will still work out cheaper than if we’d waited until the DC holiday, and won’t have this issue next year when I move to work in the same LA as the DC.

OP posts:

yellowsun · 08/04/2025 15:06

There is no legal right to take children out of school for a holiday. The expectation is that you would use another point in the year where holiday overlaps. There is no point in contesting- you’ll end up paying the double about or going to court where you may be prosecuted (and lose a day’s pay to attend).

Original poster

Tweensandterribletwos · 08/04/2025 18:20

Tweensandterribletwos · 06/04/2025 11:03

The fine will just be paid if/when we get given one, will still work out cheaper than if we’d waited until the DC holiday, and won’t have this issue next year when I move to work in the same LA as the DC.

@yellowsun

OP posts:

yellowsun · 08/04/2025 18:41

Just being another voice in answering your initial question about contesting! Once the PN is issued, the only way to contest is court.

TicklishMintDuck · 09/04/2025 16:44

Tweensandterribletwos · 05/04/2025 19:03

You hate the people you leave your children with 190 days of the year?

And by the way only 6 of those 13 weeks are paid, the salary is just paid pro-rata.

I can’t choose when I am allowed time off work AT ALL, so if that time is different to the timey child is allowed off and my husband is only allowed 9 days of annual leave between 1st April and 31st October then no it isn’t a perk if I’m getting fined for going on holiday during the time I am forced to be off. I had more freedom and flexibility when working in corporate. People just see school as free childcare. When treated with such contempt, and that’s just the parents, no wonder teachers are leaving in droves…

Lets hope you’re not one of the people starting another thread about how your child is being taught by someone that isn’t a qualified teacher anytime soon!

Edited

Show quote history

These people complain that teachers work part time and have long holidays, but none of them are able to explain the reasons for the recruitment and retention crisis!

MN2025 · 10/04/2025 22:36

I’m very surprised a teacher is asking this question! 8 days is a lot of learning time to loose. Would you find it acceptable if a parent of a student in your class did this? Don’t think so.

It’s the pitfalls of working in a school. Only thing I can suggest is moving your DC to your school so you get the same time off or just have the break in the summer holidays where you are guaranteed to be off the same time.

Original poster

Tweensandterribletwos · 11/04/2025 08:03

MN2025 · 10/04/2025 22:36

I’m very surprised a teacher is asking this question! 8 days is a lot of learning time to loose. Would you find it acceptable if a parent of a student in your class did this? Don’t think so.

It’s the pitfalls of working in a school. Only thing I can suggest is moving your DC to your school so you get the same time off or just have the break in the summer holidays where you are guaranteed to be off the same time.

DD is in primary 5 of those days were her last week of term so wouldn’t be doing anything “heavy” anyway and she’s working at GD in everything - it’s not like her GCSEs start next week! Her attendance has been 100% for the last two years (until now) and It’s also the last chance we’ll ever have for a cheap holiday as I will be back working full time from September so don’t worry, it won’t be happening again!

OP posts:

TicklishMintDuck · 14/04/2025 11:36

MN2025 · 10/04/2025 22:36

I’m very surprised a teacher is asking this question! 8 days is a lot of learning time to loose. Would you find it acceptable if a parent of a student in your class did this? Don’t think so.

It’s the pitfalls of working in a school. Only thing I can suggest is moving your DC to your school so you get the same time off or just have the break in the summer holidays where you are guaranteed to be off the same time.

It’s hardly going to affect the child’s future career!