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[moonloo]

Im so excited! I have been given permission to take the children out for 5 days in March!!!! I fully expected to have to pay a fine so I am mega chuffed that they have authorised it, I only put the letter in yesterday and I had a phone call this morning to tell me it had been granted!
Maybe schools are relaxing the rules a little after so many high profile cases? 

[gemma2806]

Just out of curiosity can I ask what dates you're going? My only reason is Easter holidays in the UK start at the end of March next year as Easter is very early, right at the beginning of April. If it's around this time then they probably let you have the time off as it is around the end of term but if you've got the dates at the beginning of the month, then congratulations you've obviously got a school that puts families first before their school figures! 

[moonloo]

It is indeed just before the end of term, the week commencing 23rd March. The letter I got back stated the holiday had been granted due to exceptional circumstances and they wished us a wonderful holiday!
How lovely!!!

[MrsPirate]

Our holiday request was declined, despite explaining my husband is unable to choose his holiday dates.

Luckily, one of the days we are away is an inset day so it keeps the number of absences under 10 and we are not being fined.

[moonloo]

OOOOOOOooooooh is that the rule, the 10 days absence thing? I would love to know, I would be able to take them out for 2 weeks then without fear!!!!   
Good that you have a school sensible enough not to fine you, hurrah!!!!

[Belloboy7]

It's not 10 days, it works out at 10 sessions and they work on the basis of 2 sessions a day, so in theory a maximum of 5 days and you don't get a penalty. Which I find ridiculous...

[julesk]

Hubby heard on news that they are thinking about relaxing the holiday rule. Fingers crossed for our holiday next year.

[moonloo]

Ahhh 10 sessions, I see, they are naughty!! I used to have 2 14 day hols off per year (divorced parents) at school (im 32) and I dont remember school ever having an issue. I also have 2 degrees and a masters so pretty sure it did me no harm! 
I heard that on the news too, it can only be a good thing if they relax it a bit! Maybe make it so its based on the kids attendance and punctuality etc, so the ones who are always in school are allowed? Unless it's for genuine reasons like sickness etc? Orrrrrr make it based on the kids attitutes so they have to behave in school  and do their homework on time etc? I can see that working on my sprogs... "do your spellings or school wont let you go to dlrp!"   

[Mrsya]

Our two day request before the half term break was denied. Depends on the head though, as the school I teach in authorises 2 week holidays with no questions asked. I think there may be some confusion about the 10 day rule as this used to be the maximum a school was allowed to authorise during term time for family holidays. This only brings whole year attendance down to 95%, which is the government given attendance target. Thanks to new coalition policy, any absence not due to 'exceptional circumstances' is classed as unauthorised which basically means it will be put down as a 'U' in the register and noted on end of year school report. Individual heads decide what is exceptional. my son's head runs a tight ship obviously. From my understanding, the fine comes after there have been more than 10 days unauthorised absence in one academic year combined, although you may get a stinky letter from your LEA.

My little boy will be poorly the day before they break up for Easter...

[gothprincess]

My Daughter's head was fine about it but then she's really good with the kids and parents, she understands that the children get a lot out of a family break and that some families really struggle to make enough time to all be together at once. I did double check though because if I was getting fined I'd rather know in advance.

[DLRP Roundup!]

How do they go around fining you? Sorry I've never heard of this!

All England, or does it happen up here in Scotland too?

[moonloo]

Mrsya that is interesting, I had wondered why they had written that they had agreed to the absence due to exceptional circumstances, I guess they used that phrasing quite deliberately then!

Not sure about Scotland, but here in England we had a letter a year or more ago stating that in line with govn. policy the school would not authorise any absence accept in exceptional circumstances. There then followed lots of news stories of families being charged £60 per child and per parent if they took the children on holiday without the schools permission. So a family of 2 children with 2 parents would be fined £240... eeeep!!!! Some families tried to fight through the courts and were landed with massive court fees on top of the fine.

[littlemermaid83]

Our last holiday for October was declined and I never received a fine. I was surprised as have been fined in the past.

[stifle]

How do they go around fining you? Sorry I've never heard of this!

All England, or does it happen up here in Scotland too?

England and Wales as far as I know.

Head teachers can issue fixed penalty notices for £120 (50% reduction for early settlement) in respect of children who are kept out of school without authorization or excuse. They have been instructed by the Department for Education not to authorise absences except in very exceptional circumstances.

[Mummyriex3]

Hi all we have just had ours cleared for December before the christmas holidays, although the holiday requests cannot be authorised they will not be fining us so I'm rather pleased this is fir a 5 day absents