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[Warner007]

 
hi guys,
I have two children and girl in yr6 and boy in reception.
im looking at taking them out of school for a trip with myself and husband but also grandparents in march, due to inset day they would only miss two days.
My daughter has perfect attendance, not struggling and always completes her homework etc....
and my son is only in reception.

I never break rules lol so ..... think it will be ok to take them out?
do I call them in sick or notify the school?

we wont be going again and its only time we can go before my daughter is off to secondary school

thansk

[littlebitofpixiedust]

My sons school are quite good but then he does attend a special needs school so that's why I think. Good idea only needing the two days aswell  march is generally quiet too so you should get things done.

You could call in sick it's only two days and just say its a bug, not like they can prove otherwise. But on the other hand you could request the time of, although even with good attendance you could be fined. My friends daughter attends my sons special needs school and due to her needs she wouldn't cope on holiday in peak season her school was fine but her two sisters who attend a different school, were denied and my friend was fined. Even though my friend detailed why she was taking them out of school ect.

It's really a personal choice try asking other parents from their schools to get an idea? I think it's disgusting these rules I understand children shouldn't be of for weeks on end ect but I think the old 10day rule was fair or even 5 they should allow, I keep reading they are going to change the rules again fingers crossed. I wouldn't worry to much just book it  and enjoy you only live once !

[MattR]

I would be more worried about the children not telling anybody in school.

When I was a kid, we used to come back one day later a lot of times and one time I was very tired due to our late arrival, fell asleep in class and then told the teacher that we came back from the airport really late yesterday ...

[daddyof2]

My eldest started full time school this year so we're settling in for 13 years or so of peak time holidays. Yes, it's annoying that prices are higher but it's something we accept. I think you should check the school policy, but regardless of that I doubt you'd be the first parents from the school to take holidays and declare it as sickness

[Mileto]

Oh, these rules! I can't give advise because I'm in another country. Generally it's not good to miss school without a reason.
But we have it here allowed up to three days after a request by the parents. It has to be approved by the director (which he does without problem). So it's easier and not necessary to declare sickness.
This winter we'll have 4 days - so for the 1 day more we should get a special approval. 

[Zee79]

Check the news recently about the father who challenged the rule & won! :-) we used to do that but not lately, I hate the rule esp since schools can have different term times to each other. My daughters friends have had loads of holidays recently & nothing seems to I have been said yet I know someone asking for one day & refused. You can be off ill for longer & nothing said about missing school. I agree with MattR about the children letting it out though esp your youngest. You could always ask & if refused still take out, it would go down as unauthorised absence on the register.

[c3po]

Wouldn't calling in sick backfire? I imagine the children will return to school and want to tell their friends and teachers all about their time at DLP.

[rebecca20]

In terms of getting a fixed penalty notice the rules have recently changed and so you need to check with your local authority as to how many sessions a child can miss prior to getting the fine e.g. 4 sessions is two days worth of school.

That's the only way to legally make sure. I highly doubt that they would prosecute you for such a small absence but I obviously can't say this for sure, normally it is a repeated pattern over a term before the local authority really investigate.

My Dad works for a local authority prosecuting and working with families in relation to this so I know the process the local authority have to take prior to prosecution.

If you want anymore info let me know. The reason everyone could be having trouble is because of the recent changes to the law and it not being a national law but delegated to each council and then to sub-teams within.

[grovesie]

I wonder how the recent ruling ( Parent gets fine reversed) will change things? see news link below

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/11937117/Parent-wins-term-time-fine-victory-after-taking-daughter-to-Disney-World.html

[rebecca20]

Unfortunately as it is only a Magistrates Court ruling it does nothing legally. Only if someone appeals will there be a precedent set.

[HildeKitten]

I'm not in the UK so I couldn't say, but surely if your daughter has perfect attendance and good grades, and it doesn't actually matter loads for your son as it is, I can't see why you would get in trouble.
Surely those fines are there for problem cases, not people who are normally always in order.

Can you not, as parents, take your children out of school for "familial reasons"?
Here in Belgium children can be absent for 3 days (although apparently no longer three days in a row without the principal's consent) per school year like that, so maybe see if there is something similar for the UK?

[seraphelle]

I'm having this internal debate myself at the moment. My two would be missing 3 days of school, and I was initially going to phone them in sick on the first day but I know full well when they're back at school with their friends they won't be able to keep a trip to DLP to themselves 
I've heard that the Head at our school was granting time off up to 5 days, but nothing more than that was allowed. With this recent case in the news, there is at least some scope for defending against any fines. I think I may chance it and fill in a leave request form. If I get fined I may just raise holy hell as my two have perfect attendance aside from this.
From what I can see on my local authority webpages only absences greater than 5 days are 'cause for concern' so I would have thought a lot of LA's were using this figure as a benchmark.

[stifle]

I'm not in the UK so I couldn't say, but surely if your daughter has perfect attendance and good grades, and it doesn't actually matter loads for your son as it is, I can't see why you would get in trouble.
Surely those fines are there for problem cases, not people who are normally always in order.

Can you not, as parents, take your children out of school for "familial reasons"?
Here in Belgium children can be absent for 3 days (although apparently no longer three days in a row without the principal's consent) per school year like that, so maybe see if there is something similar for the UK?

The law in the UK was made much more strict a few years ago and it is now a £60 fine for missing even a day without consent. Some schools will apply discretion but the government will penalise them for not dealing with poor attendance (by cutting their budgets or even firing the head teacher) so many schools say their hands are tied.

[grovesie]

As previously stated the fines are normally issued for persistent offenders and those with bad attendance records. We have often taken our children out of school for a few days, the saving more than makes up for the fines, and we have never had a fine yet...... We ensure that any missed course work is completed.

There would not be this problem if the travel companies did not make the prices so high when the schools close. I am also in the opinion that the school should be able to use a bit of common sense and agree leave for students that have better attendance records.

When I ask my kids what they have done in class towards the end of a term my youngest normally replies watch a film or played games. How is this any different to going away?

[Warner007]

Thanks guys,
I'm going to request it if they decline, tuff lol

Exactly quality family time far more important than playing games & watching films!
We do that at home thanks.

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