Unauthorised School absence due to holiday

Just got notification from sons school that they will not authorise a holiday request. I believed that upto 10 days was authorised during a year (was the case last year but has been a change of head in summer). Covered by Rotherham MBC, and cannot find anything on their website about this.

Anyone know what the rules are regarding this - is it as the discretion of the headmaster, or is it set by each individual council, or is there a general protocol that must be followed ?

Also, is the worst that can happen the spot fine of £50 per week from the local authority, or has the school the authority to punish me/my son in other ways.

I'm not too bothered about the fine as what i saved on the holiday is much more. I also take my sons education very seriously - he is in the top groups and I do not feel the school is pushing him enough, but its annoying when they can close the school for 3 days at their convenience e.g. cos the pavements are icy etc.

TIA

 

How is shutting the school due to weather conditions 'at their convenience' ?

 

fair point. probably unfair of me to post that. I would edit it out if i could

Still a sore point that despite struggling to get to work last winter, had to take time off as my son couldnt go to school because the pavements surrounding the school were icy. Wouldn't have happenend when i was at school !!!

 

Think it's fairly standard these days for a school to refuse permission for in term holidays.

Write to the head and ask him/her to reconsider.

 

Have a look at this - from Devon but does explain the law

http://www.devon.gov.uk/termtimeleave.pdf

 

Shame on you

Your childs education is the most impotant thing in their's and your life, saving a couple of hundred quid on a holiday should not even come into the equation, education is your childs future also what signal does it give to your child with regards to responsibilty to their commitments. Like I said shame on you to even consider taking them out of school.

 

Re: Shame on you

our lass's daughter was allowed out in june (aged 14/15) her exams had finished though, her dad appealed it after originally been knocked back by her school, also rmbc,
if you bluff your way through and say your employer picks your dates and these are the only ones available
.

 

It is set by the board of governors for each school.

Attendance is a key thing in the assessments that schools are measaured on by Ofsted. Could be the difference between an unsatisfactory rating or an outstanding rating.

That 10 days is a bit of a myth really, come about by what percentage of a school year absence would remain within the appropriate banding. As you can imagine, this could well be exceeded if every childs parents submitted a request during term time. They are required by law to attend school.

 

Re: Shame on you

If missing a week means a different gcse grade for example then wtf has been going off the rest of the year ?

Chill art

 

Re: Shame on you

Ridiculous comment. I was taken out of school once a year for a fortnights holiday, but my parents were responsible enough not to let it happen just before my exams. As a previous poster says, what if the child was only young, ie under 14. What difference is 2 weeks going to make in their education? And what about cost - have you any realistic idea how much holidays are during school holidays? If it was the difference between either going during term time or not at all, I know which option I'd choose.

 

Re: Shame on you

Children get more holidays now than i care to remember yet you plan a holiday during term time.

 

I love a good BBS moral hight ground-a-thon on a Monday morning.

 

Re: Dont be so simplistic

We know a family in that situation, although children a little older. The mother takes the kids to their grandparents in the States for the whole summer holidays but flying out the week before the holiday starts makes a difference of about £1000. The father goes out for 2 weeks.
It all depends, as you say, on the kids. I'd say once they are 14 then don't take them out. I also think it depends on the type of holiday, and that might sway the head-teacher as well. My ex wanted to take her 9 year old out of school for a week, at first the school weren't going to sanction it but mentioned we were going to London for a week, we'd be visiting various sights, museums etc the head said that they were sure that he'd learn a lot on the trip, he had to write up about his trip as well.
The reason for us going in term time was that she couldn't get time off during the holidays, so it was definately the case of go in term time or not at all.
So having a week in Egypt or Greece might be viewed differently as a week in Benidorm.

 

Re: Dont be so simplistic

ar nivver went 2 skool anyroad an it med no difrens 2 me... ar did oreyt.

I blame the teachers...

 

Thanks for all your comments. I realise I possibly am being a little selfish/irresponsible but the facts are as follows.
My son is in year 8 (2nd year ar secondary school) and we always wanted a good family holiday AI for 2 weeks but for financial reasons could never afford it. However, we realised that as soon as he hit 13 the chance of a free child place were gone, he would pay an adult price, and there would certainly be no financial way we could afford this. So, we have broken the bank to find the £2,500 we need. Additionally, where we want to go is simply too hot during the summer months, so that leftjust the october half term break. Again, the hike in costs mean we could not afford it. So, we get a chance of a great holiday, and the opportunity will not arise again. Again, i realise that I am being irresponsible,but I would hope that 2 weeks in October in the 2nd year, can be caught up before the end of the school year. My son is bright, and provided the school give the work that needs to be caught up, I will ensure it is done. So if i am bad parent, then i take solace from the fact that there are plenty worse than me out there.

 

Missus works in a school; gets parents coming into office to ask how many of their termtime holiday days they've got left!! They seem to regard it as some kind of annual leave! The whole thing is a joke. Should be a straight 'no' across the board or face a fine....let's say the equivalent amount that you're saving on the holiday price by going in termtime. Teachers have to waste time playing catch-up with the kids when they get back, which also has an impact on the rest of the class as they've got to tread water while the holidaymakers get up to speed.
Never taken the kids out of school, even in years where I've been away most of the summer hols. It's selfish, plain and simple.

 

Oh aye, because teachers and teaching assistants never take time off in term time! Don't see how it's selfish TBH, I think the kid will get more out of a two week holiday than two weeks in a disrupted, disorganised, chaotic, shambolic, smoke filled senior school! IMHO!

 

I can see both sides of this argument in regards to taking children in holiday in term time. But in defence of teachers, my wife is a deputy head, and I consequently suffer from having to take all my holidays in term time and paying twice as much to go everywhere. Teachers can't have any holiday time off in term time. In certain circumstances they can write to the board of governers to request unpaid leave, but this would not be granted for anything such as going on holiday because its cheaper. The one time my wife has done it was for an immediate family wedding.

 

just tell em that thi son is having an INSET fortnight in Spain or wherever tha goin

"inset" seems to work from their chuffin side of the fence.