Just booked holiday to Greece 😯 last minute , fly out 2nd july , but will have to take my 14yr old out for a week ,any suggestions on what I can tell his school without getting a £50 fine ? your views would be helpful thanks
I'm sure he'll appreciate you teaching him what lies are for.
if you saved so much money, just pay the fine
£50 fine?????
If the LEA want to fine you, ask if they will subsidise your holiday during August?
Actually do some interesting historical stuff whilst there rather than lie on a beach or by a pool all day (Not saying that you do )
So you traded your kids education for a discounted holiday? I know times are hard and holidays in term time are expensive but...
Good luck
,any suggestions on what I can tell his school
I'm taking my son out of school for a week!
Due to hard times, you could only afford to take them on a much needed holiday during term time.
It's for their health and mental well-being 😉
Just don't bother telling the school, although TBH I don't really give a toss either way. 🙄
what I can tell his school without getting a £50 fine
Must be an engerland thing
and what would happen if you chose not to pay the fine?
I'd answer but it's taking me ages to climb up on to this massive horse....Its freakin huge!
Hang on......
Don't make any. It's a decision you've made, and you just need to take any repercussions on the chin.
My eldest has just started school, and we've a holiday coming up that was booked before she decided she wanted to go to school- I felt really uncomfortable explaining this to the teacher, but my daughter tells me today that [b]three[/b] kids in her class of 24 have returned from holiday today 🙂
+1vinnyeh - Member
Don't make any. It's a decision you've made, and you just need to take any repercussions on the chin.
Why not ask them to contra the fine against the costs you incurred for child care when they went on strike/training days? Worked for my mate.
Well, tell them it's France, not Greece. Broaden your vowels, lose the glottal stop and enthuse about how the holiday will be an education in itself. It'll be a breeze.
my kids school have a policy of no holidays in term time, spoke to the head who said write a letter explaining there going on holiday and can they have permission, she will decline and we still take the kids but they get marked as unauthorized absences so thats what we did.
+1 what luke said. They can't authorise time off but won't do anything if you do take your child out.
Weird and novel idea schools actually showing an intrest in the kids. 😯
Obviously you could offer for the kids to come in when the teachers are off on long holidays ,but then they get paid enough to afford full price holidays.
It was cheaper so you couldn't turn it down!
I'm taking my kids on holiday that week as that's when the family holiday is so there will be no one at home to look after her.
Thanks for your replies ,seems the best thing to do is just go awol for a week,he is going to be marked unauthorized either way !
Why not ask them to contra the fine against the costs you incurred for child care when they went on strike/training days? Worked for my mate.
sure it did
Why not ask them to contra the fine against the costs you incurred for child care when they went on strike/training days? Worked for my mate.
It probably didn't. But I've no doubt he told you it did.
Aged 14? Are they a young Year 10 student? If so have you checked with the school or Junior that there aren't any Controlled assessments going on at that time? These are done in lesson times and count towards there final GCSE grade, very awkward for your kid if they're not in school when these are happening.
phone the school and tell them their sick!
Well, tell them it's France, not Greece. Broaden your vowels, lose the glottal stop and enthuse about how the holiday will be an education in itself. It'll be a breeze.
(I really shouldn't laugh, but that was excellent 😆 )
Tell them the truth, I'm sure they'll understand.
We are all in it together, aren't we?
Must be an engerland thing
Yep, no fines in Wales.
OTH councils around here are so disorganised thatt 2013 hols are all different. It'll be no hols, extortionate child care or take out of school
phone the school and tell them their sick
I reckon your parents took you out of school quite often.
I reckon your parents took you out of school quite often.
Times have moved on IMO. Wouldn't have happened when I was at school - but then again, most mothers stayed at home and child care didn't cost £1000 per month....
Must be an engerland thing
Yep, no fines in Wales
Not heard of fines here either. So I guess it's down to the county not the country.
You won't get fined for one week - only 10 missed sessions. Normally have to reach 21(ish) - ie 2 weeks. It will just be coded as unauthorised holiday.
(unless of course your daughter already has low attendance?)
phone the school and tell them their sick
I reckon your parents took you out of school quite often.
I think you missed the point there, I hopefully they're going to learn some grammar whilst they're in their school over there.
I think you missed the point there, [b][i][u]I hopefully[/u][/i][/b] they're going to learn some grammar whilst they're in their school over there.
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😉
have you had any hols yet this academic year if not it will be down as code H - agreed family holiday - fill n a holiday form, done.
have you had any hols yet this academic year if not it will be down as code H - agreed family holiday - fill n a holiday form, done.
You'll be lucky - suppose it's where you live? Our guidance (Somerset) is not to authorise [i]any [/i]holidays in term time, unless in extreme circumstance (not encountered anything that fits that criteria yet!). There has been a real crack-down.
Aged 14? Are they a young Year 10 student? If so have you checked with the school or Junior that there aren't any Controlled assessments going on at that time? These are done in lesson times and count towards there final GCSE grade, very awkward for your kid if they're not in school when these are happening.
this would be my main worry too.
otherwise , go on holiday and enjoy it. you wont get fine unless attendance is extremely poor.
Why are you worrying? It's not like they'll be missing anything important. I don't see why schools make such a big deal about absence. She can just do extra fingerpainting and embroidery when she gets back. It's not like there is any structure or cumulative aspects to curricula...
...hold on a second, I need to give a sugar lump to this here Clydesdale...
I didn't realise some schools could fine parents for taking their kids out of school ?!?!
Our sons school states that they allow up to 10 days discretionary absence per year - some parents seem to treat this as extra holiday entitlement and aim to use all of it 🙂
We took our son out of school for one day a couple of weeks ago for a Friday-Friday holidy the first week of half term.
[i][u]One[/u][/i] day.
Handed in the 'request for absence form', next day we got the reply slip back authorising the absence ... but with a barely legible sribble saying 'attendance must improve next term' ...
I wouldn't mind, but 50% of his absence this year is due to the school's own rules that if your child is sick they are not allowed back to school for 48 hours - i.e. every absence is therefore minimum 2 days regardless of the sickness (fair enough if it's something contagious, but there's loads of stuff that isn't, and the rule is still enforced. idiots).
So they're complaining about our sons absence despite half of his time off being due to their own flipping rules.
Idiots.
I was in half a mind to go to the office and have a polite rant at them.
MTFU?
Don't complain about failing educational standards?
Tell them a cheap holiday is more important than anything they could teach your child?
shave his head, say he's got leukemia,
I wouldn't mind, but 50% of his absence this year is due to the school's own rules that if your child is sick they are not allowed back to school for 48 hours - i.e. [b]Every absence is therefore minimum 2 days regardless [/b]of the sickness (fair enough if it's something contagious, but there's loads of stuff that isn't, and the rule is still enforced. idiots).
Kids don't get sick on Fridays or the weekend? :d
bigrich ....thats a bit low!
foolproof.
You have booked the holiday and are therefore going, with or without the schools permission.
We did something similar when our eldest was in P1. It wasn't to take advantage of cheap holidays, but we needed to travel a long way to a family wedding in Bristol which was happening just few days before the end of term. Rather than travel back for a couple of days of school we made the most of it and stayed a few extra days. We did howover make a point of doing educational type stuff when away. We went to local museums, historical sites and the brilliant @Bristol. I'm not claiming that we were able to offer the same as school, but it just felt like the right thing to do. Our holidays are always busy and I know the kids get a lot out of them so I didn't really feel at all bad about her missing school.
To put into context as well, she had never been late or missed any other days, including zero sickness.
My point, if you are going to take your kid out of school, make yourself feel better about it by making the most of the holiday 'experience'
I was alwaeys off scoole for holideys owt off terme tyme. never did mye eduk..eddu...err, lurning any harme!
😉
Speak to the Headmaster, explain its a one-off. You've not had a holiday for x amount of time and its the only time both parents can get off together. Explain you'll make it as educational as possible however its a family-unit enjoying their time together.
If you lie say a family friend died. Nothing else would work.
Personally I think its not the correct thing to do. The first will have ear-ache but at least you are being honest and the Head will respect this. Plus your Son will learn that lies aren't good.
As for anyone slagging you off- why should you overpay for a holiday? At least you are taking your son on a holiday. Alot of parents would rather drink the money.
Where are you going by the way? My views would change depending on where you are going? For example:
Alps = Acceptable
Benidorm = unacceptable
Skye - Acceptable
Barry Island = Unacceptable
and so on....
if your child is sick they are not allowed back to school for 48 hours
I think our school has this, but I've always taken "sick" to mean (and it would appear so do they) "actual vomiting", which is fair enough 😉
School also seems to be pragmatic about the termtime thing as long as you don't take the pee. Personally I see no harm in losing a week at the end of the summer term, they really, really don't do much that week 🙂
Don't like the rules or paying extra when it's busy?
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Should have tried these
Speak to the Headmaster, explain its a one-off. You've not had a holiday for x amount of time and its the only time both parents can get off together. Explain you'll make it as educational as possible however its a family-unit enjoying their time together.[b]If you lie say a family friend died. Nothing else would work.[/b]
Eh? The whole first paragraph you're telling the OP to say is a lie!
some people do take it a bit far though - people up road have a flat in turkey and will usually add a couple of extra weeks to school holidays a couple of times a year so thats 4 weeks a year out of school - there lad is now 13
i get puzzled by not being encouraged to take kids out of junior school to go skiing (great physical activity and have to speak some french)but at secondary am encouraged to send them
Why worry, it's only the kid's education - and it's not like you need much in the way of education to operate the drive through window in McDonald's.
Maybe I should try and take next week off. Then volunteer to take my lessons in mid-July to make up the time.
Pfft - the school year is 39 weeks long. What does it matter if they miss out on 2.6% of the curriculum? I mean - you wouldn't bitch if your pay packet was 2.6% short or if your internet connection was broken for nine days of the year or if you didn't get a fortieth of the medication you needed.
We did howover make a point of doing educational type stuff when away. We went to local museums, historical sites and the brilliant @Bristol.
Don't you think you ought to be doing that for your offspring [i]anyway[/i]?
Alps = Acceptable
Benidorm = unacceptable
That's just your prejudice though.
if you ignore your pre conceived ideas......
Alps = Loads of British "lads" on the lash in Morzine.
Benidorm = cheap accomodation surrounded by nice hillwalking, loads of great villages to explore, nice family bike rides etc.
We did howover make a point of doing educational type stuff when away. We went to local museums, historical sites and the brilliant @Bristol.Don't you think you ought to be doing that for your offspring anyway?
You shouldn't assume that we don't.
You shouldn't assume that we don't.
If you're doing it anyway, you're not doing anything extra, then!