fines for taking kids on holiday ?

[suburbanreuben]

My daughter's term just ended on a Monday lunchtime. She went to school because her Jazz band was performing at assembly, but turnout was poor...
Whoever works out these timetables needs to think again; Rules is rules but if they're daft no-one will respect them.
Do they do this just to f*** us off?

 

[Alison]

At our school it's £60 and if you don't pay it in two weeks it goes to £120.

Personally, I would never take my children out of school especially in secondary education, a week or two of missed work can make a lot of difference.

Alison

 

[Chute55uk]

as someone said, from sept this year its a no no, but saying that there is a woman on my street whose 5 kids have yet to complete a full week since jan this year and nothing has happened to her.

 

[Pyro Tim]

when I was at school, my parents took me out for holidays in term time. Had no affect on me. Did A Levels, a degree, etc. I think the new rules are to stop people from spending half the term out

 

[MagD]

Invoke the overseas family event as the reason for going to Ibiza - 3rd cousin Rory's wedding............. as such you can't not go and it just happens to be in school term time as Rory's doesn't have any kids yet, (he's just getting married remember)!

Or actually have some overseas family to visit and ask them to plan a party for you.

M.

 

[MikeD]

Ask the school. Ours is reassuringly pragmatic about it, as long as you're not taking the piss.

 

[Midlife]

MikeD

As of September 2013 it's taken out of the school's hands.......

Shaun

 

[daugs]

from a school perspective it would be hard to teach a class through the term if continually had to recap because half the class were not there. When we lived in London I was a school governor at a primary school facing a number of issues, one of which was kids continually being taken out for "family visits" and unfortunately rules are there to deal with people who take the piss. Part of it probably depends on how they are coping and what missing, as said last week of term probably not a big deal but would get reported, not sure of consequences of that ?

 

[MikeD]

MikeD

As of September 2013 it's taken out of the school's hands.......

It appears to be up to heads to decide what "exceptional circumstances" are, and that heads "can", not "must", refer cases to the local authority to issue fines. You're likely to still come out ahead even with the fine, so it's a bit of a nonsense.

My personal view is that a few days out at the end of the summer term when naff-all is happening anyway is no big deal. Taking them out right in the middle of a term or during SATS or something is clearly daft

 

[Alison]

when I was at school, my parents took me out for holidays in term time. Had no affect on me. Did A Levels, a degree, etc. I think the new rules are to stop people from spending half the term out

I think it varies, I know a kid my son's age who felt her A'levels suffered because at Christmas she was always back a week after and was always starting the new school year 2 weeks late. My brother could have spent the half the year out and still got A's in everything but me if I had a few days off college I'd struggle like hell to catch up. So I still think it's not worth it, but then I canny afford to go on holiday and I'm never lending the money just a a few day's I wont remember two week later :roll:

Went on holiday twice when my oldest was 3/4 and just didn't get it, load of crap, and have very little memory of it, my oldest now 20 just finds his holidays tedious gimmicks, but his friends like them and he want's to spend time with is mates.

Alison