Cronky Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 I was just about to book a long weekend to take the kids across and then we had a letter from our Head Teacher today saying that time out in term time for the kids could no longer be 'authorised'. Government Press release confirms this: Policy on term-time absences revised So, what are we to do. Take them anyway and get some kind of black mark for 'unauthorised absence' or deny them time with family? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahc Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 Can you go in half term? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cronky Posted September 16, 2008 Author Share Posted September 16, 2008 Can you go in half term? NO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spermann Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 go in half term if you parents are around then - granted you will have to pay more for the fare. i have kids myself, it is a pain in the arse (the fares not the kids), just wish IOMSPC would issues IOM resident discount cards for parents with kids who have to go away in the busy holiday periods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pragmatopian Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 So, what are we to do. Take them anyway and get some kind of black mark for 'unauthorised absence' or deny them time with family? Easy - deny them time with family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Sausages Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 Don't worry, the summer holidays are soon. Oh... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ans Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 Can you go in half term? NO WHY? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feelslikeitshould Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 School holiday dates are published 2 years in advance and the children are off for 18 weeks a year. I can't see how people are unable to take their holidays when the children are on school holidays, yes it costs more but if a 2 week foreign holiday means that much to you, save a bit harder or for a bit longer. If you absolutely have to take time off during term time, then you just have to put up with having an unauthorised absence or 2. I really don't see why a couple of days of unauthorised absence would matter when up til now, most parents would happily take their children out of school for 2 weeks of a 6 week term every year. Missing a 3rd of the half termly curriculum will affect them more than the parent feeling guilty over a couple black marks against their name... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
immortalpuppet Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 We did it last year and again again this year, all that was required from us was a letter explaining why. Its only 2 days mind you, a Friday and a Monday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilDDog Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 We did it last year and again again this year, all that was required from us was a letter explaining why. Its only 2 days mind you, a Friday and a Monday. Same here, only it was for 2 weeks in January. The only problem with this is there isn't much snow about during the summer holidays. I really don't see how 2 weeks a year is going to affect a childs future. But this can only mean one thing, it'll have to be 2 weeks in the snow at different times, sadly without my daughter. Oh wait. I feel a holiday coming on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thi Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 Just pretend that you're having to go to a family funeral. As long as you don't slip up and have (for example) five grandparents "die" then no-one is going to ask questions. Unless of course they want little Johnny to bring the death certificate in for show-and-tell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Static Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 Just pretend that you're having to go to a family funeral. As long as you don't slip up and have (for example) five grandparents "die" then no-one is going to ask questions. Unless of course they want little Johnny to bring the death certificate in for show-and-tell. Now here's a blast from the past! Your 5th post in 4 years! I'd forgot about your DoI! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lost Login Posted September 17, 2008 Share Posted September 17, 2008 The ban is not worth the paper as the requirement by law as I understand it is that as a parent you are responsible that you child receives a sufficient level of education. I can not see how missing the odd day will effect that just as being off sick would not. This also appears to be the opinion of John Wright and I have copied below his comment from the Castele Rushden thread. I hope that is all right Neither the legislation nor the resolution render it illegal to withdraw a child from school for a holiday in term time You should still ask in advance, the D0E is saying the answer will be no automatically. So you go any way and what can they do answer nothing. As long as for rest of year you ensure attendance etc you are in the clear. This is aimed at the fact a lot of pupils are now seeking holidays in term time, or worse not even asking, which can be disruptive to both pupil abnd cklass mates and teacher alike, and is a blanket policy if you have no breaks in term time you can more easily deal wioth those who diod not ask. I suspect that may be where it is aimed. If you ask, and offer to make arrangemenst for catch up and some home work for holidays and the school refuses, who is in the wrong? They do not want the extra admin, ie teachers and staff, and with the tight timetabling for currricula you can understand why. BUt coud they prosecute you? No As with all things i suspect it is a few who have caused cahos and taken the piss wuith time off every term who have ruined it for the rest, but as I say the resolution is worth nothing, other than being in teachers bad books. I have to admit then when we received the letter I was very tempted to take my kid out of primary school for a day in response, and write to the school stating that previously I would have requested permission but I am now writing purely to inform with a copy to the education liason oficer who will probably do nothing or send out a prepared letter with all sorts of threats but which are not worth the paper it is written on. What did strike me though was whether the policy would effect school trips. Not educational ones but a week skiing with the school. I have a memory of long ago when an individual I knew wrote to the school requesting permission to take their kids out for a week. They got approval but with a snotty response that said they were basically irresponsible to do so and querying what plans they had to ensure their kids caught up with any missed work. Their response was short and sweet pointing out that their kids were about the only ones in their class in school that week as the rest were on a school skiing trip or similar so presumably their children could take advantage of the same arrangements that the school was presumably making in respect of the kids the school was taking on away. The mother of those children being taken out of school at that time was I believe at that time a member of the board of education member and is currently the Education Minister! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverfoxie Posted September 17, 2008 Share Posted September 17, 2008 Its not just the added cost of holidays in the summer break - I for one never want to go abroad then in that heat. Unbearable. And yes we did like to go abroad, cheaper than England and better weather. We did a holiday camp one year, what a rip off! We used to take our kids out of school every October and they have both done very well since leaving school so it never did them any harm. Apart from their holidays they both had excellent attendance records. I can understand the ruling more for secondry school children or for the time when they do the SATS maybe but a blanket ban on holidays is a bit much. What about family weddings abroad etc? Little Johnny cant be a page boy becuase school wont let him??!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VinnieK Posted September 17, 2008 Share Posted September 17, 2008 What about family weddings abroad etc? Little Johnny cant be a page boy becuase school wont let him??!! No child wants to be a page boy, not one. Except maybe mentals, and they need all the time in school they can get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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