Taking kids out if school

[LivingforDisney]

It's been in the the paper the last few weeks. It is Australia wide.
You can take your kids out of school but they will be marked absent, so their school reports it will show they were absent for how many days they were away, before you were given a form to fill out and it didn't show on their school report as being absent.

 

[Lionsy]

Public sc

Are these schools that have problems with kids taking time off school for holidays private schools, or public schools?
I've taken my kids out of school for 7 years in a row, and I have never, ever had any conversation with the school about it. I have advised the teacher of their class a few weeks ahead of time, and then reminded them with a day or so to go. I ask if there's anything the kids need to do, and have always been told just to get them to read and maybe write a journal.
I've never had to fill out forms or speak with the principle etc.
Just interested to know if it's a private school thing, or education department thing.

Public school in Sydney

 

[aussie shaz]

Oh, my kids school reports have always shown that they were absent for that amount of days. I just assumed that that was what always happened. Probably because I never asked for permission!
If I ever take them out of high school, maybe I should do the right thing and ask!

 

[LivingforDisney]

Oh ok. When I have taken mine for eg in 2013, they missed 8 days school. I filled out the exemption form and they were not marked as absent

 

[coco392]

We took our year one (at that stage) out for a week. Let the school know. Told the teacher and teacher said no need to do any work just do a special news when he came back.

 

[Tashinwdw]

The exemption in NSW has only just changed, I have always taken my kids out of school and filled out the exemption form and they have been exempt and not marked absent. 3 of my children are in high school now. This year we have been given a new form to complete for out 2 weeks in November and at no time did the school mention that they would not be exempt and marked absent. I just looked up the policy and it now states that you will be marked as on Leave. Not sure how that effects their records or anything. But we are still going and will continue to go outside of school holidays because otherwise we would not be able to afford these wonderful family vacations. Also our high schools have been great they organise different exam times so that the kids do not miss out and make sure that assessments are handed out earlier so that my children can complete them before they go away.

 

[travelwith4kids]

Whether or not our children are marked absent or not on paper in relation to taking holidays really has little effect on their schooling. I think it is more for the schools budgeting purposes. The $ the school recieves only applies to days a child attends school. So a way for the gov to save costs.

 

[aussie shaz]

Yes, I was wondering what it matters if a child is marked as absent for 2 days (maybe sick) or for 3 weeks (holidays). Who will care how many days a report says a child is absent?

 

[LivingforDisney]

What I think is , because if kids are now going to be marked as absent this will go against the school's attendance record, If the school has a lot of kids absent then the school will have a record of bad attendance. So this will make the principals maybe enforce the policy.
I know at my kids public high school, we have already received 2 letters stating the new policy and the deputy head who you have to see about getting leave would be very reluctant to agree. I am just wondering where it goes from there? is docs or whoever going to be involved, cause your child is absent for how ever long without notification.
The education department keeps records of this, whether it matters to you or not and you want to take your kids out that's up to you, but I don't think you then can complain about the school being "talked" about of having a low attendance record, which you do find in some schools because its not parents taking their kids out of school out of holiday time, its because they cant be bothered getting them to school.
I myself have take my kids out of school twice for a week for a overseas holiday, both times I filled in the exemption form. I know people that have pulled their kids out for up to 10 weeks, this is high school.
It annoys me though when people say " their my kids & I will take them out of school if I want blah, blah , blah".
As for who will care if my kids report says they have been absent for 15 days and then add the one or 2 sick days, well I would. I was glad my kids were not marked absent.

 

[becpee]

We have taken our DS9 out of school a couple of times for big trips, once in a public primary school (where the teacher gave her blessing and stated she was so jealous of our trip) and once in his school that he's at now, a large, independent primary/secondary college where the curriculum is so broad and varied that I think they look on everything as an experience.
They have kids going away for all sorts of things so I think they'd run into problems if they made issue of it...