Anyone had a fine for unauthorised absence at school?

[marlouwrig]

We prefer to go in October but this year as DS will be in Year 11 we decided to bite the bullet and go in school hols again.

Getting leave during school hols is difficult at work due to demand and the only two weeks DH & I could get together were last week August/First Sept. I checked term dates before booking last August. Begins 5th Sept and we fly back on the 6th.

I sent in the form to school on time to request authorised absence, explaining reasons, and pointing out DS's near perfect attendance record and very positive school report and this reply came back

"Only one day absence is required as school does not reopen until 7th September due to non pupil days. However it is school policy to refuse ANY requests for absence during Year 11, therefore your request in denied"

Of course we will go ahead with our holiday, but will not look forward to returning to possible recriminations

 

[lucy_love_]

through the rumour mill i heard (hearsay) that the fine was 50 quid per child but if you do have to pay a fine for taking your children out of school during term time the math says its still cheaper than paying full whack for a half term hol. i took my children our for 13 days last year and will be doing the same this year.

bad bad lucy

 

[lucy_love_]

marlouwrig send your child with a sick note the next day.

bad bad lucy

 

[marlouwrig]

marlouwrig send your child with a sick note the next day.

I am tempted bad bad lucy believe me, but as they are well aware we are on hols I would not want DS to be put into the position of having to lie also.

I have already written a letter telling them what I think of their unreasonable and inflexible attitude and warning them that if they have anything further to say on the matter they should contact me and not involve DS ( who has already had to put up with one or two pointed remarks from his form teacher)

 

[edenlee]

"Pointed remarks" from the teacher is definately out of order. This is between you (the parent) and the school and it si grossly unfair to involve your child. We always take our WDW vacation in October/November. It usually involves half term - 5 days- and we are "allowed" 10 days holiday anyway so, as we go for 4 weeks that leaves 5 days. These are usually authroised but even if they weren't it wouldn't stop us because it is cheaper (as has been stated previously) to pay a fine of £50 or even £100 for our DD than the astronomical cost of a WDW holiday in school holoidays.

 

[alanda]

I think it is a mess all over and not consistent at all. I understand why schools are trying to clamp down, but at our school we have a headmaster who does not like term time holidays at all and has refused some people leave. So now, those who have been denied or have heard of the possibility that it might be denied just say their kids are sick and take them anyway. And this is a Junior school!

 

[patdavies]

Here is some info previously posted: -

Education (Schools and Further Education) Regulations 1981; Regulation 12.

Contained within this regulation, there is a discretionary power for leave to be granted for the purpose of an annual family holiday or an annual holiday during term time. Such permission is granted in accordance with arrangements made by the governing body of the school. Only in exceptional circumstances may the amount of leave granted exceed (in total) more than two weeks in any year. No parent can demand leave of absence for the purposes of a holiday as of right.

The above definition is further refined and clarified by the:

Education (Pupil Registration) Regulations 1995
Section 8 (1)

“Leave of absence may only be granted by a person authorised in that behalf by the proprietor of the school”

Section 8 (3) “Subject to paragraph (4), on application made by the parent with whom the pupil normally resides, a pupil may be granted leave of absence from the school to enable him/her to go away on holiday”

Section 8 (4) “Save in exceptional circumstances, a pupil shall not in pursuance of paragraph (3) be granted more than ten school days leave in any school year”

The above regulations clearly make the point that the headteacher has the final decision as to whether to authorise the holiday or not. If any parent goes into a school and demands their right to leave of absence so their child can have a family holiday during term time they should be aware that no such right exists, and it is up to the school whether they grant leave of absence. If they do not grant leave of absence there is no appeal to a higher authority.

If leave of absence is not granted it is then up to the parent to decide whether to take their child on holiday anyway, with their child's absence being recorded as unauthorised.

The above regulations do NOT "clearly make the point" that the Headteacher has the final decision. In fact, the regulation makes it clear that this is not the case "leave of absence may only be granted by a person authorised....".

The final decision rests with the Governors (although, accepted that this is normally delegated to the HT). If your HT will not grant leave of absence, then appeal to the Governors via the school's complaints policy (which it must have by law).

Another point is that ALL absence, authorised or not, has to be reported not only to the LA, but also to the DfES.

For those of you who say that your child can catch up anyway, who is going to teach the catch-up? Why should a teacher have to set extra work or repeat a topic in whole class just because one child was absent for a week or so?

Lastly for those of you weighing up the financial considerations of a cheaper holiday vs a £50 fine. I believe the regulations allow you to be fined per missed session - so for a 5 day absence the fine could be £500 per child

 

[patdavies]

Our combined family income is just over £10,000 per year. We are in low paid jobs that only give us 14 days holiday a year, of which, we can only take between the months of october and november.



Disney Bint

I am intrigued as to why you only have 14 days holiday per year, when the law quite clearly states 20 days paid holiday minimum

 

[TraceyL]

You are entitled to 4 weeks paid holiday per year - but it is worked out pro rata. If you only work 2 days per week then you get 8 days pay etc - I work 3 days a week so I get 12 days paid holiday iyswim

 

[Disney Bint]

I am intrigued as to why you only have 14 days holiday per year, when the law quite clearly states 20 days paid holiday minimum

During the summer holidays/easter and half terms and also teacher training days we need to finish work earlier to be at home for our children. We have arranged with our employer to finish whenever we need to during these times and also if we need to take the odd day off. Due to his flexibility in these matters, we have to compromise also.

Disney Bint

 

[mark&sue]

Because of these fines the flights to Orlando during school holiday times are becoming impossible to get. Regardless of price we are lucky to get a flight.

Can you believe that people are booking for Easter 2007


Susan

 

[alisonbestford]

Well, tried to post this earlier, as a new thread, with no luck so hope that half a dozen posts don't appear
Had to share that, at the grand old age of 43, and after 5 hard years of hard, part time graft, I've managed to get my BA (hons) in Social Science and Law
My graduation will be in Nov and, my question is, what does anyone think anyone at school would say if I asked if DD (6) could have a half day to attend my graduation ceremony?
Originally I was going to go for the 11 am graduation option, whilst she's at school, but then thought that she's been so good, and my success is part of this, that maybe I should go for the 3pm ceremony and ask if she could have the afternoon off school?
School allows 10 days authorised absence. I'll be asking for 6 of these for our April trip to WDW but was wondering how a request for my graduation would be viewed? Over the past year she's had just 2 days off sick
Originally I didn't even give a thought to asking for time off but she's been so good, going to her friend's etc after school if her dad wasn't well enough to look after her whilst I went to lectures (he has a brain tumour)
Any input would be much appreciated

 

[lucy_love_]

off the point but......

i take a few half days a year for my dd10 because she does music. piano violin singing and theory exams. our headmaster is fantastic about this and says its fine and they are allowed time of for public exams. not the same as holidays i know but it just shows how attitudes differ from region to region.

lucy

 

[Netty]

marlouwrig
take it to the school governors if your not happy with the school, you might get somewhere!

 

[lucy_love_]

good idea netty.

i will have to do something if we are not autherised when my dd starts seniors as my dh works away an is very very rarely home during school holidays. infact sods law says hes due to leave the day the kids break up.

lucy

 

[Disney Bint]

We are going to have the same problem lucy love. We can only take our holidays at certain times too because our main business takings are when the kids are on holiday.We are the only staff who run the business and operate the machinary. We also have to see when the owner can actually cover us.

Its a sad fact of life that we are not allowed to spend quality time as afamily these days.

Disney Bint