School Holiday Authorisation

[Zeebs]

Hello,

Anyone have any idea why my sons school is not authorising any annual leave for a family holiday during the month of May?

Unfortunately we have a trip booked for the 2 weeks incorporating the May half term and the week prior. He will be out for 7 days.

I don't want to get into the debate on the if you should or shouldn't take your kids out I would just like to know from anyone who hasn't had their leave authorised what the repercussions of this is.

He turns 5 at the end of Feb.

Kirsten

 

[Elise79]

Sorry it hasn't been authorised - I am dreading this when DD starts school.

I think worst case they can refer you to the local authority who can fine you

Have you tried speaking to the school and asking why? Is there an appeals process? Maybe you explain the educational benefits of a WDW trip!

 

[Zeebs]

I have even submitted the form yet it just has in BLOCK CAPITAL letters

"NO HOLIDAY WILL BE AUTHORISED IN MAY"

I have no choice really we are all booked so we are going I just wondered what I was missing, why May was special?

and

whether we will then be on the list of bad parents and end up in jail or something.

Too make matters worse I am taking him out at Christmas as well so we can go home to see my family.

Kirsten

 

[Debwid]

I think the block will be because May in SATS time. It is still strange though as this will not apply to all children anyway. My daughter is in Year 2 and will be doing SATs this year but I spoke to her Headteacher last year when in the planning stages and she said there was no problem, assuming your child doesn't have lots of time off for illness etc.

I have booked but not applied for the leave yet. I have informed them informally. I suggested taking work and was told it wasn't necessary. I will anyway but it will be fun and Disney related.

All schools have different views

Worst case scenario you are looking at a fine, it will not substantial.

Jail cases are only for those that never send their children to school continuously for a substantial period I believe.

 

[2Tiggies]

I think your best bet is to contact the school, make an appointment with the Head Teacher and discuss it. Often things are standard procedures so you may find it is an automatic Local Authority generated response, although it would have come from the school. Policies and procedures do vary from one learning community to another and I think, rather than worry and speculate, it may be better to have a chat about it.

I know that at DD's old school when she was 7 I took her out for one week as we used the Easter holidays plus the following week. I got a snooty letter about unauthorised absences, followed by another letter issued by the Head teacher which she had written herself and explained that it has to be logged on the system and the letter is automatically generated but she had no issue in principle with DD being off that week.

At DD's new school, she had only been there 2 weeks when I took her out in October and was dreading it but we had booked and paid in full so there was nothing I could (or was willing) to do about it. Imagine my surprise when the teacher said she would authorise it and added that she believes that this kind of trip (WDW) will teach DD things she could never learn in the classroom, but class work could be caught up.

The point is, you don't know for certain until you have discussed it fully. If you don't go to the head teacher or her representative, you are going to be working from assumptions and guesses. To me, uncertainty is worse.

I don't know how far in advance your are posts a schedule of term and holiday dates, but ours has been ridiculously slow, meaning that booking flights 11 months out, you are forced to do it 'blind' as they have not yet made all the information available. It has crossed my mind that I could use this if I ever ran into difficulties.

I hope it all works out for you.

 

[tttessa]

Hiya - May is not just SAT's for certain years, it is test month at our school - all the years get tested on the basics.

Our school states in the prospectus - which all parents get a copy of before the kids start that NO AUTHORISED ABSENCES WILL BE GIVEN IN MAY - so we have no excuses... can't say we have no been forewarned..

We were fine getting 7 days in Oct though!

Tessa

 

[goingroundthebend]

I would say its to do with sats know we was strongly disocuraged from taking children out in may in year 2 and year 6 .Then once they hit senior school there not so keen .

Rights or wrongs of it ive already talked to my kids school and have agreement take mine out next year for 3 weeks(extenuating circumstances this time )

But never had problem before in infants and juniors

 

[katytrott]

Yes, we can't take kids out in May - I thought it was for Sats as well.

I asked back in the start of Dec if I could take my DS out for 10 days in Oct'11. The receptionist assured me it would be no problem, after all my son will be nearly 7, has only had 2 days off in the last 1 year/1 term, and is very ahead (reading year 5 books). So, I went ahead and booked the holiday, then a few days later was told the headmistress couldn't authorise as it was too far in advance.

Still, I'm not really worried as I'm sure it will be authorised and if it isn't, the holiday will still go ahead. Life isn't all about education - providing he doesn't get behind I think childhood should be filled of happy memories of holidays with his family as well as getting an education

 

[Zeebs]

Yes, we can't take kids out in May - I thought it was for Sats as well.

I asked back in the start of Dec if I could take my DS out for 10 days in Oct'11. The receptionist assured me it would be no problem, after all my son will be nearly 7, has only had 2 days off in the last 1 year/1 term, and is very ahead (reading year 5 books). So, I went ahead and booked the holiday, then a few days later was told the headmistress couldn't authorise as it was too far in advance.

Still, I'm not really worried as I'm sure it will be authorised and if it isn't, the holiday will still go ahead. Life isn't all about education - providing he doesn't get behind I think childhood should be filled of happy memories of holidays with his family as well as getting an education

Bolding mine,

I totally agree, the kid is 5 well actually at the moment he is only 4 so he will only just be 5 when we go. I will talk to the head tomorrow and see what they say.

He is going regardless, I have a passport in case the law is after me about it

Kirsten

 

[wayneg]

We took DS out for 2 weeks every year at Junior school and 1st year at High school.
Luckily we had a very good headmistress, glad we had no problems, she just asked for him to keep a diary each trip.
Every time this comes up I say the same, every child is different and whats right for one is not always the way to go with the next but at age 5 I can't see the slightest problem, good luck tomorrow.

 

[tinkerbell 766]

Don't flame me but my son will be taken out of school for 2 weeks in May whether I am authorized or not!! I knew nothing of this 'no absences in May rule' and we are flying out on 1st May for DH and my vow renewal at WDW. My son is in year 6, and sats or no Sats, will be coming with us. I must say, I don't agree with SATs anyway, and fail to see what the school can do about it. My son will have no other unauthorized absences this year and with my being in the ambulance service, and hubby a postman, we have to fit our holiday in when we can both arrange time off work.

 

[2Tiggies]

In our county this is one of the factors that warrants an authorised absence. As Wayne pointed out, you as the parent have a pretty good idea of whether or not it would be detrimental. If you made the decision for your child, it's a good one. End of story.

 

[CHEK]

Hope you manage to get this sorted

I've taken both my DD's out of both Primary & Junior school in May for our trip's to WDW and never had a problem with the school authorising the time off.

Good luck

 

[T16GEM]

DS & DD will be out of school for 10 days, thanks to Wills and Kate for adding another Bank Holiday in April Our school runs on a points system, you get points depending on the time of year, how many days sick they've had etc, I got 10 days authorised the last time and 7 were unauthorised, then 4 of those they were closed for snow days but they still went down as unauthorised!! How does that work!!!

We don't have to ask for authorisation until 14 days before the trip - how many people plan a holiday that late?? So it says to me that they know people are going to go anyway, we obviously wouldn't take them out if we thought it would harm their education - personally I think that NOT going to WDW as a child could be more harmful! (that's a joke btw just incase I offend anyone! )

OP - I hope you get authorised, it's worrying isn't it!

 

[team harris]

Hello,

Anyone have any idea why my sons school is not authorising any annual leave for a family holiday during the month of May?

Unfortunately we have a trip booked for the 2 weeks incorporating the May half term and the week prior. He will be out for 7 days.

I don't want to get into the debate on the if you should or shouldn't take your kids out I would just like to know from anyone who hasn't had their leave authorised what the repercussions of this is.

He turns 5 at the end of Feb.

Kirsten

Welcome to the world of school!

I work in a school and my school will not authorise any term time holidays, unless there is an "exceptional circumstance" - close family funeral/wedding.

May is a real big "no-no", as earlier replies state it is the time for SATs - not all schools participate in these anymore, but it is still assessment time whether or not the figures are officially reported.

A few years back, I took my two sons out of school in October. The eldest was in Year5, youngest in Year2. I was lucky, the holiday was authorised, but later that same school year, my youngest son needed an unplanned operation which led him to a further three weeks off school. When you look at the fact that he was not at school for 5 out of 38 weeks, it is an awful long time out of the classroom.

Having said that, if you decide to take the unauthorised option, your school is liable to report you to the local education authority and some areas do fine parents.

As mentioned above, I would make an appointment with your Head and explain that this is a "once in a lifetime" trip rotfl:, we've all said that yet end up going back again and again!), the weather in summer holidays is not at all pleasant for young children not to mention the difference in cost and that you have made the best effort you can to incorporate half term!

Good Luck

 

[2Tiggies]

I hear everyone's comments about the SATs .... but the OP's child is five years old Or was that a typo and meant to be 15?

 

[Zeebs]

I hear everyone's comments about the SATs .... but the OP's child is five years old Or was that a typo and meant to be 15?

Nope no typo he is 5 (five) well will be when we go.

 

[Zeebs]

Welcome to the world of school!

I work in a school and my school will not authorise any term time holidays, unless there is an "exceptional circumstance" - close family funeral/wedding.

May is a real big "no-no", as earlier replies state it is the time for SATs - not all schools participate in these anymore, but it is still assessment time whether or not the figures are officially reported.

A few years back, I took my two sons out of school in October. The eldest was in Year5, youngest in Year2. I was lucky, the holiday was authorised, but later that same school year, my youngest son needed an unplanned operation which led him to a further three weeks off school. When you look at the fact that he was not at school for 5 out of 38 weeks, it is an awful long time out of the classroom.

Having said that, if you decide to take the unauthorised option, your school is liable to report you to the local education authority and some areas do fine parents.

As mentioned above, I would make an appointment with your Head and explain that this is a "once in a lifetime" trip rotfl:, we've all said that yet end up going back again and again!), the weather in summer holidays is not at all pleasant for young children not to mention the difference in cost and that you have made the best effort you can to incorporate half term!

Good Luck

Thank you very much.

Doesn't help that I am from New Zealand so the school system is completely foreign to me.

I will talk to the head, then if it is unauthorised we will take the hit and pay any fines that come our way - still got to be cheaper than the difference in going in the summer.

I probably should have checked into it before booking the flights but didn't really think that much into it.

Now I know about Stats (although I don't agree with them) I will avoid future trips away in May.

If I had of just used the week after half term instead of before I wouldn't be stressing so much. But I thought it might be nice to go for Arianas 1st birthday.

Kirsten

 

[fairytale]

Hiya, we live in East Yorkshire and my childrens school from the 1st October last year brought in the tough " no unauthorised leave stance unless in exception circumstances policy".

We have enjoyed "authorised" October leave for the past 4 years but for this year my leave will be Unauthorised with a £50.00 per child, per adult, per week fine. I'm not even adding it up as we will have four children in primary school by the time October comes round

My understanding is that schools are been put under a lot of pressure by the Local Authorities. Our DS8 is doing extremely well at football and has been asked to go play in a tourament abroad in May. We need to take our children out of school for just one days holiday due to travelling times etc, unfortunately the request did come back unauthorised, however the head teacher did ring me and explained that her hands are tied but explained that she hoped we have a great time and feels its a great opportunity for not only my son but for us as a family. I kinda got the impression she would have liked to have honoured the request

 

[Zeebs]

Hiya, we live in East Yorkshire and my childrens school from the 1st October last year brought in the tough " no unauthorised leave stance unless in exception circumstances policy".

We have enjoyed "authorised" October leave for the past 4 years but for this year my leave will be Unauthorised with a £50.00 per child, per adult, per week fine. I'm not even adding it up as we will have four children in primary school by the time October comes round

My understanding is that schools are been put under a lot of pressure by the Local Authorities. Our DS8 is doing extremely well at football and has been asked to go play in a tourament abroad in May. We need to take our children out of school for just one days holiday due to travelling times etc, unfortunately the request did come back unauthorised, however the head teacher did ring me and explained that her hands are tied but explained that she hoped we have a great time and feels its a great opportunity for not only my son but for us as a family. I kinda got the impression she would have liked to have honoured the request

Blimey so both you and your hubby have to pay £50.00 per child, x 4 eeeek