Unauthorised Absence From School

[anaxcrosswords]

Has anyone here, who has children at school, received a letter about the Government’s new strategy regarding unauthorised school absences? Ostensibly it’s saying that parents can be fined for taking their children out of school during term-time, but the reality is truly ridiculous.
Let me start by saying that if parents decide “We want a holiday and we don’t care about the dates we use” then clearly this is wrong. Our kids need to be properly educated and we can’t just take them out of school when we feel like it.
But did you know that, during term-time, there is now no such thing as ‘authorised’ absence? By that I mean the letter isn’t saying you can’t take kids out of school during term-time without authorisation – it actually means there is no authorisation full stop. So if you are trying to book flights but you find that the only ones available are a day or two before end of term (or the return is a day or two after resumption) then tough. You can’t have that holiday.
Thankfully, in practice this isn’t the case. I spent a good hour today talking to a director of my daughter’s school. He regards the entire thing as nonsensical.
For one thing, while the Government has introduced this rule, it hasn’t introduced anything at all by way of policing or enforcement.
In my particular case I need my daughter to miss the last 3 days before the Christmas break for an overseas holiday which is a special celebratory event, and many family members have committed themselves to flights and accommodation – there are very specific reasons for us needing those 3 days but I don’t need to explain them here. The school director said to me on the phone – go ahead, book the flights. For him, there is no problem whatsoever. My daughter has an exemplary attendance record and is one of the school’s highest academic achievers. To miss this holiday would, in his opinion, be totally wrong. He could say that to me over the telephone. But he can’t put it in writing. Because it’s against this new policy.
The odd – but predictable – thing he mentioned was that what I could have done, to make everything very simple, would be to wait until the day before we are due to fly out and telephone the school to say my daughter was very ill and would not be able to return until after the Christmas holiday. That would just be accepted without question. So what will happen, with this new measure, is that parents will get around it by phoning the school and lying. The honest ones will be punished with a “No, your child can’t have time off”.
Nice to know that our blessed leaders are so in touch with practical reality, isn't it?

[friedgreentomato]

How do you know it has not created any problems?

[sherrardk]

I would think most people would only take one two-week holiday a year. I would willingly pay the fine although I wouldn't take any of the children out of school in an examination year (GCSEs).

[anaxcrosswords]

Bednobs, no this isn't a case of not caring about the dates. This is a very special occasion (genuinely, once in a lifetime) and it's governed by the dates available for transatlantic flights. We've tried to reduce the impact on my daughter's school attendance, and missing the last 3 days before Xmas is the very best we can manage. Honestly, we'd reduce that if we could, but we can't. I can't go into too many details but, essentially, this holiday revolves around a 50th birthday celebration and the gathering of a large family, many of whom - because of geographical distance - have never met. It is an extremely special and unique occasion.

[pixie373]

I think holidays are educational. Mine learnt French and how to swim before they started school- just naturally, as my dad lived in France. I don't take them out if school (with 4 children, it's a bit obvious they're not ill. Plus Number 4 would tell them.) The teachers are quite happy to have inset days, school trips etc. that they see fit in the school day, but I'm not allowed to. I think a compromise of 10 days per school year might help.

[themorrigan]

friedgreentomatoes, its the end of term, they have done all their exams and we've had parents night etc. half the year has gone off for a week outward bound the rest,including my son, are 'fannying about' as you so eloquently put it ,in the computer room and playing cricket. Better he 'fanny about' in Greece with us, call it an educational cultural trip lol!

[bednobs]

i'm not saying it isn't, just puzzled by your anger (well not anger really i suppose but you know what i mean) when really you are not doing anything different from anyone else who takes their kids out of school for a holiday (who probably all think they have an excellent reason to do so too), and yet it's very wrong if they do it, but ok for you to do it

[ladyalex]

I really do not inderstand the logic of these fines.
Most parents do not take their children out of school for holidays.
Some parents have lost control of their children and do not know whether they are in school or not.
Some parents do not care whether their children are in school or not.
Some parents deliberately keep their children off school for their own reasons...sometimes they have mental health issues.
Some children are school phobic.
These last groups are tiny compared to the majority who occasionally want a couple of days off for whatever reason.
I struggle to see the purpose of the fines.
As many have said, it encourages deceitfulness. I know that I would have claimed my child was sick rather than begged permission for a couple of days off.
They certainly do nothing to foster good relations between parents and the school.
Parents who don't care will not pay.
Parents whose children are out of control will not be helped by this, nor will those with mental health issues.
Sorry, just don't see how it helps to fine people.

[DaisyNonna]

Dottie, was that an answer to me?
Never in my long teaching career was I ever aware of a family being prosecuted. Threatened with prosecution, yes, but never acted upon and the children concerned still truanted.

[anaxcrosswords]

Yes, as regards overall attendance there is a threshold of 85%. Once attendance dips below that you find the appropriate bodies asking questions. Thankfully - and despite severe asthma attacks - my little babe manages about 96%. And that (as well as her academic record) is the main reason the school director said her absence for those 3 days would be of no consequence.

[friedgreentomato]

ahh yes magsmay the cultural trip that old chestnut!!!

He is supposed to be in school therefore he should be in school!

[anaxcrosswords]

Bednobs, I should add that flights and accommodation had already been booked and paid for before this new measure was announced. There's no anger on my part because, thankfully, we have permission to go ahead. But I feel very sorry for parents who may resign themselves to losing a lot of money for fear of prosection, having booked holidays only to find that (in their own minds at least) they can no longer use those dates.

[mrs.chappie]

As the school representative says, you could phone in and report your child sick, but what example does that set to the child?

I would be quite disappointed with a school representative saying that, even though I can see there's no easy answer to the problem.

[bednobs]

i can't really summon up much sympathy with those parents anax - as far as i know absence used to be at the discretion of the head i think. Those people who have already booked without that permission secured can't really complain if it's not given.
However, speak to me in 3 years time when my daughter is in school, you will probably find my answers are VERY different lol

[friedgreentomato]

Sorry but they should not have booked holidays during term time!

[themorrigan]

actually its not a legal requirement that you attend school. For a number of months, while we were transient, I home schooled my youngest and no-one arrested me for not sending him to school. No one even came and checked he was being educated.

[anaxcrosswords]

Well that's fair enough mrs.chappie but the child isn't going to know. The letter has only gone out to the parents. The parents will act upon it as they see fit.
The other thing to remember, btw, is that we shouldn't overreact to days taken out of term-time. These days are not lost. They are to be made up for, and there's no reason to believe that wouldn't happen.l

[sherrardk]

Even when I was teaching I said I would take my children out of school for holidays given half the chance, something my primary school deputy head agreed with. When we stopped teaching, that's what we did.

[themorrigan]

Well said sherradk

[pixie373]

That's true, morrigan. I looked into home-schooling myself recently and was surprised that there are no rules on hours, curriculum, subjects or anything. I think the difference is when a child is registered in school and taking a full-time place. The schools have their own rules.

[sherrardk]

My primary school deputy head HUSBAND agreed with (doh).^