Write a letter to School

[scottishwee35]

I wrote a letter to Head Teacher that my children (11) and (8) both in primary school Primary 3 and Primary 6 and asked for permission for absence leave for Disney Cruise at Panama Canal Repo in May for 13 and half days off.

I got a letter back and it is not accepted.

They said they followed scottish executive.

My husband got a new job and start around March to April and he is covering the employee for summer holidays as his new job that small firm start own business two years ago and they didn't have a holiday yet.

He see them today and they will write a letter to school.

My childrens never off school always on time at School etc.

I am sitting down today and my mind is blank for write another letter.

As the holiday had paid for too everything had booked it well.

Scottishwee35

 

[emily1982]

Could you possible go in and explain the situation? It might not be the head who is saying no but the governing body.

 

[scottishsue]

This is something I will NEVER understand. What is the problem with teachers and taking your children out of school for their summer break?

I think they fail to understand that a lot of people do NOT get the same amount of holidays that they get. There are a lot of people, my own husband included, who cannot take time off during the 6-8 week summer break that the teachers get. That is one of the busiest times for some workers and therefore they are actually advised to take their holidays outside these peak work periods.

However, even in the past when my 2 boys were considerably younger, we never had a problem taking them out of school. I think some authorities are a bit more leniant than others, to be honest.

Can't you explain that your husband cannot take any other time? Surely they can't be that heartless as to refuse then.

If the worst comes to the worst maybe go to the school and explain your situation or just take them off anyway !!

Good luck !! (BTW what part of Scotland are you in?)

 

[Freaky]

What happens if you just take them out anyway? Do you get a fine or just a stern letter etc?

We have never had a problem here in Northern Ireland and almost every year my daughter was in Primary School we took her out for holidays. It never effected her grades and now she is in first year at Grammar School and a straight 'A' student. Must admit I never asked for permission, just sent in a letter the week before advising that they would be off school from 'x' to 'y'. Just got a letter back stating that it was not school policy to give work out that will be missed during the absence (really saying you need to catch up yourselves on your return) - that was it.

Good luck with how it goes

 

[earthelves]

When We There End Of Nov Beg Of Dec2007(Disney) We Met A Couple Of Adults From Scotland & England Who Had Children That Were 9 & 10,I Asked Them How They Managed To Get Them Off School & They Said That Every Child Is ALLOWED 12 DAYS A YEAR OFF SCHOOL AUTHORISED I Dont Know If This Is "True" So To Speak But Like I Say We Saw Quite Alot Of English/Scottish Children Of School Age When We There 2007...Actually I'm Taking My Niece Who Is 11 And My Nephew Who Is 8 Just Before Easter This Yr To Disney

Intresting Topic

TTFN

 

[emily1982]

Children in England are normally allowed a fortnight off and speaking from someone who works in a school i do think this is fair. Yes we get holidays but remember people in schools also have to pay twice as much as any other family for holidays in peak time, and i know we chose the career we went into, but we can't take time off whenever we want. I would love a holiday every year but i cant afford it peak time.

 

[scottishwee35]

Before I wrote a letter I was asking my neighbour that they are off to Australia for a month last week.

They told me no problem I think maybe because of the family visit. but surely it is a holiday too.

My husband gave the letter to his friend so I want to type out what the letter had been saying. So I wait next week and I type out.

Anyway, my husband got a new job and he is working over the summer period so his friend is writing a letter for me and give me next week.

So wait and see

Oh i was so upset all this week. As I spoked to head teacher last year before we booked it she said it should be okay, maybe I have not told her it was 3 weeks holiday not 10 days?

Scottishwee35

 

[scottishwee35]

This is something I will NEVER understand. What is the problem with teachers and taking your children out of school for their summer break?

I think they fail to understand that a lot of people do NOT get the same amount of holidays that they get. There are a lot of people, my own husband included, who cannot take time off during the 6-8 week summer break that the teachers get. That is one of the busiest times for some workers and therefore they are actually advised to take their holidays outside these peak work periods.

However, even in the past when my 2 boys were considerably younger, we never had a problem taking them out of school. I think some authorities are a bit more leniant than others, to be honest.

Can't you explain that your husband cannot take any other time? Surely they can't be that heartless as to refuse then.

If the worst comes to the worst maybe go to the school and explain your situation or just take them off anyway !!

Good luck !! (BTW what part of Scotland are you in?)

We are in Edinburgh,

(ps I come from Aberdeen)

Scottishwee35

 

[paulh]

most of my contracts are over the summer time,i used to point this out to the school
Would tell them if you had to go in summer hols your husband would lose his job
Paulh

 

[aaronandterri]

i dont think it matters to much the only diffrence is that it was marked unautorised rather than autorised on ther records, we had this last year when the school decided to not authorise any holidays, i told them they were silly doing it for my 4 year old as he was in nursery and wasnt even legally required to be in school that soon shut them up

try not to worry to much, even if they do fine you (not likely) they have no way to enforce it,

 

[alisonbestford]

DD's primary school always allowed 10 days absence, provided the child had a good attendance record etc

This year, however, there's a new head teacher who has decided that the 10 days will only be given in exceptional circumstances or if the parents absolutely can't take time off in the holidays.

I'm taking Eve out of school for 6 days in May but this has been 'allowed' because of what she's going through with her Dad at the moment

 

[Lisash]

My DS started high school this September and we are constantly bombarded with letters saying we must not take them out of school during term time for holidays. What bugs me is they never say anything about the kids who constantly take days off sick all year round and end up taking far more than the regulation 10 days a year off. My DS has several friends who are regularly off with stomach aches, coughs and colds but then are well enough to be seen out shopping later that day with their parents. It really annoys me. Our Christmas break this year runs into term time and at the moment I'm debating whether to own up and ask for permission or just call and say he has chicken pox so won't be in for a week

 

[Richard Bruvofetc]

try not to worry to much, even if they do fine you (not likely) they have no way to enforce it,

This has always been an interesting point. We are all legally required to ensure our children attend school. Therefore, if it can be proved that we are keeping our children out of school without authority we will be breaking the law.

The Scottish Executive have this to say on absence:

Family Holidays During Term Time

16. The majority of family holidays taken during term time should be categorised as unauthorised absence. However, it is acceptable under exceptional circumstances for schools to authorise a family holiday during term time. Such circumstances may include:

A family holiday judged to be important to the wellbeing and cohesion of the family, following serious or terminal illness, bereavement or other traumatic events.
17. A family holiday classified under the 'authorised absence' category should not include such reasons as:

The availability of cheap holidays
The availability of desired accommodation
Poor weather experienced during school holidays
Holidays which overlap the beginning or end of term
Parental difficulty obtaining leave (with local judgement applied in cases where evidence is provided by the employer that it cannot accommodate leave during school holidays without serious consequences).
18. Family holidays with the above and similar characteristics should be classified as unauthorised absence. In relation to previous Circulars, a criterion of otherwise satisfactory or otherwise unsatisfactory attendance was attached to the differentiation of family holidays as authorised or unauthorised absence. While otherwise unsatisfactory attendance may well be one reason for a school to withhold agreement to absence for a family holiday, it may not be the only factor needing to be taken into account. The decision on recording absence as authorised and unauthorised should therefore be based simply on whether the school has given prior agreement to the absence or not, using the criteria outlined above. Where a school's prior agreement has not been sought the absence should automatically be classed as unauthorised.

Some schools will allow absence for holidays (usually 10 school days in the academic year), but this is also balanced by the child's attendance record, how well they are progressing at school etc.

 

[Snowy-girls]

Hello,
Here,we are allowed to take our children out of school for 10 days-obviously we must have permission.Where my daughter goes to school a parent was refused the holiday time that she requested and because the holiday was already booked they went on holiday.When she came home there were messages on her phone and a letter from the school asking her to make an appointment to see the Head Teacher-she did this.She admitted to taking her child on holiday,explaining that it was already booked,explaining that she would have lost her money if she cancelled etc..but the Head Teacher took it further and a fine was issued,the parent took it further and ended up taking it to a small claims court-she lost-she was in the wrong!!. I'm not saying that this will happen but please be aware that it can and did happen in this circumstance.
Also it highly depends on when you wish to take them out-were not allowed the months of May+June.How well your child is doing academically(spell?)at school,attendence etc....
Good luck.x.

 

[Disneycrazycrewuk]

We had a simalar problem last year when it came to our DS8, he has never been off school and had only ever been late once when I was ill.
He had moved to his junior school in sep 07 so the term was taken from the sep b4 that.
My DD4 had been given the all clear but my DS8 had been turned down, as the holiday was already booked and my partner is only aloud to take his holidays at a certain time I arranged to meet the schools head teacher.
At the meeting I was informed that it was the admin staff and not the head or deputy head that gives the all clear for holidays.

Thankfully he was given the go ahead,I would have taken him even if he had`nt ben given the all clear

 

[Hbabe78]

you can take them out, but there will be 2 weeks worth of unauthorised absenses on there school records

i can understand the crack down on taking kids out of school but also intill tour operators stop ripping off parents. there is allways going to be this problems

fortunatly my eldest doughter of 12 has had to go through a court case this year as a witness it was very traumatic for the family so we have been given authorised abesnce for our 2 weeks this year.

whare families have gone though traumatic time they come and go.

my daughters friend went this year in september over one week holiday from school and one week absence and her week was recorded as un authorised.

you could try asking the school for work for the children and try to sell it as an educational holiday lol

 

[LaraB]

As a teacher in a primary school in England I know that we've been told that any holidays outside school holidays time is classed as unauthorised and can be looked at by the school welfare officer. Does your 11 year old have SATS tests in May like we do, because that would affect their results, and at school we definitely wouldn't recommend taking children out as they cannot resit these.

[scottishsue This is something I will NEVER understand. What is the problem with teachers and taking your children out of school for their summer break?] it isn't teachers who make the rules, its the Local Education Authority. They think that the summer holidays children already get is their summer break. It's very unfortunate that some people can't get leave during this time, it is not the schools fault.

 

[eyoreaud]

Hi there, we have never had any problem taking our daughters out of school, maybe i am just one of the lucky ones? I always write a letter to school explaining that we are taking them out for however many school days (not inc weekends, in service or any other extra days off ) I am always polite but firm and apologise for any inconvenience it may cause to their teachers, explaining that this is the only time my Dh gets off for a family break and as my daughter (now 16, the other is 21 and working) is a very good student and NEVER has any other time off that she deserves a vacation, as she works VERY hard, all year round and is the student representative for her year and does extra stuff for the school.

That said, we do not take them out every year for the full amount of time but usualy try and take as few school days as possible, maybe just the final week/5 days before the hols or the same amount after the hols, does that make sense? They do not seen to do much at our schools the final week before scheduled hols anyway.

This March we are having to stick to school easter holiday time because of exams, i would never dream of taking my children out of school during exam time or if they were behind in any way. I hope you enjoy your vacation, try not to worry too much

 

[Pinklepurr361]

As far as I understand, no parent has an absolute right to take their children out of school during term time. In my local area, up to 10 days may be granted in "exceptional circumstances". This does not include holidays.

Anything longer has to go to the board of Governors who then decide. I am not at all surprised that the OP was turned down.

I work in a school and that means I too have to pay peak prices for a family holiday, so do the teachers and the head-teacher. I don't like it but I accept that is the way it is. That means we don't go to Disney every year. We have cheap UK holidays most years, sometimes we go to Spain and if we are very lucky we go somewhere long-haul. If my DH cannot get time off in the holidays we are disappointed, but we lump it and don't have a holiday at all.

I suggest that the OP accepts the decision taken, postpones her Disney trip for another time and is thankful that the school believes education is more important than a family holiday.

 

[Cyrano]

On the one occassion that we have taken the troops out of school during term time head teacher explained that we would get a standard letter advising us that absence would be treated as unauthorised and that as teachers had voted to not provide work for absent children there would be no way of the kids catching up.

Privately HT said she appreciated the warning and said not to be concerned as they were all doing well at school

I'm sure you will make the right decision for you and yours.