Leave/holiday during term time in Council/Grammar school

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Eraldo
Posts: 33
Joined: Thu Mar 11, 2010 1:46 pm

Leave/holiday during term time in Council/Grammar school

Post by Eraldo »

Please someone give me a detailed reply :

• What to do if we want to take 10 days leave during term time?
• What happens if our taken was taken as Unauthorised?
• What to do and what happens if one is really sick when they are in a foreign country and has to take extend their holiday time by 2 weeks?
• What action will the school take if its an unauthorised leave?
• My main concern whether the school –council/grammar has the right to give detention or it will be just a fine?
hermanmunster
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Location: The Seaside

Re: Leave/holiday during term time in Council/Grammar school

Post by hermanmunster »

some info here:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Sch ... DG_4016103" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If a child is really unwell abroad and not able to travel back, I assume that the school would require medical certificates from the country they have visited to back up this absence - also parents are likely to need the same evidence for others as no doubt will have had to rebook flights / contacts insurance companies etc etc . Presumably the absence of return flights might mean the extended stay was planned all along..
Eraldo
Posts: 33
Joined: Thu Mar 11, 2010 1:46 pm

Re: Leave/holiday during term time in Council/Grammar school

Post by Eraldo »

My main concern whether the school –council/grammar has the right to give detention or it will be just a fine?
hermanmunster
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Location: The Seaside

Re: Leave/holiday during term time in Council/Grammar school

Post by hermanmunster »

I think the LEA's concerns would be with the parents who permitted the absence rather than the child who was absent, so I can't see that they would put the child in detention..


You would have to be careful about being away for more than ten days .. this is from one LEA
If however a child is away from school for more than ten days this must be recorded as unauthorised absence and could be quoted in a prosecution for poor attendance. If the child is away from school for a total of four weeks or more, the school may have to take the child off roll unless there is a good reason for the continued absence, such as illness. In these circumstances it is up to the parent / guardian to inform the school, for as once they are removed from roll there is no guarantee that the child will regain a place at the same school
Hence the need for notes etc
mystery
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Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: Leave/holiday during term time in Council/Grammar school

Post by mystery »

I'm not sure about the legality of that latter threat. At some point yes, but four weeks? I think the key is the word "may".

You might be fined for the 10 days off in term time if the school is minded to do so and they do not give permission before you go; you may get a visit from an education welfare officer.

You are unlikely to go to prison. Your child will not be detained anywhere. As Hermanmunster said it is the parents who are committing the "offence" not the child.

Hope you get permission and have a nice holiday. Our school always gives permission for up to ten days in term-time if a child's attendance is otherwise excellent.
hermanmunster
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Re: Leave/holiday during term time in Council/Grammar school

Post by hermanmunster »

I agree Mystery, I suspect that the schools / LEA get more interested if there are repeated absences - also if permission is given for 10 days and the kid doesn't reappear for a month for one reason or another.
Eraldo
Posts: 33
Joined: Thu Mar 11, 2010 1:46 pm

Re: Leave/holiday during term time in Council/Grammar school

Post by Eraldo »

Many Thanks hermanmunster/ myatery for your detailed reply.
Sorry to ask you with more
So Can I confirm with you in simple terms ...so the child won’t suffer or get stressed in any way for his/her absence
Its said that we should ask the school head teacher permission for leave before we leave. But what I have heard /experienced is except for sick they are treating all other leave even for 1 day as unauthorised, even death of their close relatives like grandparents, uncles/aunties which is not fair even if we meet the 7 points mentioned in the ... How do schools consider term time holiday requests? By direct.gov
What happens if our school didn’t approve the leave as its for them its not important and for us its an important occasion? Please advise
:(
hermanmunster
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Location: The Seaside

Re: Leave/holiday during term time in Council/Grammar school

Post by hermanmunster »

You MUST ask the head for permission if you are intending to take the child out of school.

If they say no and you go anyway it is you that is responsible and not your child (other than them taking the child off the school roll - but I suspect that would have to be at least a month and a school with a waiting list).

Bear in mind though that your child might feel awkward if they have a lot of work to catch up on and the teachers may make comments though they won't give them detention etc
Etienne
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Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Re: Leave/holiday during term time in Council/Grammar school

Post by Etienne »

hermanmunster wrote:I agree Mystery, I suspect that the schools / LEA get more interested if there are repeated absences - also if permission is given for 10 days and the kid doesn't reappear for a month for one reason or another.
(9) The following are prescribed as the grounds on which the name of a pupil of compulsory school age shall be deleted from the admission register:
  • (e) ..... the pupil has failed to attend the school within the 10 school days immediately following the expiry of the period for which such leave was granted, and the proprietor is not satisfied that the pupil is unable to attend the school by reason of sickness or any unavoidable cause.

I can't say how common this is in general, but I certainly used to hear some appeals where a school place had been withdrawn because the child's unauthorised absence had gone beyond 10 school days on a single occasion. (These appeals were not strictly speaking against the withdrawal of a place as such, but rather an attempt by parents to try and get the pupil reinstated at an oversubscribed school, as the vacant place had been reallocated.)

I think the school ought first to initiate reasonable checks to try and ascertain the pupil’s whereabouts. Equally, it would be wise for parents to contact the school immediately if their return home is unavoidably delayed.
Etienne
Eraldo
Posts: 33
Joined: Thu Mar 11, 2010 1:46 pm

Re: Leave/holiday during term time in Council/Grammar school

Post by Eraldo »

Ok...If i ask for 10 days approval esp for a secondary school if they didn't ...and if I really want to go as its an important occassion ...what shall I do? Is the rule same for primary & secondary schools?I am sure may parents would have faced this situaton esp those who are from foreign countries..can you please share your experiences...Thanks
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