school unofficial absence fines

[stonerblue]

It's a load of old bollocks.
I'm looking a £120 fine for taking my daughter (who is 5) away for a week in the middle of September.
Which is still less than the premium on holidays in school holidays!!
The bollocks part is that the fine is at the discretion of the school. Some are fined, some are not.
The fine is £60 per working parent (another kick in the tits for the working man) so if neither parent works you are cool.
I know of one kid last year who went to Egypt for a week and was not fined as the school deemed the trip educational??
A week larging it in sharm El sheik is a kind of education, but not one that I would say is part of the national curriculum.
What is my 5 year old going to moss in that first week of year 1???
I can understand if kids are missing SATS and GCSE'S, but as it. Stands it just seems bent.

Absolutely ridiculous situation. Your kid will learn more having a week away than she would at school.

 

[stonerblue]

Simply get your offspring to kick a teacher the week before going away. A weeks suspension always comes in handy..

 

[Bill Walker]

It's a load of old bollocks.
I'm looking a £120 fine for taking my daughter (who is 5) away for a week in the middle of September.
Which is still less than the premium on holidays in school holidays!!
The bollocks part is that the fine is at the discretion of the school. Some are fined, some are not.
The fine is £60 per working parent (another kick in the tits for the working man) so if neither parent works you are cool.
I know of one kid last year who went to Egypt for a week and was not fined as the school deemed the trip educational??
A week larging it in sharm El sheik is a kind of education, but not one that I would say is part of the national curriculum.
What is my 5 year old going to moss in that first week of year 1???
I can understand if kids are missing SATS and GCSE'S, but as it. Stands it just seems bent.

Induction maybe, all the why's & wherefores explained, introduction to classmates etc ?

Yep, don't want them missing out on the location of the sand pit. If they miss the first day they probably won't make any friends ever, and most likely will live a life of seclusion and misery.

tbf I think theres a lot more than that, even simple things like not knowing where to hang a coat or put their lunch can be stressful

 

[southamptonblue]

No fines in Hampshire at moment, up until last oct, 5 yr olds school allowed 10 days 'authourised absence'. They changed it to submitting form where/when/why etc and then either 'aurthorise' it or not........so makes no difference to parents!
It just either goes against childs attendance record....which no parent gives toss about if requesting it.
or against school attendance record.....which they give a toss about as it affects their position in the 'league table' for schools.

Funny that the childs education is not the primary concern of the school/council/government.......but making money from fines is!!!

 

[Rammyblues]

As I understand it most schools operate a percentage margin, your child can have the odd day off sick etc etc with just the parent ringing in as normal, however if the said child's attendance drops below 93% than the school wants proof the the absence and they determine whether abesence acceptable or not. In other words in most cases families aren't fined for taking kids for 2 weeks on holiday out of term if they have good school attendance.

The key to this is that it is the right of every child to be educated by keeping kids off school that right is denied them in most cases there is some latitude but the worst case scenario keeping kids off school because you want them to look after the parent etc or just bunking off and getting up to no good is detrimental to the child's future prospects.


If the school deems that the absences are unacceptable they are able to issue fixed ticket, the revenue I suspect stays in education funds and no doubt subsidises all the school welfare officers and such like.

 

[SWP's back]

Holiday firms operate on the profit motif and the economic law of supply and demand, add to that there are many families that cant get two weeks off together during term-time, but why is it essential to get to a sunny foreign place every year when there is so much to see and do in the UK?

Thread needn't have continued after this fine post.

 

[nelsons willie]

I think the fines are at the discretion of the school. My daughter took the 2 youngest to euro disney which meant they missed the friday and monday. she was going to tell the school they had a tummy bug until i pointed out my 6 year old grandaughter would find it a bit tricky to keep her gob shut. nothing happened and both finished top in their years with my grandson getting a special award for his writing. one very proud grandad.

 

[blue12]

I work in a school and have the school holidays and the price difference before and after for holidays abroad us truly scandalous
I looked at the price 2 weeks before and up to 2 weeks after and the difference is around £1000 which Is why so many are taking the fine ,obviously I can't do it but I do see why people do .

 

[malg]

I've no experience of this and would like to know how they enforce the fine? Is it the council you pay it to? What is the punishment for non-payment?

 

[mcmanus]

I've no experience of this and would like to know how they enforce the fine? Is it the council you pay it to? What is the punishment for non-payment?

Your kids get suspended from school.