DFEE Guidelines For Taking your Kid's On Holiday During Term Time.

[Noiruk]

For those of you who are debating whether to take you kid's on holiday during term time this info is for you.

The DFEE directive informs school that only 10 day's AUTHORISED absence for a pupil is allowed to be taken for a family holiday in any one academic year. All extra day's taken after this will be recorded as an UNAUTHORISED absence on your child's attendance analysis. If your child is absent from school on a holiday for more than 20 day's the school reseves the right to remove your child's name from the school roll.

I would also like to add that if your child's school is oversubscribed and has a long waiting list the chances of you child been removed from it's roll increases.

 

[Enright78]

I suspect this won't be popular, but as a teacher it makes things very difficult for your child, however bright , if they miss school time.
I teach 16-19 year olds and you would be astonished that many are taken on holiday in May just before essential AS and A2 exams! Not to mention lost time for coursework. I suspect this applies to GCSE pupils too.
My mum taught in primary schools and missing time there is just as disruptive. Don't get me wrong, I think the price hikes during school hols are criminal (don't forget I have to pay them too, plus I don't have any choice!) but your child's education is a precious thing. Perhaps the proposed changes in school years will help us all. or maybe the travel companies will just make those times expensive too!

 

[Noiruk]

I too work in a primary school environment and guess what Im taking my kid's out of school come November for 2 week's for the exact same reason's you mentioned, how ironic is that?

However my advice to parent's is if you are going to take your child out of school the best time would be around October/November time. Even if your child is not sitting SAT's, non SAT's children will also have to sit the mock exam in order for teachers assessment. Come January all primary children will be preparing for this.

 

[AlisonB]

Up until now we've always taken our kids out of school (they're 8 & 6) - nearly always for the week after the May half term. In my (limited) experience not a lot goes on in Primary Schools at that time that is critical. JMO.