Fined for taking a 4 year old out of school

[surveyor_101]

Ok so friend of a friend has been fined as their 4 year old missed their first week of school.

The child is 4 and not of complusory so I can’t see how they can be fined?

They have been told they cannot appeal as well.

[surveyor_101]

otolith said:

Poor child. His education will never recover from missing that week of finger painting.

My four year old has started this year. One of the gripes I have with my catchment school which is the same distance as other primary we wanted is their part time staggered . With my first child we went for the other school and go told no not in catchment. Doesn’t stop people the other side of town blagging the system and getting the school the other side of town.


My daughters first week was 9 till 11, that was Wednesday - fri as as Monday Tuesday were inset days in our area anyway.

Second week 9-11.30

This week 9/12.30 with them staying for lunch.

It’s been a nightmare for us.

[surveyor_101]

Steve H said:

If parents used them with some sense instead of increasingly ignoring them in favour of a cheaper holiday I rather suspect it wouldn't have become an issue.

It’s not just the price as my wife is nhs worker I have been able to permission to take my child out in a week in June that has an inset day anyway.

Friends of ours have paid close more than twice the amount we did the resort was rammed and they had to Que for everything and cwnr get sun loungers some days. If too many people go on school holidays these places become over crowded.

[surveyor_101]

Vaud said:

For some people it is the difference between having a holiday and not. Childhood is about an array of experiences, holidays included.

It makes not a jot of difference to a foundation child being taken our for a week. In all probability they will be out for a week anyway due to colds, etc with the array of new germs. It matters later on.

BUT it isn't fair on the teachers or the child in the first week of foundation as there is so much being introduced in the classroom. Take them out after a few weeks of settling in, or pick a week either side of half term for cost reduction...

Our school is fortunately pragmatic - they only fine for a full school week (Mon-Fri) of unauthorised absence. The trick? Take the Holiday Friday-Thursday, back in school for the Friday...

It's not pragmatic its just a child has to miss 10 consecutive sessions, each school day is 2 sessions. So you need for school days consecutively to be able to be fined.

We also use a week with a inset day anyway to lesson the impact.

[surveyor_101]

poo at Paul's said:

I take your point and agree.

OP get your mates to get to the papers and media, it's an overzealous legislation anyway, even when "correctly" applied and in this case I don't think it has been.

Its somerset county council which is borderline bankrupt but the school must have referred the case to the council to fine them. Its assuming that the child isn't 5 as I don't know them that well. I was told 3rd hand but seems ridiculous having said that, the first week of school was a bit of a bad call.

The fine is like a speeding FNP its a conditional offer or you can go to court and take your chances, which sounds like they would win if SCC wont withdraw it.

[surveyor_101]

GreatGranny said:

Tell the friend of a friend not to be a tight git and go on holiday in term time.

Don't have much money he is a trainee at a white lining company, she works in retail plus summer was busy its the difference between having a holiday or not.

They are both from a social housing background and they are trying to better their lives and the mother is 1 of 5. Rather than bang out kids they can't afford the dad who is in the early 20s has already said he won't have more than one due to the cost and they want to buy their own house. Rather than hammer people like this who want to be good to the society, we should support them.

In contrast, a woman at my daughter's school has 7 kids and is pregnant with her 8th, her eldest is 20 with two kids on benefits and the dad is in prison, other than her BF who is bus driver no one works in her family. They all have the lastest iphones designer clothes and footwear.

They have a nice fully loaded 62 plate people carrier and she has just bought a £1500 plus of bugaboo pram with all the toys in the limited edition most expensive fabric they can. She lives opposite the school is overweight and drives to school every day and her 9 year in my daughters class has virtually no teeth left from the full sugar coke and sweets she is filled with!! Benefits cap is biting all families!

Its a slippery slope to the bottom of this society, only yesterday I passed a bright house and saw the same washing machine I paid £450 for a few months ago. In brighthouse on a plan it was £1100 if paid for in 52 weeks and 156 weeks took it to £1716!!!

No wonder people get trapped in debt.

[surveyor_101]

BoRED S2upid said:

Your friends should have just phoned the school on the 1st day and said they were ill. I imagine they didn’t and we’re AWOL for a week.

A friend of a friend, he paints lines on the road so not the brain of Britain but they informed the school of what they were doing.

I assume as she is 4 they thought they couldn't be charged

[surveyor_101]

ClaphamGT3 said:

How dreadful to be so horribly inconvenienced by your children's education

My children all went to nursery/ preschool 4 fill days a week in the year leading up to school. It'

Schools can't say you can't take them out and then my children school decided what partial days they are going to have my kids. If they are at school it's 9-3.15. Most schools in my area are but hours have this crazy all over the place staggered entry.

The school we wanted 5 years ago didnt dictate to us 9-11.30 one week and 12.30-3.15 other days.

I can't choose what hours my children attend school. It's a school day or nothing in my book.

[surveyor_101]

Ken Figenus said:

I remember a teacher mate having a pop at me for moaning about a random Inset day that cost me a day's contract work. No sympathy. She said it was a school and not a babysitting service. Harsh.

Guess she had about as much sympathy as contract killing Contract Killer. Maybe I should have borne that in mind when having sex 8 years previously - MY FAIL. Caveat capitalistic emptor and sod the breadwinner that makes the money to pay the teachers!!! I seriously think they have no concept of working parents at times - we dont all finish at 3 either!!! Harsh.

Those who can't teach.

It's true you have to have a very very special mindset.

Seem to live in a different world especially primary school teachers. Two of my schools have had 6 months off for stuff that would ruin my career, if I told people I took 6 months off after falling down my own stairs people wouldn't pay me what they do!