Taking kids out of school without being fined?

[fur_q]

Case by case?

Teachers already strike EVERY SINGLE YEAR because they think they are underpaid and over worked.

[Guest]

Its true Glastonbury would be better for your kids than a couple of days in school, that's a fact. However not all kids go to Glastonbury.

Some don't go to school because their parents cant be arsed about their schooling.

A blanket policy to discourage parents taking their kids out of school is essential.

If you can afford Glastonbury, you can afford a fine.

Frankly, its one of these nice problems.

Trying to scheme your way around it isn't on.

When I was a kid (30 years ago) I would be pulled most summers before the break. We used to have a school play at the end of the year and if you were not going to be in it, you had to sit and watch everyone else rehearse for weeks. Usually about 3 or 4 kids in the same boat.

Id imagine Glastonbury was pretty different 30 years ago too. Things change.

[russycarps]

Case by case?

Teachers already strike EVERY SINGLE YEAR because they think they are underpaid and over worked.

[Klyde]

Pay it from the child tax credits parents receive then.

Life isn't all the big bad government you know.

[Klyde]

I support their strike action 100%. It's a completely unrelated issue to this draconian fining system.

Bad rules should be challenged at every single opportunity in all walks of life, no matter how minor or how major.

[Guest]

Pay it from the child tax credits parents receive then.

Life isn't all the big bad government you know.

[Guest]

If teachers were told to look at these bleeting letters about how Glastonbury or whatever is better than school, then judge if a fine is due or not, they would strike unless paid more. Fact.

Edited May 2, 2014 by tonyblair

[jeffie]

Klyde,

Do you live under a bridge?

[Klyde]

huh?

cause that's the best use of a tax credit, to pay of a pointless fine?

[snoopyhill]

Here in Dundee our schools close for 5 days in service training a year on top of holidays seems it doesn't effect children's education on those days.

We tell the school our child is going to Glastonbury they put it down as an unauthorised absence but are never nasty about it. Luckily there are no fines here yet...

[Guest]

My dad always referred to it as mothers gin money.

I think that attitude has stuck with me.

Edited May 2, 2014 by tonyblair

[Klyde]

if that's what your parents did with tax credits, then you should fuck yourself. Trying to moralise what other parents should do with their money for their kids.

[mcshed]

I should fuck myself because of a quip my dad made??

Oh dear!

[russycarps]

If teachers were told to look at these bleeting letters about how Glastonbury or whatever is better than school, then judge if a fine is due or not, they would strike unless paid more. Fact.

[Guest]

I should fuck myself because of a quip my dad made??

Oh dear!

Edited May 2, 2014 by tonyblair

[Klyde]

Its sounds like the middle classes wanting their cake and eating it frankly.

Getting back to the start, writing a letter on the merits of Glastonbury to avoid a fine (you know about well in advance) is laughable.

[LondonTom]

You have to take the emotional attachment out of Glastonbury really and look at how if parents were allowed to take their kids out of school all year long randomly (even if its for 4/5 days each) how much time that the teachers have to put up with catching those kids up with the rest of the classs, which results in lost time with the other kids?

Yeah Glastonbury offers something else, but I can see why schools would need to try to keep kids in school at roughly the same time as each other and be fair to all parents.

Edited May 2, 2014 by LondonTom

[Guest]

You have to take the emotional attachment out of Glastonbury really and look at how if parents were allowed to take their kids out of school all year long randomly (even if its for 4/5 days each) how much time that the teachers have to put up with catching those kids up with the rest of the classs, which results in lost time with the other kids?

Yeah Glastonbury offers something else, but I can see why schools would need to try to keep kids in school at roughly the same time as each other and be fair to all parents.

[Greenelk]

I wonder how many of the people that think it's ok for families to be fined for taking their kids out of school for a couple of days a year actually have kids... As previously stated, it's just another way that this current government has found to get money out of the people that can least afford it.

[russycarps]

I wonder how many of the people that think it's ok for families to be fined for taking their kids out of school for a couple of days a year actually have kids... As previously stated, it's just another way that this current government has found to get money out of the people that can least afford it.

Edited May 2, 2014 by russycarps

[Guest]

Spot on. I suppose there could be an argument made for fining chronic offenders, but for someone who takes 1 or 2 days off for glastonbury? Come off it.

People seem to forget schools are public institutions.

[danbailey80]

I've taught Primary for 6 years so here's my advice..

Don't write a letter. Say they both have flu for 3 days. Quite mormal for siblings to both be ill.

They will be suspicious but there's nothing they can do. Crucially, they will mark down 'ill' in the register which doesn't effect the overall yearly percentage/ ofsted mark etc.

It is true that Glastonbury would be educational, but a head would be making a wrong choice (professionally) to grant you permission as an 'educational visit' as this is subjective and would open up so many other debates about if a holiday at the end of term to India or a trip to London is educational etc.. "Why have we been fined and not them" etc..You have to be very careful about being clear and fair in a school of hundreds of different parents with different opinions/ cultures/ ethics.

If the head did grant you permission and it got out, the 'Daily Mail' would love that kind of article on a slow news day.

Edited May 2, 2014 by danbailey80

[whisty]

By that time in June most of all the teaching has been done, it's a wind down to Summer with the exception of those undergoing exams. It's a crock of shit fining people who want to take their kids to the Festival.

[formed a band]

if you cant afford whatever piffling amount it is to break these rules then you shouldnt be considering breaking them in the first place

[Klyde]

if you cant afford whatever piffling amount it is to break these rules then you shouldnt be considering breaking them in the first place