Glasto and School

[keefyboy]

Anyone have any experience of successfully getting permission, i.e. 'authorised absence', to take their children out of school for Glastonbury.

Don't want to be dishonest, however don't want to get fined either.

Have two children at secondary school so could be quite pricey!

Thanks

Keef

Edited May 7, 2015 by keefyboy

[JohnEW]

I think it would be very difficult if not impossible to do officially these days, especially for secondary school kids.

In 1970 two schoolmates and I got permission form our school to go to the Bath Festival of Blues & Progressive Music at the Bath & West Showground. We were in the Lower Sixth and doing our mock A levels. Our combination of subjects meant that we had finished before the festival started whilst everyone else still had 10 days to go. Then it took me until 2005 to come back to the area but I've been to every Glastonbury since then.

[slash's hat]

I have been thinking about taking my two 10 yr olds, but recently their junior school sent home a letter that the local authority are looking at the schools attendance rate so I don't think much chance. I'm going on my own but as we live about hour away then hubby might drop them off to me on the sat.

I think next yr I would just take them anyway because the latter part of yr6 for my eldest was a waste of time...most of it rehearsing for a leavers play and he wasnt in it.

Edited May 7, 2015 by slash's hat

[countzero]

it was possible to get permission 7 or 8 years ago but not recently.Having said that I have always requested permission, and while I have been refused in the last few years, the teachers have always been interested in how my son got on when he got back to school.

Worst case is that if anybody says anything, and if anybody does anything about it, and if anything happens after that, then it might be a £200 fine.

[sunnyshoes]

Yes had permission twice for taking my son out of primary school. His attendance the rest of the time is great and I've been honest as to where he's going. Not had to sell the case too much apart from saying what a great experience it will be.

[PillingerClan]

I have read the guidance for our county (warwickshire) which basically says you will be fined in 2 scenarios:-

1. If you child is absent for 10 sessions (5 days); OR

2. If you have asked for time off, even on an informal basis, and your request has been refused.

We are not going to ask at all. We will then call up on Friday morning telling the school that the kids will return on Tuesday without giving any reason. Luckily they have an answer machine for reporting absences! As such we will not be lying.

We have made sure that both kids have 100% attendance to date too.

I will let you know if this tactic works!!

[donthaveacoolname]

Sick?

[lazyred]

Just about impossible to get authorised absence now. Depends on the school/council whether you get unauthorised absence or a fine.

Last year my daughter was on a school trip until the friday when she came to the festival and we called her in sick on the monday. This year we are all going tuesday to monday so we are notifying the school and we'll see what happens.

[keefyboy]

Thanks for your replies.

We are going on the Tuesday too and are probably going to ring the school to let them know.

Fingers crossed we don't get a fine.

Keef

Edited May 8, 2015 by keefyboy

[PillingerClan]

If you can send them to school for Tuesday morning then get them back the following Tuesday you will not have had 10 sessions away so technically (provided you haven't asked for consent) you shouldn't be fined.

[maja x]

I use the following wording in letters to my daughter's school and have never been fined:

Dear Headteacher,

I am writing to let you know that 'name' of 'whatever' class will be absent from school from Wednesday 24th June to Friday 26th June inclusive. 'Name' will be attending Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts which is an important part of our family culture. If you would like to provide 'name' with any work that will be missed during this absence I will ensure that the work is completed by 'name' to the best of his/her ability.

I accept that this absence will be marked as unauthorised as this is school policy and thank you for your understanding.

Kind Regards

[sunnyshoes]

I also stressed the family aspect to the weekend - good point to make I think.we couldn't have called in sick as son blabbed to everyone that he was going and took in the programme after to tell them about the spider in arcadia. He never saw it in action by the way as much as he'd have liked!

[vdub_monkey]

Good topic as I'm currently in a dilemma as to how to take my 5 year old, I was tempted to just take her and tell the school she was Ill but I'm pretty sure in her excitement that we got tickets in the resale she told her teachers anyway. I think a conversation with her teacher will be required on Monday to see what the chances of the unauthorised leave been granted by the head teacher are.

[vdub_monkey]

Just a quick update, I asked my daughter teacher about asking permission from headteacher regarding taking her out of school for Glastonbury and she said "Just Go, you won't get permission anymore due to the regulations in place". Also due to her being in her first year at school they wouldn't look at fining us.

[Migraine]

I'm not a parent but have plenty of friends with children, I think it's absolutely outrageous that parents can't take their children out of school for a family holiday. Outside of perhaps the final two years at school (even then I think we should trust a parent to know what is in their child's best interest) I cannot see how spending quality family time is going to hinder a child's education.

I understand the need to keep control of this from an education point of view but the current regulations are madness.

To all the parents taking their children, I think you are incredible and should be commended not fined.

[PillingerClan]

Now Stephen Hawking is appearing in the kidz field the "educational" argument gets stronger!!

[keefyboy]

Yes, good point, I saw that too.

I agree with Migraine, all my children have a near 100% attendance record and as responsible parents we see it as our responsibility to support them to catch up on any work missed, however we could still end up with a fine.

As you will all know Glasto is an amazing cultural experience for adults and children alike and we don't have a choice when it is, whereas we do have a choice as to when we take our holidays.

Thanks for all your responses, much appreciated.

Have a good one!

Keef

[owenmc606]

I'd just call in your kid sick on the first day you want to take off, say they've got the flu and you'll let them know when they're better. Sorted!

[Mr Splodge]

Problem with saying child is sick could be them being overheard talking about Glastonbury, when they get back.

Honesty is the best policy it's also educational.

Any child needs to experience Glastonbury in my opinion, they will learn more in the 5 days than a term at school.

[ICGenie]

From the various threads that have come up regarding this the best advice I've seen is to speak to a teacher that you get on well with. Most of them know the rules are nonsense, if they are sympathetic to the cause they will accept your "sick note" and close their ears to any post-Glastonbury chatter.

[dizzymoo]

I'm a bit late coming to this thread, but thought I'd add what I know. My kids are also at school in Warwickshire and last year we got permission for them to miss the last day of term (only half day and no lessons) to go to Latitude, citing educational value and the emotional benefit to one who'd been suffering school-based anxiety. Having only just got tickets for this year I phoned the school last week and was told to apply for permission and see what happened (not too helpful), that emotional benefit could be a strong argument again, and that they don't prosecute for 6th form unauthorised absence. They did say they were in the process of prosecuting parents who took their kids to Glasto last year though. Don't know any details but sadly it is happening. Bloody stupid.

[Charles Carmichael]

I work in a college and while I agree that glasto is educational - the time off could be detrimental to *some* kids.

As I say, I'm in a college and in late June they'll be finishing final assessments... Is it really fair for teachers to spend their own summer holidays doing catch up sessions because a parent thought a holiday was more important?

For the record, I'm hoping to take my 12, 11, and 5 year old next year Tuesday -Monday. Tempted to just say they're sick. Sometimes kids get delusional when they're sick and hallucinate all sorts of weird things

I think it very much depends on the individual child and their own progress. I don't think parents are always the best judges of that.