Time off school

[**Mags-Wigan**]

Hi All

Next year will be my 3rd Glasto and My husband and I have decided to take our 13yr old daughter with us , she has wanted to come the last 2 years and after seeing how great it is for kids we feel she will have a great time .

Before ticket day I rang the school to ask about and exam dated or important dates that may clash and the head told her to check with each teacher herself , she did this and after 2 weeks we knew there was nothing that she would miss so we got the tickets .

I filled in the holiday form stating it was for Glastonbury and was declined the Hols !! I think it was a standard brush off and intend to write to the school explaining the fantastic experience that she would have etc... I remember seeing a letter on the forum that someone had sent to school but I can't find it , I have searched but either I'm looking in the wrong place or I imagined it .

Sorry for the rant and if anyone can help me out with the letter I would be greatfull :-)

PS do we all agree 13 is an ok age to go to Glasto ? course it is :-)

Mags x

[bibligal]

Hi there,

We took our 9 year old daughter, and 13 year old son with special needs. Their teachers all told us they were jealous! We had no trouble with the forms with either school.

My son's school put his Glasto photos on the hall projector screen so that Jacob could tell everyone what he got up to. Chalk carving, raving etc. They all agreed it was thoroughly educational.

It might be worth researching the activities on offer for children and putting it to the school that the value of such experiences is surely educational.

Good luck!

Bib

[westwardhoboy]

We took both girls last year 13 & 11. Yes we did write in and yes we did get told we couldn't take them out. We didn't challange it and took the girls as planned. There were no important exams etc and both girls doing well at school. Nothing was said by the schools after the event. Luckily 2011 is when eldest will be taking GCSE's - No Glasto!

I think as long as it dosen't clash with exams and you are happy with it, then go for it. Would not even bother writing to school. Just try and ask around, if any kids have been granted holiday (our school is 100% no holidays) during term time. If you find somebody, then - bingo! School cannot grant holidays in "majorca" and not glasto!

[strudders]

Hi All

Next year will be my 3rd Glasto and My husband and I have decided to take our 13yr old daughter with us , she has wanted to come the last 2 years and after seeing how great it is for kids we feel she will have a great time .

Before ticket day I rang the school to ask about and exam dated or important dates that may clash and the head told her to check with each teacher herself , she did this and after 2 weeks we knew there was nothing that she would miss so we got the tickets .

I filled in the holiday form stating it was for Glastonbury and was declined the Hols !! I think it was a standard brush off and intend to write to the school explaining the fantastic experience that she would have etc... I remember seeing a letter on the forum that someone had sent to school but I can't find it , I have searched but either I'm looking in the wrong place or I imagined it .

Sorry for the rant and if anyone can help me out with the letter I would be greatfull :-)

PS do we all agree 13 is an ok age to go to Glasto ? course it is :-)

Mags x

[MrZigster]

Point your daughters teachers toward this thread.

[Josie's Cat]

I think official government guidelines say you can take your kids out of school for 10 days for family holidays - I know this because when I was getting divorced my ex used this to justify taking my daughter away for a holdiay even though it meant missing school!

So - you are allowed 10 days as authorised holiday, after that it becomes a problem which is fair enough, but you won't need 10 days for the festival.

My daughters' school signed off their holiday request last year with no problem, and I said it was for Glastonbury - it's not as if you're taking them to a squat party is it?

My girls, especially the eldest one (10 last year) absolutely loved it, they gained so much, from helping to put the tent up, cooking food, mixing with other people, seeing bands and performers, just an eye opener for them - it really was a proper cultural experience, way more than some of the trips schools put on.

Good luck!

[st00ka]

Personally I wouldn't have bothered telling them in the first place and would just have said they were sick or that they were attending a wedding, funeral or whatever. However according to the Citizens Advice Bureau the school can agree to letting the child take ten days off a year but if they don't and you still take them then there is the possibility that you might be fined (although I think this varies between different councils).

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/family...uring_term_time

You could perhaps try saying that going to Glastonbury is part of your religious Summer Solstice celebrations.

I don't see what the schools problem is having a extended weeked at the age of 13, I injured both my legs quite seriously at that age and had no schooling for over six months but that didn't stop me from going on to get a Masters Degree.

Edited October 19, 2009 by st00ka

[she bangs the drums]

Hi All

Next year will be my 3rd Glasto and My husband and I have decided to take our 13yr old daughter with us , she has wanted to come the last 2 years and after seeing how great it is for kids we feel she will have a great time .

Before ticket day I rang the school to ask about and exam dated or important dates that may clash and the head told her to check with each teacher herself , she did this and after 2 weeks we knew there was nothing that she would miss so we got the tickets .

I filled in the holiday form stating it was for Glastonbury and was declined the Hols !! I think it was a standard brush off and intend to write to the school explaining the fantastic experience that she would have etc... I remember seeing a letter on the forum that someone had sent to school but I can't find it , I have searched but either I'm looking in the wrong place or I imagined it .

Sorry for the rant and if anyone can help me out with the letter I would be greatfull :-)

PS do we all agree 13 is an ok age to go to Glasto ? course it is :-)

Mags x

[Mrs*E*]

i just rang in to say child unwell - i knew they would not grant holidays so i did this, my child didnt miss exams

[**Mags-Wigan**]

Thanks for all the info , I'm going to write to the school and see what happens fingers crossed. If they refuse again I will just take her out and pay the fine if they give me one.

:-)

x

[beodeejay]

Thanks for all the info , I'm going to write to the school and see what happens fingers crossed. If they refuse again I will just take her out and pay the fine if they give me one.

:-)

x

Edited October 20, 2009 by beodeejay

[-pogo-]

My school seemed very liberal (I only left 3 years ago) on absence for things which weren' sickness related. I missed a few days most year up until 4th year for holidays.

[Josie's Cat]

Crikey, well I agree with everything beodeejay says, that's exactly what I was saying about what a great time my kids had, only he did it more eloquently.

Agree with it all - except the Cheryl Cole vs Emily Eavis bit - now, although I think Cheryl is a minger with an assault conviction, she has at least worked her way out of a shit council estate to where she is now, and yes she's a WAG but has her own career, trite rubbish though I think it is.

Emily has just inherited a massive festival from her dad, so she's just an heiress. She's not done anything by herself, and has had all the support one could wish for.

I can't believe I'm actually on Cheryl 'spaniel eyes' Cole's side.

[Toilet Duck]

What the hell kind of schools do you guys have in the UK??? Why do you have to get permission from the school to go on holidays?

She's your kid, do what you like!...

[strudders]

What the hell kind of schools do you guys have in the UK??? Why do you have to get permission from the school to go on holidays?

She's your kid, do what you like!...

[FunkyChunkyMonkey]

MINT

That's my letter!!

Just remember folks you don't all live in Darlington

Will be taking both kids out this year. I gave them the choice of staying at home with grandma but for some reason they said no...

[-pogo-]

What the hell kind of schools do you guys have in the UK??? Why do you have to get permission from the school to go on holidays?

She's your kid, do what you like!...

[bob parkhurst]

MINT

That's my letter!!

Just remember folks you don't all live in Darlington

Will be taking both kids out this year. I gave them the choice of staying at home with grandma but for some reason they said no...

[FunkyChunkyMonkey]

Ha ha, no but I do work for the Council there

Edited October 21, 2009 by FunkyChunkyMonkey

[lme]

My younger kids school has always been very happy for them to go to Glastonbury. This year the headteacher collared me at the school fete and reminded me to send in a note about Glastonbury because he 'assumed we would be going'! He also asked whether I could bring back a couple of steamboats from the stall in the green fields ( which I was only too happy to do).

[Sawdusty surfer]

my two are 16 and 14 and have been to Glastonbury every year since they have been born. although the schools have occasionally tried to argue against common sense , common sense has always prevailed

top marks for lots of the above replies...................... we have written various similar letters and had several almost heated meetings about Glastonbury absence with the education bods over the years and it has always been fine. don't give in to their bluster.

..................a few more days in the classroom versus the huge experience of Glastonbury? LEAs should fund ticket prices for children to go.

[Billy09]

Many years ago when I was in school, my parents took me out of the last 2 days of Summer term to go on holiday (not Glastonbury I'm afraid, still can't persuade them to go there). At the time my Dad was working abroad, and I saw him that week or not at all for the next 2 or 3 months. We got back to find a rude message on our answer 'phone from the deputy head, checking on whether or not I was really "sick". It was suitably ignored, and nothing came of it.

Now I know where the concern about school attendence comes from, but 3 or 4 days spent with your parents out of the school year, where do they get off! Give 'em 2 fingers, let them threaten legal action if they must, missing a spelling test, a P.E. lesson, and something about the Vikings aint gonna harm their long term prospects one bit.

[bob parkhurst]

That will be the same council then that has had my bank account details for some time yet for 2 months on the trot has failed to take payment then tells ME I am in arrears

Bloody good town though

Bob? Funny name for a girl. Bob