Taking child out of school under age 5 (UK)???

[kbwebb]

DD attends a primary school nursery mon-fri 9-3.
Weve booked a week long holiday (more a honeymoon/familymoon)
The week she needs off falls just after the half term (Half term is 20-24th feb, the week we get married, then the holiday would be 27th feb-3rd march)

Ive had a holiday form from the school but it says that unless there is an 'exceptional circumstance' why she would need the time off they wont authorise it and we will recieve a fine.
1. i thought that they had stopped fining parents after the recent court case
2. can they really fine you if your child is under 5? as they dont legally need to go to school do they?

I cant change when the holiday is as OH can only get his holidays then and has to book them months in advance, and there is no family who could have her for the week and take her to nursery while the two of us went.

 

[Babybump87]

I didn't think they could fine you if your child is under 5. As legally they don't have to be in full time education until the term after they turn 5. ..

Maybe speak to the head teacher and find out

 

[lindseymw]

No they can't fine you if your child is under 5 years old. I was told by a teacher at my kids' school when I was looking at taking my two out for a holiday.

The school my two go to don't fine anyone anyway. As long as your child has good attendance, they don't mind. We have taken them out for a week (DH at the time worked shifts and his annual leave was built into the shift rota, he didn't have any say it in). They put it down as "unauthorised, no action to be taken"

 

[.Mrs.B.]

Sounds like they have given you a generic form. They wont fine you.

 

[Bevziibubble]

No, you can't be fined under age 5 as she will be under the age that she legally has to go to school.

 

[kbwebb]

Thanks everyone

 

[Lalaloopsie]

Because our school has a major thing about attendance their policy is now because they cannot fine nursery aged children, you can lose your place. X that's my workplace policy other schools will be different

 

[SophiasMummy]

I know in the southwest (devon at least) they are not giving fines for the foreseeable future but different county's have different rules about whether they're giving fines or not now.

However as others have said they can't give fines for children under 5. Just tell them she won't be in you don't even need to do a holiday form infact I don't know if you even have to tell them she won't be in we have a lot of parents with younger ones who just don't bring them in for a few days