holidays in termtime?

[Shout]

My dh will be away overseas in Autumn and my 2 ds and I have a chance to join him in Hong Kong mid Novemeber.
I believe it would be a great learning experience for them at age 2 and 7.My elder ds is above average in his work for his age group,however this means him missing 8 days of school.
My mother claims she read in the press,hefty fines are being introduced for taking children out of school from September 05.

Does anybody know if this is true for the Hampshire area?

[Enid]

dont get me started

[charleepeters]

I think the school would nderstand if it means seeing there father - and 8 days thats not really that long suppose the best thing to do is explain to the school that they wont see him and tis is hte only chance they will get for a while?

[Enid]

is he away for a long time?

[Shout]

Sorry had to go, ds woke up.

Yes I will have to explain to his school. I just don't think it looks good that my first conversation with his New Headmaster (Starting junior school Septemebr)is about taking time off. I also wondered what the financial penalties might be.

My DH will be away for 6 weeks. I guess I would also like the change of environment at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in HK - beats housework and the groundhog day routine!

Thanks for responding

[tiredemma]

they are allowed 10 days off during term time.

[firestorm]

our school (in east sussex) have not authorised any holidays in term time whatsoever for the past year, if you take your child out it is classed as unauthorised absence.

[nutcracker]

At my kids school, you have to asl permission ( i never have though) if you are taking them away during term time.

I haven't know them refuse yet, although it is still classed as unautorised absence which i kind of think defeats the point .

[Ladymuck]

IME the school would be likely to agree in your circs, though no idea as to how it would have to be recorded. Whilst fines are possible I believe that these still have to be levied under the Anti-Social Behaviour Act, and they are still intended for continuous cases of truantism. I've seen schools not only agreeing to trips to join a travelling parent, but also agree to holidays when a parent has been reunited with their family (eg someone based on a project who has been unable to spend time with their family for several months). Most schools still seem to operate a "2 weeks" absence policy though more have tightened up.

[milward]

Great experience for your kids - could you offer to bring some items back for a school project. Your ds could do a presentation and the class could learn alot about a different country. I wonder if there is any one from HK at your school - they could also contribute to the project.