[NewtoOrlando]

We did this in October 2019. They missed the week before half term and we came back the Sunday morning before going back to school. Mine were in year 7 & year 9, we didn't get fined by either school (they go to different secondary schools) We had personal reasons why we took them out of school, and one school authorised 3 out of the 5 days (the maximum they can authorise) due to the circumstances and 2 were unauthorised, no fine was issued. The other school basically said they wouldn't authorise and my son was to catch up on any missed work, again, no fine issued. We wont be doing it again, due to our eldest entering GCSE years, but we really needed that time away as a family and we would have done it had we gone to Tenerife or Florida, we just needed a break from reality.

It's a personal decision, and many will have strong opinions on taking kids out of school, but I am a firm believer of life is too short and we're so fortunate to be able to enjoy it with our loved ones, so many don't get that chance. As long as it wont be detrimental to the kids education, then I don't see the problem. Had we been fined, we would have paid it.