Is this extremely petty of my children's school?

Who cares? Let them record it unauthorised. Unless they are missing days and days of school one unauthorised absence is nothing. I couldn’t even tell you how many my kids have. Nor do I care

Just let them mark it how they want - attendance matters more to them than it does to you.

Livestream the appointment and send the Head a link. (Joking)

I love this idea - maybe a series of photos? Outside the shop snapped in one of those mid air jumps, in the chair with the crazy glasses, looking indecisive in front of sample frames, Mum crying whilst holding the receipt?

I didn't think they were allowed to refuse a parent collecting their child for whatever reason unless there was a safeguarding concern (and even then the police or SS should be involved)? They can of course report the absence, but can't refuse the parent their child. It is a worry that pops up on here now and then that abusive NRPs have the right to collect their DCs during the school day and refuse to return them to the RP. The school have to release the DC even if they know what is happening if the parent has PR.

This is crazy OP. I get it looks suspiciously like an early BH getaway, but if attendance is otherwise good the school shouldn't be fussed as they have the attendance mark already for their overall figures.
As for the schools that have lots of DCs leaving say 30-ish mins early on a particular day, I'm surprised they aren't collected up in a one group and sat with a reading book in reception awaiting their parents. It doesn't have to mean lots of disruption and back and forth along the corridors.

I'd take my kids and worry later - take a picture of the kid and said optician and immediately send it to the head teacher and move on.
It's petty and unnecessary but that's what happens when you don't home school them

I think this is very dishonest of the parents and I hope they get a fine

it matters at her age because unexcused absences mean any work for the day is recorded as a zero.

That's terrible!

Take a passive aggressive selfie with them at the opticians and send to the school.

@ASighMadeOfStone I bet the WhatsApp groups are in meltdown!

Well ours has called a meeting of all the parents of one class as we're sick to the back teeth of children missing lessons and then giving us the blame when their progress isn't what it should be, so don't bet on it.

She's also emailed all the parents saying given that we are coming to the last part of the year, nobody unless they're ill is going home early, and if there are appointments which have been made before this email went out, the school needs an email with the proof at least one week before the appointment.

It's the last day of term, I suspect quite a few children have "opticians or dentist" appointments so they have got wise though for 10 mins I don't know why you would be lying! You may be honest but not all parents are.

My friend recently retired from being a primary school teacher, last year a child was supposedly off sick for 6 weeks, the class even made get well cards, turns out they were in Pakistan on holiday! (The kid told them when he came back). The school hadn't pushed for proof as it appeared the kid was properly ill and parents stressed about it. She was so annoyed and it wasn't the first time it happened at her school

They really won't

Genuine appointments do happen but you wouldn't believe the amount of appointments that are on a Friday afternoon in May-July. Especially bank holidays. We don't ask for evidence but had 18 children leave today from 1pm-3.15. One class we had to call 4 times and ta (if there is one) has to bring child down. It's incredibly disruptive. Of course many just say they are going camping or whatever but it really really is hard work . It's not just your little poppets. The planned ones aren't too bad , we can arrange those , it's then that people just turn up . Especially lovely is pulling them out of the end of term assembly, lovely . We are trying to get letters /newsletters out , answer everyone ringing with stuff they need before the holiday and info that you need for 1st week back too. I hate it, I wish we could refuse, but of course we smile and say have a nice time.

By-pass the reception on Monday and hand the copy of the email to the head and explain you found being told that the children would be marked with a UA ridiculous and unfair. The head will put a rocket up the receptionists arse.

I've got a bit of a situation at the moment where school have marked my DD as unauthorised. They threatened me with it and if I'm going to care. At the end of the day they make so much fuss about any type of absence it really doesn't matter if it's authorised or not. As it is I'll be challenging it as it is incorrect to call it unauthorised in our circumstances and I won't put up with being threatened with it.

Ridiculous, once afternoon registration is done, its not normally an issue.
I would just print my own letter, copy their header / logo.

I've withdrawn my kids at random times of day on just the strength of my word, never been questioned. It isn't an absence on the register

Yes it's pathetic in the scheme of things

Sweat the small stuff surely

My kids need to have one day off in November. This is why I'm going to lie and say they are unwell. They are more than happyly encouraging me to put her back into birth cohort missing the entire 6 so I feel no guilt.

Im so pleased i dont have to deal with schools anymore.
Just reading about schools makes me see how much has changed over the years.
I dont think id cope with the pressure of it all.
My son`s call schools prisons with the exception of being let out after 6 hours.
Not much difference between them i guess.

It's nigh on impossible to book appointments in holidays only. Things like dental appointments come around every 6 months, they're not always near the holidays and most dentists will tell you they're already fully booked during that one week when most of the schools are off.
We try to book appointments either first thing in the morning or around lunchtime but even that's troublesome because most surgeries will close for lunch.

I would move them to another school. They do not 'own' your DC ffs

OP, remember who sets the rules the school is being zealous in following.

Vote on July 4th.

You do not need their permission to take your child out of school, it’s not a prison and teachers are not gods.

Pick them up when it suits you and don’t entertain any of their twaddle. You aren’t disrupting their education and no-one cares what is recorded where.

They do absolutely bugger all for children with chaotic home lives and minimal attendance. No-one will care about a few minutes, even if some dickhead in the school office thinks it matters.