Are school likely to let me take my child out of school an hour early on the last day of half term?

I agree that if it's after afternoon registration the school are unlikely to care as they have what they need (the registration mark). I would probably give the vague not-untruthful explanation of "an appointment with an aeroplane . Sorry, I made it as late in the day as possible to cause as little disruption as I could, but this still means missing the last hour".

This hinges on when registration is, however...
DD2's lower school is normal and has it after lunch.
DD1's middle school decided to place theirs just before home time 🤷🏼 Presumably to stop truancy? (Although the outside of the school is like Fort Knox these days, so that's unlikely). This is a nightmare for maintaining attendance stats if your DC needs lots of appointments, particularly when they are always (for us) held 2 towns over!

I would hope school would use common sense and it would be fine. Having said that, our school is way over the top with attendance. The other day I had to take my daughter 30 mins early for a doctor’s appointment and they wouldn’t let me take my son at the same time. So he had to go into after-school club until I could come back for him. My kids never miss school 🙄

My DDs schools wouldn't have a problem with this (one in primary, one in secondary)
But we're in Wales where it's a bit more relaxed about things like this, and every school is different.
I would just ask them and see what they say - unlikely they'd fine you because they'll have been there for afternoon registration so officially not absent

Should be no problem but tell them 90 mins early as they won't be avle to produce your child instantly as soon as you show up at reception.

Once a child has been marked as present for afternoon registration they keep that status even if they leave early. The school cannot object.

Your child may well object as the last hour will undoubtedly be something fun.

@TheatreTraveller any source for that? People actually being fined after just one day missed?

You beat me to it!

When we did this they suggested that I picked DC up after afternoon registration then it doesn’t effect their attendance

This is crazy to me. I work in a school and if parents want dc early they mostly just rock up to the office and say they are here to collect. You might get some that tell you in the morning but that's to teacher/TA not office. I know it's different in England but questioning one hour at the end of a day still seems wild! Otoh if ex is abusive I'd be more concerned about this. Do you have permission from court to go? As men like this can try and throw spanners in the works at the last minute.

Many local authorities can (and do!) Fine after just one day of absence. It is still up to each school/LA.

They won’t authorise but likely accept. It sounds like they’ll still be there for the last registration after lunch and that is the key point. Our school offers pick up 5 minutes after afternoon registration and the morning is a film

On a separate note, fines are for 10 absences so 5 unauthorised school days in a 10 week period, however this can include teacher training days

After registration it doesn’t matter as the child is marked present for the session. Schools round here close after afternoon registration at Christmas and in the summer, and it doesn’t affect anyone’s attendance because they’re all marked in first. ETA, you sign them out for fire safety reasons, not attendance per se.

(In the morning if you go in late, you can be marked late before register closes or late after register closes. Lates do affect attendance but not much and schools understand that for dentists etc you often can’t choose the time for your appointments.)

It might be different your school but for us any appointment needs to be evidenced with a pic of time etc

So not sure you can use that if the same. Otherwise it'll likely be ok, just say why, your dc probably will

It's because the councils in many places fine each parent and this can be costly

I have done it before. I spoke to the head and told the truth that we were going away for the weekend. She was fine with it as was after registration and both ds had brilliant attendance.

This ^

Why in earth would you get a fine??

They shouldn't care, but if you're worried that they might, I'd use the rescheduled flight time fib.

Your child not theirs.

Just call in and say he’s got a temperature/rash/vomiting that day.

@Quinlan you don't HAVE to. Some people do in the hope it will be an authorised absence.

I just wrote in DD's home/school notebook "X won't be in from a date to b date because we are going on holiday. Thank you."

Some parents just let the teacher know or tell the office so they know why the lids are off.

As others have said - it will be fine but don’t lie. Why not just tell the truth with no harm done?

I always think it’s tempting fate to lie about a medical appointment etc thy my kid will then need one cause I lied.

Do you have to fill in a form in England? In Scotland, we just call the school and tell them. That’s it.

This sort of thing drives me mad. You do whatever you want with YOUR dc. You're the parent.
In 18 years, I've never asked a school for 'permission' for anything. I decide what my dc are doing, no one else

If his attendance is otherwise exemplary I can’t imagine you having a problem for half an hour