To lie to the kids' school?

Don't lie about it, it's not a good example for your children and will mean that they are forced to lie too. Schools inevitably find out about this kind of thing. You are only fined if the absence is 5 days or more so even though it will probably not be authorised, you won't be fined for 3 days.

I work in a school.
Be honest with the school about the wedding.
A friend's wedding will not be approved, but an auntie's very likely will. My kids have a few of my friends who they actually call auntie... 🤔

My son has as in year 9 I think and I took him out for an overseas wedding for a couple of days. The headmaster sent a lovely email hoping we all had a great time.

Don't set the example of lying. Just be truthful and pay the fine if necessary.

Yep say they have caught a bug, heavy cold, fever but dont say its for any social gathering. They have just returned from the break. Lie, lie, lie. They will only grant time off for funerals.

You may get one day (day of actual wedding) authorised. The other days won’t be but it won’t hit the limit for a fine. Be honest. Otherwise what are you teaching your kids?

Ex school governor here adding to the ones saying don't lie as you will a)put your kids in a bad situation and b) mean the school may have to do extra work on making sure that your kids are ok. As someone says, ask the day before if the teacher(s) can give any worksheets of the stuff being done, and make the trip a bit educational, which I'm sure you will do, have them learn Please and Thankyou in the local language, you know.

And it's in June so everyone in the school is knackered by then anyway and probably doing sports day or something, it's not like they won't ever be able to read.

Enjoy the trip!

Tell the truth. They can authorise leave for exceptional circumstances - this could fall under this. even if unauthorised, there would be no fine for three days. Please just tell them as the kids are old enough to be embarrassed to be made to lie then again if they slip up - they’ll want to talk about it to their friends.

I work in attendance, fill in a leave of absence request form from school, it won't be authorised but you are only fined for unauthorised absences of 5 days (10 sessions) or more over a 10 week rolling period. It will simply be recorded in the register as unauthorised leave of absence, there'll be no further action.

I'm thankful I live in a country where the school knows it doesn't own my kids and I would be able to just tell the school what I was doing.

But when I moved country a few years ago, the school (UK primary) wouldn't even grant my 5 year old 2 days off to come with us to the country we were moving to, to look for a flat/pick a new school! And we were moving 3 months later that school year!

With my kids at that age, I'd just do something more exciting on the Sunday (like go out for breakfast at Mcdonalds - not even actually exciting), and they'd have forgotten the whole trip on the plane TBH, so I wouldn't even have to ask them to lie :)

I tried to write to 'just let them know' and was forced to fill in a form to request the time off - even though I knew it would be declined! Obviously it was then declined. I did feel like the school secretary was annoyed though and implied it would be better to call in sick. Unauthorised absence reflects badly on the school, as opposed to sick days, I think. Means they're not 'tackling it' I assume. I'm still unwilling to lie even if for the school's benefit. But if it doesn't go against any moral code, I think it keeps everyone happier.

Your children will definitely let something slip and they'll know you've lied.

You won't get a fine for 3 days away but it will go down as unauthorised.

I have always told the truth but never requested time off I just informed them of the time we were taking off. One was formally granted and the others weren't but informally they said it was fine.

That’s appalling behaviour by the teacher and a massive breach of GDPR

I did once keep both my twins off for one day and the teacher was clearly suspicious they were secretly on holiday and questioned them on their return - asking them in front of the whole class if they had recovered from their diarrhoea. Thankfully they were both too young to understand the word so we’re not embarrassed.

I wanted to take my kids (who were 6) out of uk Church of England school for one day - to attend church service over Easter in Australia where I was going to be god parent to my god daughter. The service was on a Sunday and we could not physically leave the country until Sunday night and it took 24hrs to get home… and they were due to be back at their desks on the Tuesday morning.

Do you think this leave was approved? Nope - and when I got upset about it our church-going school head …. said why can’t you just lie and say the kids are off sick?

BECAUSE as part of being a god parent I had to say an oath that I would bring up my god child with Christian beliefs … and lying and breaking the law to say that oath did not sit well with me.

The catholic church in Australia ended up writing to them to ask for permission explaining I did not want to lie and break the law …. and the board changed their mind and granted us one days authorised leave.

Never tell your child to lie and don't lie on their behalf.
You shouldn't have any issues if you take your child out Tuesday morning after registration if the plane is a bit later, that means that they would be registered as attending the morning session and won't be marked as absent. If that's not possible, you should also be fine if you take them out completely Tuesday to Thursday. Most school will not approve their absence and they will be marked as unapproved absence but you shouldn't have to pay a fine if it's just 3 days. Most school will not report their absence to the council for a fine if this is not a long absence and the children dont have other regular absences from school. 3 days should be perfectly fine.
Please let the school know the truth that your are attending a wedding even lt abroad, no childcare available, and when will children be back at school. Also mention that your children have good attendance throughout the school years and have never been pulled out of school before and this is an one off.

Could you say it is a family wedding instead? I’m aware that’s still lying, but at least the kids could then talk about it and not have to pretend they were ill.

You won’t get fined for 3 days. I wouldn’t lie.

Don't lie as the kids will inevitably give you away and make things awkward.
Don't bother asking as you won't get permission. Just politely inform them. I'm pretty sure you don't get fined for 3 days.

The school will decline an authorised leave request, that doesn’t mean you can’t still take it as unauthorised leave.
The most common trigger for fines is 10 sessions missed, which is five days. If you’re planning on taking them just for the 3 days then you should be ok.

Just notify the school the reason the children will be absent. You will worry yourself unnecessarily if you pretend they are ill and it's not a good example for the children.

Wouldn’t lie - tell school what you are doing.

most the fine if imposed

personally - I would take them for a week - make a holiday out off it .

if they are ND extra time would give them time to become acclimatised to where they are / get prepared for the wedding etcand then a couple of days at the end to relax.

do what’s best for you and your family - school have to tow the party line of ‘no term time holidays’ that the government impose - but they are your kids and your family and your choices.

School can't approve it, take them out, don't lie, you won't get a fine as only 3 days missed. Just don't take them out for 2 more days anytime soon and you should be fine

I’d take them out for a week tbh and make a holiday of it. Or at least 4 days and join it up to the weekend. And be honest with the school. They’d see through a lie and it gives your kids mixed moral messages.