To lie to the kids' school?

The school can't stop you from going. They can't deregister your children for three days absence. It's not even enough to trigger a fine.

So tbh I'd say you may as well just tell the truth. Tell, don't ask. But if the kids are going to end up chatting about it when they return it's less embarrassing if they/you don't look like liars.

Absolutely.
The school don't get to determine who is and who isn't fined, that's the local authority.

At the ages of 6 and 8, it's likely one or other of them will slip up if you lie. Asking them to lie will make them confused as at school they'll be talking about being honest.

Just tell the school you're going, when you're going, when you'll be back and offer to make up any shortfall in school work (ask them to set homework).

When you’ve quite finished making this non issue into a moral masterpiece give me a shout. I’ll be over here not giving a fuck.

If you lie to the school, they will find out when your children start talking about the wedding - you can’t expect children thst age not to let something slip. None of the schools thst I work with would agree to you taking them out of school for a wedding during g term time - they don’t have the authority to do so - and in some instances, parents have ended up with fines for three days of unauthorised absence. Whether that happens to you depends on the local authority, your children’s attendance record, and how vigorously the headteacher wants to pursue sanctions.

You won't get a fine unless you are taking them out unauthorised on other occasions as 3 days is not long enough to trigger a fine. (It's 10 session, 1 session am and 1 pm so 5 whole days)
The school may approve some or all of the time off. You do not know until you ask. (I know someone that only got the day off the wedding approved and the day before and after as travel time were unauthorised but no fine as 2 days isn't enough to get a fine) They will usually approve family weddings so you may have more chance of getting it approved the kids are close to your friend and think of them like an auntie but again even if it isn't approved it would lead to a fine so just request it and don't worry about it anymore

You could say it's a family wedding, still a lie but minor and maybe more likely to get approved and, if not, absence won't look as bad.

Probably should have mentioned I'm in Scotland.

Schools in England are so strict! I'd just take my kids away for a few days and use the the online system to mark absence under 'family activity' and the school would never mention it to me. Ever.

Anyway, in your circumstances, I'd lie and say sick.

Dts were denied permission for one day inter for their grandfathers wedding. Just take them out and pay the fine.

Lying is a lot of pressure on the kids that week, the Monday and Friday they’ll have to watch what they say

I wouldn't get the kids to lie, it's too much pressure on them.

So long as you have good attendance normally, you won't get fined for 3 days.
I'd inform the school and accept it will be an unauthorised absence.

At a guess your parents failed you? And now that trait is being continued through the generations. Very sad.

Well you can rest easy tonight cause I used to just tell school. They still never authorised it but tbh it was a rarity for us so we were never fined etc.

Most if the parents just used to lie.

If you think that’s bad you should hear all the other stuff I do.

Don’t lie. Just tell them. Don’t “request” it, they can’t stop you from taking your own children out of school for a few days. You might get fined but oh well.

Also friends wedding may not get approved family usually does

Just tell the school you won't get fined for only 3 days!

Out school will authorise 3 days for a wedding abroad, 1day for wedding and day either side for travel

You have to have 5 consecutive days (10 marks AM/PM) to be fined

I'm a attendance officer in a secondary school

Oh please 🙄

Lie! Next parents evening will be fun! A blow by blow account with illustrations telling how mummy said tell the teacher you were not well. Daddy said tell her none of her business. Great detail of the grown ups at the wedding one of whom was being actually sick in a bucket.

Does your friend genuinely want your two children there as a Wednesday term time wedding abroad is sending a very strong message no children welcome!

I can’t believe some people are telling you to lie. The issue with lying is not the morality of it. It’s the impact on the kids. Imagine telling your kids “we’re doing something really exciting, we’re going on a trip, on a plane, and missing school!! But you MUST NOT tell anyone, none of your friends, and you have to pretend you’ve been ill. If someone asks what was wrong, you have to make up some symptoms. If the teacher asks if you’re feeling better now, you have to say yes, and pretend you’ve felt really poorly. Except some people know the truth, and you can tell them. But don’t slip up and accidentally tell someone the truth, if it’s a person you’re meant to be lying to”.

Wanted to add: that is a hell of a way to drag two small and neurodiverse children with special needs. It will not be fun for them or for you. How many time zones are you crossing? All I see is a three-day nightmare.

That's a hell of a long way to drag them for two days to participate in an event I can pretty much guarantee they will not enjoy. Do you have a partner? Can they stay behind with the kids while you go to the wedding?

you can be fined for 10 absences ( 5 days) over a rolling 10 week period.

the fine is £160 per child per parent reduced to £80 if paid promptly.

that is not to say they will automatically fine you. i would not lie and risk getting caught out and damaging the relationship.