Missing sixth form for 2 days

It's crazy to me that English schools are like this and parents actually get fined. Instead of saying he's sick, could you frame it as 'mental health days', as presumably the break and seeing the band will do him good

In both the 5th and 6th Forms I had two weeks out, approved by the school, to go on a Swiss Adventure and also an Irish Adventure. Both were marginally educational but definitely character forming. Had I asked for any time at all to go and see The Beatles, I would have been turned down flat.

if schools weren't so controlling it wouldn't happen. OP should be allowed to take this decision for her kid if on balance she thinks it's right (life is important too) but with plenty of schools that just lands a lot of shit on your plate. That's what's unbelievable.

It's less a question of getting absence authorised, it is more thst he will miss the input.

This.

Hope you have a great time!

It won’t.

It happens all the time.

If he says he’s ill and then someone saw him there, or there’s a pic of him, or someone by mistake finds out, it’ll be soooo much worse. So I wouldn’t put ill.

Dont ask first, if they say no it would be really difficult to go, take him and apologise after that the tickets became available and opportunity was too good to miss (not untrue ...)

To be honest, loads of people do that with work, it's so hard to get time off and people have to seel their soles to a job. I'm not encouraging regular use of that as cover, but once in a blue moon doesn't hurt anyone, and annual leave etc is quite limited anyways.

In reality it doesn't make a difference to what OP does, whether she tells them or not. It shouldn't get a fine for days, just make sure he catches up on all the work done and plans ahead for when he'll do it all. If he tells them the truth then contact them ahead of time and ask. If he calls in sick, then do it during the day or a day or two after.

Answer phone message in the morning: "good morning, Toby in form Y won't be in today or tomorrow as we have to take an overnight trip to London. Many thanks".

Yes I think that is right. So incorrect about that in my PP.

Shocked at all these people saying 'just call in sick' that's terrible! Lying and teaching her son to lie! Unbelievable. Speak to the school, explain the truth, 2 days in sixth form is not the end of the world, they might be a bit peeved, but like you say he can do some study on the journey..

I took DD (Y10) out of school for two days to go to the Eras Tour (we got tickets in Paris). I told the school what we were doing because I didn't want to lie about it. It went down as unauthorised (fair enough!), but nobody minded. I've since got the impression from a friend who works in attendance that they'd have rather we'd just called in sick, but it meant DD didn't have to lie. She had excellent attendance generally. Sixth form I'd definitely just own it and tell them.

Oh god, don't lie. There's no need. Just email his form tutor or equivalent and say you've got tickets for this gig and unfortunately it will mean X will be out of lessons for two days. Say you'll make sure he speaks to his teachers to understand what's being covered in class on those days so he can catch up in his own time (but definitely not on the train on the way to/from the gig).

I presume he doesn't have a packed timetable anyway? For my 6th former it would mean missing 3 or 4 lessons at most. Also - will it really take you a full day of travel either way? Is there an option to attend a morning lesson and then go?

I emailed school for DD for Taylor Swift in Y10 and was brutally honest. She was a music scholar and planning on music college post-GCSE so I said I considered it educational to see a show of that size in real life.

School came back saying 'have a great time'.

Only managed to get tickets for Cardiff and her BFF's mum drove home overnight so only 1 day off in the end but thought it might have been 2.

Honestly I'd have no qualms about saying he was ill - or saying he was going to a pop concert. Life is for living - his attendance is usually excellent, it's no big deal.

Say he's going on a uni visit. You can go to loads of those. He could even look at one while he's in London, then it's not a lie

Don't ever call in sick. What kind of a life lesson is that for your child. Will he then think it's ok to do that when employed?
Tell the school, go and enjoy. no one will die and your son's education won't suffer.

What does his timetable look like those days?
DS has a 2 week timetable. Week 1, and I'd just pull him out for 2 days.
Week 2, and I'd work out the latest we needed to leave, and send him in for 2/3/4 lessons on the day of the gig, and possibly back in the afternoon the day after.

To all those saying 'just call in sick' - what a really bad example you are setting for your children. It is not okay to lie, it is not okay to teach your kids it's okay to lie

I don’t think fines can be imposed for over 16s? If I’m right just tell them and go no problem

We have a pre booked holiday in Dec, DC started college in Sept. I explained that we'd booked the holiday before he'd even decided to apply for college. They were fine. DS will catch up with the work, they were happy that we'd just been straightforward about it.

My impression from friends with older kids is that - as pp says - 6th form is a bit more relaxed about this kind of thing, subject to people not taking the piss or dropping behind with the work.

6th formers will be missing school for uni open days exams for uni etc. Just say he has to travel to xx town .

Call in sick. Easier for everyone. It's only 2 days.

Call in sick and please dont make him study on the journey there