Taking child out of school 1 day early?

[anotherstory81]

First time parent to a year 1 child. Have never even considered taking my child out of school for holidays, however, we have a family wedding abroad and in order to make it we would ideally need to travel on the last Friday before half term holiday in May.

My child is in Year 1. They would therefore miss one day of school. Is there a procedure for this? I’m aware we might be fined? I’m not sure how it works, or whether to just phone in sick for child? I feel a bit guilty about it too, but we will miss the whole thing otherwise.

Sorry if my questions are daft- it’s all new to me! We are in England btw.

We would authorise one day for a wedding- in fact, we have authorised 3 days, including 2 for travel to a wedding, recently.

There should be an attendance policy you can read on the school website. Normally you would fill in a leave of absence form outlining the ‘exceptional circumstances’ for taking them out. School may consider a family wedding to be exceptional and approve it. If not, it will be unauthorised but you won’t get fined for 1 day (2 sessions) it’s normally more than 4.5 days that would incur a fine!

Don’t call in sick- it’s unfair for your child to have to lie and chances are they’ll have told people in the run up to it- years ago I called my teacher over and she said ‘don’t worry, he told me a few days ago!’

Just tell the truth. Many children are excited about holidays and new experiences, and can't wait to tell everyone at school!

Dd has more than once taken hers out a day early, or has picked them up straight after lunch. There has never been an issue, but she’s always informed the teachers in advance.

Don’t bother the teacher, talk to the office

Really don't worry, you won't get a fine if it's 1 day (extraordinarily unlikely anyway). Ask your class teacher or your school receptionist for an absence form, briefly fill it in, they'll write to you saying it'll be unauthorised and that it's very very bad. Don't stress and enjoy your trip! We regularly use a day here or there, is it ideal, no appreciate attendance is important but it is also not the worst thing and in the early primary years they will be absolutely fine (they normally do very little before a holiday anyway!) We've probably done it ten times over the last 6 years of primary school and never been fined (we had to take 4 days once as we got stranded at the end of a holiday due to various things going wrong!)
Just be honest, they know when you're lying and it's just not an issue unless you're taking a week at a time.

I’m also new to this but went on a school tour recently (did starting Reception in Sep) and a headteacher of a very good school with over 95% overall attendance, informed us that absence due to a family wedding is understandable so there is not need to lie.

Don't lie because that makes your child have to lie (which year ones can't do convincingly anyway). Just email the office and they will send you a form. If it isnt authorised one day won't trigger any fines or follow up.

Oh yes and this. Class teachers don't do attendance stuff.

Don’t phone in sick because your child will tell people when back at school what they’ve been doing. Just inform the school that you are taking child one day early and appreciate it will be an unauthorised absence. This is what I’ve done in similar circumstances for one day.

Don’t put your child in a position of having to lie.

Don’t phone in sick. I used to work in a school and watched an extremely uncomfortable conversation with a dickhead teacher and a very tanned 6 yo boy, who was previously very pale and had just been “off sick” for a week. She obviously knew he’d been on holiday yet still insisted on asking him how he was feeling and did he struggle being in bed all week. The poor kid just kept repeating “I’ve been ill” as that’s clearly what his mum trained him to say. It’s unfair asking kids to lie. Just be honest. They don’t usually fine for less than 5 days.

Dont ring in sick. We always know when that happens and you become a funny story in the staffroom. Just be honest, you might get an unauthorised absence but it doesn’t really mean anything unless you do it a lot. As a school, our head will sometimes authorise things like this anyway but you’ll never know unless you ask!

The child usually tells someone and drops you in it and you'll look silly. Just be honest nothing will happen for one day it will just go down as unauthorised.

I wouldn't lie. Kids have a habit of telling the truth!
We have lots of relatives in Italy and flights cost a lot less if we just do 1 flight either on the last day of term or the first day of the next term. Our (primary) school doesn't have a form but we just email the school in advance and let them know.
We haven’t been fined yet. I'm sure schools are more likely to fine you if you take a whole week off!

You can sometimes have one day authorised for a wedding. Ask for a holiday form at the office, fill it in truthfully and send a copy of the invitation with the form.

Just ring in sick with d&v for one day they won't question that, and you won't get a fine

They might not question it but the children will definitely tell. Don't teach your children to lie.

Are you a child? Are you scared of the school or something?

Why would any adult make up a stupid lie about a mundane day off school?

The child will probably happily tell the teacher they won't be in the next day. And their friends will say they are on holiday. Lying achieves nothing.

I wouldn't lie. For a wedding they will likely authorise. They do nothing important on the last day of terms in year 1, trust me! We're in year 2 and we're taking him out 2 days before end of term in may as it was a £650 saving on a holiday than going the Saturday. And better flight times. Mine has good attendance and we've not done before..it's not 2 weeks, its 2 days. I'd not worry.

Just phone in sick that way it will be authorised.its only one day. If you start saying your going away they will unauthorise it and some local authorities fine for one day it’s not unheard of.

I just emailed and said my son wouldn't be in because w were going away. Got a letter back saying it would be unauthorised absence but to have a lovely time! We only get fined for 5 days+. I don't think the odd day here and there is a big deal, a lot of people do it these days, as long as he has good attendance normally, the teachers understand.

all these comments saying they don’t fine for one day. They do! It’s up to the local authority look on school fines group it’s happened to loads of parents even with perfect attendance. And you’re not guaranteed to have a wedding authorised as I didn’t last year.

They don’t - they will authorise it but it is 10 sessions or 5 days within a rolling 10 week window that triggers it

not one day that is very clearly set out