to take DSS out of school for two days during term time

[niceguy2]

at the end of May?

DW wants to take DSS back to his birth country to see family and the flight prices literally double on Saturday compared with Thursday.

DSS is 7 so this year is his KS1 year. That said his attendance has been 100% this year so far and had two days off last year when he was ill. He's completely overachieved his targets already and working ahead of the rest of the class in numeracy and literacy.

AIBU to feign illness for two days to save a few hundred quid?

YWBU to lie.
If you want to take your child out of school in term time, ask if it will be authorised, and if it isn't (likely not in your case), then take it unauthorised.

Is the saving on flights more than the potential fine? If so, I would take him out of school, but don't lie about it. It will just make you seem untrustworthy when if DSS lets it slip.

Our ht would authorise that no problem.

YABU to lie. Pay the fine if there is one. I don't think that saving money is a suffiently good excuse to authorise the absence.

Hmmmmmm... how do you feel about asking your son to lie to his friends and the school?

And how would you feel about his teacher buggering off a couple of days early for a cheaper holiday?

Go for it. Education is more then school. Such an enriching experience. But actually our school would OK it still despite the firmer rules.

I would. :)

Our school don't authorize any holidays for year 2 in May. It's Sats time. Could you not go in June?

If it wasn't for the fact it's KS1 then we probably wouldn't be hesitating. When do they do them?

School holidays are there to be used for precisely that - a holiday. It's not about being unreasonable it's lying and illegal!!

I wouldn't think twice about doing it, as long as the acutal sats aren't being held over those 2 days. Probably better not to lie though as you will be found out through DSS.

KS2 SATS are 12 - 16th May according to the DFE website

Do you know your LA criteria for issuing fines? Ours only fines when the UA absense means their attendance is below 85% for that particular half term - I think it works out to 5 days.

We're taking 1 day in May (the Friday before half term) - it was originally booked as a development day when we booked the holiday, and it's since been changed so we'll have to take is as unauthorised, but 1 day is not enough for the fines to kick in

As much as I disagree with the legislation surrounding this, dont lie. Ask the head, they may well still authorise it. It puts children in an impossible situation. I have already had a incident where one of the children I work with told me in a really loud whisper that she was goingsskiing tomorrow. The class teacher heard and knew nothing about it.

YANBU to take him out, I've done the same, but I'd agree with others who have said don't lie about it. Its not fair to ask a 7 year old to lie to their teachers.

Do not lie. Ask for permission if you don't get it go anyway. You are unlikely to be fined. I have told school I am taking dds out for 4 days unauthorized absence they haunted written back sayin I will not be fined.

You won't get fined for two days.

I'd do what givemeaclue said. If the trip is to see family overseas there is a chance that it will be authorised; if not, there is a possibility you may be fined, but for two days you may not.

One point - I would probably phrase the letter as wanting to maximise chance to see family (who may be working during the week) by arriving in time for the weekend, rather than saying the earlier flights are purely to save money.

Our attempt to take DS back to our home country last year early to avoid crazy high Easter airfare resulted in two unauthorised absence days.

He was in Reception and despite a nasty note from the school and council, we were never fined.

We are following the rules this year and because I am sure there will be no mercy it comes to authorising absences.

So if the fine is worth it and doesn't interfere with Ds SATS, go for it. The rule is ridiculous, imho.