More of a WWYD really. Back in November last year we booked our two week summer holiday for this year, in order to get it cheaper and have it paid upfront in advance. We checked the term dates, and our school hadn't published theirs, so we had to go by the ones issued by the local council. They did have the caveat that individual schools were able to make alterations, but broadly speaking all state schools in the county follow them.
Friday July 18 was down as a PD day, and by booking to fly out that day we saved ££££s.
Last Friday our school FINALLY published the summer term dates. And ARGHH - no PD day Friday 18 July. So now I am in a bind. The holiday is booked, and there is no question of us not going. Do I confess and throw myself on their mercy, risking a fine - or do I do what everyone else I know does and simply phone in sick on the last day?
I am generally very honest, and we have never pulled a dishonest sickie with DD. She has had only two days off this year (one when she banged her head at school and had to go to casualty, the other with a bug).
If I hold my nerve and say nothing, there is a chance that the dates will change anyhow. The School have form for adding/removing PD days at as little as one week's notice - but there is no guarantee of this, obv.
Now, I appreciate that we took a gamble and it didn't pay off, BUT I feel very annoyed that they didn't publish the dates earlier, given that they are not following the county standard ones. Even contacting the school office didn't get me any further. If you work and need to book time off for this stuff then you need plenty of notice. For those without bottomless pockets, you also really need to be able to book things like holidays a long way in advance to make them possible. Surely they know the term dates at the beginning of the school year?
So, do I lie and try to wing it (hating myself for doing so, because I am not generally in favour of term-time holidays) or do I confess and pay up?