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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To take my children out of school for one day

50 replies

Ilovehamabeads · 06/04/2014 22:08

Basically we booked a week family holiday for next year in a school half term. When we booked the company did mon-mon bookings, and as my school had a training day on the following Monday this was ok. Since we booked, they have altered their turnover day to Friday, and so the start of our holiday will now be the last day of term. It's a bloody long drive away and if we went straight after school on fri it would be about midnight before we arrived.
AIBU to ask for 1 day off for them, as the holiday is as much a half term holiday as it can possibly be, and I really don't want to miss the first day of the holiday.
The company did offer us cancellation with refund of deposit if new arrangements didnt suit but I don't want to cancel, this is a big family get together and I want to go!

OP posts:

goldenlula · 07/04/2014 00:12

As others have suggested, I would pick them up just after lunchtime registration and head of then. This is what I intend to do with ds' for my bil's Friday wedding. He is getting married at 4pm, so ds1's registration is at 1.30 (they do a staggered lunchtime for ks1 and ks2) so will pick them both up after the registration, to avoid the fine!

NoodleOodle · 07/04/2014 00:17

mmy school count the attendance for every lesson, sigh. I'd just take them, sick all day.

ilovesooty · 07/04/2014 00:34

If you're going to take them out either take them out after registration or unauthorised. It's unlikely you'll be fined.

I think lying and calling them in sick is wrong and in any case it sounds as though you wouldn't be comfortable with it.

BeaLola · 07/04/2014 01:06

I would write in with copy of booking cnfirmation to show booked before they changed day. Our school did this last year re change of inset day and noone got fined who had booked based on previously announced day.

SoonToBeSix · 07/04/2014 01:24

You can't get fined for one day but it may go down as unauthorised.

RudyMentary · 07/04/2014 04:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Kezzybear · 07/04/2014 04:57

I would either just take them out (didn't think u were fined for one day?) or pick them up straight after afternoon registration. Depending on how long the drive is.

adoptmama · 07/04/2014 05:03

Schools aren't daft - we do notice the higher than average rate of illness on first and last days of term. This thread though really does demonstrate the them-V-us relationship the government have managed to create between parents and schools :(

I'd send them in the morning at least. Lots of schools plan nice, last day activities, have assemblies with certificates etc. Pick them up 30 minutes early to avoid the traffic jam at the gates. Be truthful with the school as to why you are leaving early. You really don't need to take them out of school for the entire day anyway just to head off on holiday.

MargotLovedTom · 07/04/2014 09:20

If they can arrive six hours earlier at their destination, thus arriving at 6pm rather than midnight, then I would say it's worth keeping them off for the day. If they take them out 30 mins before end of school then what on earth is the benefit?

I think the children will be more excited about going on holiday than nice activities on the last day of term, abs it will make all the difference to the stress levels of the parents to arrive at a civilised hour, rather than midnight. They'll all be knackered on the first proper day of their holiday if they don't get to bed till early hours of the morning.

wonderingsoul · 07/04/2014 09:27

i would give them a sick day.

if they question said kids and say they went on hoilday.. well they did... but they must have got the day wrong.. as kids do.

last day of term there not going to be doing any thing reaally educational. and there is more to childhood then school!

ill prob get flamed for that but hay ho!

Catsize · 07/04/2014 13:54

Can you not just arrive on the Saturday morning, and get the company to refund one night or something?

Floggingmolly · 07/04/2014 13:57

Just travel when you've picked them up, fgs. Don't most schools finish at lunch time on the last day of term?

MargotLovedTom · 07/04/2014 14:36

No ours finish normal time. What's all the 'fgs' about? I absolutely fail to see the big deal about missing the lastday of term especially at their age. It's one day!!! In dd''s Yr3 class there are two boys who missed last week because they're having three weeks in Florida. School fully aware.

It's one day, the end of term. They're hardly likely to be introduced to a major new topic on that day, or to miss anything vital to their education.

Lucylouby · 07/04/2014 15:06

Don't tell anyone at school about the problem and phone the school early on the Friday morning to say children have been up all night ill so won't be in. By the time they are back on school the teacher won't question it, it will be that long ago. It's not like having the Monday off school and going back in on the Tuesday when they may be questioned about it. Either that or go the complete honest route and tell them the company messed up and your children will not be at school that day. If they fine you, you will just have to pay up.

Ragwort · 07/04/2014 15:13

Do you get fined for missing one day?

We took DS out for two days (last two days of Autumn term) - we did ask for authorised leave, were told we could not have it but took the days anyway and didn't get a fine. I had heard unofficially that fines kick in if you miss three days or more but don't know if this is the school's policy or general 'law'?

Tinkerball · 07/04/2014 15:24

We are doing this in the Summer, have to leave in the early hours of the last day of term to drive to Folkestone so we can get our train to France the next day, from Glasgow. Not missing a day so we will keep our boys off obviously, I'm not stressing about it.

Noodledoodledoo · 07/04/2014 16:04

As adoptmama says schools are not daft. Anyone who is ill just before a holiday always makes me smile - I don't do anything about it but it does make me wonder. I am in Secondary and we have a family of 3 in the school who were all ill for the same 4 days at the start of the year. Unfortunately the middle one in my tutor group has an issue with keeping their mouth shut so we all know they weren't ill! I know children get ill at the same time but its a little suss near holidays!

If its one day and you have good attendance normaly it will not be an issue.

ilovesooty · 07/04/2014 17:06

I can't believe so many people are advocating lying about illness. Why would you do that when you could just explain the circumstances, provide proof of the original booking and take it unauthorised if necessary? The chances of being fined are just about zero and if you were it wouldn't hold up in court.

Calling in sick when you aren't simply doesn't sound the best way to go about it. The school will know you're lying whether they can prove it or not.

momb · 07/04/2014 17:14

If it's a family gathering then can't you just go on the Saturday morning and ask for a discount from the letting company as they have changed your booking and you can't use the first day?
A 6 night break is still a nice holidayand you woudln't need to lie or worry about possibel fines or worry that your children had missed a project or holiday homework.

Nennypops · 07/04/2014 17:25

Does the school actually do a full day on the last day of term? Ours closes early.

ICanSeeTheSun · 07/04/2014 17:29

Take them out for 1 day, normally children are so tired that most schools have a more laid back day last day of term.

Ragwort · 07/04/2014 18:42

ICan - my DS has attended four schools so far and the last day (if not week ) of term is always films/tidying up/parties/sports etc etc but parents are still not allowed to take their children out of school. It makes me so annoyed - I would be very happy if he was doing a proper day's work but not being allowed to miss a film and session of sharpening pencils seems crazy - and it hasn't got any better at secondary school.

By the way, who are these children who get 'tired' - don't think my DS has ever been 'tired' after a day at school .

missymayhemsmum · 07/04/2014 21:37

YANBU, take them out of school and explain the circs. Ask for any homework etc in advance. If the school argue, ask for a detailed breakdown of the academic content/ lesson plans for every minute they will miss. Which will be bugger all on the last day of term.

cardibach · 07/04/2014 21:48

It won't be 'no work and end of term activities' because it's half term! However, I would take them out, say why and challenge any fine on the basis of the company changing the dates on you.

MargotLovedTom · 07/04/2014 23:53

Oh yes, sorry I meant the last day of the half-term. Still only one day. Their education wouldn't be in tatters if they had one day's absence at the age of 5/9, would it?

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