.about asking for a day off school? Prepared to be told I am- genuinely not sure.

[Hakluyt]

Ds is in year 8. Each year has a "reward trip" in the summer term for kids who have done well in all areas of school life during the year. It's quite a big deal- the chosen kids are very proud of their achievement.
What I didn't realise is that they send out more invitations than there are spaces- and I sent the form in too late.
Ds is resigned to it- hasn't made any sort of fuss and was very good about accepting my apologies for not getting my act together.

It occurred to me that if I took him out of school on that day, we could have a family day out- his big sister's finished school already and his dad and I could get time off.

What do people think? Should I put it to the school and see what they say, or just send him to school as usual.

I'm a governor too, and IMO as a governor you have to be whiter than white and you do not take them out of school for something like this, or lie about illness or any of the other daft suggestions people are making.

"So 'all areas of school life' - does it have to include academic achievement? Or can it be kids who try their best, work hard etc etc."

No, not achievement objectively. Subjective achievement against individual targets, yes.

And no, I would never lie about sickness. Never have and never will. Even in my pre governor days.

What does your son want to do?

Oh, he just thinks he's going in to school- I've only just thought of doing anything different.

Good grief!

Send him into school & treat him some other time.

It's shit that they do this tbh, but you didn't get it back in time & your son knows & accepts this.

Surely you have every weekend and the whole of the school summer holiday to take him somewhere as treat. Send him to school with the other DC who didn't get picked or didn't get the form in on time.