Very tricky - taking ds out of school for a couple of days exception circumstance?!

[Sleepswithbutterflies]

Ds is just about to start in year 1.
We have just had our second ivf failure. We are now considering using donor embryos in Spain.
However we will need to (obviously) go to the Spanish clinic for this (all scans can be done here) at fairly short notice for the transfer.
We have no one to look after ds and would rather take him with us anyway. It is nigh on impossible to arrange it specifically for a school holiday unless we wait an entire year until next July.
We think we would need to be away for 2 nights. Possibly it may fall on a weekend but we don't know.

Aibu to think we will just have to take ds out of school for a couple of days? I can't see anyway around it apart from giving up and not attempting donor embryos.

Take him.

Will you tell the school the reason as they will ask?

I don't know the proper language to use in these circumstances but good luck & I hope it works :)

I don't know...that's what makes it tricky.
I don't really want to tell them. I guess I could be vague and just say fertility treatment abroad.

Thanks for the good wishes. I wish it could be simpler for us but it isn't going to be and so that is why we are considering other options. We don't have many.

If you're happy saying "fertility treatment abroad" then use that phrasing. I'm so sorry you have to go to these lengths, I really hope the treatment is successful.

I think I would be tempted to be even more vague to start with and just say it is for medical treatment.

I think it will be difficult if you don't want to tell them, but I would expect them to be pretty reasonable if you do.

Thing is, what's the absolute worst case scenario. A fine for both days? Or is it only a fine after a certain number of days off have been reached. This fine business didn't stop kids in my DS's class going on holiday in term time last year so perhaps it kicks in after a certain time.

Tell the school that its fertility treatment & tell them you have 2 days or nothing. Hopefully they won't ask for any further details as its sensitive & private stuff. They may even agree its exceptional.

If your options are limited then go, & I hope it works :)

I would be even more vague, although I'm not sure exactly what the wording would be. Medical procedures abroad? Visit to a clinic? treatment abroad? If you feel like it, a word with the principal or your son's teacher could elaborate on what you put in writing, but I don't think it's necessary at all.
good luck, I hope things work out for you

Just to add, when I had DC3 the school were fine with DD1 having up to 2 days off just because I didn't want her to feel booted out and excluded. She had a day in the end and they had some sort of exceptional family circumstances thing that meant that I didn't even have to write a note.

The difficulty with saying medical procedure abroad is you may get lots of follow up questions about why you cannot give notice. Of course you don't have to answer.