Taking kids out of school for hols - unauthorised absence or ring in sick

[SPARKLYSTARSHINESBRIGHT]

So we have a holiday coming up which will require primary DD10 and secondary DS14 misssing the last day of term at Easter. DD hasn't missed a day this year, DS has missed about 4 registrations due to dentist appointments.
Should I ask for permission to take them out, (unauthorised absence) and risk a fine or should I ring them in sick on the last day. Do schools actually prefer you to ring them in sick as the figures look better than unauthorised absences? I've never taken them out before.

[DailyMailSucksWails]

We teach our kids to lie all the friggin' time.

Say thank you (for that awful jumper Aunt Pam gave you)
Say Excuse me in a polite tone (to the eejit standing in the doorway blocking everyone)
Say Sorry ( 2 the person who stepped on YOUR foot)
Tell Granny her fruitcake tastes nice (I'll buy you a better treat later)

Kids can cope with fibs.

[autumnnightsaredrawingin]

Just tell the truth.

[CarolDanvers]

Incidentally, I know an estate agent who has informed LEA to 2 families who have rented property 6 months ago (and never moved in) to get their DC's into better secondary school and she was informed they were unlikely to follow it up as lack of resources!

Really? . Isn’t that yet more data protection breaching?

[lifetothefull]

We don't get fined where we are. Much better as it doesn't encourage dishonesty from parents.

[SPARKLYSTARSHINESBRIGHT]

Well I've completed the form for primary DD10 and deciding whether to for DS14. Looking at info which states no more than 10 missed registrations in a term and my daughter hasn't so we would be unlucky to get fined.
Incidentally, I know an estate agent who has informed LEA to 2 families who have rented property 6 months ago (and never moved in) to get their DC's into better secondary school and she was informed they were unlikely to follow it up as lack of resources!
Maybe unauthorised absences get more revenue! Just saying!

[Merrymumoftwo]

I guess I see both sides
Is it wrong to teach kids to lie? Yes not just because they could lie to you later more importantly it can put a child in a difficult situation and lead them to feeling they have betrayed a parent.
Is this rule fair? No, for many reasons, as someone already stated sometimes it’s not about cost it’s about a medical condition or a family event important to that family. There used to be flexibility, it’s gone now and that makes everyone’s lives more difficult.

[teyem]

Jesus Teen, what is wrong with your school? I can't see how any school that acquiesces to that demand is compliant with the data protection act.

[CarolDanvers]

Indeed sitdown. I suspect if they actually tried to use this information to make a case they’d find themselves being told to change that policy double quick.

[Sitdownstandup]

That all sounds like rather a legal minefield. Both child and data protection.

[TeenTimesTwo]

Carol Teyem

I quote:

"When children are off for any reason, we automatically contact the schools of any siblings to check their attendance, 
We check that to see if it is the child’s birthday, 
If we have information that conflicts with what parents have told us, we will text asking for proof. If no proof is presented, the absence will be unauthorised."

It may of course be that they have it in the policy to 'scare' parents who are contemplating lying, and actually don't do it.

[TheWomanin12B]

I would and have rung in sick for this. As long as the kids don't spill the beans, you don't tell anyone and you don't post on fb.

[Aquilla]

Ring in sick - it's actually better for the school stats.
Especially since they are at different schools anyway.
This whole fining thing makes my bloody blood boil. It essentially means that only the rich and (slightly) irresponsible can afford a decent holiday for some much needed vitamin D!

[Sitdownstandup]

None of my rules will ever be that arbitrary or fuckwitted, so an even remotely analogous situation would never apply. But if it did, see teyem's response.

[CarolDanvers]

Agree Teyem. They might be able to do it unofficially through gossip channels but I can’t see how they’d be able to use the “evidence” when considering attendance intervention.

[teyem]

I just don't believe that you are correct Teen. You can't just phone up other schools to check the attendance of children in them and, even if they did, most illness which are contagious will more than like affect a whole sibling set.

[CarolDanvers]

Schools prefer you to say they’re sick? Where on earth did you hear this?

At my child’s ofsted outstanding primary when her teacher muttered out the corner of her mouth “it’s one day call in sick!” when I launched into an explanation of why I was taking my autistic child out for the day to go to Legoland as she’d never be able to cope then on a crowded weekend.

[teyem]

If my children think that my rules are unevenly applied or Draconian and if they can see that there was an entity different set of rules only 10 years ago that worked just fine and the current rules were to obtain an arbitrary standard, we'll be able to sit down and talk about it.

[TeenTimesTwo]

Carol They are fed up with parents lying to them. Attendance is worse than similar schools. This is one of a raft of measures to try to improve (some carrot, some stick).

[CarolDanvers]

ur old primary now has a policy to check with siblings schools if child is 'sick' next to half term or start/end of term.

Really? How very Big Brother of them.

[CarolDanvers]

Ring in sick. It’s one day and no one cares or remembers when the new term begins.

[AnnaComnena]

teaching children that small lies are sometimes the optimum option when a particular rule is stupid, unevenly applied and unfair is no bad thing.

When your child thinks that your rules are stupid, unevenly applied and unfair, will it be 'no bad thing' when they lie to you?

[BlackberryandNettle]

Call in sick.

[teyem]

It wouldn't be unusual to have a couple of children be sick at the same time. I love this idea that schools are playing some game of Columbo, checking their sources, knocking on doors, defying data protection acts to collaborate with nearby schools to catch the little buggers out.

It makes me want to be an attendance officer more than anything.

[TeenTimesTwo]

School aren't stupid. Don't lie. It makes you look daft expecting them to believe it. Politely inform the teacher and school office they won't be in.

Our old primary now has a policy to check with siblings schools if child is 'sick' next to half term or start/end of term.

[teyem]

Yes, I think that's fair. I've only ever taken my kids out for a day's worth of holiday but that was years ago when there was a bit of bloody sense about the whole thing.