Would you/have you taken dc out of school for a day for a one off day trip/treat

[shatteredmama]

Just that really - dc in yr 1, had pretty much 100% attendance in yr R, has no issues, sociable, doing well..

This wouldn’t have crossed my mind previously but following two recent experiences during summer hols and a weekend when we went to Legoland/Chessington and were faced with ridiculous queues of 1.5 hr plus for rides compared with how quiet those places are today (I’ve checked queue times in their apps) it does strike me that dc would’ve had a far better experience going school time mid week with me then catching up on a bit of schoolwork at the weekend.

I’d only intend on doing this once or twice a year, I don’t expect it will sit well with the school however so am just wondering if any of you have done this and how the schools responded, or how you dealt with it if going about it a different way.

Am new to the voting thing, but please vote yes if you’d do what I’m planning or no if you wouldn’t, thanks 🙏

There’s always one

Or 25, according to current voting.

Yes I would and I have. DD went to her first big arena concert last year and we had to stay overnight so she had two days off school. I'm absolutely thrilled now that I did as it might be some time before large events like that happen again.

Runningclearwater... you kind of have to tell the school!

Yes I would/have done. Life isn’t just about school. That said, my children breeze through school. If they struggled I probably wouldn’t have. I can’t now my eldest is in secondary however. I’ve whipped them out of school on hot days to go to the beach, we’ve taken days off for day trips and visiting family/friends from a distance away.

I have done, yes. I wouldn’t just now because they’ve had so much time off and I think schooling will be disrupted enough but in the normal scheme of things taking them out occasionally is no bad thing.

YANBU.

I find this obsession with 100% attendance just ridiculous. The only times I got with just my mum was when she took me out of school for the day to the dentist and made a trip of it with shopping and a cake. These are my favourite memories of my Mum.
I got three A's at A-level and have a BA and MSc, so did not harm my education.

Most countries in the world kids would not even be in school at the age of 5 anyway.

Have no problem with you taking him out for a day but where are you expecting to get the schoolwork from? The teacher? That's unreasonable imo. Just take him out and don't ask them for catch-up work.

@PineappleUpsideDownCake

Runningclearwater... you kind of have to tell the school!

You really don’t! They were a little bit under the weather that day!

We did a couple of times when the kids were in lower years of primary. Told the school and they were ok about it and we didn't get fined. Once was a day trip to Legoland, other time was adding a couple of days before or after half term to go abroad.

Not sure I'd want them missing any extra school now though, they've missed months of it already!

I'd just call in sick.

Yes, occasional days I have no issue with at all. When I've done it I've tried to keep it to half days (ie leave at lunchtime) but I've done an occasional day.

I've told the school too. His attendance is otherwise great and I don't think it's fair to put the pressure on a child to lie, particularly if they're going to be excited about whatever it is they're doing.

@katy1213

I'd just call in sick.

Encourage them to lie to get off school! Great message. Especially at a time when schools will need to be really monitoring why children are off school.

I was almost with you Op as a one-off event until you said you would do it "once or twice a year"

We used to make use of inset days to have days out. Do you have any coming up, op?

I wouldn't right now, he's probably going to have quite a lot of days off this term when he or someone in your family has a cough or temp and you're waiting to get tested and results. And he may need a fortnight off if someone gets Covid in his bubble. I'd have him in school as much as you can.

I can’t get too excited about it sirzy. It’s the nature of being at school that you are off at the same time as pretty much every other child in the country. A bit of flexibility does no one any harm.

I would in normal times.

I wouldn't now.

At this moment in time, with the risk of having to self isolate and/or localised lockdowns meaning more absence from school, I would personally be more inclined to keep the children as much as possible within school. Saying that, an educational trip for a day within term time can be nice to avoid queues and of course can be vastly cheaper. Just expect that your child may discuss the outing the next day!

YABU

Children have had more than enough disruption to their education this year, with likely more to come if they need to self isolate to due symptoms or a classmate testing positive for covid.

It would be extremely foolish to cause more disruption unnecessary by taking them for a day trip. Just wait for an inset day.

Of course I bloody would! It's one day!

In normal times, yes.

Now? No. They've had enough disruption as it is.

Normal times - yes definitely and I did take dd out for one day last year before Christmas to go to the panto . A lot of parents do it . I’m in Ireland, don’t know about the uk.
At the moment - definitely not , we don’t know how long they will be in school before we need to isolate again .
Also are those attractions even open ? Not a lot of things open in Ireland at the moment and the things that are have very limited spaces and need to be booked in advance .

I did without any qualms - to go to a Taylor Swift concert that required some travel. My daughter was 8, she lost one day of school and I do not regret it for one second. In fact I'd do it again, if we are ever allowed gigs again that is. I guess her chance of attending Harvard is shot to pieces now but we'll shake it off

Those saying that a theme park is not more important than school may not have a good work/life balance themselves so don’t even pay attention.

Taking them out on the one-off occasion will not make any difference whatsoever. This coming from a teacher. Secondary school is what shapes a child’s life, not primary. Sorry.

I've taken my son out for a few days during November or December most years since he started school. Occasionally at other times and on a couple of occasions, for a fortnight's holiday.