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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To call into school sick when actually on holiday?

199 replies

RosieLancs · 28/04/2021 08:43

AIBU to lie to the school and pretend the kids are off sick when we are in fact on holidaying?
In a rash moment I booked a caravan holiday for me and the kids the week before half term.
It has been a long year and I feel like we deserve a little family break.
I would normally go in school holiday time but it was over triple the price for the half term week which took it out of our price range.

I know I could land myself with an £120 fine here and if that happened then so be it but would I be unreasonable to just ring them in sick for that week?
Has anyone else done this and gotten away with it before?

If its relevant - after a recent parents evening both of their teachers said they were still very confident and well adjusted after the lockdowns of the last year and both are working at 'Greater Depth' for their age group so I don't feel missing 5 days of school will harm them in any way.

OP posts:
LittleTiger007 · 28/04/2021 10:36

Be honest and take the fine. I’m a teacher and we always know. The kids let it slip and then another kid tells the teacher and the kid feels dreadful, plus it’s a really bad example to them that dishonesty is ok.

Shinesun14 · 28/04/2021 10:41

Just tell the school they need to isolate. Fuck the fine. Honesty is not always the best policy.

Shinesun14 · 28/04/2021 10:42

Also I wouldn't even tell dc they're skipping school to go on holiday. I'd tell them we're going on holiday for half term, then Sunday night surprise them and say we're actually going tomorrow.

DelBocaVista · 28/04/2021 10:43

So couple of months ago everyone whinging about schools being shut and kids’ education blah blah and how much they’ve missed and now parents voluntarily getting kids to miss more school. Priceless

The parent who was most vocal about this on our class whatsapp has just taken her kids out of school for two weeks for a family holiday!
Depending on the age of the kids I don't have too much of an issue with this. We took DS abroad when he was in reception as both me and DH were offered a work trip to a country where my sister was living so it was too good an opportunity to turn down especially as he had never met his cousins before.
But don't be a hypocrite!

2mums1son · 28/04/2021 10:47

I'd say be honest as your child will say/be asked by their teachers where they were anyway.

I work in education and am a parent. I have never taken my child out of school for a holiday but I will be at the end of this half term for an afternoon to get away and beat the rush hour. I have emailed and been honest. I don't think that its fair to lie for my child as I know he will be asked by the school why he is off. Out of respect for the school I also felt that honesty was the best policy.

We won't be fined as it's only half a day.

The fines don't go to the school. They go to the LA.

2mums1son · 28/04/2021 10:50

I certainly wouldn't lie about a high temperature given the times we live in. My school would then ask for proof of a negative covid test as we would need to close the bubble if positive. This will then lead into more lies. You could refuse to get them tested but that just makes the issue bigger than it needs to be.

If they usually have great attendance, I'd be honest.

Sh05 · 28/04/2021 10:50

I'm glad you've fou d a way around it op. Kids always slip up or they tell a friend who slips up!

greeneyedlulu · 28/04/2021 10:51

I did for the first 2 days back to school last year, the week in September when it's just Thursday and Friday, not sure I'm brave enough to do a full 5 days though, I think I'd just own it and tell the truth or not risk it. That's a lot of money if you're fined.

apooagnuandyou · 28/04/2021 10:54

@GreenFingersWouldBeHandy

funnily enough, in my kids schools the parents who have already booked holidays for this year and next during term time are the ones who played the "keyworker" card

Wow. You don't get to make up key worker status.

Key workers deserve holidays more than anyone.

according to the government list, you have to work pretty hard to find a job that is NOT on the key worker list. There are some obviously, but I think there is some confusion between critical frontline workers, and "key worker".

As the normal school holidays apply, you can't argue that you needed a space for your kids AND need extra holidays when convenient Grin.

It doesn't bother or affect me in any way when other parents take their kids off, it just made me laugh that the ones who are the most keen on extra holidays are the ones who used the schools - as opposed to parents who worked AND homeschooled...

2mums1son · 28/04/2021 10:54

@Whinge Part of my role is attendance and it is absolutely is the school's decision who to fine. We have to send off all the paperwork to county to generate the fine. It is never generated by county and a school told to fine.

Schools sometimes tell parents that they have to fine following guidance, but that's exactly what it is - guidance. Each case is decided by a school and it is not up to the LA. There are criteria (in our case 12 absences eg. 12 registers missed) and we then send off the paperwork.

Pleasedontputthatthere · 28/04/2021 10:57

Greenfingers in what way does a key worker deserve a holiday more than anybody else who worked full time and home-schooled kids during the pandemic?

nancywhitehead · 28/04/2021 11:04

Tbh I wouldn't be taking kids out of school right now when they have missed so much already.

Everyone needs a break but also kids need to reintegrate into school and get used to normality again.

Embracingthechaos · 28/04/2021 11:05

How old are your kids?

Primary age will definitely blab. Secondary school might also blab, depending on the kid.

That being said, it's really not that big of a deal if you do take a chance and call in sick for them. MN is really weird about stuff like this so I would take the more dramatic responses with a pinch of salt.

BadMudda · 28/04/2021 11:05

[quote Nith]Isn't the fine potentially £120 per child per day, so potentially around £1.2K?[/quote]

Wow 😳

Really? Does it vary from borough to borough or is that standard?

PuttingOnTheKitsch · 28/04/2021 11:09

There are some miserable begrudgers on here. It's a week on a caravan site, not a six-month world cruise. A year is a long time for a child to spend only at home or in school, which has been the case for most children. A change of scenery would be good for them.

apooagnuandyou · 28/04/2021 11:11

My only issue about parents taking extra holidays is when they moan that the summer break is too long! THAT takes the piss big time.

Apart from that...If it's only for a caravan break, I personally would keep that for a couple of weekends and long weekend, so kids get the best of both worlds and don't miss on their friends, but it's up to the parents really.

Jimdandy · 28/04/2021 11:13

I don’t think YABU to take them away for the eel during term time, but you are unreasonable to pretend they’re sick. Please just be honest and say you’re taking them away l.

Shouldittcnow · 28/04/2021 11:15

I’d also recommend being honest and taking the fine as children spill the beans! Not a good idea - or a good example - to ask them to lie.

murbblurb · 28/04/2021 11:16

OP is taking the easy route and telling the truth. Has realised that teachers were not actually born yesterday!

Troublewaters2021 · 28/04/2021 11:18

We are taking kids out in September even though DD has missed a whole year because they deserve it and they weren’t out having experiences there were shielding.
However I’m telling the schoo the truth just not listening if they say no 🤣

HOkieCOkie · 28/04/2021 11:18

Normally I would say no it’s fine, but these kids have barely had time in school and a responsible parent would be making sure not a day at school is wasted.

Mimilamore · 28/04/2021 11:20

Just be honest, it won't be authorised and you will get fined most likely but school will know anyway. Kids talk and always come back with talk of their time away,
I used to love the foreign ring tone or the sun tans when kids were off with d and v 😀

Nezza121 · 28/04/2021 11:28

@HOkieCOkie

Normally I would say no it’s fine, but these kids have barely had time in school and a responsible parent would be making sure not a day at school is wasted.
Surely a responsible parent has weighed up their circumstances and judged a holiday to be the best course of action?

After a year’s disrupted learning 5 days isn’t going to make much difference in the long run

ittakes2 · 28/04/2021 11:28

My family live in the southern hemisphere - it takes more than 24hrs to get there with several flights. I have taken my kids out over christmas periods when they were just watching videos for 5 days and never been fined.
I would lie if its just a single day but 5 days you are going to have to ask your kids to lie too. Honestly, just right a letter to the school explaining why and leave it at that. No one after the year we have had would judge anyone wanting to take a break.

lonel · 28/04/2021 11:30

Glad you found a way to go anyway. I hate school fines and don't think anyone should get them for missing a few days.

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