To take dd13 out of school early to see a show?

[User2638483]

I messed up - the county term dates say end of term is Friday 17th Dec.
Dd is in year 9 at an academy secondary and up until now I assumed they follow the same dates as they always have, or maybe one or two days early which I thought of as inset days.
Just didn’t really think about it and assumed she’d be breaking up on that friday. Obviously i should’ve checked.
Turns out they actually finish on 21st! Which seems pretty late. It’s a half day.

I’ve got tickets to the Nutcracker ballet in London, the matinee on 21st.
Have checked and there’s no availability for dates we can attempt to change to (not even sure if they’d allow that).
She doesn’t want to miss the last day because they do fun stuff.
She’d have to leave an hour early to get the train in time.

Do I be honest with the school?
Or just say it’s an unspecified ‘appointment’ (ironically does actually have an orthodontist thing that day which j need to rearrange!)

Or keep her off entirely and say she’s ill which doesn’t sit well but would be easier

YANBU to take her out of school early imo. DS15 will be missing that day altogether as we're traveling to another city for him to participate in his sport on the Saturday.
I'd love to see the Nutcracker, I hope you have a wonderful time

Take her out. Have fun. There is not a single thing happening in school that day that is important for her education. As a teacher that much I can guarantee.

Take her out. The 21st is really late to finish!

Yes pick her up early if she doesn’t want to miss the last day. I’m in my 40s and still remember when my mum took me off school one day to go to crufts with her, It felt really special!

Take the day off and enjoy yourselves. If they can close the schools for LfT testing etc one more day won’t hurt plus I doubt they will be doing much and if she was genuinely ill you wouldn’t worry about her missing school l. Have fun.

Let her finish an hour early & tell school why. Taking her to a performance of the nutcracker is educational enough to warrant missing the sort of things she's likely to be doing that day - plenty of schools will simply put on a christmas film!!

Take her! If scheduling allows then let her go in and pick her up early. Quick change in the car unless it’s non uniform day and off you go. Wouldn’t think twice about this. Even if she misses the half day it’s just cake and silliness.
Nutcracker all the way; lucky girl!

My kids don’t finish until the 22nd , have also cocked up and booked a theatre show on the 21st! Have decided to take them out of school, kids have missed enough fun stuff as it is

I would pick her up at lunchtime rather than an hour early as it's less disruptive and tell them why.

I'm taking my dd out of school in the 17th as we off to London for the horse show so no YANBU

YANBU (and I am a teacher). She won't miss any learning on that day. No need to lie to the school. Ofsted currently place great store by 'cultural capital' and the ballet is a pretty good way of building that.

@toomuchfaster

I would pick her up at lunchtime rather than an hour early as it's less disruptive and tell them why.

It's already a half day.

Yanbu. I think quite a few people will be keeping kids off the last day and a half anyway if they go on so late to avoid catching Covid just before Xmas. Maybe just keep her off for the day unless she really wants to go in. It would only be a couple of hours.

I'd be honest and say you thought she would gave finished school on that day, it's only an hour early and better than her missing the whole day. I can't see the school being awkward about it and it's always better to be honest.

👍 ok thanks will be honest then, and get her an hour early which is about 11.40.
Last part is tutor time anyway.
I just wasn’t sure if they would kick up a stink if I admitted it was for a ballet, but I’m sure they’re all far too tired to bother or care.

What time does the half day end? I would be willing to bet they will dismiss them just after the PM registration so that all of the students have a full day of attendance on paper.

Ok next question then… does anyone know where the best xmas lights in london would be to go and see before we get the train home? We’d be in Covent Garden and getting train back from Waterloo but don’t mind hopping on the tube if there are some really good ones - Oxford street/Bond Street/regent street?
Mayfair? Any tips?

Due to end at 1240 I think

We’re finishing 22nd and I don’t know why - the attendance stats for that last half week will be terrible!

YANBU

secretldn.com/londons-christmas-lights-switch-on/

Try this.

I know she wants to go in…but I wouldn’t send her. Go to London early and have a nice lunch or suchlike.

Loads of Christmas lights. Personally I'd go for Covent Garden area and Old Bond Street (not new)

You have the ones in Oxford street & regents street although the overhead ones are all pretty much the same. But the shops will have displays.
Carnaby street has is worth a wander through.
Covent Garden has a big tree and is very festive all around that area.
Lots of the shops on Old Bond Street (kind of opposite fortnum and masons which is decorated like an advent calendar) has all the expensive shops such as Chanel they have very impressive shop fronts.
Harrods always does a good display but a bit out of the way.

Thanks for all the lights advice!
Yes… part of me thinks is it worth it for 2.5 hours basically but if she wants to go in I don’t mind collecting her early. We’ll have time to mooch around after the show

We finish on the 23rd this year. So late. It sounds like yous will have a lovely time. Enjoy it

Covent Garden is really pretty at this time of year, and the walk back down to Waterloo over the bridge is really Christmas-London-ish.