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

@SmartCar

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

Us too. It means it's so busy in the run up to christmas but bored in January with nothing to do .

OP I'd pick her up early.

Tell the truth and go. It will be far more valuable than anything they do on the last day of term.
Lucky girl!

I wouldn't bother going in at all, what are they going to be doing for half a day other than bumming about? Last day of term is always just waiting for the end of the day anyway and not at all productive!

I once worked for a Head who closed the school early, most of the staff were going to see the Stones! Don't start complaining, it was many many years ago.

My teen DC tend to finish early on the last day of school anyway so hopefully your DD school will be doing the same

I popped into London last week and saw the lights in Old Bond Street and Jeremy Street. Regents Street are normal OK too.

Nutcracker ballet = way more educational than school at cmas time, they’ll probably just be watching tv in class anyway.

If it was me I would just be honest with the school and take an unauthorised absence, most places won’t fine unless you do it a few times. Don’t lie about being sick in a pandemic it’s not cool.