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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To pull a sickie to take my kids to Glastonbury

122 replies

TheColourofspring · 03/05/2023 07:42

Me & DH have glasto tickets. My mum was going to look after the kids but now can’t come down. I am not so concerned about the year 6 child as they will have done SATS & the head won’t mind. The older child more tricky as secondary won’t give any days off and certainly not for a festival. But it’s the last year we can get them in for free! Older child doing well in school so am not so worried about them missing school for a few days.

It’s more how to do it? Formally & it’s likely I will get fined! I feel really bad pulling a sickie but I feel like it’s a great experience for them & one that they will remember.

Glasto tickets are like Rocking horse poo too so for DH & I, it might be our last chance!! There’s great kids stuff on site, family camping & so good all round really. And post covid, feels like an enriching thing to do.

Irresponsible parents or life experience?! I really don’t want to have to give up my tickets with 6 weeks to go!

OP posts:
spongebunnyfatpants · 03/05/2023 18:29

Ask the school for an absence of leave form for both children. It will be unauthorised but you may not be fined. Google your local councils policy, as some areas it's 10 units (5 full days) and in others it can be 8 units (4 days) within a consecutive period of time, before you can be fined. Our area is 10 units of unauthorised absence in a consecutive 3 month period.
Then go and enjoy your family festival time and don't forget the baby wipes! 😁

Kidstvissoloud · 03/05/2023 18:33

Definitely do it! I’m very envious 💖
I’m a teacher too and I say go for it.

IAmTheWalrus85 · 03/05/2023 18:34

fitzwilliamdarcy · 03/05/2023 12:50

MN is so funny about things like this.

When teachers strike to try and improve conditions in schools it’s the end of the known universe and those handful of days are the difference between their kid getting Oxbridge and failing all their exams.

When a parent wants to take the kids out for a “culturally enriching” experience at Glasto it’s all “ur kidz ur rulez, go #makememories!”.

I don’t think those things are equivalent though. If OP was asking if she should take the children out of school at least once every month I don’t think she’d have had the same response.

Curioushorse · 03/05/2023 18:53

Ha.

Speaking as a teacher, absolutely do it. Your child's teachers will be jealous. Don't even bother lying. In a large secondary school different departments really don't even see each other enough to care.

Actually, if they've got automated registers (which they should have), such as Bromcom or Sims, if you just write in the reason to attendance in an email starting with a 'sorry but we've taken our child to Glastonbury' then it will appear on the register over you child's name and you'll be an absolute legend.

Hope you have a brilliant time!

MrsToothyBitch · 03/05/2023 19:12

I'd do it. Glasto isn't my thing but I'd do it for equivalent type of event so I can't tell you not to.

And definitely don't lie- either the kids will drop you in it or you'll end up on tv!

HaroldeVwilliam · 03/05/2023 19:14

Omg go!! What a incredible memories!! Definitely go

Mumto2kids86 · 03/05/2023 20:15

You won’t get fined for less than 5 days. Go for it!

Ossification · 03/05/2023 20:31

Justpoppingon · 03/05/2023 07:44

I'd definitely do it and I used to be a teacher 😂

That says it all

Clementineorsatsuma · 03/05/2023 20:32

Take them but be honest about it.

Addymontgomeryfan · 03/05/2023 20:42

Be honest with the school, you won't be the first or the last parent to do this.

How close to the festival do you live? We are going and DC is coming, but we live close enough for DP and most of our group to head down on the Wednesday, then myself, DC and others in our group are heading down on Friday morning, so the DC are only missing one day of school. There's 8 school age children amongst our group at a few different schools and all schools are aware and happy for them to miss one day.

Littleoxforddictionary · 03/05/2023 20:50

My local authority routinely fines for festival absences. Don't lie-pay the fine if they charge it. No reason that middle class parents taking kids to Glastonbury shouldn't be fined while an absence for a week in tenerife because 'we wanted a cheap holiday' is fined.

sevenbyseven · 03/05/2023 22:05

Littleoxforddictionary · 03/05/2023 20:50

My local authority routinely fines for festival absences. Don't lie-pay the fine if they charge it. No reason that middle class parents taking kids to Glastonbury shouldn't be fined while an absence for a week in tenerife because 'we wanted a cheap holiday' is fined.

The reason is simply the shorter absence. Nothing to do with class or festivals.

Lineofbestfit · 03/05/2023 22:10

Sounds like you’re pretty switched on with school stuff so just tell them and take the kids out. Glastonbury is such a great experience for them, if I wasn’t a secondary school teacher I would do the same!!! Just maybe help them catch up with missed work and stuff! Enjoy!!!

HappiDaze · 03/05/2023 22:12

Do it

IamSallyBowles · 03/05/2023 22:26

go go go go go go go for it

Charis1503 · 04/05/2023 07:44

Do it, do it, do it ( I'm chanting 😆)

I'd absolutely pull a sicky and take them. What a fabulous experience for them.

If I ever need to bunk off my 6 year old on a Friday or a Monday I usually use the excuse " he had a spot of diarrhea last night and we have a plans this weekend so need him better". The school would want a compulsory 48 hours off and then when he blabbs on the monday that we took him to a theme park they can assume it was on the sat/sun rather than the Friday when it was cheaper and quieter 😆😆

Mimilamore · 04/05/2023 17:00

You go for it... and I used to work in attendance 😉

TheseThree · 04/05/2023 17:23

KingSpaniel · 03/05/2023 07:43

You won’t get fined if it’s less than 5 days. I would just tell them and let them put it down as unauthorised absence - don’t make your kids lie in school.

Definitely agree. Don’t get your kids wrapped in a lie but do it! Pull them out with an unauthorized absence and go. Since they are doing well in school, I think the experience is worth it.

Loupeckham · 05/05/2023 20:08

I remember my mum writing a note to my brother’s school when he went, which said he would be attending a local contemporary performing arts festival, which she thought would be culturally educational 😂 School didn’t mind!

Qilin · 06/05/2023 08:08

Littleoxforddictionary · 03/05/2023 20:50

My local authority routinely fines for festival absences. Don't lie-pay the fine if they charge it. No reason that middle class parents taking kids to Glastonbury shouldn't be fined while an absence for a week in tenerife because 'we wanted a cheap holiday' is fined.

Our LEA doesn't fine until day 5 so most festivals absences aren't affected as they are also spanning weekends.

cansu · 06/05/2023 08:26

You would be unreasonable to not check dates for mocks first. He should not miss his mock exams so that you can go to a festival. All this lifetime experience type shit is also basically crap. I would check what he would be missing then decide.

sevenbyseven · 06/05/2023 15:47

cansu · 06/05/2023 08:26

You would be unreasonable to not check dates for mocks first. He should not miss his mock exams so that you can go to a festival. All this lifetime experience type shit is also basically crap. I would check what he would be missing then decide.

Year 10 mocks aren't vitally important though - the "real" mocks are in Y11. With any luck there won't be a clash anyway.

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