Are school likely to let me take my child out of school an hour early on the last day of half term?

[DefrostedAccount]

Likely to be a problem? I'm trying to book flights but the school isn't open to ask them... Has anyone any experience of this?

I would hope school would use common sense and it would be fine. Having said that, our school is way over the top with attendance. The other day I had to take my daughter 30 mins early for a doctor’s appointment and they wouldn’t let me take my son at the same time. So he had to go into after-school club until I could come back for him. My kids never miss school 🙄

I agree that if it's after afternoon registration the school are unlikely to care as they have what they need (the registration mark). I would probably give the vague not-untruthful explanation of "an appointment with an aeroplane . Sorry, I made it as late in the day as possible to cause as little disruption as I could, but this still means missing the last hour".

This hinges on when registration is, however...
DD2's lower school is normal and has it after lunch.
DD1's middle school decided to place theirs just before home time 🤷🏼 Presumably to stop truancy? (Although the outside of the school is like Fort Knox these days, so that's unlikely). This is a nightmare for maintaining attendance stats if your DC needs lots of appointments, particularly when they are always (for us) held 2 towns over!

Book an earlier flight and take them out all day. It will be easier

There are a lot of dentist appointments the last afternoon of half term!

Most schools don't fine until day 5 ime.

They can't refuse to release your child to you

OP, don't worry about this.

Parents don't need to ask the school if they can do this, only notify.

If a parent emails me to let me know they're collecting a child early (for whatever reason), it just gives me time to make sure they've got their stuff together in time and wish them a lovely holiday.

Don't lie. Even if they school.said no, they can't physically stop you from taking your child out of school!

School doesnt own your children.

@Youcancallmeirrelevant I think the mistake I made was asking if it was OK. I should have just said I was taking him (and will next time). Trying to do the right thing gets you nowhere!

The other day I had to take my daughter 30 mins early for a doctor’s appointment and they wouldn’t let me take my son at the same time.

If you tell them that is what you are doing they can't legally stop you.

They can discourage it but they can't stop you. My school wouldn't think anything of this. We have children picked up early every day because of sibling related issues.

Ypu need to tell them that is what you are doing not ask them if you can.

I hadn’t realised that, I thought it had streamlined with the changes the government put in place for continuity across the country. No one in our area had been previously fined, therefore they now follow the government guidelines of 10 absences.

The poster should still be ok in this circumstance as technically there is no missing school registrations

It's definitely that.

Eg the people you notify about absence is the school office.

If you request to pick your child up early, the office staff don't have the authority to grant that permission, so may say no.

If you tell them that's what you're doing, the office staff equally don't have the authority to stop you.

The specifics in different schools might vary but it's essentially that.

For an hour? No. I've done this a couple of times including recently to take DC to theatre (it was actually an educational visit, a play they study for GCSE!), I just emailed the day before and said "just to let you know I need to collect DC at X time on Friday", then turned up.

They had already been marked present for the afternoon session.

It will be fine but it sounds like you have reason to worry about his dad. One hour of school will not lead to action. Have a wonderful time x

Not if it's the last day of term. The child would have forgotten by the time they get back,and any talk of the holiday will just merge into the half term stuff they did.

I personally would say they have an upset stomach so won't be in.

FFS, of course they will. It's the last day of school not a prison sentence

Yes. Pick them up after afternoon registration and it’ll be fine.

I work in a school office. It happens a lot. Generally getting the afternoon mark is important for a school. I wouldn’t hesitate to take my child out early for this reason but you can be honest. It’s only a short period of time. In our office we don’t bay an eyelid for such a small amount of time off.

If the kids know they are being picked up early to go on holiday, they will spend the day telling everyone they are going on holiday. Then the staff know you have lied to them.

Children rat their parents out every time. We always know when it's a holiday.

'Let' you? Wtf? You're the parent! Or did you forget that? You just go in and get them. Its that simple.
I can't believe this is a real thread.

Who cares? You're the resident parent. You make the decisions. His dad can do nothing about it.

Well obviously they will let me, I perhaps didn't word it very well. I just wasn't sure whether I was in fine territory or not. Domestic abuse does funny things to you so the idea of his dad also getting a fine is all consuming. It would be disastrous.

You don't get a fine for 1 hour!

Just email the school the day before that you will be picking up your child at xyz time that day and go and pick them up.

Total non issue

Absolutely fine for 1 hour

Don’t lie. It sets a bad example to your child, and the school will probably guess you’re lying.

Fill in an absence form and if the school say no, just say you’re taking them out anyway. The school will think less badly of you for doing this than if you lie.

No, not a fine territory.

The most you'll get is, "Ooh, lovely? Where are you going?"