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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

I feel terrible, taken out of school for Lapland UK

305 replies

MummaHud · 02/12/2025 07:15

I’ve taken my daughter out of school today she’s 5 for Lapland UK. We don’t have a lot of money and her brother was born extremely premature last year and she missed out on a lot of things because of it.

she’s the kindest soul, she’s really clever and she’s just amazing.

im not justifying anything as id never take my child out of school, but we won VIP at Lapland UK.

an experience I’d never ever consider looking at usually and its not an experience I can turn down.

my daughter has 100% attendance, I’m worried what the school will do? I’ve been honest and she will be back tomorrow.

am I a bad mum? 😭

OP posts:
Ladygardenerinderby · 03/12/2025 19:38

Aww what a sweet mum you sound, you go and enjoy every second of it you’re most definitely not a bad mum ❤️

JLou08 · 03/12/2025 19:51

You're not a bad mum, you've made the right choice. Some schools can be difficult about time off but I think most would be happy for your DD to have the experience.

Yamahahaha · 03/12/2025 20:03

🙄

Redlocks30 · 03/12/2025 20:03

As a teacher, this government obsession with attendance is just missing the point.

Yes, attendance is important, but the kids that are missing school the most, in my experience, are those who are utterly miserable at school. This is more to do with the education system being broken, curriculum not meeting their needs, external support being cut to the bone and funding being decimated. Rather than punishing people, we should be trying to make the education system better.

No governments will do that though, so they can on measuring attendance and using it as a stick to beat both parents and schools with as it's cheaper than doing anything else.

When my kids were little, you could fill in a form and take them on term-time holidays. We did, twice! We had lovely family holidays with grandparents. My kids have long finished school now but left with excellent grades and fond memories of school. Honestly, taking time holidays was fine and not an issue, approved by the HT if your attendance was otherwise ok....as is the case in private schools as well as in many other countries!

Hollybollyhughes · 03/12/2025 20:07

Can I come too please 🙏 😃
When school trips involve skiing which whilst fun can it be classed as educational? I had school trips to a salt museum and a boat museum on the same day. Yes bloody shite. Not bitter, what do you think??

SamPoodle123 · 03/12/2025 20:07

Relax, she is 5! Missing one day of school is not going to do much in the grand scheme of things. It is only a problem if you keep doing it and they are behind.

Julimia · 03/12/2025 20:09

Do stop worrying you sound like a fab mum. Five and going to laplsnd. Can you think of a better educational opportunity? Have a fab time and tell the truth where you've been and why.

Raisethebar1993 · 03/12/2025 20:12

As a teacher, go for it. Enjoy. Don’t give school a single thought.

Tili43 · 03/12/2025 20:14

Redlocks30 · 03/12/2025 20:03

As a teacher, this government obsession with attendance is just missing the point.

Yes, attendance is important, but the kids that are missing school the most, in my experience, are those who are utterly miserable at school. This is more to do with the education system being broken, curriculum not meeting their needs, external support being cut to the bone and funding being decimated. Rather than punishing people, we should be trying to make the education system better.

No governments will do that though, so they can on measuring attendance and using it as a stick to beat both parents and schools with as it's cheaper than doing anything else.

When my kids were little, you could fill in a form and take them on term-time holidays. We did, twice! We had lovely family holidays with grandparents. My kids have long finished school now but left with excellent grades and fond memories of school. Honestly, taking time holidays was fine and not an issue, approved by the HT if your attendance was otherwise ok....as is the case in private schools as well as in many other countries!

Absolutely, we went on several term time holidays with the school’s blessing back then and I graduated with a first class honours degree and have a good professional career

LalaPaloosa2024 · 03/12/2025 20:14

Can you not say your daughter is sick? She’s 5. She’s not missing anything major.

user2848502016 · 03/12/2025 20:17

Would have done this in a heartbeat, she’s only 5 it really won’t make a difference!
Saying this as someone who has never taken DC out of school for holidays btw

mamaduckbone · 03/12/2025 20:19

Have a fantastic time - no, you're not a bad mum (and I'm a teacher)

mamaduckbone · 03/12/2025 20:21

Also, good on you for being honest about it - the one thing I can't stand is when parents pretend their child is ill for something like this, and then either a) encourage the child to lie, or b) don't, so they come straight back to school and tell us all about it anyway.

Noodles1234 · 03/12/2025 20:31

You enjoy yourself, she’s only 5 and it’s 1 day.

Zanatdy · 03/12/2025 20:33

Absolutely not. My kids missed a few days here and there for holidays and due to ill health my daughter’s attendance was 75% in year 9, and she left year 11 with 12 x grade 9 GCSE’s. It’s one day, education isn’t confined to the classroom and she clearly had a lot of fun. Stop feeling guilty.

llittledoveblue · 03/12/2025 20:33

Hope you had an amazing time OP! Don’t fret about it. Loads of people do it without even thinking twice. Enjoy the experience with your daughter

FestiveYoni · 03/12/2025 20:35

@Redlocks30 Totally agree and many people are on lower salaries than teaching.

Because it's so unfair people don't buy into it either and don't respect it.

If they could go back to those discretion days they could work more easily with parents .

Zerosleep · 03/12/2025 21:00

No I think you are a fab mum, what a lovely life experience for her and it all makes up her education doesn’t it. She won’t miss much of any value at this age.

SweetMotherofAbrahamLincoln · 03/12/2025 21:22

I took mine out for Lapland UK. Took them out for holiday, centre parcs break (weekend one so had them off on the Monday)
Took them out for a theatre day, their birthdays I keep them both off and we have a family day. I time it all carefully to avoid fines. They both thrive at school and both got 100% in their recent government set tests. This child is yours, not the school or governments! Hope you had a blast!

Supergirl1958 · 03/12/2025 21:28

MummaHud · 02/12/2025 07:15

I’ve taken my daughter out of school today she’s 5 for Lapland UK. We don’t have a lot of money and her brother was born extremely premature last year and she missed out on a lot of things because of it.

she’s the kindest soul, she’s really clever and she’s just amazing.

im not justifying anything as id never take my child out of school, but we won VIP at Lapland UK.

an experience I’d never ever consider looking at usually and its not an experience I can turn down.

my daughter has 100% attendance, I’m worried what the school will do? I’ve been honest and she will be back tomorrow.

am I a bad mum? 😭

Teacher here! Don’t feel guilty! If she’s had an amazing time, life experiences are part of their education! Good on you and I hope you enjoyed it!

please don’t feel bad! It make you an amazing mum!!

Imdunfer · 03/12/2025 21:41

MummaHud · 03/12/2025 17:59

Thank you so much everyone, we had the most MAGICAL day, seeing the magic in my little girls eyes after an emotional year was everything, and even my 18 month old who has no clue expressed magic in his eyes too, seeing everything 🫶🏼

my daughter was back at school today and I asked her if she told the teachers what she did, and she said she did.. I asked what the teachers said and she said they said ‘It sounds absolutely amazing, tell us more.. what did Father Christmas tell you’

I’ve heard no more from the school and no letter in her bag, only just a response for me telling them where she was going and they said it would be marked as an unauthorised absence!

thanks again all, what an experience I’ll never forget and I don’t think my 5 year old will ever forget either- she’s been reading the map we got given ever since xx

Well that's sending me up to bed with a smile on my face.

I'm glad you all had a lovely time.

Cm102 · 03/12/2025 21:48

evey child over the age of 4 that is there is likely to have been taken out of school!😆. You are one of many, and most have chosen their date to go specifically on a school day - as it’s cheaper and more available! Lapland UK rely on the fact. You have had the day chosen for you …just a stroke of luck!! Don’t worry about it. She will remember more from that experience than she will miss from one day in school !! Education doesn’t stop at the school gate!!!

Joyjoj · 03/12/2025 22:06

TheMorgenmuffel · 02/12/2025 07:16

No.

No! Enjoy your trip making memories.

CrowMate · 03/12/2025 22:10

Love the update and so glad you had a wonderful experience. We’re a few years down the line now and still talking about our day there.

PC7102 · 03/12/2025 22:15

Don’t be ridiculous. I’m taking my 5 year old out of school for Lapland UK too 🙂