To lie to the kids' school?

[Bananasinpyjamass]

My best friend is getting married in June, it is an overseas wedding.

I have two DC, age 6 and 8, and I would like to take them with us as I have no family that can look after them. The wedding is on a Wednesday, so I would need to pull the kids out of school Tues - Thurs to fly out and attend.

My plan was to write to the school and explain the circumstances, ask that we are granted permission to remove both kids for 3 days, however a friend who works in education has advised that we just lie and say the kids are sick, that the teachers won't care even if they find out we are lying.

I am worried about lying that the kids are sick then getting into big trouble when the kids inevitably return to school and talk about flying on a plane etc.

However I am also concerned that the school will decline my request to remove them for 3 days and we will end up being fined/going to court (I am not clear on the rules and process.)

Does anyone have any advice?

YABU = Don't lie, inform the school and pay whatever fine/penalty they put up
YANBU = Lie to the school and say they are sick, it will be fine

You 100% won't get a fine for 3 days, its 5 days before you get a fine. I would advise not to lie and just ring up and tell them, they will find out anyway we always do. I work in a school office and the amount of parents telling the children to lie is awful, we always know whether its a tan, the children tell us when the teacher says are you feeling better now and the kids like i was on holiday or someone knows someone so just be truthful.

1. don‘t encourage your children to lie.
2. you won’t get fined for a few days
3. with it being a wedding it might get approved

'don‘t encourage your children to lie'
Why not?

Hmmmmm, I wonder ... 🤔

Don’t lie, tell them what’s happening and take your kids to the wedding.

what if someone asks your DC “ah Freddie - are you feeling better?’ Don’t make your child lie.

You can check your local authority website for the policy on fines. In my area it has to be 5 consecutive days missed before they can issue a fine. Anything less will be marked as unauthorised but no further action taken. If your area is the same I'd ask permission but if they said no I'd go anyway. Unauthorized is basically a letter U on the register and nothing more

You need to read the new rules that came into effect. It’s not 5 consecutive days anymore but 10 unauthorised absence in a rolling block of 10 weeks. Quite concerning you don’t know the rules.

For all those saying it’s 5 consecutive days, the rules changed and it’s 10 absences am\pm in a rolling 10 week period.

You don’t get a fine unless they miss more than 5 days in a certain period. 3 days just be honest and no fine

My understanding is they won't fine you unless you miss an entire week. Even if they decline your request to take them out of school, they understand you are going to go anyway, so I would just put in the absence request and be honest.

im a attendance officer you wont get fined anyway so may as well just tell the truth, schools generally will allow 3 days authorised for a overseas wedding 1 day to get there, 1 day for wedding and 1 day to get back