Would you let your child miss the last half day of school?

[Kardelen]

my sons last day of school is this Friday.
it’s a half day- he finishes 1:30.

they don’t do any breakfast clubs or afterschool clubs as it’s the last day, so I’m a bit stuck in ways I can send him to school.

has anyone’s child missed last day of school?

I feel a bit sad as I’m thinking he may have a lot of fun that day…. But I’m completely stuck.

He’s in reception

He should be in school. As a parent it is your responsibility to get him there. They might well get to visit the next year teacher or classroom. All his friends would have shared that experience.

as in you take the day off? I don’t get why you are stuck?

Ask one of his friends parents? He can be dropped at their house before school and maybe another friend pick him up?

If you are goingto need to be off work to care for him if he is at home, it is no different to gaving a day off. Taking him to school and picking him up at 1.30pm. Either way you need to arrange child care so I don't see why he needs to be off school
It sounds as though you just can't be bothered to take him in.

Unfortunately no one in our area goes to the
school he attends. He’s on the waiting list for our closest one, but has not got a space as yet.

No I don’t need to be off work to care for him, as someone can already take care of him at home. But can’t drop him as it’s far

I can’t take a day off like that

Why are you stuck? Do you not normally work on that day or something?

Because there’s no after school club

So you can't take the day off but you can't send him to school? That makes no sense. If you can't take the day off wuy would you want him at home all day?

If you need to work who will be looking after him from 1.30?

Someone can look after him at home, but can’t do the pick up or the drop off

I think the OP has someone at home to care for the child but they are unable or unwilling to take him to and from school due to the distance. They clearly think that the short day means its not worth the effort. It is not in my opinion a good life lesson to be teaching a child.

This is one of those threads where it's like pulling teeth to actually get the full picture.

What happens on a normal day? Who takes him to school then and why are they not available. If you usually take him then why does him finishing early mean you can't now?

Your heading is very misleading. You are nit letting him miss the last day, you are making him miss it due to lack of willingness by adults to facilitate it.

I get it OP. Working FT and having children in school is so tricky because inset days/half days/sports days/summer fairs/meetings with teachers etc etc come thick and fast and annual leave is finite (not to mention the damage to your career prospects with always having other priorities). You have to make difficult choices as a working mother and people will not always understand. You do what you have to do and remember that one day your children are likely to appreciate the example you set as a hard working and career driven person. Given your child is only small, they’re unlikely to even notice missing a half day so try not to worry.

Of course your child can miss the last day. Not much is happening on the last day in reception (or in any other year except perhaps in Year 6). Sometimes they just watch a movie. Nice socially perhaps but nothing to loose sleep over. It is much better you take a day off in the holidays and spent quality time with your child then loosing a day of annual leave to send him for a few "fun" hours to school.

Can't the person at home looking after home get a taxi back and forth with them that day? Or the bus? How dare is it not to be able to take them? Or how inflexible is your work?

Blimey all the faux "I don't understand" replies. It's simple, due to there being no breakfast/afternoon clubs the OP cannot drop/pick up at the different times.

Keep him off OP it's half a day of reception, I very much doubt it will set him on the path to a ruined future.

It's not faux. It made no sense as to why not sending him at all and therefore requiring a whole day of leave was better than picking him up early and why one was doable and not the other.

This feels like a complete non-issue tbh. And if the person doing you a favour by looking after him can’t (for whatever reason) take him to school, I’d let it go.

And I say that as someone who’s eldest is in yr 2 and has 100% attendance (sheer luck that she’s never had any illnesses) so I certainly don’t keep my children off at the drop of a hat!

How would a standard day look? Who takes him. Who picks him up?
If there’s someone at home, could they not get a taxi or public transport?
Unfortunately, things like this can often pop up, so you need to have a plan in place. But no, I wouldn’t just let him miss a day at school.

It’s the last day of term, our school have a leavers show performed by year 6, the rest of the school watch a film and then everyone goes home at lunchtime!
He is also only in reception class, he will not be missing valuable learning and class transitions have already been done prior to the last day.
Dont worry OP, it will not damage his future!!

I get it’s annoying but socially the last day is usually good fun

presumably you’ve known this for a while

if he doesn’t have local friends, presumably he has friends near the school? Could you WhatsApp one of the parents, explain you’re finding it difficult, drop dc with another parent at say 8am and pick up from same parent say 4? I’d help a parent out in this situation if my kid got on well with theirs