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.

Lots of kids skip the last half day of the term, especially to leave early for a holiday. Schools know this and rarely schedule anything important. And any school that tries to teach something substantial on the last half day will need to teach it again in the autumn. And he's in reception, he's unlikely to remember this by September anyway.

That said, could you ask his friends' parents if any of them could take him home and host him for a playdate that afternoon? And you collect him after work?

From the point of view of school attendance, I don't think a reception child missing the last half day of term is really a problem unless he has very poor attendance. If he's a child who likes school and has friends there who he would want to have a fun morning with celebrating the end of his first year, it seem a shame that his mum can't be bothered to facilitate it.

Let the school know that no after school care is the reason - and yes, it's ridiculous to expect parents to take af day of work.

Can’t whoever is going to look after him take a bus or taxi collect him and you drop him off?

Botheret? A lot of parents have to work. It's no really a choice is it?

That's harsh, it's really difficult for those of us without flexible jobs to accommodate changes in the school timetable, especially because many of us have used up all our allowed flexibility (and goodwill) with the recent heatwave closures. Half days and inset days are always a nightmare as there are no clubs.

Meh, I’m not sending mine for a half day on Monday!! Ridiculous to say the least

Jesus Mumsnet is hard work sometimes….OP ignore the nitpickers, your 5 year old will not miss anything on the last day. Do what works for you as a family.

Let them take the day off. They won’t be working. It will be a toy morning.

and I work in a school foundation unit.

Just keep him home it’s not a big deal. Mine are due in Monday and Tuesday next week and they won’t be going

Wow some people are really on it today.

he’ll be fine to miss a half day!! They won’t do a lot and if you can’t get him there then you can’t get him there.

all those saying taxis etc - are you going to pay??

Agreed. And the time off for sports days, assemblies and various other things!!

half day won’t ruin his future!

Ask a friend if he can go for a play date? You have years of this. You can’t keep him off every last day of term. Can you book a half day off work?

I worked in a primary, many children miss the last day due to going on holiday so he won't be the only child missing school. As it is a half day a lot of parents are going to be screwed with no after school club facilities. There will be swaps with childcare between parents or just not attending school.

My friend had her child in preschool nursery for 2 1/2 days a week except she couldn't ever pick up halfway through the day. For the whole year her DD attended the preschool for 2 days and her old nursery for 3 days.

Wrap around care facilitates people working and when it isn't on which includes inset days working parents get fucked over.

Most children have to attend school, many parents have to work. It's something you have to deal with.

FGS , the child is in reception, missing half a day before a 6 + weeks holiday is going to make zilch difference .
All the comments about not giving the right message blah blah ... lots of reception aged children aren't even aware of what day of the week it is.
Keep him home if it makes your life easier on a difficult day and don't give it another thought , he absolutely will not be doing any school work on that day.

Just miss the last half day. They wont be doing any work and half of them will have gone on holiday already

It’s probably the lack of breakfast club that’s causing the biggest problem as OP probably takes him before work, and the other person can’t take or pick up for whatever reason, and OP would normally pick him up after after-school club.

I’d let him miss it. Absolutely sod all will happen on the day.

But nearly all schools have half day on last day of term. That is nothing new. I remember the same from my school days that ended in 1983. Parents have to find ways to cope with this situation on a regular basis. I accept my mother had a more flexible routine because until my mid teens we were a military family so as was normal then she only took work that easily fitted with school routine. It just comes across that the OP is happy for her childvto miss every school day that doesn't easily fit her work schedule and I think that is really rude to teachers and school staff and sets a bad example.

no. send him to school. do you not realise how privilidged you are to be able to have free education considering a young girl in afghanistan got shot in the face for daring to campaign for girls to have the rights to education

Oh god, yes. totally fine!

They wont do anything on the last half day. Especially in reception.

All they will be doing is playing, eating sweets , maybe a film . Let him stay home
ignore the nit pickers

OP, if you have someone at home looking after him, could they not take him to school and back in a taxi just for one day?

I wouldnt spend the money on a taxi for a few hours in the morning when they won't be doing anything worthwhile.

🙄