I'm not proud about it but we've done it ..

[carla]

... and how do I explain to dd1's teacher that we're going on holiday for a week next week?

Can anyone symphathise?

how old is dd?

4 (starts in September) and 5. Last time we're going to do it. Feel AWFUL.

so she isnt at full time school yet dd2? dd1, well i think they can let her off one week in the early years. how strict are the school at this? we have booked our holiday for 2.5weeks time as we know next year our holidays are gonna cost 3times as much to get the half term weeks.

misdee, we didn't do it to make it cheaper, just didn't realise that when you have a child at school you have to book so long in advance to have a place. We'll be wiser next year, but I feel so bad about it. These four days equate to our summer holidays. Our school is very international, so lots of people say'we're seeing our German/Italian/Japanese relations out of school, and they're fine about it, but how do I approach the teacher? One pal who has a girl in class suggested ' I have to go, ..... 'cos I've bought the tickets'.

maybe I'm a bit of a bugger but I wouldn't worry about it at all (unless they are in years 2 and 6) and it was pre/duringSATS. From mid-May to the end of term my dd's class are doing sod all apart from learning lines to the end of year production and having day trips out! surely what they learn between now and the end of term they may easily forget during the 6/7 week holiday anyway? Explain your dh is going away on business and the company have extended the offer to the whole family... and have a nice time

Jampot - thank you so much! Think dd2's too old to impose a gagging (or fibbing) order on her, but what a wonderful idea! We'll know better next time, but thanks for your support.XXX Carla

Just go into school today and get a holiday form filled in and return it asap. Then you have time for the confirmation to come through - this covers the school on its unauthorised absense record.

As your DD is so young then I don't really think you have much to owrry about.

And at the end of the day your decision to take your child on holiday has nothing to do with the class tacher anyway.

IMO it's a lot more important when the children are older. At the age of yours I wouldn't worry at all.

We are taking DS, 6 out of school next week, for a week. Last term we also took him out of school for a week, and the head said to me its not a problem, the kids they are concerned about are the ones that have days off every week!!! I haven't told them, kept forgetting but I'll do it later

we're taking our 2 out for a week, they're 5 and 8. it's all Mumsnet fault tho' as we won the Keycamp holiday and it had to be taken before July 10th and didn't include last week's half term.
you could always use that excuse - you won the holiday and didn't have a choice when to take it.

have a good time.

I would follow hullababys advice - get the form, fill it in honestly and enjoy your trip knowing that one week this late on in the year at her age will be fine. Blimey, if she was off ill with a tummy bug for a week you wouldn?t worry about missing scool that much and a one off will do no harm at all.

Don't forget that legally you can request up to 10 days holiday during term time anyway.

I'm absolutely gobsmacked. Bit the bullet yesterday - saw the Head in the coridoor and asked if I had to fill in a holiday form. He said 'Yes please, just see Mrs X (the school sec) and she'll hand you one'. Mrs X said 'Yes, of course, they're just there Carla. Going anwhere nice?' And then in baking club after school (which is run by dd1's class teacher) I told her teacher as we were clearing up and do you know what she said????

'How nice, I'm sure they'll love it. It's nice for them to get away with their mums, they're only little.'

Don't know how she thought DDs were going to go away without me, but I've got a really gushy feeling about that school now.

Thank you all for all your support.

X