Taking child out of school in term time for a wedding

[Prema112]

Hello MN's, I need your opinions please!

My brother is getting married on Tuesday 7th December 1.5 hours drive from us. I have requested 1 day off school for my 6 year old son so we can all be there. I was very disappointed and surprised when the head rejected my request and said it would be an unauthorised absence. I have appealed this decision via email directly to him but haven't had a response (it's been over 2 weeks).

We don't know what to do. My brother needs to know if they are ordering food for us. Do we take our son out of school anyway and face the consequences- possibly a £120 fine? Or do we not take him out and only I go to the wedding? Or do we say he's sick on the day? I don't think we can really do option 3 as I won't ask him to lie. I'm so upset we can't take him out for a close family wedding it's ridiculous! What would you do?

If your brother cared about his nephew being there he wouldn't do a term time weekday wedding....

So he isn't that close family. Unlikely to be fined.

Highly unlikely to be fined for a 1 day absence.
Just because HT couldn't authorise it, doesn't mean they aren't expecting you to go anyway.
Just say, OK going anyway and then remind the teacher & school office the day before.

You won't get a fine for 1 day unless your child already has loads of unauthorised absence.

The Head has to refuse permission. I would still go.

The head has the refuse it as far as I know. It’s a local authority thing. You still go though, I highly doubt you’ll get a fine. You wouldn’t at our school at least. It’s totally fine, he’s 6.

We are taking my DC out of school for 1 day in Jan for BILs wedding. I don't expect it to be authorised.
I recently took them out for a family funeral and the secretary explained they can only authorise absence for either parents or grandparents wedding but wider family funerals are authorised. No idea if this is the schools own rule or across the board

It has to be unauthorised, just take him out.

They won't authorise an absence for a wedding except for immediate family but you won't get fined.

I'm not sure why you are surprised. Schools are told they can authorise absences for sickness, medical or dental appointments, days of religious observance and exceptional family circumstances like a bereavement.

Not for holidays and weddings.

It's your brother's wedding, I'm amazed you're even asking tbh.

You can take him, it will just be an unauthorised absence. That's just the way it is.

My dd gets one about every six months as she has braces and the dentist give you an appointment which you aren't allowed to change (obviously all their patients are school children) and the school won't authorise it without 'a letter' and the dentist doesn't provide evidence of appointments. 🙄 So if her appointment is when morning of afternoon registration is then she gets an unauthorised absence.

You just take him out of school, you won’t get fined or have any repercussions from one days absence. What exactly are people so worried about with an “unauthorised absence “? Who do you think cares about such things?

Thanks everyone, I feel very reassured! I didn't know it was quite unlikely we'd get fined, thought that was almost a given. We will take him out

I'm guessing your child is in reception as you don't know how school absence works. Its well worth spending the time to find out so you know what can't be authorised and when fines can be imposed

I know people who merrily booked two week holidays every June as even with fines it worked out much cheaper.

Most local authorities don't issue fines unless it's over 10 sessions ie 5 days.