Authorised time off during term time

[naptime]

I have just had my DS's request refused!! It is for 2 days over my husband's 40th, a Friday and Monday for a gathering we booked over a year ago and are hosting, a considerable distance from where we live - hence the time off. Now in dilemma - do I just take the time off? Or do I ring in and report him sick on those days? DS is in reception, turned 5 at the start of this term, I don't know if that makes a difference.
Any advice greatly appreciated!

I know it wasn't condoned = not having absence authorised!

I appreciate other LEA's may differ, but in ours it is STILL below 85% attendance for the first stage of action, which is parents meeting with a panel.

If your DC has not yet turned 5, then no they do not have to be enrolled at school.

But if you have chosen to enrol them, then they should attend.

(Applies of course at any age to HE children, as you don't actually have to enrol at any age).

Personally, I don't think 'you only turn 40 once' is a valid reason for term time absence. I agree with RiversideMum; absence can be very disruptive, especially in the early years - things move on so quickly and children are learning at a very fast pace.

DD, now in Yr1, did have 3 days authorised absence last year - our DS (3mth old at the time) was seriously ill in hospital with suspected meningitis. It happened right at the start of the school year and we phoned the HT to explain the situation. At the time I didn't care whether the absence was authorised or not, it wouldn't have been fair to send DD into school for her very first day of school when her baby brother was so seriously ill.

To me, situations like that are exceptional, not family birthdays or holidays - and I say that as someone with a very large family in another country.

Why did you arrange the party to be in term time when you have a school age child?