How do I tell the school that DD won't be in for first 2 days of term?!

[3MonthMaid]

DD will miss 2 days off the start of next term. I have booked a much needed holiday and there was no choice in dates. It will be the first time DD and I have been away alone together and she really needs it.

The trouble is that she has already been out of school for a week (approved) to go away with her dad and for 3 days for illness. My name is mud at the school at the moment for unrelated reasons and I know this wont pass unoticed.

Do I leave a message on the answer machine? Should I back it up with a letter to the head through the door as well?

Write a letter.

Summer term? As in, very soon? or Autumn term, which is completely mental?

don't know whether i will get battered for this but hey. in all schools in our borough, no requests for term time days off are authorised. ever. sometimes parents have a quiet word in a teachers ear that their dc might be ill the following week... parents have stopped making requests as they know they'll only go down as unauthorised anyway. you have to phone in any sickness absence by 9.30 on the first day the child is off

If this were me I would be inclined to ring the school on the first morning and say she is ill (prepares to be flamed)

No point in sending a letter to the head, in DD's school permission has to be sought two weeks previous and will NOT be granted under any circs I put a letter in asking for a week off lst year and was told that permission is never granted. I said Ah well, im off anyway - when i came back from holiday i asked the secretary what was said and she said nothing oops i "forgot" to put the note into the governers

Summer term - as in when we go back now (last minute holiday due to some upsetting stuff happening and needing to get away- BOTH of us!)

Our school do authorise absence if its not excessive and the general track record has been good.

I'm not generally all that in favour of time out of school but it has just worked out that way...

I doubt it will be authorised if you've already had one holiday authorised this year and don't think it is fair to expect your DD to lie. If you've decided to go, just send a message (either answering machine or letter) to say you both needed this break (maybe remind them of the challenging time you've had recently) and unfortunately this will mean she will miss the first couple of days of term. They may be sympathetic and authorise it, they may not. But at least you've been honest with them. I always think the teachers may be less peeved than finding out you've lied to them and made your daughter lie.

Enjoy your break.

I would never make her lie. She'd never pull it off!

I agree; mine would always let it slip, especially if they've had a really good time. But I'm surprised by the number of children who are "off sick" who are confused when the teacher asks are they feeling better?

Surely it's obvious. Just phone up on the first morning and tell them. I disagree that you should get your dd to lie. You can't stop it passing unnoticed unless you don't go and you are going so what else can happen?

Just write a letter. So what if it is unauthorised. I wouldn't worry about it.

We took ds out of school last November to scatter my mums ashes. I just wrote to the school and he wouldn't be in on x days - didn't ask for permission. It's been recorded as unauthorised absence but hey he's 6 and missed 2 days.

Thanks all. Think will write a letter and also leave a message on answer machine so they have the info straight away too.

The issue was never whether to tell them or not, more HOW!

I am aware that it might go down as non-authorised specially as they hate me at the school right now but it's a risk I'll have to take.

i would email on the first day back saying off sick. Too much aggro for anything else, What day in the week are you missing the 2 days? does it run into a weekend as nobody will remember anything come the next monday.