Missing one day of primary school

[SocksRock]

My BIL and SIL live abroad and we only see them infrequently. They are coming over to the UK for Chinese New Year (they live in Hong Kong so I guess this is a public holiday for them) for a week next year. As this will be my children's only chance to see them and their cousins in 2016, would the school authorise a day off for them to see them? The flights are already booked and they are coming Sunday to Saturday so there isn't a weekend full day available. We don't organise family holidays in term time, so this (apart from anything unforeseen like funerals etc) would be the only day off we have ever asked for in 4 years. I don't want to get in trouble, but I do think it's important they get to spend time with relatives. I do not want the whole week off, just one day so we can do a day trip with their cousins.

Just take the day off. Who cares what the school thinks?

I would just tell the school they won't be in that day as there's a special family occasion.

Just worried about being fined I guess. £60 x 2 children x 2 sessions missed x 2 parents is an expensive day out!

As far as I'm aware it per period of absence not sessions missed. So £240 at most. Though the likelihood of being fined varies between LEAs.

Just call in sick. These rules and regs have gone way too far, and if you have to lie to the school because of them, do it.

In our LEA you are only fined if you have 5 or more days in a term. I would be very surprised if you were fined for 1 day!

Our school would ignore it. Call in sick if you are worried. Then enjoy your day

I won't phone in sick, because I'm sure the darling little brats children would give me away! But saying we have a family event will be fine, I hope.

Any suggestions for a theme park or other cool stuff to do in February?!?

I would apply on cultural grounds.

Since none of us are Chinese, I doubt that would work! They moved out there for work, but we are all white British :-)

Recently had day off for similar. It says in ds's diary "Thanks for letting us know. This will be recorded as unauthorised absence. Have a lovely time."

I think a lot of schools would authorise a day off to see relatives who live abroad. Ask for authorisation. If they say no then take it as unauthorised. You will almost certainly not be fined for a one off in context of good attendance overall.

Different school would be different. It's better to talk to the teacher or reception. In our school,You just apply it, then head teacher would reject it and treat it as unauthorized absence, but won't go further as this is only 1 or 2 days.