End of Xmas half term - what happens if my DD misses one day of Y1?

[Marushka82]

Hi everyone,
I'm quite new to the whole primary school system and regulations as a) I'm not from the UK and b) have only one DD and she is currently in Y1.
Now, I need to state that I understand the importance of attendance etc, but... We are planning to go to my parents (who live outside UK) for xmas. DD's school should technically start again on 3 January (thursday) but this is PD day so we'd have to come back from holiday on 3 jan just so she could attend one day on Friday. This to me seems really inconvenient and I'm very tempted to come back on a weekend and let DD miss one day of school. For the record, her attendance is nearly 100% (she was off for one day last year due to being ill and she barely ever, touch wood, gets ill).
What would you do? Would you be honest with the school and just tell them she won't attend? Would you not say anything? I have no idea how the fines work, but this is one day (in year 1 so I cannot imagine she will miss THAT much, not to mention I imagine a lot of families will do the same).
I'm aware this is a contentious issue so prepare to hear all sort of advice but it would be really helpful!

In that circumstance I would call in on the day and say she's ill or something. I wouldn't request the day off in advance, they will only say no.

Fly home at the weekend. Miss a day.
And I'm one who says you shouldn't book holidays in term time.

I'd drop the teacher a line near the end of term, just to say due to travel arrangements, DD will not be at school on 4Jan, but will be back for Jan 7th.

I’ve done this a couple of times but mine are Y4 &Y6 so I do know the school better. I’ve basically told their teachers informally and emailed the office to say they they won’t be in. The teachers say have a fab time and the office send a knob automated response saying it’s not authorised. Both have good attendance and I’ve never had any come back . My kids would just say they’d been on holiday anyway!

Knob automated?!!! I don’t think it’s knob automated - all our office staff are ladies!!

I recognise knob automated response, but am up to my limit with officious computer says no crap rn

Lol duvetdweller hahaha

I don't want to call and say she's sick (knowing my DD she'll go to school on Monday and be all: I was on a plane yesterday and before that I was at Grandma and Grandpa's etc.) - also, don't want to teach her to lie I suppose - but obviously that was one of the options I thought about!

I think being honest is the best policy, that xmas half term and the summer one are the only time we can actually go and visit (and last year my parents came to see us so I suppose this year is our turn.)

Can anyone tell me about fines? If you took your DCs out of school for one day and their attendance was perfect otherwise, did you get fined?
I suppose the school could still record this but not send to council to penalise?

I’ve never been fined and have been completely honest that they’ve missed a day because we were on our way back from a holiday. But they do have very good attendance. Also agree with you re fibbing, mine would get very agitated if I told them to say they were off ill. Especially if they were both off on the same day and came in with a tan

I agree that you shouldn't lie about it. It's not fair on your daughter and in my experience (primary school teacher) children usually dob their parents in anyway.

It's very unlikely that you'd be fined for one day's unauthorised absence, but policies vary from one local authority to another.

It would be ideal to take the day off at the end of the term (ie last day before Christmas) rather than the first day of a new term when new topics are introduced, but the term dates seem very silly (ie Christmas holiday, 1 day at school, weekend off) so I think that you might as well go for it and miss the Friday.

Ask the school office for a holiday form and complete it in advance. The day won't be authorised, but it keeps the school in the picture and they won't have to waste time phoning you to find out why she isn't in school.