2 days off for a wedding

[lollipoprainbow]

We have a family wedding in May in Wales and I have requested my dd9 is away from school on the Friday and the Monday. It has been refused ! What do I do now. It's non negotiable to be honest and she won't be at school those two days. I like the headteacher and don't want to fall out with her.

You just go and it will be unauthorised absence.

Well you just go. Heads can only authorise absence in ‘exceptional’ circumstances, but they know, particularly at the moment, that people will need to take time off for stuff in term time occasionally. The reason they ask you to fill in a form or whatever is so that they know where the children are.

So long as your kids have reasonable attendance just go and enjoy.

It will just get marked as an unauthorised absence. I wouldn’t stress about it.

I’m not sure why you expected it would be authorised to be honest

Let them know abs go anyway

Is your dc's attendance usually good?

Do I need to go back to her and tell her that my dd will not be at school for those two days? I was quite surprised to be refused to be honest, what am
I supposed to do? Leave my daughter at home and go to the wedding without her !! It's only 2 days too not a whole week or anything.

@ANameChangeAgain yes really good attendance.

Yes, just send them a factual email with the dates she’ll be away and the reason.

What day is the actual wedding? Can’t she just miss that day?
Schools only authorise absence for specific reasons. This isn’t one of them. Doesn’t mean you can’t go!

Well you'll just have to go with an unauthorised absence. Is Friday and Monday really necessary though?

@Wolfiefan the wedding is Saturday, we need to travel to Wales on the Friday and travel back on the Monday.

Depending how far I wouldn’t take four days for a wedding. It’s a one day event. Drive there Friday after school. Back some time Sunday?

I'd understand if the wedding was local but it's not and its 2 days !! Not like a whole week.

Just go.

HTs don't give permission for anything anymore. Not their fault, hands are tied by government policies.
There won't be any consequences for going.

Just go.
Email nearer the time saying X won't be in on Friday or Monday.

Four days for a wedding does seem a bit excessive. If you really had to be back or couldn’t leave until after work on Friday, surely you’d have to make it work?

It’s fine to decide to take two days unauthorised absence but I’m struggling to see how it’s absolute necessary to have both days off.

Just go! We take dc out for 4 days every year unauthorised. (5 days or more you get a fine). Nothing will happen if you take out for 2 days!

I recently put in a similar request, the head instantly replied with authorisation. To say I was shocked is an understatement

Why does it have to be 4 days?

Headteachers can’t authorise days off unless in exceptional circumstances

Well if the wedding is on a Saturday she doesn't need to be off on Monday. Just make your decision and go if you want to but don't expect it to be authorised.

The HT’s hands are tied-blame the government.

Why are you travelling back on the Monday? I’d go up on the Friday and back on the Sunday.

I think it's taking the mick not to travel back on the Sunday. Sometimes there has to be a compromise and that might have to be it.

Could she do the morning session on friday and leave after lunch, or better still just after gettting her afternoon mark? Not sure how long your journey is but Friday to Monday seems excessive.

Travel back on Sunday. Child in school Monday. Only Friday is needed off.

How far away is Wales from you? There is no excuse to travel back on the Monday. Friday more understandable, but even so you could wait until end school to head off.