Requesting day off school for DS to attend aunt's wedding

[maydaybeachday]

My DS (almost 10) has an excellent school attendance record and has only ever been off sick (for 2 days) since starting primary school. He has never once been late either.
I need to request that he be allowed a day off during the summer term of next year to attend his aunt's wedding. It's being held on a weekday and isn't local unfortunately.
How is the best way to approach school about this? What kind of factors do staff look at in deciding whether such requests can be granted? Don't want him being classed as unauthorised leave.
Any advice from school staff would be great. Thanks :)

They aren't allowed to authorise it. Just tell them you are taking it off and let them record it as an unauthorised absence. You won't get in trouble or have to pay a fine because it is Less than 5 consecutive days and she has good attendance previously.

They won’t be able to authorise it I wouldn’t have thought. Why don’t you want it down as unauthorised? It means absolutely nothing unless you’re keeping him off a whole week.

Just tell them he won’t be in for a couple of days as you’re travelling so your sisters wedding. It’s not a big deal.

Just tell them he’s going. Our school is happy to authorise weddings and funerals.family events matter and you can always say it’s religious education.

Just tell them.

I’ll probably go down as unauthorised but what difference does that make for 1 day?

You're overthinking, they can't authorise, you just tell them your child will be absent on that date and go off and enjoy yourselves.

Why does it matter what box they tick?

You are MASSIVELY over thinking this!!!!

Just tell them that he won’t be a school as you have a family wedding to attend.

Or, simply phone the school on the day and say you’re keeping him at home as he’s not well (just like many, many parents do all the time) 🤣

Just relax and enjoy the wedding!

In our county they only authorise education offsite.

I suspect it’s the same everywhere so I’d just accept that you’re taking him out for the day and it’ll be unauthorised

If it's May next year make sure it isn't SATs week if y6 and England.

Ds is 10 and will be missing school on the 12th because he’ll be at an important event the night before that’s a 3 hour train journey away. I’ll be telling school he won’t be in that day because he’s attending a family event that’s very important to him and other family. Just tell them.

I agree, just go!

However, it is simply untrue that heads can’t or are not allowed to authorise absences. The law says they can do so in exceptional circumstances. It’s up to heads what they consider exceptional.

Just tell them, if it’s unauthorised who cares. A family wedding is more important than one day of school

Just take him out.

' Dear School
Ds will be absent [date] as he is attending a family wedding.
Kind regards,
Mayday'

Agree that you just tell them he’s going. I’ve never had much truck with asking schools for something like that - I’m the parent and I make the decisions!

Plus since they can’t authorise it then Whats the difference?

They can authorise it - our headteacher did last year, she did ask for a copy of the invitation to check the story out

Just phone in sick on the day 🤷‍♀️

The rules have been tightened for this academic year.

It will not matter if a day or two is unauthorised, unless it is part of a picture of general poor attendance, in which case you say you’ll improve your child's attendance. The only other issue would be if the child's other parent is an ex-partner who could try to say in court that you are not ensuring good school attendance.

If you are that concerned about the attendance being unauthorised, the parent whose sibling is getting married could travel early enough to attend all the parts of the day and the other collect the child after afternoon registration, so they get their mark, and follow on for the evening do, which is usually the most fun part for a child anyway.

Do not do this. You can’t expect your child to lie for you.

They can choose to authorise it if they wish.

Just get in touch and explain close family member's wedding, just one day leave.

Anything you can provide to back this up (invite etc) to show the wedding is on that date and it"s not just a day off to get there early for a weekend wedding and you should be fine - depends on the attendace staff / headteacher decision.

If it's a faith school ramp up the bit about sacrament of marriage etc!

Just ask the school for the correct approach.

With good attendance one day off should not be an issue.