What do you tell your child’s school if you want to take them out a few hours early?

[Fancycrab]

My child is in reception, he’s never had a day off or missed any school at all. Next month we’re going to visit family for the weekend and due to the route we have to take the traffic is going to be horrendous if we leave after school on the Friday, so I want to pick him up and leave at lunchtime. I really don’t think missing this couple of hours on a Friday is a big deal at his age, but his school are really big on attendance. Just wondering in other people’s experience, do I have to come up with some big elaborate lie about why I need to pick him up early (which I don’t want to do cos don’t want to ask my son to lie) or shall I just tell the truth? Are they likely to be critical about it or not really care considering it’s just a couple of hours? Don’t want to cause tension with his teacher

Drs appointment is hardly a big elaborate lie? I told my kids school this when I wasn’t going to be around to collect later so had to pick them up early it wasnt questioned

Just make sure its after afternoon registration and they'll care less.

If he turned 5 recently, or hasn't yet turned 5, then he's not statutory school age and you don't need to worry about taking him out of school.

If he's already statutory school age then just let them know.

I mean I wouldn’t mess about for half the day at that age just phone that morning and say he won’t be in for that day!

Hi, it’s John smiths mum (class 3b). I will be collecting John at 12.30 on Friday. He is aware and I’ve asked him to go to reception.
thats all - I don’t bother explaining unless pressed, why offer an opportunity to argue the case

1. school absences shouldn’t be logged against fines until child is 5.
2. tell them that you are visiting family – no point lying
3. 10 sessions equals a fine for absence. A session is an afternoon or morning. So a school week is 10 sessions.

Just tell them the truth. I’ve never lied to school about taking one of mine out. Just make the time you collect convenient for them (ask when they break for lunch, for example, and come get him then).

Don’t lie.
Do pick him up just after afternoon registration.

My sons school require proof ie appointment letter. But if your child is 4 or has only turned 5 since Easter there’s no legal requirement for school.

Pick him up after school registration after lunch and it wont count. But honestly, at this age, I would probably just take the day off. And tell the truth..

Tell them the truth and say when you’ll be there to pick him up. Don’t teach your son to lie.

It’ll be fine.

Tell the truth ???? Why do people always advocate lying on here?

Indeed. You can take yours child out after pm registration and it won’t affect their attendance record at all. Or you can take yours child In say half an hour late for something very legitimate such as an emergency dentist appointment and they will be marked absent for the morning session without having missed much of the day at all, especially if assembly comes in the first session. That’s the bit that is unfair.

I wouldn’t even bother with an excuse. Take him after dinner so he has time to get his afternoon attendance ticked which should be just after 1. I’d tell them you’re going away. No reason to lie as long as he gets his attendance they won’t be bothered

Wow, they ask you to prove appointments?! So if you can’t prove it, it goes down as an unauthorised absence?

He was 5 in December unfortunately, but as some posters have suggested, I may just take him out for the whole day and just say we’re going to visit family and need to leave on the Friday morning or something

Just pick him up after the afternoon register has been done. Don’t ask, just tell them. He’ll have his mark which they won’t change.

Please don’t lie, children have a habit of telling the truth.

It will go down as unauthorised absence but one afternoon isn’t going to hurt.

Leave at the start of their lunch break as that’ll be the most convenient time for school.

In reception, a family event i.e the truth

I think it would be easier if you just didn't send him in on that Friday. Saves faffing around. Much easier to call in in the morning because he's got a temperature than to have to look the office in the eye and pretend about appointments and getting him early.
Make it easier on everyone by taking the full day. He's only reception age. He will be fine

when I take my kids out they have to provide proof of appointment - text etc.

Is this really what parents have to go through in England?!

I would just tell the truth and say what time you'll be collecting him.

Don't lie because
a) it puts your child in a very difficult situation and/or they end up telling anyway because they are excited or want to share what they did at the weekend
b) if you tell a school you have an appointment on Friday afternoon, they know you probably don't (unless you can prove it)

Pick them up at half past one. They will have they registration mark. Tell them the truth. No one will care.

What do they do when you don’t have one? When I’ve rung up and made a dentist appointment I’ve no written record of it. Same for a routine GP appointment for DC (I can see mine on the nhs app but it’s not set up for the children):

My children’s school also ask for proof of appointments as do my school.

Do’t lie, don’t tell them he’s ill when he’s not. Your child will tell them the truth and the lying will flag you in a way that being honest won’t. (And when they’re in secondary their friends will rat them out. Do you know how many of the girls in my tutor group had a temp when Taylor swift was in concert 🧐)

send them an email. Tell them you’re going.

Just explain as you’ve explained here. No big deal.