Unauthorised absence from school

[KneesUp]

We saved up for an expensive holiday this year. In August.

Well done.

My question was rather more aimed at the fact that you seemed specifically to think a cheap holiday cannot be educational. Not that I've ever advocated having time off for a pure 'holiday' - I've made the point several times that kids sometimes can learn things out of school that they cannot learn in school, and equally can experience things out of school (such as weddings and so on) that should be their right to attend as it is part of their identity.

 

[Tin Pot]

If you take your child out of school for a two week cheap holiday, the same catch up tuition is needed, but why should that be funded from general school funds when you have had the benefit of the cheap holiday?

I agree, the school should do nothing. If my kids miss something, it's my call and my responsibility to educate them just as it always has been.

If you don't like the rules of a club - don't join it.
If you don't like the rules by which school operate, don't use them. Home schooling is where you should be.

The rules of "the club" are to be determined by the people. Soviet Russia is where you should be.

I don't like the rules and I will abuse them as much or as little as I see fit for a good upbringing, and use schools when and as I wish.

Good luck bringing a prosecution because Tarquin was late for school or missed the last day of term, or maybe exclusion would be your preference for punishment.

 

[smutchin]

And for some reason 'middle class problem' appears to be a euphemism for 'not a problem at all' I've never understood why things that affect the middle class (i.e. most people) are considered by their very nature to be insignificant.

A large number of people would love to have the problem of whether to go on holiday during the school break or in term time, rather than, say, the problem of how to pay the rent, or how to feed and clothe their kids.

If you can't afford a holiday during official school holiday times, choose a cheaper holiday. It's what normal people do. And a cheaper holiday can be just as 'educational' (if you really insist on continuing to push that specious nonsense as an argument).

 

[User482]

Well done.

My question was rather more aimed at the fact that you seemed specifically to think a cheap holiday cannot be educational. Not that I've ever advocated having time off for a pure 'holiday' - I've made the point several times that kids sometimes can learn things out of school that they cannot learn in school, and equally can experience things out of school (such as weddings and so on) that should be their right to attend as it is part of their identity.

Such arguments put the school in an invidious position. First, you are asking the school to adjudicate on what does and does not constitute a justifiable absence. Second, you are placing an additional burden on the teachers: whatever the merits of the absence, the child is not going to be learning the work covered in class. Third, the school is judged externally on its attendance record.

 

[PK99]

School Governor here also.

What if the child doesn't need catch up tuition because, actually, they already knew more about the topic than the school taught the pupils anyway?

Which was the case with D1 - she taught herself to read from a phonics DVD before starting reception and carried on in like manner. But rules are rules - don't like them fird a new club.

 

[User482]

I agree, the school should do nothing. If my kids miss something, it's my call and my responsibility to educate them just as it always has been.



The rules of "the club" are to be determined by the people. Soviet Russia is where you should be.

I don't like the rules and I will abuse them as much or as little as I see fit for a good upbringing, and use schools when and as I wish.

Good luck bringing a prosecution because Tarquin was late for school or missed the last day of term, or maybe exclusion would be your preference for punishment.

You have asked the school to act as parent to your children. It seems to me that you like the rights but not the responsibilities.

 

[KneesUp]

A large number of people would love to have the problem of whether to go on holiday during the school break or in term time, rather than, say, the problem of how to pay the rent, or how to feed and clothe their kids.

I don't disagree. A large number of people in the world would love to have the problem about how to pay the rent rather than how to stop getting killed by their own or other governments, but that doesn't mean the people who can't afford the rent don't have problems.

If family D can afford a holiday, but only if they fly out 3 days before the end of term (when the last day is 'Bring Connect 4 and Leave The Teachers Alone Day' and the day before is 'Help the staff take down the displays as a reward' day and so on) what business is it of anyone else to day they can't go on holiday at all?

 

[KneesUp]

Such arguments put the school in an invidious position. First, you are asking the school to adjudicate on what does and does not constitute a justifiable absence. Second, you are placing an additional burden on the teachers: whatever the merits of the absence, the child is not going to be learning the work covered in class. Third, the school is judged externally on its attendance record.

1) The DofE could set the rules?
2) They may know it already. They could go into a lower group to catch up.
3) It shouldn't be judged on numbers with no context. It's not the fault of the parents if they are.

 

[PK99]

I agree, the school should do nothing. If my kids miss something, it's my call and my responsibility to educate them just as it always has been.


.

But the school's responsibility is to the child not to you, if you are negligent in your duties and take the child out of school, the school still retains the responsibility for the child's education.

 

[KneesUp]

But the school's responsibility is to the child not to you, if you are negligent in your duties and take the child out of school, the school still retains the responsibility for the child's education.

A child's education is the responsibility of the parents - the Education Act is quite clear on that.

 

[smutchin]

If family D can afford a holiday, but only if they fly out 3 days before the end of term (when the last day is 'Bring Connect 4 and Leave The Teachers Alone Day' and the day before is 'Help the staff take down the displays as a reward' day and so on) what business is it of anyone else to day they can't go on holiday at all?

I'll repeat myself: if you think your decision to take your kids out of school is truly merited, you will do it anyway and take the consequences on the chin.

Or choose a different holiday that you can afford to take during official school breaks.

(I'm sure my son would have loved two weeks in the Caribbean like some of his rich school friends, rather than camping in Dymchurch, but he seemed to have a good time anyway.)

 

[User482]

1) The DofE could set the rules?
2) They may know it already. They could go into a lower group to catch up.
3) It shouldn't be judged on numbers with no context. It's not the fault of the parents if they are.

The DoE do set the rules. It just so happens that you don't like them. And I don't see why schools should make special arrangements for children who missed class.

 

[PK99]

I don't disagree. A large number of people in the world would love to have the problem about how to pay the rent rather than how to stop getting killed by their own or other governments, but that doesn't mean the people who can't afford the rent don't have problems.

If family D can afford a holiday, but only if they fly out 3 days before the end of term (when the last day is 'Bring Connect 4 and Leave The Teachers Alone Day' and the day before is 'Help the staff take down the displays as a reward' day and so on) what business is it of anyone else to day they can't go on holiday at all?

Points such as you make re the end of term have validity, and there should be scope for that sort of flexibility

But that is often not the case, kids arriving back at school a week late is disruptive and a week or two off mid term is just taking the piss.

 

[User482]

Points such as you make re the end of term have validity, and there should be scope for that sort of flexibility

But that is often not the case, kids arriving back at school a week late is disruptive and a week or two off mid term is just taking the piss.

In the Supreme Court case, the father was boasting about his child's 92% attendance record. Which is nearly one day off every fortnight...

 

[PK99]

A child's education is the responsibility of the parents - the Education Act is quite clear on that.

So, if you take your child out for two weeks and they fall behind on a key topic, you are happy for the school to leave them to flounder?