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Post by Ziggy on Jun 26, 2012 16:19:51 GMT
Now I try to do everything by the book when it comes to my childrens education. Have NEVER taken them out of school unless they are unwell in the nearly 5 years they have been at thier current school. (well only once)
I know loads of parents who take children out of school for holidays, as after all we all know the annoying holiday companies whack up the price the second after the schools kick out for the summer!
I filled out form for my lot to have ONE day, yes ONE day to go the Royal Norfolk show, did the witch of a Heateacher authorise it, no did she heck! All schools in Norfolk have the day off, all schools. closed.
On her curt letter she has also put any unauthorised absence may come under scutiny of the Educational Welfare Officer.
Sorry very cross. I AM taking them anyway so bring it on! At 10, 8 and 6 one day is not going to affect thier education that much surely especially as the Norfolk show has tonnes of educational things for children to do. My daughter is doing about food and farming as part of her curriculum at the moment too.
Sorry for rant but GRRRRR!!!!
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Post by viking on Jun 26, 2012 16:23:22 GMT
An educational outing, and I don't see that one day will hurt.
Used to get this with my daughter. Took her anyway and see no lasting damage, rather the opposite in fact!
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Post by nia2311 on Jun 26, 2012 16:29:23 GMT
Nursey - if you write and say they are ill on that day, then unless they can prove otherwise they will have to put an authorised absence down. Yes, it will look blindingly obvious, but they cannot state the children were not well. Say they all got food poisoning or something.... Trouble is, kids can't keep secrets
Disclaimer: I would not recommend the use of this technique on a regular basis, its naughty.
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Post by ruftytuftyrider on Jun 26, 2012 21:24:01 GMT
Really unfair as they have good records.
In future might be better not to put that it is for a show - whilst horsey people know there are lots of things to do there that are educational - to the headteacher (assuming she is none horsey) is likely to just pick up on the word show and think that it is just a jolley.
I am sure her threat of the Educational Welfare Officer getting involved as an empty threat as I very much doubt they would get involved for 1 unauthorised absence. Working in the same building as the Educational Welfare Department at our local council it is my understanding that they would only get involved if there was cause for concern ie very poor attendance, bullying etc.
Enjoy your day out and don't worry one day out of school is not the end of the world - I hope the sun shines for you.
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Post by GinaGeo on Jun 26, 2012 21:41:17 GMT
My brother's on the GB Climbing team, my poor mother's had to battle with his school attendance officer over authorising three days whilst he's representing his Country in an International Competition.
They also refused to authorise an abscence when he was recieving training in Scotland, climbing outdoors. It was an educational expedition.
The amount of hassle we've had trying to show proof of where he has been and where he is going is unbelievable. We wouldn't mind so much, if he was a serial offender but with an attendance of 99.1% he's only been abscent one day this year prior to this. He's also a high achiever predicted mainly A*'s and all Excellent and Good effort grades. He's done all of his exams for this year already some a year early (Year 10) and whatever he does miss, I can help him with anyway!
It's beyond a joke, the school can legally authorise 10 days holiday a year, so why are we having to fight for authorisations for a student who will be representing his country in an International competition. We do wonder whether it would be a different matter completely if it were a more mainstream sport. The attendance officer went as far to tell us that she authorised dance exams on a regular basis!
Feel for you Nursey really do.
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Post by lisa on Jun 26, 2012 21:47:43 GMT
don't panic those unauthorised shirty letters are standard letters they have to send out, you are allowed 5 days before they fine you.
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Post by custardtart on Jun 26, 2012 22:12:35 GMT
oh they do it all the time! my kids are at school allday every day! unless something extremely pony related comes up! my brothers a jockey well his days off paid off in his career! i was on school equestrian teams (ye i went to a posh school lol) but yet one horse show day off was always declined!!!! fake thekids are ill and sod the school one day isnt going to make them end up in a dead end job for peanuts!!!!! grrrrrrrrr school teachers are like failed policeman!!!
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Post by custardtart on Jun 26, 2012 22:14:57 GMT
oh and also the brother got 5 a stars and 7 a's gcses!! so not like his racing career was an easy choice!! he got into the best sixth form college around but chose to go where his heart lay (with the horses!!) against all of our advice to get the a levels and degree first!!
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Post by dawnie on Jun 27, 2012 20:52:39 GMT
I am so glad my boys are all grown up and left school. It used to irritate the hell out of me this absence malarkey on a number of levels. As usual they target to decent people. I requested leave to attend a show and was denied it, so I kept him off as ill... he had worked too hard to miss it while others caused havoc round the streets with parents who didn't give a hoot where their kids were as long as they we not under their feet. The schools don't care if they take a days industrial action, what of the "loss of education" then? Not to mention the fact if a child says they feel ill ... that's it ... they are sent home and very often there is really no need.
My son came up with very good point, why when he does as he is told and does his work, arrives on time and wear his uniform he get nothing except told he can better and denied authorised absence and yet those who always cause trouble, never wear uniform, are late, distributive and destructive are rewarded with days out of school and miss lessons to go bowling, ice-skating etc and at no cost to them??? They were even taken away on a weeks trip to the lakes. I don't agree, but do understand the theory in it ... but its not a great message to send out to those who abide by the rules .. is it? Reward the bad and ignore the good!
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Post by leevale on Jun 27, 2012 21:02:02 GMT
My brother's on the GB Climbing team, my poor mother's had to battle with his school attendance officer over authorising three days whilst he's representing his Country in an International Competition. They also refused to authorise an abscence when he was recieving training in Scotland, climbing outdoors. It was an educational expedition. Has your mum looked into getting him on the gifted and talented register? The school should be supporting him and celebrating his success. |
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Post by nia2311 on Jun 27, 2012 21:12:07 GMT
Dawnie - my son says the same. They have a daily award "Star of the Day" in his class. My son rarely gets it. It is usually given to a child who has managed to stay in his/her chair for more than 5mins, or has managed a whole day without bodily wounding another child. If you behave yourself, arrive on time, bring the constant £1 donations for all sorts, bring gifts for the Christmas/Easter/Summer/Jubilee fete, and do well in your work, you are NOT Star of the Day. He has given up trying to win it and he just gets on with it.......
My son is going to be ill on 12th July. I am graduating from my Uni course and he wants to be there, but its on at lunchtime. I think a spot of earache will come on........
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Post by Jessica on Jun 27, 2012 21:16:38 GMT
I had lots of "dentist" and "doctor" appointments throughout 6th form!  Got 3 A's and now at Uni so can't have done much damage! |
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Post by sometime on Jun 27, 2012 22:58:04 GMT
My kids used to write their own absence notes for school the only time the staff complained it was a fake was one I actually wrote. Kids still laugh about that now. I dont like my handwriting so dont write very often I was quite happy for them to write their own.
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Post by browbands.co.uk on Jun 27, 2012 23:53:28 GMT
I always missed a week at the start of summer holidays and Had a week longer at the end plus a few others never did me the slightest bit of harm. What's that song again "we don't need no education" ;D haha but seriously don't bother about what the school say at the end of the day it is for a hobby not even a holiday!!!
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Post by Redsky on Jun 28, 2012 0:43:45 GMT
My eldest daughter has been allowed authorised days off for shows but my youngest ( 5 yo in reception ) wasn't allowed authorised absence this year for Cheshire show, the head teacher was apologetic about it as he believes such things are valuable educational opportunities but the current policies at the school won't allow him to authorise it . We did keep her off for those days with his blessing but it will go on her record as unauthorized. absence
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Post by michelle28 on Jun 28, 2012 6:21:47 GMT
My daughter starts primary school in sept, I took her on tues for a taster day, whilst there said to headmistress that she rides and competes and some of her shows may be mid week and during school, she said that was not a problem and to let her have the dates and they will be put down as educational trips.
Loving this school already!
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Post by helle on Jun 28, 2012 9:36:57 GMT
DON'T get me started on this subject!!!! My daugher has what they call 'poor attendence' ( currnetly about 91%) whihc has been mainly due to illness. I have been to the doctors with her, have given the school a letter from the GP stating they are still investigating the cause (she gets sick very easily, the one time I made her go in when she wasn't feeling well, she was sick in the bin during art!). I asked for her to be allowed to go to Devon County and Bath & West to compete and was origianlly told NO, but then they changed their minds, after I told them she would be going whatever. We now have the area show in the 10th July and I have to ask for her to have the day off again......
They have also told her they won't be able to authorise the shows next year as she has to choose her options!??
Oh, and even though her attendance is 'bad' she gets really good grades and is in most of the top sets, and she want's to be a producer (LOL).....
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Post by Karen, garrettponies on Jun 28, 2012 11:19:32 GMT
My daughter has had one day off sick since last september and her attendance is 97%, work that one out?!
We had a new head last year and she organised sports day for Great Yorkshire Show week, along with two school trips. Needless to say there was quite a few kids missing from those events. This year I think they took the hint and sports day was last week. In a farming community what do they expect? Years ago schools organised trips to the GYS and thursday was always school trip day.
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Post by Team Fenton on Jun 28, 2012 19:25:50 GMT
My Son school is also fantastic, he is registered on the Gifted & Talented scheme and gets time off for shows no problelm, they always ask how he does and congratulates him in assembley's
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Post by charliefox on Jun 30, 2012 6:13:39 GMT
My daughters school is fab and always supports us for time off for competing and encourages my daughter - they have just put her on the gifted and talented register - I did not know it existed - makes such a difference to have a supporting school
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Post by robrocksforsure on Jul 18, 2012 10:37:44 GMT
grrrrrrrrr school teachers are like failed policeman!!! mmmm - this obviously comes from one who has no real understanding of either a police officers job or a teachers and certainly has done neither and from one who has, teaching is more challenging. If a child misses a step in for example division and they are not too bright, they are on the back foot trying to catch up as their group moves on. Personally if this happens, I do try to give them one to one support -not always easy when you have another 30 kids needing taught. I also send a note home asking if a little could be done at home to reinforce something, which if the parents care and are able then this is not a problem. Sadly lack of parental support over childrens education is increasingly a problem. I don't think having the odd day off for such things is a problem if the attendance is otherwise good but you really need to work with the school to do the missing work-and make that known to them, especially in maths as missing links do have a knock on effect. |
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Post by ruftytuftyrider on Jul 18, 2012 12:12:03 GMT
I agree with Robrocksforsure that if parental support was there to ensure child caught up any work that was missed then it would not be a problem. When my daughter started secondary school the teachers were amazed that she did homework that was given when she had been absent from school ill - we were always expected to do it in primary so did not see why we would not do it in secondary.
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Got 3 A's and now at Uni so can't have done much damage!
