schools and the law

kafkathecat

jess1974 wrote: »

can she not just say she is home educating her....

No to home educate you have to deregister the child from the school. You are then visited regularly by an inspector to ensure the child is receiving an education.
Depending on the circumstances home education could be a possibility for the family, for example if the girl was being bullied or had other issues with school and would stay at home while her mum was at work and study. It would not work if she is just not interested. Most families wouldn't consider it but it can be an option.

Mrs_Arcanum

Is there any system of "Space to Learn" or similar at the school (or another school) where she could be placed to get her back into the school habit? These are for children who can just be totally disengaged from the learning process amongst other issues. Whatever she does she must go in to school with her daughter & help her understand the consequences of her non attendance.

jacquij123

Mojisola wrote: »

Unless the parents stay at school and shadow the child throughout the day, how can they be held responsible for whether the child stays on the school grounds or leaves?

BY bringing them up with a positive attitude towards education and the importance of it and to respect those in authority. People working in schools can't physically stop an older child once they decide they want to leave but the majority of children stay in school once they are there or can be reasoned with if they have a problem and want to go. Prosecution will only occur if the school and local authority are convinced that the parents are not doing enough. If there is a genuine problem then they will do what ever they can to get the child in school, offering support etc.

Mojisola

jacquij123 wrote: »

BY bringing them up with a positive attitude towards education and the importance of it and to respect those in authority. People working in schools can't physically stop an older child once they decide they want to leave but the majority of children stay in school once they are there or can be reasoned with if they have a problem and want to go. Prosecution will only occur if the school and local authority are convinced that the parents are not doing enough. If there is a genuine problem then they will do what ever they can to get the child in school, offering support etc.

I agree with all this, especially the bit in bold. That's why I can't understand that the authorities hold the parent responsible for the child leaving the school, even if the parent has co-operated by physically bringing the child to school.

I'm sure the majority of children with problems do have parents who don't care and haven't taught their children well but there are some who just go off the rails despite having a good home.

RadoJo

Mojisola wrote: »

Unless the parents stay at school and shadow the child throughout the day, how can they be held responsible for whether the child stays on the school grounds or leaves?

But what is a teacher supposed to do with the other 29 students in a class if one child fails to turn up or stay for the lesson? Teachers are there primarily to educate, and rely on children having the structure and discipline at home to appreciate their education or at least keep turning up for fear of the consequences of bunking off.

MsHoarder

jacquij123 wrote: »

BY bringing them up with a positive attitude towards education and the importance of it and to respect those in authority. People working in schools can't physically stop an older child once they decide they want to leave but the majority of children stay in school once they are there or can be reasoned with if they have a problem and want to go. Prosecution will only occur if the school and local authority are convinced that the parents are not doing enough. If there is a genuine problem then they will do what ever they can to get the child in school, offering support etc.

That's wonderful in theory. When you look at children playing truant however, also look at the siblings. If only one child in a family plays truant then it suggests that the parents are bringing them up to try and impress the importance of education and respect towards authority.

Sometimes teenagers (and adults) refuse to follow what is the wisest course of action and do things which their parents do not want them to do. In these cases it seems mad to destabilise the family more than it is by having a rebellious teenager by bringing in legal action. What is really needed is a united front by the school and parents. But even that may not work...

lindseykim13

Home schooling is an option if the mum & daughter agree to it. It is not law for a child to attend school, the only law is that the child is educated and that does not need to be the national curriculum either.
http://www.education-otherwise.org/abouthe.htm

Mojisola

RadoJo wrote: »

But what is a teacher supposed to do with the other 29 students in a class if one child fails to turn up or stay for the lesson? Teachers are there primarily to educate, and rely on children having the structure and discipline at home to appreciate their education or at least keep turning up for fear of the consequences of bunking off.

What they shouldn't be doing is holding the parent responsible who may be miles away at work at the time!

Schools should have procedures for dealing with situations like this. It wasn't something that happened very often at the school where I was a governor but we had made a plan for the eventuality and there were a few occasions when the plan had to be implemented.

sjc3

My daughter is only at primary school at the moment so at that age once parents have left by 9am the doors are locked. Children can only get out into the playgrounds when escorted by staff. Main gates are locked and people can only get in and out by keypad or by buzzing the office. There is also cctv everywhere to monitor what is going on around the school.

I know I am going to come across as ignorant to all this but surely if the same system applied at high schools it would cut out this truancy problem once kids had been dropped at the school.

Surely teachers and/or office staff must see someone wearing school uniform walking out the building. Do they not have any way of making sure this young person is escorted back to where they should be?

I really feel for your friend. It sounds like she is doing everything possible to stop her daughter doing this. Yet if it continues it is the mum who will be in trouble with the police. Does the school have its own pcso who could spell out the consequences of her actions to your friends daughter. What would happen to her if her mum got a custodial sentence?

hippyadam

sjc3 wrote: »

My daughter is only at primary school at the moment so at that age once parents have left by 9am the doors are locked. Children can only get out into the playgrounds when escorted by staff. Main gates are locked and people can only get in and out by keypad or by buzzing the office. There is also cctv everywhere to monitor what is going on around the school.

I know I am going to come across as ignorant to all this but surely if the same system applied at high schools it would cut out this truancy problem once kids had been dropped at the school.

Having worked in schools as a TA i have two words. Fire Door. These are never locked.

sjc3 wrote: »

Surely teachers and/or office staff must see someone wearing school uniform walking out the building. Do they not have any way of making sure this young person is escorted back to where they should be?

You can ask them to return nicely, or threaten them with a detention or somesuch. As a general rule you can not restrain them or physically return them.

Basically if your teen does not want to stay in school, not much can be done about it.