Our kids refused time off school during term time - please advice

Pollycat

ViolaLass wrote: »

Quite.

Not to mention the administrative pain for a school who have to do the rounds of all the teachers (if in secondary, that's a lot of people). Much easier to have one policy for all.

At least with this policy everybody knows where they stand - whether they agree with it or comply with it or not.

FBaby

That's why we have a separate education system rather than leaving it all to parents.

Except that education is responsible for the care of the children as a whole, for individual ones, that's the responsibility of the individual parents. If I beleived at my kids' individual interest at heart, then I probably would be more willing to trust them. As it stand, I don't and therefore will do what I beleive is best for MY child rather than all the children in the class like all parents do.

For instance, I personally believe that some children are kept off school with minor illnesses/injuries must to eagerly. I also think that some teachers are kicked to take sickness days too. These two will also affect my kids' learning very much as you argue that taking them on holiday will, but I don't go lecture these parents/teachers.

It is a shame to have to resort to a "panic response" rather than have a more rigorous absence policy.

And how are you going to do that when some parents find it acceptable to keep their child out of school on Monday because they suffering from muscles tiredness after a big football game on the sunday? There's no fine for this, yet it is no more excusable.

Jagraf

FBaby wrote: »

Except that education is responsible for the care of the children as a whole, for individual ones, that's the responsibility of the individual parents. If I beleived at my kids' individual interest at heart, then I probably would be more willing to trust them. As it stand, I don't and therefore will do what I beleive is best for MY child rather than all the children in the class like all parents do.

For instance, I personally believe that some children are kept off school with minor illnesses/injuries must to eagerly. I also think that some teachers are kicked to take sickness days too. These two will also affect my kids' learning very much as you argue that taking them on holiday will, but I don't go lecture these parents/teachers.

And how are you going to do that when some parents find it acceptable to keep their child out of school on Monday because they suffering from muscles tiredness after a big football game on the sunday? There's no fine for this, yet it is no more excusable.

The education system, ie, formal education. I agree it is up to parents to provide a rounded education outside of formal education. School do cater for individual children on a formal level. eg predicted grades, lesson differentiation etc.

I don't doubt for one minute that other things also affect a child's 'formal' education. But five wrongs don't make a right. Maybe the system needs to be more rigorous - all round. It's possible, we have laws updated all the time.

Jagraf

I wonder what would happen if a parent wanted to take a child out of school on holiday in years 9 / 10 / 11, and the child didn't want to go and wanted to stay in school. I wonder who would win that little battle legally?

Nicki

FBaby wrote: »

And how are you going to do that when some parents find it acceptable to keep their child out of school on Monday because they suffering from muscles tiredness after a big football game on the sunday? There's no fine for this, yet it is no more excusable.

I hate to spoil a good rant but of course there is a fine if you don't send a child to school when suffering muscle fatigue or something else daft. It's unlikely to be imposed for a one off as it would go under the radar but to do so regularly would trigger the range of official responses here which include a fine and also prosecution.

https://www.gov.uk/school-attendance-absence/overview

barbarawright

ViolaLass wrote: »

Many more people climb Everest each year now, does that mean it's got lower?

With O-Levels it was a quota system. Top 20% got As, next got Bs and so on. It certainly doesn't mean the exams were easier or harder, just that the grades were allocated differently

maman

FBaby wrote: »

For instance, I personally believe that some children are kept off school with minor illnesses/injuries must to eagerly. I also think that some teachers are kicked to take sickness days too. These two will also affect my kids' learning very much as you argue that taking them on holiday will, but I don't go lecture these parents/teachers.

Surely a teacher that's been kicked might justifiably have a day off to recuperate or is that only for the ones that are stabbed?


Or are you suggesting they engineer situations where they could be kicked to have time off?

Kaye1

FBaby wrote: »

For instance, I personally believe that some children are kept off school with minor illnesses/injuries must to eagerly. I also think that some teachers are kicked to take sickness days too. These two will also affect my kids' learning very much as you argue that taking them on holiday will, but I don't go lecture these parents/teachers.

And conversely, there are parents who insist on sending obviously ill children to school. That will take up teaching time too.


I walked into a class last year to see a child projective vomit all over the reading corner. When the Mum arrived, she was adamant that she didn't know the child was ill, until he piped up, "Yes, I was sick twice last night." Now, I am sure she had her reasons but it was the class teacher on their hands and knees scrubbing up sick and not teaching the lesson.


School, ideally, should be a collaboration between parent and teacher but it often isn't. And parents are equally responsible for building that partnership as the school.

FBaby

Nicki wrote: »

It's unlikely to be imposed for a one off as it would go under the radar but to do so regularly would trigger the range of official responses here which include a fine and also prosecution

But that is exactly my point. It unlikely to be imposed as a one off and would be subject to a range of responses, even though the impact is exactly the same as missing school for a holiday. Yet the latter can be fined on spot for just one day missed. Hence why more and more parent resort to reporting their kids off sick to avoid the fine. It's a ridiculous vircious circle!

FBaby

School, ideally, should be a collaboration between parent and teacher but it often isn't. And parents are equally responsible for building that partnership as the school.

I couldn't agree more with you on this, but this is why I feel the constant guilt put on parents for their action is doing exactly the opposite.

That's why I am so grateful that my LA and school have taken a much more reasonable approach about this issue.