What happens to attendance if there are dance exams during school hours?

[Amrapaali]

DD has a classical dance grade1 exam in June. On a weekday.

Am planning to ask the school if this can be an authorised absence. Can it? Does anyone else have experience of this?

[prh47bridge]

I would normally expect this to be classed as an approved educational activity, which is allowed.

[Amrapaali]

Oh yay! Thanks a million, prh...

So far, her two ballet Grade exams have been on weekends, but this one came out of the blue.

Good to know where I stand.

[titchy]

I just tell, rather than ask(!), the school if my dcs have exams. It goes down as approved sporting activity i.e. authorised.

[Amrapaali]

Yup titchy I am thinking it will be ok. All this talk of fines has made me nervous though....

[teacherwith2kids]

DD has always had her dance exams (18 or so of them) authorised, as well as performance at a dance festiva that falls in the middle of term - so I should amgine that you will be OK.

[Amrapaali]

Thanks, teacher! Feeling more and more relieved.

[DeWee]

Mine have always had them authorised, as have music exams. If you can arrange for them to manage to be there for morning and afternoon registration it's even better.

[Amrapaali]

I don't think we can, DeWee. We have to travel into London and it's an hour's travel at least from where we are. Exam is in the afternoon. Yet to be given the exact time.

The two ballet exams were taken through a dance school so the examiner travelled down for the weekend and assessed the girls.

But this one in June, is through an independent dance teacher, so guessing she doesn't have enough clout to hire an examiner to come to her??

[RaspberryLemonPavlova]

Another one who thinks you will be fine. Like prh said it shouldn't be marked as absence. We have had time out for music exams and festivals.

I tend to ask/explain rather than tell, (though I would take them anyway), as I feel it is more courteous.

[nonicknameseemsavailable]

yes it should be an authorised absence. having said that the class teacher told one of the parents to just send in a letter saying the child had an appointment because she wasn't entirely sure what the rules were. we will have to take DD1 out of school twice I think in July for 2 exams which will probably be on different days as different examiners required for them. BUT it will be just days before the end of term so hopefully less disruptive than it could have been. DD2 is doing her ballet at Christmas so am hoping it won't end up clashing with class Nativity or something.

[Saracen]

Most schools seem to be happy to authorise absences for such things and to mark them as "educated off-site". I don't think they are supposed to, however. Guidance from DfE in November 2013 (www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-attendance) said

"Code B: Off-site educational activity
This code should be used when pupils are present at an off-site educational activity that has been approved by the school. Ultimately schools are responsible for the safeguarding and welfare of pupils educated off-site. Therefore by using code B, schools are certifying that the education is supervised and measures have been taken to safeguard pupils."

so I don't really see how that fits with taking exams which haven't been arranged by the school, at a venue which hasn't been checked out by the school, using transport which hasn't been vetted by the school, etc etc.

But I am not meaning to rain on your picnic. I expect that the school will see the educational value of the exams and authorise the leave, even if technically they shouldn't. Good luck to your daughter!

[hels71]

Our head, who rarely authorises anything, authorises ballet and music exams as long as you show proof they have one.

[Monopolice]

Our HT never used to authorise music or ballet exams but has recently and notably authorised for music this year - I don't know about ballet though.

[Amrapaali]

oh no, at Saracen's post...

I am still planning to take proof of the exam as in regn.forms etc. No idea if they will help. Will have a quick word at the school office on Monday. Watch this space.

[teacherwith2kids]

Saracen, tbh in most guidance, the code used for music / dance exams is simply C (authorised absence), as it is something that is normallyauthorised UNLESS requests are unreasonably frequent, disruptive, short notice or would have an obvious impact on school performance (e.g. clashed with a GCSE!). It is specifically given as 'something that will be authorised' in many counties' guidance.

[500smiles]

We've never had problems with authorised leave for music / dance stuff either, even though it's often time needed for travelling to / from event.

[meditrina]

If the examination is organised by a recognised body, then it is easy for a school to check (if so minded) that it is being well run and thus meets the stipulations saracen quoted. Our school has no problem in authorising absences for ABRSM examinations (I've never had to ask for dance).

[meditrina]

If it helps, both RAD and ISTD publish comprehensive safeguarding policies on line.

[MrsExcited]

We have an RAD letter waiting to go into school on Monday for dsd who has ballet grade 1 on a school day, not expecting any probs.

The school can also claim points for the exam in their legue tables.

[JohnnyBarthes]

Wouldn't the child being accompanied by their parent cover the safeguarding bit?

[meditrina]

Being with a parent covers all travel etc, but if the candidate is alone in warm up and exam itself then demonstrating that the organisation has suitable child protection policies in place covers all the bases.

[StarDustInTheWind]

Ours allows the kids to be taken out of school and returned with no quibbling if it is for external exams - taking a whole day off - 6 or more hours - for less than an hour of exam would be frowned upon, but I guess if transport is bad you need to let them know that....

DD has a piano exam at the end of the month - on a Monday - 12.40... we will pick up at start of last morning lesson 11.15 and have her back for afternoon registration at 2.15 - at secondary school - 3 hours out for a 20 min exam - includes travel time.

[RaspberryLemonPavlova]

Whatever Code is used, it doesn't show as absence on the older DCs attendance record that I can view. You can't see codes, just present, absent, late. This has included music festivals, returning to primary school to play in a concert during the school day and going on a Scout Activity trip. I was slightly surprised by the last one myself.

DD is playing in a daytime music service Youth Orchestra concert in July that I have been told will be 'education off-site'.

Don't know about the Junior School, but they also authorise DS2s occasional chorister commitments and DS2 gets full attendance certificates, so presumably not 'absent'.

I would add I don't really care how the school marks it as long as the DCs are allowed to do it!

[Amrapaali]

It IS an ISTD exam. I wasn't aware the school can claim points for league tables.

[Tootssweet]

It might be worth asking her teacher if she has a letter you can give to school. Our dance teacher has a pro-forma letter that I think RAD issue requesting absence from school. Dd will be doing her grade 2 this term & her Head authorises all the children for exams & other educational activity.