Leaving school for 6 months

[pirateRainbow]

Next year, we might have to move abroad temporarily for 6 months. DS will be in Year 1. Can we leave the school for 6 months and keep his spot at the (oversubscribed) local primary school?

[LIZS]

Unlikely. They would have to offer a place to another child on the waiting list.

[TheHumanMothboy]

No chance. I think for some academies their terms and conditions policies state they can remove you from roll if you're absent for 15 (or even 10?) days!

[BossWitch]

Nope. Not a chance.

[pirateRainbow]

Thanks for the quick replies. Could I say that I do home schooling for a year? Could they keep my son's spot in that case?

[LIZS]

No makes no difference, he would still be withdrawn from the school and his place reoffered.

[BendingSpoons]

No because they will want the place to be used. They will only keep a place longer than a few weeks if it is for illness.

[Wolfiefan]

No.

[youarenotkiddingme]

Unlikely but if he's going to be educated elsewhere you may be able to get him marked as that. There is also such a thing as duel placement.

Worth investigating.

[pepperpot99]

If you are home schooling why would you want a school place?

[pirateRainbow]

@pepperpot99: I would only home school 1 year, while we're away.

@youarenotkiddingme thanks for your response. Can you please develop what you mean by "get him marked as that", and also duel placement? Thanks

[LIZS]

Presumably you won't be ordinarily resident in uk and may not get uk child benefit if there is a reciprocal system or you are outside EEA.

[PatriciaHolm]

On rare occasions, a child can be marked in registers as being educated elsewhere - if they are attending an approved educational activity elsewhere. This must be supervised by someone approved by the school and is usually used to cover such things as vocational days at college, or taster days at other school/s. It is not intended for what the OP wants.

Equally, there is a dual registration code, but again that is for, for example, students who might be at a special school or PRU, or travellers children. Again education needs to be supervised by someone approved by the school.

In the OPs circumstances in an over subscribed school (presumably with a waiting list) I would say (as a governor and appeals panelist) there is no chance a head would agree to coding an overseas absence under either of the above. This is not what those codes are intended for.

Sorry Op, but in reality you would end up being deregistered.

[youarenotkiddingme]

I meant what Patricia has said - and she clearly has far more idea about t than I do!
Doesn't seem likely you can ask for that.

[pirateRainbow]

I see. Thanks for your help, I'm not sure what we can do then. It seems to mean that a short 6 month stint abroad is an all or nothing thing: either we don't do it, or we stay over there!

[Wolfiefan]

6 months isn't a short stint. You can't expect them to hold the place.

[LIZS]

You just chance whether there is a space on return. If you live close by you would be near the top of waiting list and if you wait until he is entering year 3 infant class size no longer affects an appeal. You may find you want to stay longer or a change on return anyway. Is there really only one school you would consider?

[pirateRainbow]

Hi Lizs, thanks for your help. What do you mean by "infant class size no longer affects an appeal"?

Unfortunately where I am, I feel it's either private (which is too expensive for me), this one state school (excellent) or other crappy state schools...

[LIZS]

From year 3 the infant class size maximum of 30 is not relevant. So a school could take an extra pupil if there was capacity, which you could argue for at appeal. Some LA will allow you to apply in the weeks before you physically return , assuming you have a local address. You could investigate private and register to give you a back up until a place came up. Or take up a place wherever is available.

[ViceAdmiralAmilynHoldo]

I think you are allowed to leave your space vacant for three months.

It might be worth having a chat with the head. You may be able to have eg three weeks off ill, then x weeks off, then it's summer holiday, etc. You get my drift?

Google it and play the game, at least in writing.

[cantkeepawayforever]

I think you are allowed to leave your space vacant for three months.

I don't think that's right. The legislation I can find refers to 20 school days being the period after which a child can be deleted from the school register, or 10 days after a period of authorised absence has expired.

A headteacher is not going to authorise a 6 month absence, so it looks like the 20 days is the relevant period.

[cantkeepawayforever]

(As an oversubscribed school, when we know a child is going abroad, they are usually deleted from the register on the day that they leave, and their replacement from the waiting list is usually in school the next school day. So usually a child who l;eaves on a Friday is replaced on the Monday. I appreciate that this is when a parent has been honest and said 'we're going abroad for X months / years', but we have quite a lot of movement of this type, and this is normal practice)

[Peonyflower37]

I know a couple of prophet who have done it to go travelling and got permission from the school. Kids were in primary school. One of the family home schooled and send them to school overseas and children returned to the same school. Both schools are in London

[Peonyflower37]

A couple of families, what's wrong with this mobile.