Is my child’s school being extremely unreasonable?

Well said.

I hope your husband gets somewhere when he goes to the school. If not, please, please do write to the governors. In your place I would do that anyway and copy to the head teacher. Mention in it that you had filled in the correct form.

Good luck.

They are being an ass. Ring the school and ask to make an appointment to, or speak with the Head. Explain the fact it's their Grandfather's funeral who they were close to and they wish to attend the funeral and be able to grieve the loss with the family.

I've never heard of anyone being fined for attending a funeral. It was always the LA's decision to give fines and nothing to do with an Attendance Officer. (This could have changed). And your child needing time off for medical reasons is also irrelevant. I'd be having words with the Head (or the Chair of Governors if necessary) about your treatment. This is totally unacceptable.

They're really tightening up on attendance now, even more than the past few years. It's so sad that no discrimination can be made between genuine needs and the persistent offendors. It's the same for staff, the loops you have to jump through for something that would've been a simple compassionate agreement.

Sincerest condolences, you could do without this extra stress. X

That's so often the question isn't it. Why do we expect kids to put up with things that adults don't?

For example a long day at school and then homework on top yet we talk about work-life balance for adults.

Also silly strict uniforms when "nobody" wears a tie for work anymore.

The national threshold is the 5 days.

So sorry for your loss
she seems a right old cow
🌹

Why don’t children get time off school, like adults do from work, for bereavement leave and funerals? It’s almost like they are irrelevant and don’t have any feelings/rights when it is very much needed. Our HT had 3 weeks bereavement leave when their sister died.

Also worth looking at this guidance https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66bf300da44f1c4c23e5bd1b/Working_together_to_improve_school_attendance_-_August_2024.pdf

It does say there is a discretion to issue a fine earlier but you'd be hard pushed to justify it in this situation - italics are mine.

"The National Framework does not prevent a penalty notice from being used in other cases where an offence has been committed but before doing so authorised officers are expected to make the same considerations as set out above. If in an individual case the local authority (or other authorised officer) believes a penalty notice would be appropriate, they retain the discretion to issue one before the threshold is met. This might apply for example, where parents are deliberately avoiding the national threshold by taking several term time holidays below threshold, or for repeated absence for birthdays or other family events. If local authorities wish to exercise this discretion to issue a penalty notice earlier in such circumstances, they should make this clear in their Local Code of Conduct. Local authorities who conduct, or may wish to, conduct truancy sweeps will also want to make provision for this within their Code"

and it also talks about the Public Sector Equality Duty and we've already talked about racism being a possibility here.

I am shocked at this. I think you need to escalate this, but I can imagine you can do without a battle at this sad time. I wonder if the head knows that his/her attendance officer is an inconsiderate, idiotic robot.
I would keep the children off, go to the funeral then prepare for battle when you get back home. See the head, if no joy write to the governors and the education department.

Oh and what a bloody cheek considering a week off for surgery to be unauthorised absence!

Firstly I’m so sorry for your loss, what a horrible shock.
This is a very typical example of a sledgehammer policy being enforced by people who are probably not senior and who are blindly putting in place the rules without thinking. I used to work in a school and the person in charge of dealing with parents and attendance shouldn’t have been in charge of boiling a kettle, let alone a sensitive policy. Contact both headteacher and chair of governors and get this ridiculous decision overturned. I’m so angry on your behalf !

How dare they?
not exceptional?! The death if their granddad??!!!

either they have no heart or there is something else going on. Ring on until you get satisfaction and please complain. It is utterly awful.

condoleances op 🌺

This also sounds discriminatory.

I am so sorry for your loss. Do what you need to do and then sort the school after everything has settled

This. And the LA and my MP. This is beyond disgusting.

I’m usually one for rules but I’d be willing to go to prison for a few days rather than pay the fine. Totally heartless. I hope their staff get more compassion.

I don't interpret the legislation that way.

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2024/210

But anyway the OP can check their local council to make sure. My local council definitely says 5 days.

similar happened to me , my mum died , she lived in Scotland I lived in England . I asked permission to take my son out of school for 3 days and the headteacher said I suppose I can allow this

They’ve given you incorrect information.
Firstly - the change to attendance meant that every child got a clean slate this September. They legally cannot use any absence from last academic year to fine you.
Secondly - the fine would be £80 for 5 days of unauthorised absence within a 10 week period (starting sept 2024). It only increase to £160 if not paid within 2 weeks.

At least 1 day should be authorised, for the funeral. Personally I think they are unreasonable not authorising all 3.

You're not being unreasonable.
If a sudden death of a close relative doesn't warrant time off school I don't know what does.

It isn't the decision of the attendance officer in school, so don't discuss it any further with her. It is down to the head teacher how the register is marked and whether to request that penalty notices are issued, so have all discussions with them, in writing so you get evidence and have a paper trail. Head teachers do still have discretion not to issue penalty notices, though they may tell you they don't.

Contrary to what you are being told on here, you can be issued with a penalty notice/fine for less than 5 days or 10 sessions. If you are unfortunate enough to receive one, please speak to the issuing office (likely your local authority) and explain the circumstances. They have the authority to cancel the fine if they feel it was unjustly issued.

Don't ignore the fine, you'll end up in court, and without a statutory defence (which you haven't got unfortunately), you'd be risking an even bigger fine and a criminal record.

First stop though, head teachers email inbox. Then the chair of governors. Then the board of governors. Good luck.

You are not being unreasonable at all. Take the time and make a complaint. Sorry for your loss.

The school doesn't issue the fine anyway, it's the local authority who decide if a fine is necessary.

The school didn't authorise 9 days leave for my daughter visiting her father abroad (long story as to why she has to travel to him I won't go into details!) but the letter from school basically said the absence would not be authorised (as they had authorised a similar absence 2 years ago) and the local authority would have to be notified. If the LA deemed the absence to contribute to too much time off school over the course of the academic year or to be disruptive to her learning overall, then they might consider the fine.

We heard nothing more.

Yes they can 🙄

The legislation states schools must consider issuing a penalty notice for absences over 10 sessions.

They have not removed the option to issue one for less than that!

There is no fine threshold, your information is incorrect. Please read the regulations before advising others.

They are definitely unreasonable.

If this is the underlying ethos then I would be considering my options for sixth form. Obviously only one of many considerations but some schools are ott in sixth form too so I would perhaps dig more deeply into the school ethos. Has the headteacher changed recently?

This. Me too.

I and my hd of house would quietly authorise such absences. I couldn’t do it for a long one but for short ones where we knew the situation it’d never get to the attendance officer.

I forget the codes now to go on the register but it’d have been sorted.

The medical absence is a red herring - theres no way that that should have been unauthorised or included in overall figures. Also the clock starts again in September or used to.

Sorry about your Dad.