Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Unauthorised Absence Year 10 (science module) HELP PLEASE

36 replies

19forever · 12/05/2011 18:42

As a family we have always made sure our children never had any unnecessary absence from schools ie Holidays etc. Attendance on average has been about 99%." However, we have always wanted to attend Glastonbury Festival of Performing Arts and this has obviously conflicted with school dates. Our eldest child is in Y12 and our youngest in Y10 so this year we assumed we would be clear of exams as Y10 traditionally have not had exams during this period. We investigated this thoroughly before applying and getting tickets. However, the exam timetable has shown that a science GCSE module is set. We would like to approach the school with a view to resitting the module in January. We know the school will not authorise the absence due to the exam but we have made the choice that we are going to the festival and we wondered what the consequences would be regarding school. I appreciate that the overwhelmingly majority will find our actions wrong,however, we firmly believe that resitting the exam will not be detrimental to our child's attainment. Both our children are very keen musicians and wish to pursue a career in this field. I don't want lie to school and say he is ill but if I inform them about our trip (3 days leave)and they refuse to authorise it and we take him anyway what would happen?

OP posts:
AnnieBesant · 13/05/2011 20:07

I have two students who are going to be on holiday for their exam. I am mighty Hmm about it. All that will happen though I imagine is that it is recorded as unauthorised absence (possibly not even that!) and you may have to pay for the re-sit.

Ponders · 13/05/2011 20:03

OK, have just found the details - OCR do it on the Friday afternoon for Y 10.

bastards!

As it's not on next year I think you should definitely go - paying for the resit is no big deal (& also I DON'T AGREE with Y10s doing GCSE modules Grin)

Ponders · 13/05/2011 19:49

Glastonbury is the last weekend in June, isn't it? Is the exam on Fri 24th? That seems very late.

hocuspontas · 13/05/2011 19:41

Won't your yr12 be doing ASs? (Apologise for not knowing festival dates)

bulby · 13/05/2011 19:38

This is an official gcse exam and ( making the assumption she's sitting 2) worth 25% of the gcse. Next January you may find your daughter has other exams. School will have possibly already done and paid for the entry which takes time and money. It will be detrimental because your daughter will be going back over work she could have left behind when she is trying to learn newer stuff. Totally agree with the other teacher and the don't expect revision classes comment. Also why can't you go to Glastonbury after exam sat or leave early to be back in time?

MrsHerculePoirot · 13/05/2011 19:31

I too find it hard to see why you would continue to do this if your child has exams tbh. However, if the school don't authorise the absence (which they shouldn't in this case) then your child/ren will be marked as unauthorised on the register. If it is only for a few days then nothing more is likely to come of it. However you will be expected to pay for the resit in January, and you would need to check that your school do exams in January and this is possible to do. I know that parents can be fined for taking children out of school for unauthorised reasons, but I don't know of this happening to any parent as a one off at our school.

Does your son in Y12 not have any exams in the summer period either?

EvilTwins · 13/05/2011 19:25

I don't really understand why you would still go, given that your child will be missing an exam. Surely you could go to any one of several other Performing Arts festivals, or leave it until another year.

Sound like a very selfish decision to me.

Loshad · 12/05/2011 21:42

just don't ask the teachers to run special revision classes in their lunchtimes in jan for your dc !

RealEyesRealiseRealLies · 12/05/2011 19:20

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

runningmonkey · 12/05/2011 18:52

classes

teacher

Blush

Sorry typing too quickly!

runningmonkey · 12/05/2011 18:51

We had a similar situation in one of my classed and IIRC the student involved did not have the absence authorised and were asked to pay for the entry to 'resit' in Jan.

My personal view as a teach is that it is not ideal for the student involved no matter how hardworking or supported they are with revision outside of school. This is because January will be a long way from when the material needed for the module will have been taught in class. In addition I presume that your DC will also be revising for another year 11 module (which for our exam board are bigger and more intensive than the year 10 modules) BUT if you have discussed this and are happy with the situation as a family then I don't think that there is a lot the school will do - you might get a bit of a lecture though!

HTH