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Original poster

Cannot get to school as have no petrol- headteacher say's it an 'unauthorised absence'. Anyone else in this situation?

120 replies

Schoolfuel1 · 04/10/2021 17:09

DC school is nearly 8 miles away.
Spent weekend going to 5 different petrol stations and all were shut. We tried calling some other's petrol stations (who didn't answer). We are following all the facebool fuel pages and the google fuel map, but there was still no stations with petrol.

So this morning I did not have enough petrol to do the 8 mile journey x4 times as my petrol light is on. DH very low too and we need to keep some for him to try get to a petrol station to get me some.

Headteacher say's unacceptable as other kids and staff are in (many live in the village so walk). Says we could get a taxi- its £25 each way, including my return journeys that's £100 for one day.I'm not wanting a child to be in a taxi themselves with a total stranger.

Say's as we "cannot afford a taxi" we should get a bus- no direct bus, only one takes over 2 hours and how is their guarantee bus will get petrol? Say's we should know who parents in our village are to lift share-we genuinely do not of anyone so she say's we need to go on facebook to find them Confused

So basically , dc is marked as an unauthorised absence today and she is expected in tomorrow no matter what.

My older dc's school couldn't be more different- supportive and offering to help get her to school.

Is anyone else placed in this position? What if can't get petrol this week- or the week after- will we get fined and have to go to court?

OP posts:
gardeninggirl68 · 04/10/2021 17:11

if it goes to court then have proof ready

school will be laughed out of the place! if it got that far..

Soubriquet · 04/10/2021 17:14

link

I know it’s the mirror but hope that helps

3WildOnes · 04/10/2021 17:17

Do you have a class WhatsApp group? Could you ask if anyone could pick up your dc on their way to school.

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SissySpacekAteMyHamster · 04/10/2021 17:18

How old is your child, could he stay with a school friend who lives near to the school for a couple of nights whilst you get petrol.

Can you ask on fb group or next-door if anyone has any petrol they'd be willing to sell?

MilkCereal · 04/10/2021 17:21

Dont worry about it. It will have consequence longterm

Teeheehee1579 · 04/10/2021 17:22

It is ridiculous for today but if I was you I would definitely be putting a shout out to see if another parent can help - you must know someone from the same school you could ask or at least ask if they know anyone relatively local who could help you.

OtherInfo · 04/10/2021 17:22

It is an unauthorised absence, but nothing's going to happen as a result of it.

Hellocatshome · 04/10/2021 17:27

Well it has to go down as an unauthorised absence as there is no other code for it. It doesn't make any difference long term unless he normally has many unauthorised absences a year.

RumblyMumbly · 04/10/2021 17:27

Which area are you in @Schoolfuel1 ?

How old's your DC, could they ask their friends for help? Are you on social media for school class group / local residents group. Near me (SE) people with electric cars have offered to give lifts to people who can't get petrol to drs appts etc and there are good samaritans out there who would be happy to help you get your DC to school and back. Where there's a will there's a way...
What are you going to do tomorrow?

FWBNC · 04/10/2021 17:30

unauthorised absence- so what? It affects them more than you. Let them crack on with it.

thatsnotmyzoo · 04/10/2021 17:33

@FWBNC

unauthorised absence- so what? It affects them more than you. Let them crack on with it.
This. Let them crack on, there is no sensible option other than to drive and you’ve no fuel.

I would ask around other parents though.

SaltySheepdog · 04/10/2021 17:34

Don’t worry about it. Do your best to get child in but not to the extent of paying £100 for a taxi

SirChenjins · 04/10/2021 17:36

Tell her to crack on and mark it down as unauthorised - did she forget she was having a conversation with another adult?
I would put out a call on SM in the meantime though, just in case someone is willing to help.

lannistunut · 04/10/2021 17:40

What can you do? Cheaper to be fined than pay £100/day on taxis. Just leave the school to it. Idiotic headteacher threatening you.

FindingMeno · 04/10/2021 17:44

Confirm everything by email and don't worry.

Tilltheend99 · 04/10/2021 17:45

I don’t have a solution but all the buses in our area run on bio fuel so won’t run out of petrol. May also be the case with your local service.

Is there a Facebook group where you can find other parents from your school or other neighbours from your village who may be able to lend some?

FindingMeno · 04/10/2021 17:45

Possibly ask if the headteacher could pick up.

SirSamuelVimes · 04/10/2021 17:48

@FindingMeno

Possibly ask if the headteacher could pick up.
This is a great idea. Ask the school to send the head / a teacher to collect. Just to piss them off, really Grin
FindingMeno · 04/10/2021 17:49

@SirSamuelVimes precisely Grin

catmothertes1 · 04/10/2021 17:51

Why is there not a school bus if the school is 8 miles away?

Original poster
Schoolfuel1 · 04/10/2021 17:53

@SissySpacekAteMyHamster

How old is your child, could he stay with a school friend who lives near to the school for a couple of nights whilst you get petrol.

Can you ask on fb group or next-door if anyone has any petrol they'd be willing to sell?

I did very briefly toy with the idea of asking one of the parents who can walk to the school if dc could stay- but I just feel this is a really big thing to ask if my dc could stay with them. Besides, right now I couldn't even get them there, so to ask if they would mind using their petrol tp pick dc up might just seems a massive ask.

We have asked in the class parents facebook group just incase anyone lives near, but most live on the other side of the village,making it up to a 40 minute drive from them, they would have to go right past the school to get to us. We are actually in a different county to them, most have never even heard of our village!

We are going to try and get petrol tonight.
Im very feeling hugely pressured by the headteacher right now.

Was there anyone else who couldn't get to school today, if so what did the school say?

OP posts:
itsallgoingpearshaped · 04/10/2021 17:55

@SirChenjins

Tell her to crack on and mark it down as unauthorised - did she forget she was having a conversation with another adult? I would put out a call on SM in the meantime though, just in case someone is willing to help.
This.

You can also tell her she's welcome to collect and return them herself if she doesn't appreciate that real people are struggling to get petrol and get places they need to be. And you can't magic up taxi fare or spent 4 hours a day on a bus.

She's ridiculous. Complain to the governing body about her response.

JoborPlay · 04/10/2021 17:56

@FWBNC

unauthorised absence- so what? It affects them more than you. Let them crack on with it.
This
itsallgoingpearshaped · 04/10/2021 17:56

BTW. many petrol stations restock overnight. Check your local social media pages. If you are waiting at one at 6:00 am tomorrow morning, you'll likely be able to fill up.

NotMyCat · 04/10/2021 17:57

School tried to put down me being stuck in snow as a child unauthorised because there was no snow at the school Hmm
We lived on top of a giant hill in the next county, and on that particular day no buses were running and we had to be dug out of home by a snowplough under about 2ft of snow
My dad took photos and posted them to school GrinBlush of him stood in it up to his waist