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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:
MadameMinimes · 04/10/2021 17:58

They have to mark it as unauthorised as there isn’t an absence code that covers it. You wouldn’t be fined unless it went on for more than two weeks though. It seems unlikely that you’ll be without fuel for that long. I definitely think the HT was right to suggest that you should be looking to see if anyone lives nearby who could give you a lift. I can see why you might have been irritated if her tone suggested she thought you were just making excuses though. It might take a few days to find someone but, like you said, what if you can’t get fuel next week or the week after? How long would it be ok for her to miss school for? Surely it would be better to try to find a way to get her in if at all possible. If there end up being ongoing fuel shortages all winter (I personally don’t think this is likely, but it’s not impossible) then you’ll need another way to get her in. Working out who else from school lives nearby could be very handy if this drags on.

Hellocatshome · 04/10/2021 17:59

Why is there not a school bus if the school is 8 miles away? presumably because the school is not 8 miles away from everyone and if you choose to send your child to a school 8 miles away it is your responsibility to get them there.

Original poster
Schoolfuel1 · 04/10/2021 17:59

@FWBNC

unauthorised absence- so what? It affects them more than you. Let them crack on with it.
Agreed, but I'm wondering if they will try fine us though...
OP posts:

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SuperCaliFragalistic · 04/10/2021 18:02

One days unauthorised absence won't affect anything. I would keep in contact with the school with the efforts you are going to to sort petrol or, failing that call DC in sick.

Lostinacloud · 04/10/2021 18:02

What a joke after schools have been closed for the best part of a school year!

lannistunut · 04/10/2021 18:03

@catmothertes1

Why is there not a school bus if the school is 8 miles away?
Many places are not on school bus routes, especially as parents can select non-catchmeny schools.
FindingMeno · 04/10/2021 18:35

If you're worried about being fined say unfortunately as it turns out your dc is/ are ill and won't be able to come in anyway.

RumblyMumbly · 04/10/2021 18:44

How old is your DC @Schoolfuel1 ? What's their attendance like generally? Can they at least do their lessons at home while off as they are not unwell? Our primary have work set on the app and website for the children who are off due to Covid. The school will be more understanding if they can see you are making the effort and it's just the fuel issue stopping them being at school.

I think people are being harsh to the head for suggesting you find an alternative means of getting your DC to school. I spoke to a friend the other day who said she wouldn't be able to go to work this week if she couldn't get fuel but I know a bus route runs regularly between where we live and her work, it can really throw people when they have to change their usual plans. As I said where there's a will...

RumblyMumbly · 04/10/2021 18:45

@Schoolfuel1 what area are you in? someone might be able to tell you where there is fuel available locally?

Mummyoflittledragon · 04/10/2021 18:56

Please try not feel too pressured by the head. Perhaps email her and ask if any teachers come your way. Does your dc has homeschooling material? I think many schools will be offering this as a matter of course now.

2Two · 04/10/2021 18:57

Is it the nearest suitable school. If so you’re entitled to transport provided by the council. I’m afraid it won’t help you now but it could be worth bearing in mind

scrivette · 04/10/2021 19:01

I would also ask if any of the teachers/the head could collect as you have already tried classmates.

I would then either let the absences be unauthorised or phone child in sick. They would probably guess the sickness isn't real but they can't really prove it.

MotherOfDragons27 · 04/10/2021 19:02

Schools don't fine you for unauthorised absences, unless you've requested a holiday which is denied and you then take them out anyway. It's not an issue.

LolaSmiles · 04/10/2021 19:10

It's unauthorised as there isn't a code for 'petrol has been hard to get in some areas and this person's parent haven't been able to find a petrol station with any over the weekend'. At times I've had to mark absences as unauthorised and have logged a comment on the register with some information in case anyone looks back later.

Stating how an absence is recorded is a statement of fact, probably so that when reports come out later there's not a question with you asking why your child has an unauthorised absence.

If a child has otherwise good attendance then one day unauthorised absence isn't going to go anywhere.

IgiveupallthenamesIwantedareg0 · 04/10/2021 19:11

If you live so far from your DC's school that the ONLY way to get the DC there is by having the use of a car then you ABVU. That should have been have a factor is your choice of home / school. There is always the possibilty of bad weather, car breakdowns, petrol shortages etc.etc.etc. You didn't calculate for this in your decision and are now complaining!

ichundich · 04/10/2021 19:16

Good luck, I hope you can get some! But just in case you can't, make sure you take pictures of all the empty petrol stations you visit. HT is being ridiculous! You'd think they have the children's best interest at heart, so how can they want their mum £100 out of pocket?! In fact, I bet your local newspaper would be interested to hear your story.

Whybirdwhy · 04/10/2021 19:19

If you are bothered by am "unauthorised absence" (which affects the school, not you), then phone up tmw and explain that your child has a stomach bug and will be off until 48hrs has passed since the last 'episode'.

ichundich · 04/10/2021 19:20

@IgiveupallthenamesIwantedareg0

If you live so far from your DC's school that the ONLY way to get the DC there is by having the use of a car then you ABVU. That should have been have a factor is your choice of home / school. There is always the possibilty of bad weather, car breakdowns, petrol shortages etc.etc.etc. You didn't calculate for this in your decision and are now complaining!
What if this is their nearest school? Or the catchment school is awful? What a ridiculous and unsympathetic post; not helpful at all.
toocold54 · 04/10/2021 19:23

This is so wrong!
The only suggestion I have is that instead of doing it x4 you just stay local and do it x2 tomorrow.

toocold54 · 04/10/2021 19:25

That should have been have a factor is your choice of home / school.

Unless you live rurally and then 8miles could easily be the closest school.

SirChenjins · 04/10/2021 19:26

@IgiveupallthenamesIwantedareg0

If you live so far from your DC's school that the ONLY way to get the DC there is by having the use of a car then you ABVU. That should have been have a factor is your choice of home / school. There is always the possibilty of bad weather, car breakdowns, petrol shortages etc.etc.etc. You didn't calculate for this in your decision and are now complaining!
8 miles is nothing in some areas - are you really so unaware?
lannistunut · 04/10/2021 19:29

@IgiveupallthenamesIwantedareg0

If you live so far from your DC's school that the ONLY way to get the DC there is by having the use of a car then you ABVU. That should have been have a factor is your choice of home / school. There is always the possibilty of bad weather, car breakdowns, petrol shortages etc.etc.etc. You didn't calculate for this in your decision and are now complaining!
Have you ever heard of 'rural areas' FFS Hmm

Loads of feeder villages are eight or more miles from the closest schools.

Honestly, it is embarrassing to be so ignorant of normal life in the UK. Not everyone lives in an urban area.

Original poster
Schoolfuel1 · 04/10/2021 19:30

@IgiveupallthenamesIwantedareg0

If you live so far from your DC's school that the ONLY way to get the DC there is by having the use of a car then you ABVU. That should have been have a factor is your choice of home / school. There is always the possibilty of bad weather, car breakdowns, petrol shortages etc.etc.etc. You didn't calculate for this in your decision and are now complaining!
Ok. Except when we moved to this area, it was either this school or one even further away that had spaces left
OP posts:
OtherInfo · 04/10/2021 19:31

Gosh imagine being so short sighted as to fail to plan for a situation where petrol stations in UK would be dry going into a second week. Confused

TankFlyBoss · 04/10/2021 19:32

@Schoolfuel1
Hello. I'm an education welfare officer. I would ask the school to consider marking with a C for authorised absence instead of unauthorised, as if they accept these circumstances causing the absence are genuine, this code can be used to cover it. But if they refuse, I really wouldn't worry. Unless your children's attendance is already really low or you are on the brink of prosecution already then it won't make any difference. You're welcome to PM me if you like to chat more but if this was me I would be losing no sleep over it. Xx

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