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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:
lannistunut · 04/10/2021 19:33

Yes quite, you really should have factored the shit show of Tories + Brexit + covid in when picking your school!!

mathanxiety · 04/10/2021 19:35

Stop feeling pressured by your jobsworth of a HT.

If they try to fine you over this they won't succeed. You can bet your bottom dollar that there are others on your situation, and if there aren't then there will be others soon.

I love the suggestion of asking the HT to drive your DC. Presumably there would be no issues with a background check ( unlike the taxi suggestion).

AnotherNewt · 04/10/2021 19:36

I would ask if the head could use code Y in the resister, as these circumstances fit "A local or national emergency has resulted in widespread disruption to travel which has prevented the pupil from attending school"

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General education
Learningtobeafeministagain · 04/10/2021 19:38

Is you have moved to a house and the LA have given you THAT school -they NEED to supply transport.

Sounds like you meet the criteria -phone county

In order to qualify for school transport, a child must be aged between 4 and 12 years and living 3.2 km or more from the nearest suitable national school. Children with special needs are also eligible for free transport to and from special schools and to special classes.

Reasonable distance to travel to school
Some children may require an escort. The typical guidelines suggest that primary school children should not travel more than 45 minutes to school, and secondary school children should not spend more than 75 minutes on their journey.

PiglingBland1 · 04/10/2021 19:39

You'll find fuel before it gets to the fining point. Even if it got to the point of court, I very much doubt they'd fine you if there isn't any available.
I would express safeguarding concerns to ofstead and board of governors, head wants you to go on Facebook and find people you don't know to take DC to school. Bizarre response.

Warmduscher · 04/10/2021 19:41

@3WildOnes

Do you have a class WhatsApp group? Could you ask if anyone could pick up your dc on their way to school.
WhatsApp is down worldwide at the moment.
Moonlaserbearwolf · 04/10/2021 19:41

I wouldn’t be bothered by the HT marking as unauthorised. It doesn’t mean anything really.

What would bother me is the fact that my child is having to miss a few days of school due to lack of petrol! If I was in your position I would be asking round other parents for help. The worst thing that will happen is they will say no. Best case, a parent will help you out for a few days and your child doesn’t miss out on school. Surely worth the effort?

Caramellatteplease · 04/10/2021 19:41

Except when we moved to this area, it was either this school or one even further away that had spaces left

I'm pretty sure if they cant offer you a school within a 3 mile radius you are entitled to school transport anyway. No good now, but well worth looking into in the future

GingerAndTheBiscuits · 04/10/2021 19:43

They’re not going to fine for a couple of days unauthorised absence if your child has otherwise good attendance.

Milkbottlelegs · 04/10/2021 19:49

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

To try and get your child to school? Absolutely one of you should be trying your hardest to get petrol so they can go to school tomorrow. It’s not going to magically appear in your tank overnight.

HeronLanyon · 04/10/2021 19:50

lola that missing category really made me laugh.
Op I really feel for you - even a horse wouldn’t work ! (Trying to think around it).
You definitely don’t want dc staying with strangers or lifts with strangers !
Really sorry you’re feeling under pressure. Once you’ve done what you can then try to put it to one side. It could go on for some time but will get sorted eventually. Keep short note of when you’ve tried to get petrol and other attempts for each day he’s away.

FrozenoutofCostco · 04/10/2021 19:56

This is so bizarre to me. Where we live there's been no fuel issue whatsoever and we're up north! You'd expect us to be the ones with a shortage...

CommanderBurnham · 04/10/2021 19:59

Call the child in sick next time

AndOtherStories · 04/10/2021 19:59

@Caramellatteplease

Except when we moved to this area, it was either this school or one even further away that had spaces left

I'm pretty sure if they cant offer you a school within a 3 mile radius you are entitled to school transport anyway. No good now, but well worth looking into in the future

If you take your closest school place and it's more than 3 miles, you're entitled to have travel paid for, but that doesn't mean a school bus and can mean very convoluted journeys on public transport. We have students whose officially sanctioned journey is three public buses and close to 2 hours each way. Unsurprisingly parents often choose to drive.
BoredZelda · 04/10/2021 20:00

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!

She is supposed to choose what is likely to be an inferior school because for a handful of days her kids might not get to school? By your argument nobody would choose to live rurally. I live 15 miles from the nearest high school, and the bus pick up was 2 miles from our house. In poor weather we weren’t getting to school. I can imagine my parents having the same issue as the OP if there were a petrol shortage.

Original poster
Schoolfuel1 · 04/10/2021 20:02

@TankFlyBoss @AnotherNewt thank you so much for letting me know about those codes, I will check tomorrow which one they used in the register.

Good news- dh manged to get petrol this eve, so we can get dc to school for the rest of this week at least.

Just hoping we can still get petrol next week or will need to go through this all over again- I wonder what happen if the teachers and headteachers herself can't get petrol if things don't ease?

OP posts:
Svalberg · 04/10/2021 20:05

Send DC into school, however you do it - hitching if necessary- then tell DC that the head is going to look after them until the fuel is sorted, and don't bother to try to pick them up. Easy.

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 04/10/2021 20:09

She sounds like a power tripping big bully.
Obviously I know this isn’t why you called but 8 miles from home. The school can’t be that spectacular surely to God

OppsUpsSide · 04/10/2021 20:10

My Head missed a day last week… because he didn’t have enough petrol!

WildfirePonie · 04/10/2021 20:17

Just blame it on covid. Positive test, what a shame eh.

Couchbettato · 04/10/2021 20:22

I'm not wanting a child to be in a taxi themselves with a total stranger.

Most taxi firms have a no under 18s unaccompanied ruling any way, to safeguard kids.

The school should understand this.

cansu · 04/10/2021 20:22

It is very unusual for a school to be heavy handed unless there is a history of poor attendance. Ultimately, the unauthorised absence won't trigger a fine on its own. It would have to go on for longer to get the EWO interested. You do however need to make the effort to go out early tomorrow to try and get some fuel.

Caramellatteplease · 04/10/2021 20:24

you're entitled to have travel paid for, but that doesn't mean a school bus and can mean very convoluted journeys on public transport. We have students whose officially sanctioned journey is three public buses and close to 2 hours each way

2 hours each way is pretty questionable legally (less if they have SEN, theres caselaw). I doubt it would stand up if a parent challenged the LEA on this through proper legal process. Im hoping that the school hasn't been telling that to parents who trust them. Shows what the LEAs do get away with unchallenged

childlawadvice.org.uk/information-pages/transport/

IactuallyHateMN · 04/10/2021 20:28

Union obviously

IactuallyHateMN · 04/10/2021 20:29

Sorry misread 😂 you're not a teacher