Absence unauthorised

[WingwingChan]

DS (year 6)has high fever two days so I can’t take my DD (year R) to school because I don’t drive and no school traffic. We should walk for 1 hour to school.
School officer said DD is unauthorised absence because she is well. Will I get any penalties? I am really worried

Year R? They don’t have to be in school until the term after they are 5 years old. So she doesn’t have to be by law.

You shouldn't be fined for a day or two.

However it isn't really acceptable for your DC2 to miss school because DC1 is ill. You really need to try to find some fall backs, e.g. asking a favour from a parent who lives vaguely near you or whatever.

If you don't have contacts you should ask the school whether they can put someone in touch with you or something.

thank you so much
we just move to England from overseas and no relatives and close friends live near us.
I may call school to get help next time
thank you again

You won't be fined.

But I agree with previous poster that you need to find a better solution than to keep youngest off school when eldest is poorly.

Do you really walk for an hour to school each day? Is that each way or there and back combined?

If it's only for a couple of days it's fine. I know someone who's school is 8 miles from her house and when she takes holidays from work, she doesn't take her son to school so he's off because she can't be arsed to take him.

it’s really for one hour to school because we are from overseas, there is no school places in our catchment area so council allocate far away school. Fortunately my DC2 is alright to walk so far everyday

How far away is the school? Are they obliged to provide transportation?

To be eligible you must have accepted a place at the closest school and it be over a certain distance (I think 2 or 3 miles away depending on ages).

Oh my goodness
8 miles

the straight line distance is 1.8 mile🫣🥲

You can't be 8 miles away, that would take much more than 1 hour to walk?

If DC attend that school because there are no places in nearer schools rather than it being your choice the LA must provide transport for DC1. The LA don’t have to provide transport for DC2 until they are compulsory school age, but it’s still worth asking.

xpost. 1.8 not 8!

X post. What is the shortest walking route? That is what is used to work out whether DC are eiglbe for transport. If it is more than 2 miles for DC2 and 3 miles for DC1 my pp still applies.

I don’t want to bother anyone actually
if I can handle and solve it, I will try to do it
I will try to call help next time 😖

I am 1.8 mile
8 miles is another people

I am1.8 mile
not 8 miles

I applied before but council said the straight line distance is 1.8 mile (not 2 miles) so they do not provide any traffic service for us.
it is 1.8mile.
my DC2 (year R)walks with me, it will take an hour to school. (If rainy day, it will be longer)

Go back to the LA as the distance isn’t measured in a straight line. It is via the shortest, safe walking route.

Yes, you won't get transport for 1.8 miles.
Your eldest is at an awkward age, old enough to be left for an hour if well, but probably not when ill. Hopefully this won't happen again.

Would it be faster if your little one was in a pushchair or scooted?

Otherwise I'd definitely start trying to spot others on the same route that you can smile & chat to (your English is clearly good enough to converse). Many people like to be helpful if they can occasionally, especially if you can return the favour.

Oh I try again to apply transportation
I also apply concessionary travel before but no one reply me.

Yes your council is very wrong on this. It is absolutely not as the bird flies. Children cannot walk safely over buildings etc
You need to point them to pg 12 section 22 of the statutory government guidance here

Explained in simple terms
here

Here is the government guidance in case you need to reference it when contacting the LA. It states “It is measured by the shortest route along which a child, accompanied as necessary, may walk safely.” so even if it is 1.8 miles away via straight line distance it may well be more than 2 miles or even 3 by the shortest safe walking route.

X post with @Icedlatteplease.

Your response makes me cry 😭
i am upset these few days
my DC1 gets ill , I don’t know who can help, school officer unauthorised my DC2 absence. Everything gets messy.
thank you your encouraging words
I try to do it better

Thank you everyone 😭😭😭