Requesting time off school and getting denied ??

[Oversteppingonasubject]

Do schools actually have the power to enforce this ?

Been waiting MONTHS for an allergy appt for dd (year 5) - got an appt and it’s 130 pm in a few weeks. For all appts or holiday as a formality you have to request the time off so it’s authorised- school have declined !!!!

The reasons are ‘low attendance’ (dd has had a d and v bug and an ear infection since September) and the fact that ‘the appointment could be out of school time ‘ they have checked with the hospital who confirmed the clinic runs from 1-430 !!! But that’s general info they don’t actually have an after school appt available for dd unless we reschedule for February which I’m not prepared to do !

So we will have an unauthorised absence which is unfair and the school have said with lower than expected attendance plus if I go against what they’ve said and get this unauthorised absences they may have to refer for a fine ???

It’s ridiculous when it is a medical appointment. I don’t think it’s the schools fault though, it’s the local authority. Attendance falls under ‘Behaviour’ on Ofsted reports and of course local authorities want the best Ofsted grades for their schools. It’s their way of improving their grades by denying authorised time off. However this is a medical appointment. If your child was not missing a registration then there would be no absence recorded. Definitely go to the appointment. No way will they issue a fine in this instance.

I feel your pain i hate schools always have the best day of mine and my childrens life was the day they left for good.(well they both walked out)pleased them days are over.
Just take her keep the letter as well as proof.

Tell them to shove it, politely.

It's a medical appointment which cannot be moved to outside school hours. The guidance is usually that appointments should be outside school hours or at the beginning or the end of the day where possible. Because obviously it isn't always possible.

And all the other absence was presumably authorised as it was down to illness. you will not get a fine due to one session unauthorised - particularly when they should have authorised it anyway.

DD2's attendance has been at best about 50% (EBSA, anxiety, ADHD and ASD)- the school do not authorise most absence even though they ought to under recent DFE guidance. We have not (yet) been fined.

And also, they ABU because this appointment may well prevent future absence!

Allergies aren’t specifically excluded as disabilities under the Equality Act 2010. That act requires employers to make reasonable adjustments to allow disabled employees to attend related medical appointments. Ergo this could rise to the level of disability discrimination.

Get back in touch and use the term ‘disability discrimination’ - see how fast your told to absolutely attend the appointment

The attendance obsession goes too far these days. I say this ad a teacher and parent of a 16 ASD child.

I’ve never heard of any school declining this and I’ve worked in quite a few.

Just have it off saying she’s sick.

It’s awful they would decline a medical appointment.

Obviously ring the clinic and see if they have a later appointment available the same day, and if not then just take her. Point out to the school that the appointment is required to get to the bottom of why she keeps being ill.

It's a medical appointment.
I wouldn't have "requested" time off - I would have just informed them she was going to a medical appointment and shown them the letter.
DO NOT MISS THE APPOINTMENT.
Take her. Health is always more important than education.

It's a medical appointment.
I wouldn't have "requested" time off - I would have just informed them she was going to a medical appointment and shown them the letter.
DO NOT MISS THE APPOINTMENT.
Take her. Health is always more important than education.

Schools are obliged to keep strict tabs on attendance by the DfE and LA, whether or not they actually have any issues with this. If it is a medical appointment there is thing they can do. As PPs have said, just tell them you'll be collecting your child at X time for the appointment - you've produced the letter confirming it.

"Dear School

Just to let you know that I will be collecting my child and attending the hospital appointment on (date). As you are aware the clinic runs from 1.30-4.30 but no after school appointments are available until February. I'm sure you will agree that waiting until then may result in further absences and so it would be in (child's name), and the schools best interests to get to the bottom of the issue sooner, rather than later."

Some people just need the obvious spelt out for them.

You usually have to miss 9.5 sessions (4.5 days) for a fine so it just doesn't matter, in terms of impact on you. What does it matter whether they record it as authorised or unauthorised.

Write to the governor's with the letter saying the head does not seem to understand that you can't pick and choose NHS appointments and finding out a medical issue is likely to improve attendance in the long run.

I think the mistake was asking rather than just telling. Next time, "DD has a hospital appointment at 2pm, so I'll be collecting her at 12.30pm. Here's a copy of the appointment letter for your records."

As they've said no though, is there a risk that they won't let you collect her at lunchtime? Might you need to think about keeping her off all day if that's a risk?

I'm not sure where the legalities stand with them keeping your child in if you turned up and asked to collect them?

I just looked an my niece's school. They have two forms - one general absence request form and one a Notice of Medical Appointment form.

Note the general absence one is a request form and the Medical appointment is a notification.

They can't mark it as an authorised absence but I very much doubt they expect you to cancel the appointment.

Absolutely go to the appointment and tell the school you will be taking your DD. They are being ridiculous. This isn't an eye test or a dental check up where you often choose the day/time - it's a specialist medical appointment where go go at the time they dictate. They may well run the clinic until 4.30 but every child can't have the 4.30 appointment.
My DCs had many hospital appointments over the years. DD often had low attendance due to illness. Never once did I request permission to take my DCs out of school to attend their appointments. School would get a note from me stating the time of the appointment and the time I would be collecting them from school. Never had a problem. Sounds like your attendance officer has gone power crazy.

Wow - this sounds ridiculous!
Never hear of a school declining leave for a medical appt ever before and I work in education. 😯

We never request time off for medical appts and instead inform of the time / date the child will be out. 🤷‍♀️

As they've said no though, is there a risk that they won't let you collect her at lunchtime?

The school have no grounds not to release a child to their parent when requested. How on earth could they say no.

Ridiculous.
I'd complain about that to the governors.
Everyone knows that it's very difficult to get hospital appointments, let alone trying to get them at specific times outside of school.
Health takes priority over everything else.
Absurd to think that it's ok for your child to wait until February for an appointment just to avoid missing a couple of hours of school.

Stick to your guns OP, take her to the appointment. Complain to governors if you feel it is necessary. If the school try to fine you then you can escalate further.

I recently had a minor operation as an outpatient. I can't believe the number of people having a go at me because I wasn't going to be available at a specific time and saying I should delay it until half-term or Christmas holidays or Easter. Er no.... you take the appointment you are offered. It meant I had a seven week waiting time. I desperately needed the operation anyway - I wasn't having it done for shits and giggles. One of the people who had a go at me also needs the same operation and he has now discovered that no, he couldn't actually request the operation for the beginning of November which is what he wanted and that the waiting times have now increased drastically and he will have to wait until February.

I know schools have to keep on top of attendance but it has got ridiculous. Some places seem to go completely over the top.

Hospital appointment, with letter? Approve immediately. No ifs, buts and ringing the fucking hospital FFS.

God that is ridiculous and infuriating.

That's absolutely ridiculous. It's a proven medical appointment, not a fun day out.
I'd absolutely be taking her anyway without question and would tell them so formally by letter or email. So what if they put it down as "unauthorised". That's literally all it is....unauthorised written on a bit of paper.

Tell them to fuck off and write a letter of complaint to the governors.

They are not God and you could appeal any fine.

I would become worlds most annoying parent if they want to behave like that, challenge absolutely everything they say and do. Pick, pick, pick.

Who on earth do they think they are benefiting? Batshittery.

I wouldn't have even asked for permission, just informed them that this is what is happening on such and such date. Absolute madness right now.

I had a similar thing for a hospital appointment around asthma once. I just asked them to put in writing that they were happy to be fully liable for any deterioration in his condition and his death if it occured whilst waiting for an appointment that fitted their timetable. Im not normally like that but it really annoyed me!