School asking for flight details after unauthorised term-time absence abroad

[PersonalData]

We went abroad mon-thu last week, ds (10) was in school the week before and went back on Friday. We let them know and obviously knew it would be unauthorised. As it was 8 sessions we don’t qualify for a fine. His attendance is usually 100%.

They asked on friday before and after for us to provide proof of the flights and other details for ‘safeguarding’ but he was back in school and clearly fine ?? We declined as this is private personal data. They replied back that we must submit the evidence by the end of tomorrow?

Is this usual ?

It might be quicker to give them two flight numbers than to repeatedly read and decide to ignore their requests. It's the simplest way for the school to evidence that your child has been absent for the reason you claim.

What could possibly go wrong here?

I miss the school run but I don't miss having to avoid dickhead parents who make the schools life harder.

Having a copy of the planned itinerary/e-tickets does not prove a journey happened,

Boarding passes aren't proof of travel either....

What exactly do the school think constitutes proof?

Right
So imagine this school doesn't get the flight info so they make a referral to social services. A just in case referred. They will be asked about attendance, behaviour, emotional presentation, any unexplained bruises, any concerns about parental engagement etc. If the answers are all positive then the referral will be closed with no further action. It won't safeguard anyone.

Because the type of person who wants to take indecent images of children would hand over one phone and keep another in their pocket. Only law abiding citizens play by the law!

Exactly this. I swear some parents just like to be awkward.

What difference does it make if you tell them the flight numbers? It’s not like they’re asking how many pina coladas you put away every night.

Your first sentence contradicts your second

I have done this multiple times and never been asked for anything, very strange!

A weekend and then 4 days off would be an ideal time for bruises to fade or other injuries to heal

And what about the entire school holidays that's about 6 weeks long!?? By your logic, it would be sensible for every parent to report what they're doing every week.

Or they could travel abroad and abuse the child overseas.

The flight number isn’t personal information by any legal definition, and they already have your name, address etc so providing a copy of a boarding pass wouldn’t be any more personal info then they already have.

I kind of have mixed feelings on this. I do think it’s ridiculous but I also think just give them what they want!

And they don't need to. Because there is no reason to think that the parents are abusing their children

I can see your point OP but honestly, in the interests of maintaining a positive relationship with school, this is not a hill I'd be prepared to die on. Just be prepared you may get a bit more scrutiny in terms of safeguarding if any future issues crop up if you don't send it.

I wonder how many of the posters claiming privacy! None of their business! Overstepping! have social media accounts, maybe even ones they put their children on…

I would just ignore.

If they have no other concerns, then they don't need "proof" that you were on holiday. And if they have concerns, then they should just make a referral anyway.

Exactly, there's been 6 weeks off - going back for a week and then going on holiday isnt "typical" behaviour. OP hasn't said "we do this every year as we observe a religious festival in the second week of September every year" or anything to suggest this is their normal

This is complete rubbish. A presumption of guilt until proven innocent is not something our legal system would accept, and I certainly would not accept it from a school.

If the school tried to insist, I'd invite them to take me to court where they would lose.

Safeguarding is the new computer says no.

Thank you 👏🏼

If they are really that worried they can make a referral and I’d provide SS with the details of our holiday . They could also speak to DS who would probably tell them every single
last detail about going to Turkey. I can even show them my teeth that I got whitened when we were there ! But as others have said how does that prove anything about abuse which can happen in any country if a parent is that bad would they stop abuse for a holiday ?
Im going to stand my ground over this.

The absence is enough to cause concern
They are being sensible. Why not just answer and be pleased they are bothering to ensure the children at the school are as safe as possible. Why does everyone have to make a problem out of everything.

...and doesn't prove anything, but I suppose if it shuts the school up...

They don’t have a genuine concern and they are not doing an investigation.

They are box ticking. And in safeguarding in the public sector, the boxes exist/are invented for a reason.

As others have said, this particular box exists because sometimes parents abuse their children and then keep their child off school and say they’re on holiday to hide the evidence.

Schools cannot profile children and not ask some parents for evidence because’ oh I don’t need to ask this family, nice middle class Susan would never abuse nice middle class Johnny’. They have to ask the same questions of everybody. Rightly so, because seemingly nice, middle class parents CAN abuse their children.

These poor administrative assistants just want to tick the box on their computer screen that says: ‘flight details given?’.

Just provide the flight details so they can go ‘yep, Jimmy was in Tenerife as we suspected, mums provided flight details’. TICK (moves on with day).

In a hypothetical situation, someone with no posting history on MN could be asking to establish the consequences of refusing to share a perfectly reasonable request for info, because they do have things to hide.

On the other hand, the OP could just be being difficult.

Professional scepticism & judgement is required in safeguarding. The more the OP says no to the school, the more alarm bells should be ringing.