AIBU to take ds out of school

[Sadoldbag]

We're going away for the weekend and I plan to pick up ds early he will miss double PE which is his last lesson hes in year nine

he has had 100% attendance since year 7 and I really don't want to pull a sickie and take the whole day off


He has not seen his grandparents in 2 years(we finally managed to scrape the £400 together to go) they live in In Ireland and were hoping to to go Friday in a come back Sunday night

AIBU i am prepared to I get flamed

[TamerB]

But I am sure that the RE teacher would understand that, as a one off in 2 and a half years, he is missing a session for a good reason! It is also more annoying because the teacher is doing it outside requirements and for an exam. Most likely if the double PE was games it was rained off anyway and an alternative had to be found. It seems entirely reasonable to do an alternative yourself and if they were going to play in pouring rain I should think an alternative was a much better option anyway!!

[SuburbanRhonda]

tamer, I understand exactly what you're saying about PE.

I would prefer DS didn't have to go to compulsory after-school GCSE RE revision sessions because I don't value RE as a GCSE.

But I would never be rude enough to say that to his RE teacher.

[bodygoingsouth]

I think Attendance records are fucking ridiculous.

why get a certificate to someone who has the good luck not to be ill?

this stupidity could also lead selfish twats to send kids to school who have had D/V and haven't stayed off long enough to prevent passing it around to everyone else.

I struggle to understand some if the comments here.

children get ill, sometimes very ill, sometimes off for weeks but they catch up with help.

it's 2 hours, get a grip people.

[TamerB]

Not for one hour on a Friday with 100% attendance record, Dromedary. That is why people need to get a grip and OP can go and enjoy it- her son's school career isn't going to be blighted because he missed a bit of exercise,when he can do that and more over the weekend!

[Dromedary]

Can you really be fined if your OP is absent (unauthorised) just once in the school year? That's not what our school told us

[TamerB]

My children were playing lots of sport outside school in addition to staying late for extra- one lesson off in 2 and a half years is not going to affect them in any way whatsoever. I do think that people need to get a grip!

[TamerB]

I never got anything out of team skills at school, except that you were not wanted unless you were one of the better players! They didn't want you, were quick to criticise, gave no encouragement and then expected you to try! A dead loss for teamwork.
Of course exercise is important- do some over the weekend.

[bonkersLFDT20]

True ghoul It just hit a nerve.

[GhoulWithADragonTattoo]

bonkers - don't be silly no one is saying exercise isn't important. But you can easily fit in another exercise session if you miss the school. Replicating a chemistry experiment, say, would be much harder. Most teens I know do lots of exercise out of school.

[bonkersLFDT20]

I agree with Mrscastle.

PE is just as important IMO. It always seems that if a lesson needs to be dropped for whatever reason, it's PE that gets missed. What does that teach our children about the importance of exercise on our physical and mental well being, not to mention team skills etc.

[TamerB]

The register is marked after lunch- he is present.

[GhoulWithADragonTattoo]

I had a brace when I was at school. I had to have regular appointments and they were only available Mon - Fri. I always used to go during PE (or typing) lessons as it meant I didn't miss out on academic subjects. The teachers thought this was totally sensible and obviously didn't affect my education. I think this is fine given he has such good attendance.

[TamerB]

It is still a perfectly reasonable request! They are not going to fine him for an hour. He gets his mark, he is not even down as an a authorised absence!
I am thankful that I didn't do lies with mine because as adults they have a good work ethic and find that they can't bring themselves to lie for time off. It wouldn't be the case if we routinely lied through school.
My mind boggles that a child with one of the best attendance records in the school, achieved by only a handful, is going to to be in trouble for one hour off on a Friday afternoon!

[TheOriginalSteamingNit]

If she takes him home early on Friday afternoon, and is honest about it, it's unlikely she'll have any problem.

If she lies about fake doctors' appointments, she's setting a terrible example, and he would be better learning whatever he'd learn in double PE than learning that you should lie to get out of things.

[lljkk]

ps: I am taking mine out to go meet their Great-grandmother and I expect to pay £500 for the privilege. I may have to pay £500 just to go get their passports. Wouldn't surprise me. For some idiotic reason I told the truth about why they'll be away (tomorrow to get passports).

I am an idiot.
I advise OP to NOT be an idiot. She should lie.

[lljkk]

There's every reason to lie given the current publicity & policies about fines & absence.

She wants to take him out for brief holiday ,Tamer. That used to be a reasonable request. It is now no longer considered exceptional enough. She could be fined. She will be hassled. It's not worth the grief when a lie will suffice nicely (or £££ penalties when OP is already quite skint).

[TheOriginalSteamingNit]

I cannot see a single rational reason to tell the school the truth

Sheesh. because telling the truth is the right thing to do?

I'd take him out, but be honest about it. Lying about doctors etc is pretty scummy when adults do it, but to teach a child to do so is not a good lesson.

[TamerB]

I would be asking the school questions if they were doing written PE in key stage 3.
If it bothers you go swimming for an hour in Ireland, play badminton for an hour, go for a run.

[TamerB]

My rational reason is there is no need not to tell the truth and it is a terrible example to set a child. Anyone would think that OP was being unreasonable, rather than making a perfectly reasonable request!

[Adikia]

Shadow, in year 9? my year 11 sister is covering all that for GCSE PE but year 9 was spent running round a field or playing hockey/netball.

[lljkk]

"Doctor's appt" he's old enough to go along with the lie.

I cannot see a single rational reason to tell the school the truth.

[TamerB]

100 % attendance over 2 and a half years and we are getting into a debate over whether it matters to miss one hour's practical PE!
Only on MN...........!
I bet he is one of a handful who haven't been ill, been to the orthodontist etc.
Mine had orthodontist appointments at regular intervals. I looked at the timetable and certainly put some lessons as more important than others when making the next appointment!!

[TamerB]

I could quite happily say it SuburbanRhonda - it took me 2 decades to get over school PE lessons and get actively involved in sport! PE teachers have a lot to answer for IMO. Missing the lesson won't do any harm at all as long as he is active. I would love the opportunity to tell a PE teacher what I thought. At 60 yrs I have taken up running and it enjoy it. I shudder at the horrors of it at school!
There is no comparison between missing Maths and missing PE.

[ShadowOfTheDay]

ermmm My Sisters eldest is doing PE in Y9 and covers....

get to grips with athletics, badminton, basketball, boccia, cricket, football, hockey, netball, swimming and tennis
Analysis of performance
Officials and sports leaders, observation, analysis and feedback
Applied anatomy and physiology
The body, its systems and physical activity
Exercise and training
Health and fitness, principles and methods of training
Factors affecting performance
Nutrition, drugs, personal hygiene, age, motivation and technology
Factors affecting participation
Your school, social groupings, leisure time, sports facilities, sponsorship and the media
Safety and risk
Preventing and treating sports injuries

So I don't see all this "it's only PE there's no work to catch up on" business

that said - I would still take him out for the afternoon, having applied for authorised absence and still going if I did not get it...

[Adikia]

YANBU, it's PE, missing 1 lesson wont do him any harm and there's no work to catch up on. Hope you all have a lovely time.