Aibu to think these parents are being unreasonable?

[Nix01]

I don't know the family nor the school but I was quite surprised at the comments (on FB) that the majority believe this boy should get time off school to pursue a sport at such a young age.

www.facebook.com/getsurrey/posts/1071665962861165

Sounds ridiculous. The school isn't allowed to give him time off, full stop.

im not logged into facebook. what is it?

They want him to have one day a week off. Surely no school is allowed to authorise an attendance rate of 80%?

www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/world-class-motocross-rider-forced-find-9431096

Non-FB link.

Didn't click the link and not sure if this is a future Olympian or footballer but his parents should just get him a tutor as part of homeschooling.

it would be great if the school could work in tangent with the parents.

Depends...some schools allow flexible schooling which is in effect what they are proposing.

There must he a way which enables him to do both. This is one hell of an opportunity and if he's good then he should be able to pursue this.

school could send home work or parents could pay for a tutor. It's awful it's become a battle ground.

thanks for the link. days off from now til end of term?

the article also says other talented pupils as well as Alfie,have alredy had authorised time off. not sure about that!

thing is....allow it for one child and everyone will want special treatment too

If this child has a sponsorship deal, there should be money somewhere to pay for him to have a tutor. If he's getting a tutor then couldn't the school authorise the absence in the same way they do for trips?

I think the school IBU not the parents. This child has a great opportunity and is obviously extremely talented in what he does. Not every child is good at art,maths,english etc the school should be supporting the child in what he is good at.

And this is one reason why children with a talent and the opportunity to pursue it end up in the private sector, where Alfie would end up on the front of their prospectus and encouraged rather than told he can't have time off...

maybe they need to look longer term and home educate him. this might not be an isolated event

In the other article his parents mention flexi schooling. Which is what they are wanting to do. It was a day off a week in the lead up to a championship competition. I think the school are unreasonable not to allow it and work with the parents to facilitate a flexi school arrangement.

Lots of children have time off from school for this sort of thing. I know someone doing junior county cricket which is one day a week for the summer term for example. The school has also said it might be OK if it was for something like swimming, which seems somewhat demeaning of motocross.

Theu shouldn't have to home educate,a flexi school arrangement perhaps wittutors if necessary at times would be find. The kid has been chosen to represent Britain in motor cross championships, he is clearly a talented boy and should be supported in his achievements.

I know kids at the madthings primary have time off for tennis and athletics and swimming competitions.

I think this is one of the reasons the UK are so rubbish at sport on an international stage.
We don't seem to recognise its importance and nurture it enough with such rigid rules around felixible schooling. The fact he said heat consider it if it was something like swimming made me this young boy has an amazing opportunity here and he should be supported every step of the way.

Absolutely!

I think the school are being extremely unreasonable, this is a fantastic opportunity for him and he should be congratulated on doing so well in his chosen sport.
The comment about swimming would have really pissed me off if I was his parent.

It's the end of the summer term and it's not as if he's about to sit GCSEs! SChool could be a bit more flexible IMO.

My son is a good regional-level competition cyclist and we sometimes keep him off school for a half day after a Sunday competition if we get back late. I just sign him off sick because I figure that the school's information systems probably don't have a category for children absent due to sporting events.

The school could agree to a flexischooling arrangement whereby he is recorded as educated off site one day a week. Imo this is what they should do.

I know three families who flexischool with two days a week at home. It should be possible in this case as the boy should be allowed an education that allows him to pursue his talent.

Schools are wary about children having regular time off for sport training, not because of school work missed, which can be covered by tutoring, but because of the immense pressure these organizations put on the children, without any concern for their future development. They try to impose all sorts of restrictions on these children participating in normal school activities, usually sport based, when they are in school, but if they fail to make the grade they are dropped without compunction.
Sports based academies, funded by the sports involved, and incorporating full time academic education, like the Royal Ballet school, would be far more appropriate.

My friends sons are 'Olympic hopefuls' in rowing. Their school allowed them time off ad infinitum.

My son did Motocross - he was never allowed time off.

Some sports are more elite than others.