To think this child should be in school?

[LondonNightOwl]

How long is reasonable for a child to miss school when visiting a parent in another country ? Child (junior school age) of a friend is currently staying with parent in the UK. Child normally lives in another European country - child is staying in the UK until October currently (arrived in April) and friend has no plans to register him at a school. Is friend allowed to do this (as in keep him out of education for 6 months?)

Friend works f/t so won't be homeschooling

I'd think it depends on the laws from his home country. He'll be learning English!

depends on the age. In the UK children (by law) should be in full time education the term after they turn 5. In some European countries it is older, so they might well - by UK standards - have to be in school but if the parents live outside the UK it's not an issue to them, because their children don't have to be in school until some time later, depending on the country.

Who will be looking after said child whilst your friend works?

Neighbor wanted me to look after his son whilst he works but I refused. He's been off work since his son arrived but has gone back this week - I think he's using another neighbor (who has similar age kids) for childminding

Home school doesn't have to happen 9-3. That's one of the reasons why home school is an option. There are no actual set hours for hs either so it is totally possible to work ft and hs.
If English isn't the child's first language and is learning, that could be said its hs.
Obviously the child will be somewhere during this time and that person could be educating the child.

So it's possible that until this week the child was having some education.
Depending on the lea there might not actually be a place especially for a child who is a visitor.

It's 7 years old in Ireland too (though most go at 5). And a good few other European countries.

education doesnt just happen between 9 and 3. Of course s/he can be home educated with a WOHP parent.

No child "should" be in school. All children "should" receive an appropriate eduction. THAT is the law.

And it doesn't necessarily have to take place in a school.

But you said juniors, which is 8 plus right. The latest children start is 7. It's only 6 months, which in the grand scheme of things isn't much. Some counties have really long summer holidays. For example if he was in Florida he would stop school in May and go back in August. So only missing 3 months of actual school. Could this be the case?

No they come into juniors at 7.
Travellers children often have six months off.
Your neighbour should be registered as a childminder.čss

In other countries people have more freedom or much longer holidays. I'm sure this child will catch up somehow.

I think it's non of your business.

There was a family on TV a few weeks ago who took their children out of school for a year to go travelling. They were home schooled during that year. The school was very supportive and felt they would learn a lot in the year and the kids were returning to school.

He will be learning or improving English and, if he is in school, they may think it's great.

Home schooling is fab. We did it with Dd, but she wanted to good secondary school. Life was so much easier and relaxed. I would do it again if ds wanted to.

It's 7 years old in Ireland too (though most go at 5). And a good few other European countries

No it it's 6 in Ireland they must have started junior infants by the term before they turn 6.

Autumn and baby's born until February generally start in line with uk starts so the term year they will be five, after March many many parents start them the September after their five. It's up to the parents and it generally avoids the summer born problem, although I've known some August borns start at just four like in the uk but it's not the norm.

Any way that wasn't the point of the thread I know.
Here's the age of complusary school start ages in other European countries.
The later starters often have complusary pre school for a year.

And home ed doesn't have to be 9-5 in fact the Beauty of home ed is it's can be almost constant enquiry and learning, there's no time table too it, even things like going to Aquariams, zoos etc that would be seen as a weekend treat are an oppunity to learn.

Also my friend who used to work in Australia would have his children for a month, frpm October to November, he'd get a tutor to come and keep to the curriculum the kids were used to while he was at work. It could be that the child in question here is having lessons from tutors etc.

IT depends on the country. My twins start school in sept when they are 6 1/2. My older son is at secondary school and it has already broken up until mid Sept. They wouldn't have a problem with him missing a few weeks to go abroad anyway.

And on the summer holidays, I actually think the uk has one of the shortest summer holidays along with Germany.

Irish secondary schools finished last week other than those doing their junior and leaving certs. National schools (primary schools) end at the end of June
Denmark late June
France Belgium break up early July

Bulgaria primary schools finish late May and secondary schools late June

I'd stop worrying about the education angle; there's no 'should' about how parents choose to educate their child.

The ad hoc childcare (palming off of said child on random neighbours as he goes along) sounds more of a concern to me.

Bulgarian primary children get 14-15 weeks summer holidays! Fuck me that's long, suprised they even remember where the school is after the summer.

I don't get why he doesn't just enrol the child in school. It's six months and he clearly needs to work. If they're in London the school will be more than capable of handling a child that doesn't speak English.

The UK law doesn't say that children have to be at school, it says that they have to be educated.

We spent time in another country when it was summer holidays here but not holidays there. I sent son to school there for a week as thought the experience would be good as so different to UK. He loved it.

I suppose it depends where he is from and how old he is. In Finland they don’t start school until age 7 and have very long summer holidays. They are off now.