To wonder whether the Cameron children's absence was authorised?

[Snoglywogly]

I am not sure whether the little one is at school, but the other two must be. Can you get authorised absence to watch your dad's last day in his old job?

Very goady of you. When you are so important then maybe your kids will get this too.

But its not just a trip to Parliament as I am sure you are very well aware.
It was a significant, historical day for their own father, a day which they should be able to witness and be present at.

We have had several children granted authorised absences for significant events - a parents graduation, a parent's (or close relatives) wedding, etc.

Even if it was unauthorised you can't be fined for just one day

'Goady' for Christ's sake!

No need for nasty answers, or to call her a bitch

But hadn't school already finished for the day when we saw them?

Maybe they are at a school that doesn't fine, but marks the absence down as unauthorised. None of the 6 primary's, nor the secondary school in my town fine parents.

Just because the kids were there doesn't mean their absence was authorised. Most HTs accept that parents will still take the absence, authorised or not.

As long as the school is fair with granted leave then that's all that matters.

It's a historical day which will be photographed and be in history books. I would want my immediate family there.

It would be at the schools discretion to authorize absence for exceptional circumstances for the family.

I am sure there are many people who are grateful to their dc schools who have shown compassion and authorized leave for a multitude of exceptional things that happen in peoples lives.

I know I have, as my son was granted a full week off last year.

So how many kids in the Uk had dads who stepped down from the public office which will have dominated their lives for the last decade today?

I'm pretty sure the answer is 3. I'm happy to class that as exceptional therefore.

Get a grip OP.

Very petty and snidey widey to think they shouldn't have been there!

I have to say this question crossed my mind too!

I'd say your Dad stopping being PM and going to Buckingham Palace for an audience for the Queen was pretty exceptional.

What well behaved kids they are, and loved how the boy's shirt was hanging out.

They are also moving house.

With a ridiculous op. Cameron would get slated if his children hadn't been there.

I'm glad they were part of the day, I feel rather sorry for them, having only found out on Monday that they were moving from their home of six years, poor things. I hope they go off and have a nice family holiday together.

Have just been reading another thread which was wondering why so many people are quite nasty on MN! I think the OP raises a moderately valid point, and was possibly slightly tongue in cheek about it (maybe?). Certainly not a question that really warrants being called a bitch and so on. And, in fairness, the government do have a statement that they re-iterate every time one of these out-of-scool fine rows makes the news which states that every day missed from school has a negative impact on the final outcome for the child - words to that effect. And of course I am not suggesting that these children should not have been allowed to go and see their Dads last day as PM. But there was case reported earlier this week where a family were not authorised to take time out for a holiday with their Dad before he started chemo. Which may have just as significant to that family as Dads last day in the office to the Cameron family. Possibly just a whiff of rules for the plebs and rules for us...

The whole family were in the gallery for PMQs earlier today.

I'm pretty sure that the exceptional circumstances rule was put in place here. My nieces were granted a week off school for a family holiday and to watch their dad in a parade after he returned home from a six-month military tour.

Stop being a goady bitch

I think is is probably meant to be a bit lighthearted. Not sure why you felt the need for such a comment?

Lighten up, it was meant in a jokey way!!

They won't be at state school for much longer

I think they can afford the fines. I'd have mine off for that, too.
more seriously... some LEAs don't count time off in the last 6 weeks of school yr. It doesn't get accounted for in any report, so they ignore it unless ridiculous time off.

Horrible thread.

I thought the Camfam looked lovely. A bit emotional, but hardly surprising.

Perfectly valid question. Not snidey or goady. There's some right fricking miseries on here at the moment.

As for calling op a bitch - totally uncalled for.

If I was leaving my job or moving house my kids wouldn't get the day off school. Why would it be different for anyone else?

Horrible thread

Some people take these things far too seriously.

I did feel sorry for the kids -leaving a house is a big thing.