To ask if you’d let your kids miss school in this situation?

[magicbreathing]

If you had had to move very suddenly and didn’t have enough money until the end of the month to get them to school?

(Not my situation, BTW, this isn’t a thread requesting funds.)

Yes but smile, the parent will state that they are, that is the point.

isnt it around now that schools hold their mocks? thats so important.

Yes but smile, the parent will state that they are, that is the point.

So the parent would expect their children to lie because they were too immature or proud to contact the school and discuss the issue like an adult?

So what is the plan for the future? Will money be tight again soon and they have to be kept off again?

I don't think it's fair to let a gcse student miss a week of school. That's a hell of a lot of knowledge missed out on.

They're not ill though.

Your post throws up a huge amount of red flags.

The parent(s) don't seem to care at all about the children's education...not wanting to contact them about moving, giving the reason, asking for help (as the reason can't be good if it was sudden), or asking for any support for the children. Quite honestly, a valid move or not, the parents are acting appallingly.

Why have you posted this if you aren't going to help? To see what you'd do? I don't buy it......

I'd be contacting social services if I were you. Especially, if after all the kids have been through with the move, the parents were going to pretend they were unwell rather than asking for help.

Ghost, I would help, if I could. I’m not in a position to.

I understand why people are suggesting contacting the school but trust has broken down before so I understand not wanting to.

I don’t personally think a couple of ‘sick days’ are the end of the world.

The parents are being very unfair to the child. They should be contacting the school to explain the situation. If after then, the school can't or won't help, then they have no choice to miss, but for the parents to not even try and get support in getting their children to and from school is not responsible or putting the childrens needs first.

I do think missing a week of school is a big deal and the parents should do everything they can to help the child attend, even if it means asking for help when they don't want to

Could the child stay with a friend closer to school? Maybe offer bed and board, paid at the end of the month when money was available. I'd help one of DC's friend in need like that.

Sounds like the parents are trying to stay off the radar. I'd phone up and state that due to a move they're having trouble getting the children to school...no need to even mention the money at that stage but later on if asked say that financial constraints mean it's not a tenable situation. Then see what help can be offered. Keeping them at home and lying is really not acceptable or in the children's best interests.

So they will be phoned in sick, but they will need to update contact details etc so why not just be honest?

You don't have a child in their GCSE year o assume? Missing a week of school unnecessarily is hugely detrimental.

A child taking their GCSEs should not be withdrawn from school because they have suddenly moved. Their future will be affected and they certainly should not be forced to lie about the reason for their absence by claiming they wre ill. The reasons behind the move are entirely relevant here

This is exactly right. The school will want to help if they can. What do you mean when you repeatedly say 'trust has broken down before' with the school?

Is this a fleeing DV situation?

That the school have disclosed confidential information. I don’t really want to say much more than that.

Of course GCSEs are important, but work can be caught up on.

Along those lines ginger

Where has the trust broken down, though? Is it that the parents have had issues that the school haven't dealt with, acceptably, or is it that the school has had concerns that the parent's won't help with, so have just left?

I'm really sorry. I want to be really supportive, but there are so many red flags from your post.

You've said that the GCSE age child doesn't want to move & presumably wants to do as well as possible in their GCSEs to secure their own future. You do realise that you can't stop that child from telling the school about their home situation? What do you think they are going to do during a week of enforced absence? They will be telling their friends exactly why they aren't at school. I assume this is one of those families where the adults don't value education and are happy lying about such things because they didn't enjoy school themselves.

The pace at which GCSE content is taught makes 'catching up' extremely difficult. Believe me, I know

Of course GCSEs are important, but work can be caught up on

This takes a lot of effort from dc and teaching staff. Re teaching takes time away from other students which is unfair.

The children need to go to school.

If they get ill later on in the year they may need more time off which is unfair.

So what happens if a child is genuinely unwell then, today?

Not trying to be argumentative, just pointing out that flu, virus, migraines can and do happen and don’t equal immediate doom.

Hog and ghost, the school don’t keep information within the school, so there is a lack of trust there.

Your "friend" is being ridiculous. The whole situation sounds chaotic and I imagine not wanting the school to find out means there is form for this chaotic lifestyle?
I would be getting my kids to school. Whether that meant begging from family/friends for a short term loan or asking if they could stay with family or friends nearer the school.
I predict that any suggestion would be ignored though.

What is the point of this thread??

How are they going to deal with a 20 mile journey to school daily from this point on?