Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Childs school asking for flight details while out during Pandemic

159 replies

confusedwithschool · 08/03/2021 11:52

hello

pls posting here for traffic and NC for this. I need your opinions please. So I had to travel out with my kids on Dec 20th to my home country (my partner is there and immediate family)due to come back on 2nd January to attend to something urgently with some of our properties.

Now because school wasn't opening on 4 Jan , i extended my ticket to get help with childcare while working from home (my uk employer was aware i was working from abroad due to chilldcare)., planning to return when I was sure schools were open.

now I'm back and called my 7 yr old's school that today is the last day of quarantine so she will be in tomorrow.

Her school is saying her being away is almost like her taking leave of absence when going to school physically. im like no, she was logging in every week to do her school work and they can see that too. I didnt see how her location was an issue

Now they are asking for her flight ticket going out and coming in?

im not sure why this is needed. im puzzled because if i had known it had to be disclosed she was out of the country during the pandemic i would have happily disclosed it. Does anyone know the take on this?

Thanks for your opinion

OP posts:
UhtredRagnarson · 08/03/2021 11:54

Did you ask why they need the proof of flight details?

Oly4 · 08/03/2021 11:56

Where you were while school wasn’t open is nothing to do with them as long as your DC kept up with schoolwork.
Just say no and ask them to provide you with the written policy from the Department for Education on why what they request is necessary.

FishWithoutABike · 08/03/2021 11:56

They think you are lying about having completed the isolation period.

FishWithoutABike · 08/03/2021 11:57

If your not lying just give it to them. Just because they can’t make you doesn’t mean it isn’t easier just to do as they have asked.

BronwenFrideswide · 08/03/2021 11:58

I'm guessing they want the information to ensure that the correct period of quarantine has been adhered to.

VaVaGloom · 08/03/2021 11:59

If they want flight itineries do they want to check you're not dodging quarantine by flying an indirect route? Maybe they want to mark registers as her being absent on the days you were travelling? Maybe there are issues having someone enrolled in school that's not in the country?

PegasusReturns · 08/03/2021 11:59

They obviously don’t believe you have quarantined. In your position I’d be irritated, although more by the claim that your DC has taken a “leave of absence”. I’d definitely ask for clarity of their policy in that and the impact.

In terms of provision of the flight details I’d ask them to clarify why they are seeking the information and you could push back but honestly why bother? It sours relations and makes you look like you have something to hide.

Streats · 08/03/2021 12:00

Just send them a screenshot of your flight booking? They are wrong to say she was absent if she was doing her work but they are right to double check you are complying with quarantine rules.

Original poster
confusedwithschool · 08/03/2021 12:00

@FishWithoutABike

They think you are lying about having completed the isolation period.
if they are, im more than happy to provide flight details coming in . Im just puzzled why they need flight details going out and in . What has their policy got to do with that?

She did all her school work, attended her live assemblies

im thinking its just infringement of my personal details

OP posts:
PicaK · 08/03/2021 12:02

Why on earth did you tell them?
Now you've told them they have to act. On top of everything else you've given them a pita bit of Admin that they could well have done without this week.
Schools are tied by Admin from councils and government.
Campaign to them not bitch to the school for following legal guidelines.

VaVaGloom · 08/03/2021 12:05

@confusedwithschool if they are, im more than happy to provide flight details coming in . Im just puzzled why they need flight details going out and in . What has their policy got to do with that?

Just give them the flight details from your return. They can check the register for her attendance in December until the end of term.

PicaK · 08/03/2021 12:05

And fgs don't waste the receptionist'sbor Head's time making them politely listen to a rant about you not wanting to disclose personal details when you just need to say no in an email and let them forward it on.

This week is about the children's and staff's well being. Let all the school focus on that.

VaVaGloom · 08/03/2021 12:06

@PicaK

Why on earth did you tell them? Now you've told them they have to act. On top of everything else you've given them a pita bit of Admin that they could well have done without this week. Schools are tied by Admin from councils and government. Campaign to them not bitch to the school for following legal guidelines.
Presumably to explain why the DC wasn't at school today if primary aged?
Makingnumber2 · 08/03/2021 12:09

I work in a school. Not being told in advance a child was travelling out of country/would be out of country during term time (regardless of whether school was remote or face to face) would trigger some concerns:

  1. Isolation period upon return
  2. Depending on age and gender of child and other family circumstances, could they be at risk of FGM or child marriage. This sounds very extreme I know but I work in a safeguarding capacity and this is the exact stuff we are trained to look out for in relation to those issues.

I would just provide the details you've been asked for- nothing to hide, nothing to worry about etc.

forinborin · 08/03/2021 12:10

I think it could be linked to the school funding technically - a school in the UK cannot receive funding for a child who is not in the UK, and I think a half-term absence from the country could trigger de-funding of the place? I considered the same as you, go back to my home country, but that's what was explained to me. Hopefully someone from the school admin will correct me.

PicaK · 08/03/2021 12:11

I'd have said headache...

FlyingBurrito · 08/03/2021 12:15

Why did you tell them she would be in today, dont all primaries in England start today? Do you live somewhere else where schools have been open for a while?

Billandben444 · 08/03/2021 12:18

If you've got nothing to hide why don't you just do it? "Infringing your personal details" means tiddly squat balanced against keeping all their children and staff in a safe zone and ensuring nobody falls behind. Go ahead and be that parent but IMO you're being petty and once goodwill with a school breaks down it's hard to get it back. My daughter got permission to take child out of school for funeral a few years back and had to provide proof that they weren't just going on their jollies.

Original poster
confusedwithschool · 08/03/2021 12:18

@FlyingBurrito

Why did you tell them she would be in today, dont all primaries in England start today? Do you live somewhere else where schools have been open for a while?
i didnt say she would be in today . I said today was the last day of quarantine so she will be in tomorrow
OP posts:
raincamepouringdown · 08/03/2021 12:19

@FishWithoutABike

They think you are lying about having completed the isolation period.
Or they're just confirming it.

either way, yabu not to provide the details.

DdraigGoch · 08/03/2021 12:21

I'd give them a copy of the return flight booking to show that quarantine has been complied with. I don't see why you should have to disclose the outbound details.

ittakes2 · 08/03/2021 12:23

I think if I was you I would anonmously ring the department of education and ask why the school is asking. Particularly from the point of view that you would not normally be able to keep a child's place in a school if they are not living in the UK.
I agree with others its probably for a safetly reason they are asking. But I would like to know before I made the decision to send them more info.

Viviennemary · 08/03/2021 12:25

I think they want proof you came back when you said because of quarantine rules.

listsandbudgets · 08/03/2021 12:25

How did you know the schools wouldn't open on the 4th? The announcement was only made the evening before they went back so you obviously intendend to miss some school for the isolation period anyway.

School are right to check. DD's entire year was isolated (80 children) because someone went to Spain without telling school, came back without observing isolation then kindly spread covid to 4 more children in the year group Angry

Just give them the flight details. They just want reassurance.

goodbyelenin · 08/03/2021 12:27

Just provide the details

Her school is saying her being away is almost like her taking leave of absence when going to school physically.
it really is not! It makes absolutely no difference whatsoever if you do a virtual school day in London, Scotland or Australia Hmm
That person was talking shit (or is another covid martyr possibly)

but just confirm the dates so they know you respected the quarantine, and that's it.

You do know many parents really don't respect the isolations rules, send their kids to school sick and are generally selfish twats about it. On that aspect, you can't blame school for double checking as a rule, when they can.