Childs school asking for flight details while out during Pandemic

[confusedwithschool]

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

I find this weird of the school. These are far from normal times!

The majority of families from my kid's school are not from the UK. We've had a letter acknowledging that several families have travelled abroad to lockdown with relatives and to make sure they quarantine properly on their return.

What I don't get is why, when you are being requested / told to do something by any official body, they aren't crystal clear in explaining why!

It would save so much time and prevent people worrying about it.

Why is it so hard for those requesting information to say "We need AB & C in order to confirm XYZ / tick 123 boxes"

Even if one thinks it's pointless or you disagree at least you can frame your issue armed with the reasoning behind it.

Sorry I have nothing to add with this particular issue but it would save so much time and prevent confusion / suspicion etc.

@ItsMarch

I’d give them the return flight details to reassure them re the quarantine period. That’s all though.

Yes, this.

To be honest, I would find it quite insulting as a parent that it is insinuated that my children were taken out of country to be abused. Not because, you know, it is good to be close to the family during these difficult times.

@forinborin

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.

But the school Only reopened to the child today and the child will be returning tomorrow, so the funding would need to restart anyway. I don’t think it really matters where the child did home learning last half term. They did the work, which is the important bit. Presumably they were still registered as a British citizen So entitled to an education? More Serious rules have been broken over the past 12 months than this one child being in the wrong country for a couple of months and far more money ‘wasted‘ than funding an education place for A seven year old for 8 weeks. (Money for education is never money wasted). BUT, I really don’t get why you wouldn’t just provide the school with the details they have asked for rather than making a drama out of it. I get so frustrated by this. What does it matter? Presumably they are trying to protect their staff and pupils, why begrudge them that. What do you think they can do with that information? It’s not like they are asking for credit card details and your mother’s maiden name, it’s just flight details. Just tell them and let them get on with what they should actually be doing. Let them tick the box, rather than wasting time chasing the information and having to discuss it with you. (Im wondering if it’s something else to do with safeguarding they want to know for, prevent duty, FGM, child marriage)

But the school Only reopened to the child today and the child will be returning tomorrow, so the funding would need to restart anyway. I don’t think it really matters where the child did home learning last half term. They did the work, which is the important bit. Presumably they were still registered as a British citizen So entitled to an education?
Schools were funded during the lockdown as usual (teachers paid, premises heated etc). The funding depends on the number of children registered at a particular day, and reviewed with certain frequency (once every term or half term?) Being a British citizen has nothing to do with the entitlement to education in the UK, children of undocumented immigrants are funded exactly in the same way as British children.

Please don’t provide the information. It’s none of their business. You know you have complied with governments rules. That’s enough.
Our school (not in UK) said he had to tell them if we had a positive Covid test during school holidays. Of course I would do this if any pupils would be affected by being around my child w Covid. But near the end of a three week break it’s absolutely none lg their business.
Stay strong OP

It’s not up to the school, nor do they have the authority to enforce quarantine rules. They are being unreasonable.

Can't see any harm in letting the school know "flight details" but I'd be really wary of passing on any individual booking reference or Passenger Reference number (it's often tucked away on the ticket/e-ticket/boarding card).

I think it's to do with being habitually resident in the U.K. To qualify for a school place you cannot be out of the country for more than 3 months in a 12 month period. They want to check you haven't breached this, or won't breach it by going abroad again for 3-4 weeks in the summer.

@PleaseStopExplaining

To everyone saying lockdown was announced last minute, I’m sure some areas knew schools would be shut before Christmas.

I’m a teacher. Only secondary schools knew. Primary schools absolutely had no idea.

@Serenschintte

Please don’t provide the information. It’s none of their business. You know you have complied with governments rules. That’s enough. Our school (not in UK) said he had to tell them if we had a positive Covid test during school holidays. Of course I would do this if any pupils would be affected by being around my child w Covid. But near the end of a three week break it’s absolutely none lg their business. Stay strong OP

What about concerns over FGM? Girls being taken out of the country with no explanation is absolutely something schools should question.

@justchecking1

I think it's to do with being habitually resident in the U.K. To qualify for a school place you cannot be out of the country for more than 3 months in a 12 month period. They want to check you haven't breached this, or won't breach it by going abroad again for 3-4 weeks in the summer.

Surely this three months' threshold can be breached simply by going abroad just for the official school holidays (13 weeks?) , with 100% attendance otherwise? For tax residence it is 183 days / year, seems strange that you can be fully liable for income tax here but your children won't be entitled to a school place.

What about concerns over FGM? Girls being taken out of the country with no explanation is absolutely something schools should question.
Where, in your opinion, should this intrusion stop then? Should every time I take my children to a forrin country be investigated in the light of me potentially having dodgy motives for it?

I work in school attendance. We have to give our data to PHE and have to show flight details of any families who have been abroad and therefore had to quarantine etc.

Sounds like they just want to make sure you isolated for long enough after coming back.

So this is how selfish, entitled people got around the holidays abroad ban. Shame you're worried about being caught out.

@forinborin

What about concerns over FGM? Girls being taken out of the country with no explanation is absolutely something schools should question. Where, in your opinion, should this intrusion stop then? Should every time I take my children to a forrin country be investigated in the light of me potentially having dodgy motives for it?

Do you actually know anything about FGM? One of the biggest signs that it may have happened is when a girl is taken back to their home country for what ends up as an extended period of time, often due to medical complications, often with the excuse that someone became ill whilst they were abroad so couldn’t return. It’s epidemic. But hey, you stick with your opinion that supporting young girls is intrusive. I’m sure it’s far better to not hurt their parents feelings, and just accept that this kind of abuse happens.

I’d have no problem giving them this info. It’s one of those “why does it matter?” Things

@ZoBo123

I don’t see how you would know the exact location that children were at during welfare calls though unless the parents specifically told you they were or weren’t at home.

I guess if you were phoning then it would probably have an international dial tone but I did all my welfare calls via teams (and so did a lot of schools/teachers I know) so I could see the children. Teams will work anywhere in the world and doesn’t give me a location setting. I would have no idea if they were in their living room in Yorkshire, at their Nan’s house in Cornwall or at a second home in France for example. I would just see the child in a room. I’d know they were safe and well but having never been to the house I wouldn’t be able to say if they were or weren’t in it!

I’m guessing it’s a blanket policy of asking for them not an insult to you personally!

They'll want to check whether your DC did miss school through travelling time; whether you have quarantined appropriately and as a PP pointed out, for any safeguarding concerns about FGM, etc. I know in our school, parents had to inform school if they weren't in country for live lessons; when they travelled; where they had been, etc.
It's odd that you're resistant tbh. Do you have a difficult relationship with the school?

and I think a half-term absence from the country could trigger de-funding of the place?

Doubtful. If the child is registered, the funding will be given.

@littledrummergirl

So this is how selfish, entitled people got around the holidays abroad ban. Shame you're worried about being caught out.

It was NOT illegal for the OP to travel when she did. And visiting family to take care of property and business is not a holiday.

OP I think you are dodging the request because you are trying to make up your own rules.

We were not supposed to travel. It's simple - we were told to stay at home. Why on earth would you risk a flight which is frankly unnecessary with young children is beyond me. My family, elderly and dying father, my sisters are on another continent and I have not seen them this year and will only do so when it is safe. There are thousands and thousands of people like me and you.

That said, if the school want to check that you are telling the truth about your return date and you have nothing to hide, give them the information. All of it.

Your DD has been joining in live lessons from abroad, when the rest of us have to stay not only within the country but within the four walls of our homes is plain stupid. Live lessons from abroad. Think about it. She probably told everyone.

@ittakes2

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.

That's what I thought too.