To let my children go to school late so they can watch the eclipse tomorrow?

[DragonmotherKhaleesi]

I have 3dc.
I home educate one of them and the others attend school. I have purchased some glasses and planned to do our work around the eclipse tomorrow.
My other children have asked if they can stay home to watch it, and take them school at lunch when it's over.

My 14 year old DS had a week off last month due to surgery so I'm a little worried about his attendance.

AIBU to let them have the morning off?

I didn't even know there was one due!
Do they need special glasses ?

I wouldn’t keep a 14yo off for a 20% eclipse unless they had quite a specific interest in it.

I didn't even know there was one! What time?

I looked it up and it's a partial one apparently.

Depending on where you are- isn't it very early though, around 4-5am? So maybe no need to miss school?

UK - partial eclipse tomorrow from about 10am to 1230 pm. It will not be as good as the 2015 one, let alone the 1999 one.

do NOT look at the sun even with special glasses. You need a colander and a piece of white paper to project the shadows, you'll see the 'bite' out of the sun. Assuming it isn't cloudy, of course.

make a note for 2026 when we'll get a good one. Here's a great website which actually shows you what each eclipse will look like.

www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/uk

I thought it was at 10am.

Whatever you decide is fine, op.

ps it lets you put in your location too!

This appears to be the U.K. time guide

The 1999 one was eerie!

Well that's my fact of the day, I had no idea there was a partial eclipse tomorrow

I find then rather underwhelming and wouldn't even think of keeping children at home even for a full one. Do you know that the school won't let the children see it?

YABU!

@FourTeaFallOut

I thought it was at 10am.

Whatever you decide is fine, op.

Ooh ok cool, i got my times wrong ty

I wouldn't expect the secondary school to have enough glasses. I have been in touch with the primary school to see if I could send my year 3 in with some.

I appreciate it's not everyone's cup of tea but my children are interested in this and I feel there is a lot of learning that can come off the back of it. It will be around 30% where we are.

I would have them both in school by 12.30.

I was just gauging others opinions really. Thankyou for replying

It's around 10am tomorrow and will peak at 11.20 ish.

@Dementedswan

The 1999 one was eerie!

I loved that one. But agree it was eerie in a fascinating way!

Check cloud cover in your area.

Round my way it’s forecast to be 90% cloud around then. xcweather.co.uk/

Won't it be an event at the school anyway,.

[quote noblegiraffe]Check cloud cover in your area.

Round my way it’s forecast to be 90% cloud around then. xcweather.co.uk/[/quote]
Thankyou!

You need to send them to school, I think. No child is that interested in a partial eclipse that they need to stay at home, but they won't tell you that, of course.

They’re always cloudy and abit of a damp squib. Hope you haven’t built it up! Forecast cloud here.

Usually I’d say yes, but not after a week off in a year like this one, I don’t think.

I’d second checking cloud coverage; too, it doesn’t seem like we’ll be able to see it where I am.

For the 2016 one, the school provided the children with special glasses and they all went out and watched.

The 1999 one was fab, eerie but in a spectacular way. The darkness and the bird falling silent etc.

2015 one.. typo

I wouldn’t. I find half days are quite disruptive as it typically takes some time to settle into the school day and they will be playing catch up on the stuff they have missed. I think seeing a partial eclipse is a nice thing but hardly essential and they can gain the learning without being there to see it with your special glasses