Detention/request off school

[AbreathofFrenchair]

DC has been given detention for incomplete homework. Was large A3 sheet with 15 question and answer boxes. Left 1 empty. Homework was set last Friday, due in Monday and after school Friday, he had 1 hour after school before leaving to go on cub camp till Sunday.

Anyway, he did the detention (30 mins) Monday and has another detention tonight (30 mins) as he didn't finish the last box as they wouldn't allow it in class or detention. I agree, he could have found time.

Today I've received a phone call from his head of year, requesting that for his best interests, that he is withdrawn from all of his outside school activities as they are hindering his school work and as he is going into year 10, incomplete homework is unacceptable.

I've refused and the school have said they will allow me time to reconsider and withdraw before they take it further as matter of concern. Not sure how they will take it further?

For reference, this is his 3rd detention in 3 years for incomplete homework, including 1 where homework wasnt handed in as he was off school with covid.

Is your son coping with all his extras?
Is there any chance he gave a sob story to the HOY about being sooo busy or something, and this is where it has come from?
Otherwise I really can't understand this, it's such an overreaction from the school.

I've refused and the school have said they will allow me time to reconsider and withdraw before they take it further as matter of concern. Not sure how they will take it further

Guffaw.

Forgetting one question out of 15 is hardly a matter of concern. Two detentions for the sake of one question? Seriously, on the one hand teachers say they are massively overworked but when you hear stories like this you wonder whether they have enough to do.

Just nod and smile and ignore. As time goes on, he might decide himself that he wants to devote more time to schoolwork and drop an activity, but my son was going to athletics 4 times a week and swimming once a week during his GCSE years and he was fine.

Ask for the request in writing. Ask for details of which activities they wish your DS to cease. Ask to detail what action they will take if you decline their request.

It would not surprise me if a response is not forthcoming.

I'm not sure I'd bother responding to be honest. If he does call back, just say "yes I've thought about it and I don't think three missed/unfinished homeworks in three years = a cause for concern and his activities are important for developing his soft skills. I have no intention of withdrawing him from those activities unless he wants to".

If he starts any rubbish about not supporting the school, say you won't engage in further discussion about it as it is completely ridiculous and if the school wants support its policies need to be sensible and in the child's best interests.

I'm surprised you let him do the detention that was caused by covid, I would have been quite clear that my son wasn't doing it.

There’s something seriously wrong with this school’s attitude. Are they paranoid about their academic reputation?
I would request a meeting with the HOY and discuss what’s happened. I really don’t think email is the best ways to have the conversation. It won’t help his job/university/apprenticeship applications if he has no interests other than school work.

A new level of bonkers from the education system

My sons year 10 soon to be 11 if they don't do homework they get no punishment at all.

Your son's activities make him very employable in the future. If you hear any more from HOY then raise with Head & Governors.

I don't get why they encourage extra curricula so late and during the busiest exam years?

Schools are actually meant to encourage participation in sports etc and there is a code for absence when competing at national and elite level.

That's absolutely ridiculous. My DD's secondary school only issue a detention after 3 missed homeworks in a half term and after school activities are a requirement. They are expected to attend at least one extra curricular club at school because the school recognises the importance of them. Your DS's school sounds very rigid and heavy handed

Your son's school is fully crackers. I'd love to see what 'take it further' means in your son's case - a high achieving, socially rounded young man to be proud of. If they get an EWO involved in a case like that, they'll end up laughed at.

That sounds utterly ridiculous

Both the detention for missing one of 15 questions (for 3 homework's over 2-3 years??!)

And telling you to withdraw him from extra curricular outside clubs.

The school is wrong on both of those

My DD stops working on her homework when she has done 45 mins (unless it's a big project over weeks) - we draw a line and say "stopped here as 45 mins completed". I have to do that it she'd be working on homework every night until 11pm. I'm happy to argue that with school if need be but the teachers are fine with it. She writes "I don't know, don't understand question" or "got stuck on this" occasionally on some questions. She's very academic, and it's honest.

I can understand a detention for reseated forgetting to do homework but not for not finishing it. At home is out time and reasonable level of homework , school doesn't get to overreach and our schools don't try to.(both get older siblings did same and got excellent GCSE results). They need down time too

Schools should value pupils who do extra activities outside school, keep doing that. I'd be taking up this misguided and bullying HOY issue with school governors and if unsuccessful, appropriate to report to ofsted to complain that school is draconian and is proportionate and not interested in all around wellbeing of pupils

*disproportionate

"School said he should have been proactive in getting the sheet to school as he wouldn't be able to avoid handing in reports late at work."
I'm sorry but that's a ridiculous argument from the school. I am a very experienced line manager. If any of my team were off sick, with covid or anything else, I would not be expecting them to find ways to send me work they had done. I'd be telling them to rest, and finding ways for me and the rest of the team to work around it.
It's great that he has hobbies - everyone needs a work life balance. And being a sub leader will give him great leaderships skills for the future - something his teachers are clearly lacking.

As a teacher I absolutely hate homework (as do most teachers). The students don’t learn anything from it and it just causes so much stress.

When I was young my mum had MH issues and my sister and her bf was sharing my bedroom - there was literally nowhere in the house I could do HW and we definitely never had pens or paper etc.
I have students who are young caters who care for their mum and siblings and they don’t even get enough sleep yet they’re expected to find time to do homework.
I think some head teachers don’t understand what life is truly like for some students.

My DDs school is super strict on homework too.
The only advice I have is got him to do every question even if it’s a complete guess.

Department for Education encourage participation in extra curricular activities so why would the school go against this?

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachmentdata/file/818679/AnnUnequalPlayinggField_report.pdf

And this is an example of why so many teenagers have mental health difficulties.

I would not agree with the school's request.

Out of school activities are important and your son clearly usually manages his homework alongside the a school/social life balance.

Am i understanding correctly, they gave him a detention because he couldn't hand his homework in because he had Covid? If so that's absolutely crazy.

I’d take it bloody further as a matter of concern.

Id got to governors and Ofsted.

Did your son say something to the hoy about being tired from his clubs or using them as excuse, was he really dopey at school on the Monday for instance? It seams very extreme to suggest he withdraw from clubs so I'm wondering if there's more cause for concern other than just the homework.

One other thought, is the world jamboree in term time, are they not approving because it means missing school in his gcse years? My dd had a week off in year 10 to go on a European tour with an orchestra and school were not keen until I showed them the press coverage of how this was the prize for winning an international competition and she was the only year 10 going (most were 6th form) suddenly they wanted it on their bragging page!

Op school sound mad. Your son sounds lovely and lots to be proud of!

Clueless as to what the further action will be, when I asked, he said he hopes it wont go that far.

This makes me think it's just scaremongering to try and get you to comply @AbreathofFrenchair I'd tell them to FOTTFSOF!

Batshit. Absolutely batshit. (Them not you).

Agree. Plus it actually sounds quite threatening and harassing the way it's worded so I'd be sure to have his actual wording in writing somewhere.

I would be extremely proud if my son had achieved this , he should be receiving recognition for this - most schools are happy to shout about their pupils achievements.
No way would i agree with them , but if it looked like school were going to make my son's/our family's life difficult i think i would keep quiet about his interests , even though this is completely against my principals.
He will be finished there before you know it and his life is his own then ,what narrowminded petty ideas though ! and how sad that they aren't interested .

@harriethoyle scaremongering is not the word I would use, as if there is no intent to follow it up with any action, then it is unprofessional at best, and bullying at worst.

Hence my suggestion for it to be confirmed in writing. For which the response could either be to sent a link to the Department for Education guidelines, or to complain to the Head and Governors.