Do you/ did you send your child to school on their birthday?

[bagpuss90]

Light hearted thread no I’m not having a whinge before anyone asks 😂No -I’m just curious. Was chatting to a work colleague and she mentioned that her children have never been to school on their birthdays. They don’t fall within school holidays. She was a bit surprised when I said mine all went to school on the day -business as usual. Don’t get me wrong -they had pressies before school, lovely parties and so on . Never really thought about it before but just wondered if its school or not on the big day

What reason did you give to the school for their absence?

Or do they just not care about attendance or ask about a child's absence? DD's school contacts parents mid-morning if a pupil is absent and the school hasn't been contacted by the parent to give a reason. If the child is truanting or something has happened to them then the sooner the parent knows the better. Alternatively, if it has just slipped your mind (it happens sometimes) you explain that they are ill/have an appointment / whatever.

If a school never bothers asking why a pupil has been absent that seems quite neglectful on the part of the school. I'm glad DD's school takes their pupils welfare more seriously.

Did you have to take the day off too?

My DD's birthdays are always in half term. So I haven't thought of not sending her, but if it was school day I would normally sent her so she could celebrate with her friends in the class.
Teacher and other kids in my DD's class would always sing Happy birtdays and have a small celebration.

I've also seen kids at the school playground with birthday badges coming in to school, so assuming most kids going to school on their birtdays.

Same poster said her school said that her year 9 son would “just catch up” after missing ten straight days of school - so the school doesn’t exactly seem… well, you know

Erm... the law doesnt allow kids off for some key events like weddings and funerals if not deemed 'immediate family' so definately doesnt allow them off for their birthday.

This year both my kids where off because 1 fell in the holidays (usually doesnt but the school holiday seems to have shifted a week this year) and the others was a weekend but they like school on their birthday.

They get to take in treats for their friends (although a new law has made that more awkward) and have it announced to everyone that its their special day.

No law! Your schools guidance

Re treats

Also you cant lie and say they are sick... if a kid is suddenly off for 1 day every year on their birthday (and the school knows their birthday) its pretty bloody obvious.

True.

i suppose I am just used to DD's school being on the ball.

They nearly gave me a heart attack when they called because DD was absent, when she had set off for school 2 or 3 hours before. They went and checked in the lesson she was supposed to be in, saw she was there and called me back to let me know she was there and safe.

DD was fairly new to the school, it was the first time she had been late (bus caught in traffic) so didn't know the procedure for 'checking in' if you missed the register. All was well. But if she had gone missing it would have been picked up quickly rather than waiting until she didn't turn up at home in the evening, and time can make a big difference with missing young people.

In both primary and secondary, we just have to leave a message on an answering machine if they’re ill, stating name and form. The only time I have ever been asked for details is if they’ve been absent for 3 or more days. The schools do contact parents that don’t call and leave a message but I’ve never not called. Apart from my son needing 10 days off once, neither have missed very much time at all, once they got past year 1.

OK, so you lied and said your DC was ill?

Not the sort of example I would want to set for DD, but each to their own I suppose.

@MorningMeditation

did you have to take the day off?

It’s a state school in a nice area. It got a ‘good’ rating with Ofsted, not that I take too much notice of that. My kids have both done well there. I’m not overly impressed with some staff (SLT) but overall the teaching is good and my kids have been happy there

@MorningMeditation

did you throw a sickie too? Or did you book holiday? Or no job? Or did you go to work and birthday boy just knock around an empty home “celebrating” his birthday ?

Mine fell in the holidays too and I always wished it didn’t.

And learnt the art of 'throwing a sickie' - a valuable lesson indeed.

One falls in term time and they go to school. Other falls in holiday and they wish they could go to school - very envious of their sibling who gets to go to school and be sung to etc!

Don't understand it.

It's almost as if you're telling the kids that education isn't as important to them as chilling out.

I find it absolutely bizarre that anyone would keep their child off school for a birthday, or take a day off work for their own.

I can't get my head around why you would keep your child off school on their birthday. Mine love to go in; they're made a fuss of, hand out sweets etc. I generally go in on my birthday (unless it falls on my day off) and use it as an opportunity for a team lunch and to bring cakes in.

I run an animal rescue from home so I’m always here. 😊

Had your circumstances not been like this, what would your approach have been?

My kids attendance is usually 98% +. They’re doing just fine, have part time jobs whilst studying and a good work ethic.

My kids, one now and adult are doing well. You don’t need to worry. 😉

No idea. I wouldn’t be against booking a day off work if I needed to though. I don’t need to though. My partner works at home and has done for years, hard to imagine a scenario we’re not in.

And my kids have gone to school on the vast majority of their birthdays.