Will this be unauthorised?

[SnowGoAwayPlease]

The snow is really bad where I am. We live 7 miles away from my daughter’s primary school. Theres one closer but she got a place at this one before we moved house. The school is staying open when most are closed. But we are higher up and the snow is still coming, with cars being stuck on the roads nearby and traffic gridlocked so I can’t get my daughter into school. I’m worried as the headteacher is saying the roads are clear and that she made it from Nottingham which is 25 miles away.. but just where I am is awful and I don’t want to risk it. Will it be unauthorised absence does anyone know how this works?

Because she’s obviously concerned about it being marked as unauthorised. If that happens, then OP may choose to appeal against it, and having photos will strengthen her case. Some people wouldn’t be bothered about how the absence is documented, but OP clearly is, hence her post.

Are you? The point is, she doesn't need to prove how bad it is.

Don't stress about it. The school office's first job is to make sure that all children are accounted for (i.e. haven't disappeared between home and school without their parent sending in an explanation) and contact parents of any children who are missing without explanation. If you have explained why she is not there then they will know where she is and have a note in the office. It will presumably take time for them to actually get authorisation and update the system; but your evidence could be helpful here if there are any problems.

I called in and they’ve said to try and get in.. but if not they have said it’s understandable but it’ll still be unauthorised, even if roads aren’t passable. They only authorise illness apparently

Why are you so anxious about it being authorised?

This is insane. Try not to worry about it. It isn't safe to go in. Safety is the priority.

I’m not sure. My daughter has had 2 days off with a sickness bug just before Christmas and now today. Just worried I’ll be penalised

So what if it's unauthorised?

Nothing will happen with one day unauthorised unless its a regular thing.

We had to do similar once.

If they try, just refuse. Kids get sick, snow happens. The idea that they can fine you because life happens is ludicrous, and people should be saying so.

Here are the attendance codes:
https://www.schoolbusinessservices.co.uk/news/mis-attendance-codes-2024

I guess they are uncomfortable about using Y2 (widespread disruption to travel) given disruption may not be widespread and not sure how else to code it.

2 days sickness bug and a snow/ice day - don't worry. But don't go in if it's dangerous

Y1 or y7.

No one is sending you to prison or even fining you for this.

The school has to be seen by Ofsted to be prioritising attendance given national attendance average levels are still low. So they have to send letters out to sound tough and have to tell you to try and come in but staff might privately be rolling their eyes at it too.

Stop worrying. You aren't a child about to be summoned to the headteacher for a telling off!

When I was primary school age, we lived at the top of a hill and the winters were much worse than they are now, and I don't remember roads being gritted. Our Dads left the family cars at the bottom of the hill. We would all get up at 5am and scrape the ice and snow off the pavements so we could get down to the family car.

OP is wortied they'll mark it as unauthorised. Proof of how bad it is may influence that. It's not hard to grasp.

So you called in to say you can't get your daughter to school because of the bad weather and they told you to try and get in?

Even though it's not safe to do so, they're telling you to try. I'd have given them a polite, but to the point, mouthful about my daughter's safety being priority over a day at school.

Seems hard for you, as you failed to grasp the actual point.
OP is worried that it will unauthorised. Pandering to their nonsense with pictures of snow and begging for authorisation is not the answer here.

Other people have said similar things to me. Perhaps just stop respondíng to comments you don't understand.

Im not sure how they “authorise” an absence. Sounds wild to me.

“ I have risk assessed the journey into school and given a number of factors including weather, Road conditions and my level of comfort driving in snow I have deemed the risk to the health and safety of myself and dd to be high, and therefore she will not be coming in.

Absolute madness.

That’s really silly of the school- if you attempted to get in because they demanded it of you, and had an accident whilst trying, they would be in the shit.

I'd say 'fine'.

sickness bug would be an authorised absence though! you're allowed 5 days of 'unauthorised' before you get a fine as far as I remember? their attendance policy will be on their website. Try not to worry about it, if you are concerned then you could just tell them she threw up and you can send a photo if they want proof, but then you shouldn't send her in tomorrow as it's 48h off for vomiting.

I don't understand why you're so confused by this thread, but I'll respond anywhere I like 💪