To be late for school once a week?

[Latelateshowz]

(Writing this from DC POV.)

I am in year 13 at school. My school’s late policy is that you can be late once a week without any penalty. If you get two lates you get put on a report and have to turn up early for 2 weeks.

I don’t see the point of getting in on time just to sit around in form time or to go to an assembly. So I choose to make the most of the system that is in place and deliberately go in late once a week.

In case it is relevant, I have the second highest voluntary service hours in the school (this is for things like helping younger students, doing clubs etc) and I am predicted the highest grades. I’ve never had any detentions for behaviour etc.

My form tutor mentioned my punctuality in a recent parents meeting and my parents think I should just be on time. My view is that I am just making the most of the system the school has set up.

YABU: get yourself to school on time
YANBU: fair enough, be late if you want

This is a classic example of “just because you can, doesn’t mean you should”.

You could remind your DC that when people take advantage, the end result is usually the perk being removed for all, which won’t negatively impact your privileged DC, but could impact someone else who does need this (eg regular medical appointments or care responsibilities).

Which would make your DC a bit of a twat, wouldn’t it.

I think you'll go far in life.

I agree with this post.

It all just feels a bit “smart arse” to me.
Just parent your son and tell him to get to school on time.

I'm a teacher. Today I have 2 lessons between 11.30 and 2.30, but I still have to be on site between 8.45 and 3.45 - it's part of the contract.

Yes, I'd love to stay in bed, but this is where I chose to work, so I have to follow expectations.

Same as the students do - if you don't like the 'contract' , go elsewhere.

Year 13! Not 13! (I made the same mistake!)

Form time and assemblies don’t exist at many sixth form colleges and even at sixth forms attached to schools most only do them once a week.

most sixth forms allow you to go off site for free periods. My DD joined the choir simply so she could miss as many assemblies as possible (they are boring).

i wouldn’t care.

The kid already has a responsible job that they cycle 5 miles and turn up on time so is already a not shit employee.

If the school took away the possibility of people being late without punishment due to medical appointments because a smart arse decided to skip assembly once a week, then the school is repsonsible for that decision, not the smart arse.

Surely in Year 13 they're not in half the time anyway because of study periods?

I couldn't get upset over this for a minute.

People on here are ridiculous! The school aren't going to remove this from everyone because one Yr 13 takes advantage - that would be more childish than the Yr 13's behaviour!

He sounds very bright to me OP - work smart not hard.

Totally agree that if the school changed the rules and punished people for having a disability, medical condition, or just a routine GP appointment, they’d be in the wrong. But I don’t think they would do that, I assume the once a week rule currently doesn’t apply to medical appointments.

If the school don’t like it, they just need to introduce a max number of late days a term, as well as a week. Nor more than once a week, and no more than three times a term.

But if I was this child’s parent, then given what’s been said about them always being on time for their part time job, always being on time the rest of the days, working hard at school etc, I wouldn’t be too worried about them.

I find it fascinating how many people have assumed it's a son not a daughter

I used to do something really similar to this in sixth form. I now hold down a good job and am a responsible member of society..

I have always been someone who would only do what they see the point in. I didn't see the point in assemblies at school and had a whole array of ways to get out of them. Am still the same way with big work meetings TBH. I'll do these things when I have to but not when I don't - what's the matter with that?

I don't think this is smart or clever. Yes, technically within the rules but reeks of lack of respect and discipline, not a team player, and a real smart alec - none of which are pleasant qualities. Volunteer hours are irrelevant for getting into uni.

The overall tone doesn't bode well with me as a future employer. Yes, they are young now but if this attitude remains it will only harm them and their future prospects in the long run.

I hope this attitude doesn't seep into their UCAS statement.

Missing assembly is also irrelevant to getting in to university.

I’ll probably go against the majority here but I say carry on.

My eldest was doing similar in his last 2 years/sixth form. He had realised the assemblies were on a rotation and he’d heard all of them many times over. He deliberately arrived at school after assembly had started - he wasn’t allowed to go into it late. He would go to his first lesson and wait there.
Assembly often overran, so he would end up having a private lesson with the teacher while waiting for everyone else to turn up.
His grades were excellent, he took part in/helped run an afterschool activity, he was not in trouble for anything else.

He did receive detentions for being repeatedly late. School put them on after school on a Friday when he had no other commitments, so he happily stayed at school and did homework, freeing his weekend.

We repeatedly told him that punctuality is important but he was never late for anything else. Arrived in school perfectly on time on non-assembly days, etc.

If school had made it more painful, like detentions on his afterschool club day, I’m sure he would have re-evaluated, but he found a way to work the system than not only didn’t hurt him, but actually helped him.

He’s since joined the Navy, has completed officer training, and is sponsored at uni studying a science with the plan to go back to the Navy as a submarine officer afterwards.

Those detentions and missed assemblies have done him no harm, and the alternative approach to thinking/problem solving have probably sorted his life out.

If it works for you, carry on.

PS he also hated PE (haha as he now has to do really strict Phys Ed in the navy) and worked out the maximum number of times he could ‘forget’ his PE kit without resulting in a severe punishment. He planned his ‘forgetfulness’ around their structures.

Not sure you understood the point of my post.

I did a supply contract at a school where the policy was a demerit (or whatever it was called) if you were five or more minutes late for class. So one student told me he was going to be 4 minutes 49 seconds late for class every day and I should get used to it. The issue is with the rule here.

Yes, that will go down well in the world of work

It is a bit entitled. It is all part of ‘working with others’ skills. Most students in 6th form turn up on time. Someone prepares an assembly (quite often other 6th form students) so it shows a level of respect to actually turn up and support them. When work experience opportunities come up, teachers generally recommend the more reliable students. My daughter asked her form tutor to provide a work reference which was really helpful for getting her first job. She wouldn’t have been able to ask him if she had been late every week.

How can people get worked up about this?!

only you know OP your child’s personality and whether this is a trait you don’t think will have any negative consequences in the future. My feeling from the rest of your post about voluntary work in the school and grades etc is that doing this will have any future impact on his earning potential, respect for others etc.

I hope this attitude doesn't seep into their UCAS statement.

How would this happen?

But this child is already working as well, and has no punctuality issues.

@tripleginandtonic Why should this matter in the world of work?

I am trusted by my manager because I perform well and deliver results, because of this I am able to take a few hours here and there/ be late/ leave early if I need to for other commitments (appointments, childcare issues). My manager knows I will make the time up/get things done as needed, so they don’t bother with enforcing my contracted hours as that would be petty and unnecessary.

I won't lie, I'd probably do the same if I was in school and they had that as a policy. If it's not affecting them negatively in any way (i.e. the school's policy is genuine and they truly don't hold it against students) then I don't see the harm.

This.

I would point out that it doesn't leave her any slack in case she's accidentally late one day.

Then I'd let her crack on.

I think it's just damn rude. Teachers and support staff go above and beyond to support students to do well in exams, especially with UCAS applications etc. They then need to keep track of your child and whether they've made it in or not on top.

The school should have escalating sanctions for students who are late every week.