to expect some school absences could be authorised?

[thinkthisisreasonable]

DD (yr 7) is dancing in a national comp in November, which means she needs to take 2 days out of school to travel there and back. The head has said she will not authorise it. I know they have to draw the line somewhere, but DD has only ever had 3 days out of school in 7+ years she has been at school - once for a funeral and 2 days dancing comp last year (which was authorised). She hasn't even had a day off sick. We are talking about a major competition here, not just a weekend away. I will take her out whether authorised or not, otherwise she will let down her partner and her team. All the other local schools do authorise for this event. As a result of unauthorised absence she will not be allowed to go on any school trips this year. I really do understand that schools need standards, but if there are any heads/senior teachers reading this, please let me know whether you think my request is unreasonable. DD has to miss out on trips along with the kids who miss school on a regular basis, which I feel is a little unfair.

the head doesn't respect the case I've already got. But I do think you are right slowreading, showing this thread won't help. So what do I do next???

I'd write to the Head, CC to the Chair of Governors and ask her to re-consider based on your DD's excellent attendance record and based on your wish to allow her to meet her holistic potential - denying her the chance to compete at national level (eg at Gifted and Talented level which they're supposed to support!) would be going against this, etc etc.

I personally would think she might cave in at that point seeing that you are going to fight it.

If no joy with that letter I would talk to an adviser at your local LEA (probably now Children Families and Learning or similar) and get some advice from them on your rights.

thanks, great advice, will check it all out.

It shouldn't be authorised absence... it should be 'P'- approved sporting activity, and therefore classed as an attendance.

Maybe speak to the school ed welfare officer?

good points Captain - Ed Welfare a v good idea, they are not just there to chase up non-attendance.

I have a similar problem, my dts need to take off this Thursday and Friday (which is only half day here anyway.) We are going on our first holiday in 3 years. My dad died a few months ago and we have had quite a hard time of it so this is to cheer dts up. I did my best to book a holiday across the October week but this is just how the flights work out.

But the school says it has to go as unauthorised absence. Not happy but screw it we need to get away. Strangely someone else I know who is going on the same date but whose kids go to a different school got the go ahead despite the fact they had no underlying reasons for it.

Good luck to your dd in her competition and I hope it works out for you!

Is it Blackpool by any chance? - my DD is off there as well

katymac, no not Blackpool but similar comp, a lot further south.

Haven't been on in a while but wanted to post an update... regardless of other efforts I and other parents have made, the headteacher has refused to authorise absence for this. Have spoken to LEA and Governors, apparently it's up to the Head who won't change her position.
Trips DD will miss are rewarding attendance, not curriculum related trips, so fair enough in one way but in another, we're not taking her out for holiday/Xmas shopping as some parents do. Have said to DD that she will have already had her trip, to the dancing, but really wish the school would support this. I said to DH that if DD did so well in national comp that report went into local paper, I wouldn't allow school's name to be mentioned (they normally say "childxx, pupil at xx school) - he thinks I am being petty and childish but I think the school can't have it both ways.

YANBU at all. My DSD went to audition with her dance school for Britain's Got Talent 2 years ago. It was taking place on a school day. Not only did they let her take the day off authorised, they gave her £20 out of the school funds for her coach fair, and got her a good luck card. She was in year 10 at the time.

The school are being very unfair on your dd.

I agree that some absences should be authorised. We had a family wedding, one year in France, on a date which was totally out of our control and happened to fall in term time. I can't tell people when to have their weddings and as it was family we couldn't not go.

I spoke to the school about it and they said yes go but it will be an unauthorised absence. I wasn't happy about this, dd had never misssed school, except for illness which doesn't happen very often, we had never taken her out of school in term time for anything before.

What made me even more annoyed was that when I checked out the council website to see what the official line was it said that family holidays will be marked as an unathorised absence and that no work will be provided for the child then it goes on to say and I quote, in fact I'll cut and paste,

"Extended visits overseas to relatives or extended absence in relation to children of travelling people will be marked as an authorised absence. Extended is defined as a period of more than four weeks. If you wish to discuss the matter further in relation to your child, please contact the school."

So if we had gone to see our relatives for the wedding and stayed for more than 4 weeks it would have gone down as an authorised absence but since dd was only going to miss 5 days of school it had to go as unauthorised, madness.

I'd then be inclined to take her out of school unauthorised for the "rewarding attendance" trip days as well and do something fun. But then I am getting increasingly belligerent in my old age.

seems unreasonble, my daughter has had 4 days authorized to spend time in a cottage in the middle of nowhere learning to do "outdoorsy" stuff with her dad had his brothers and kids!

why do they run these on school days?

are you talking to me macaroonIncident?
If so it was organized to fit the school holidays of my husbands brothers children who live in a totally different area - my daughters school holidays didnt happen at the same time which is why she had to take time off to join in. She is 5 so 4 days isnt going to cause any major problem for her.

No the op

I'd get in touch with your local paper and whinge. Actually this is the sort of thing the nationals love too. Name and shame the Head for not encouraging excellence outside of academic achievement.

Stupid decision