ABRSM Exams -school attandance

11 replies

lookatmeimsandradee · 14/12/2016 19:48

Hi
My dd had her grade 4 flute exam last month
I took her out of school at morning break and was back in time for lunch.
The school knew it was an exam.
She has now lost points on attendance ....
Is this right - anyone else experience this?

OP posts:

andantecantabile · 14/12/2016 20:58

As far as I'm aware when my students have gone out for exams, it's counted as 'educated offsite'. I'm not sure how the school would view that in terms of attendance awards though.

Witchend · 14/12/2016 22:50

Mine it goes down as sports event. But so does missing school for drama performances I discovered this year.

CotswoldStrife · 14/12/2016 22:58

Oh, now you mention this we might have - DD had one unauthorised absence on her report last year and she took a music exam. I asked if we needed to fill out a form and they said no and made a note of it (she only missed about an hour or so of school). I thought it must have been a mistake but didn't query it - I wonder if it was the exam? (Primary/Junior school).

Original poster

lookatmeimsandradee · 14/12/2016 23:07

It's really unfair, because of it she missed her class award so she was effectively punished for doing it

OP posts:

LockedOutOfMN · 14/12/2016 23:18

Does the person responsible for giving class awards know that the absence was due to a music exam.? Or was it just the secretary / receptionist (unlikely to be the one doing the awards) who was informed?

I would contact the head of year or tutor as the reason for the absence may not have been passed on to them.

raspberryrippleicecream · 15/12/2016 00:24

At DCs current secondary and previous junior school, the key thing is registration.

Absence at both schools would be anauthorised absence, not educated offsite, but if you don't miss registration you aren't absent.

Eg a 9.45 pick up for an exam at 11.00 and back to school, before afternoon register - no absence. Do exam first thing and arrive at school at 10.00 - missed registration so absent for morning.

So in your case there would have been no absence recorded.

Trumpetboysmum · 15/12/2016 06:33

That is really unfair I would have a word with school. At ds's secondary school they have a form to fill out for things like music exams and then the absence isn't unauthorised. Ds is going on a pre audition workshop day in January and they are really supportive and just said to let them know if anything else like that cropped up.

CauliflowerSqueeze · 15/12/2016 06:35

It will have been authorised and it would have an affect on lesson by lesson attendance but not on general attendance as it would fall between registrations surely.

AM registration has to be within half an hour of the start of the day and it sounds like it was later than this.

Helenluvsrob · 15/12/2016 08:31

Our school are sensible. An "educated off site " code is used for all similar activities.

Our school is full of over achievers in all areas ( selective grammar but i'm sure other schools have many excellent students too) and lots are playing sport (DS had a friend who was lined up for the olympic fencing team but got injured) or music , dancing or acting at a county/national level . It doesn't affect their academic achievement but the school wisely know how to keep it out of the attendance stats.

Ask if that code can be used in future?

CotswoldStrife · 15/12/2016 10:22

We missed morning registration and we were more than half an hour late so if that was the cause of the unauthorised absence (as I said, I didn't query it) it would fit the criteria!

I may check beforehand if she does another one, we don't have any choice about the timings of the exam.

CauliflowerSqueeze · 15/12/2016 19:34

I don't think the OP said it was unauthorised. But even if it's authorised, if it is done by lesson-by-lesson attendance then it would have an effect won't it? She wasn't actually there in the room.

Flip