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Extra-curricular activities

Find advice on the best extra curricular activities in secondary schools and primary schools here.

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Original poster

British championships training during school hours for 9 year old?

22 replies

mamaofthreeos · 10/02/2018 16:28

My daughter does gymnastics for a squad, her coach has said there is a possibility that she will be needed for extra training for half a day during the week on top of her evening training, for a period of 6-8 weeks and would need to come out of school for this, so would miss 3 hours of school a week (only for 6-8 weeks out of the academic year).
I'm pretty sure the head will say no, but wanted to see if anyone has had to do this for their child, any advice etc? Ive been looking into flexi schooling as a back up but see that is also at the discretion of the head. She is very hot on attendance, so I dont know how to approach the subject without all the info!

OP posts:

Minimusiciansmama · 10/02/2018 20:56

Most elite training programmes have a draft letter that can be given to heads in this situation. My daughter leaves school early twice a week, every week for dancing and misses about 6 days a year for music and dance. Her head is quite supportive about it because he can see the potential and also because- so I’ve been told - it counts as supporting gifted and talented.

CappuccinoCake · 10/02/2018 20:58

Quite common for the gym club here to have the squad children on a Friday afternoon I think it was.

The gym club will be able to advise you on speaking to the school. Schools are usually really pleased and give you work to do at home etc.

CappuccinoCake · 10/02/2018 20:58

They can mark it as authorised education offsite for something like this. A bit like msuic exams

ifIonlyknew · 10/02/2018 21:02

oh we have kids in our school missing an afternoon a week for high level football training amongst other things. Most schools are very supportive

Trumpetboysmum · 11/02/2018 07:45

I'd see if the club has a draft letter as others have suggested but maybe first make an appointment to talk to the head and explain. Ds's high school has always been really supportive ( he has many music days off a year) but a bit like the gymnastics this is to pursue activities at a level which school could never offer . i do fill in a form each time but tbh school aren't that bothered about me doing that ( I do it more so that his head of year and form tutor knows what he's up to !!)

AuditAngel · 11/02/2018 08:32

My girls had karate training yesterday. Their places on the squad are not yet confirmed, but if they qualify, they will need time off for the World championships in June, I'm confident we will get it.

My daughters also perform in professional theatrical productions. Our current head is very supportive and authorises absence for this, our previous head refused any permission, but I took them out unauthorised, it was marked as unauthorised absence, still absence just not authorised.

AuditAngel · 11/02/2018 08:35

Meant to say our former head told me, that as a parent I could always take them out without permission, so I did.

A couple of times I was challenged by the receptionist asking "was I allowed to take them out of school?" I just used to say that the school were aware of it.

Trumpetboysmum · 11/02/2018 09:01

Ah yes school receptionists!! Don't try and explain the situation to them go straight to the head some receptionists will get it others won't mainly because they are so used to dealing with persistent late comers and ringing round the parents of children with poor attendance . I also find that whether they understand i.e. not depends on whether they " get" your dcs activity so some will be more supportive if sport some music etc

Trumpetboysmum · 11/02/2018 09:13

Not i.e. Or !!

Original poster

mamaofthreeos · 11/02/2018 11:55

Wow thank you all! The coach has said that at the time they would write a letter, I was reading into flexi home schooling etc and it was saying it was all down to the head and affects their attendance record, SATs etc so was getting worked up before we even began! I feel more confident now, ta! x

OP posts:

CappuccinoCake · 11/02/2018 14:49

It's not the same as flexischooling at all. It's full schooling just with a few hours out for an authorized sporting activity.

Flexischooling is a whole other kettle of fish

MultiGrey · 11/02/2018 15:06

We have had lots of authorised leave for DDs dancing - roughly 6/7 days a year.

She has had a number of illnesses / medical conditions that have resulted in her having sickness that has triggered warning letters, but they have never used this as a reason for her not to have authorised leave to dance.

ifIonlyknew · 11/02/2018 15:16

both my girls have had 2 years each of professional shows as well for which they were licenced as well as numerous dance exams. never been an issue. sometimes the office are a bit funny about the show side of things and have questionned my commitment to school! but the head and deputy head have always been very supportive.

Susiesue61 · 15/02/2018 18:12

DD has several days a year for sport. School have only refused once. But I would say make friends with receptionists - I email one of them directly and she asks the head 'when she's in a good mood'!

TabbyTigger · 18/02/2018 22:36

I definitely wouldn’t worry about flexi-schooling at this point. For the end of year six and beginning of year 7 DD used to miss afternoons or go in after tutor time to be in a show and the school were very accommodating. One of the older dancers she knows also leaves her school early every Wednesday for dance classes and has done since she was 13-14 (now 16). As long as she catches up on the work and doesn’t fall behind her school are also okay with it!

Isadora2007 · 18/02/2018 22:44

How many hours a week does your girl train OP?

I’ve also heard about schools giving authorisation for sports etc as this is counted as enrichment etc.

I think in some ways a few hours off school would be less stressful and disruptive than trying to fit 3 hours into an already busy after-school schedule and ending up with Late nights etc.

Original poster

mamaofthreeos · 19/02/2018 14:40

lsadora she trains 16 hours a week, currently her coach doesn't think she will need the extra hours but it was leading up to the comps so will wait and see`!

OP posts:

Isadora2007 · 19/02/2018 17:22

Best of luck. It’s a tough world isn’t it? Unreal just how much time they train for at such young ages... but worth it when they fly!!

kinorsam · 19/02/2018 19:16

It doesn't affect the school's attendance record at all, they just use the authorised absence codes either for approved sporting activity, or educated offsite.

Unescorted · 19/02/2018 19:23

We take DS out of school for bike races. The school is fairly supportive but because it is a really niche type of bike racing and he is the only one his age that does it they used to be a bit hmmm until there was media interest. Now they are super happy.

Mumoftwoyoungkids · 01/03/2018 22:42

If competing at international level then there is a code for it. (Dh and BIL competed internationally.)

For non international level I think it is more iffy. Some schools are very supportive. Some schools are a nightmare. BIL missed more days than he attended during his GCSE year. (He still got 10 A* - Cs but couldn’t name half the kids in his year’s “leavers photo”.

The sport that we all do set up a residential setting for kids for a while and one of the things they looked for when choosing a venue was a school that was willing to support.

xyzandabc · 01/03/2018 22:49

I'm at secondary level but we have quite a few kids who have time off for a variety of high level sports, school are supportive and generally the kids that excel in their sport are used to working hard so also work super hard in their school work and get top grades too.

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