Dear all, I'm new here so please be patient. 
My mum died two years ago in Australia, within 8 weeks of diagnosis. Cancer. 
The primary school was pretty good about missing a few months in Year 5 when Mum/Nanny was dying. Do we have to wait until Grandma is actually dying or dead?
Our only child has one grandparent remaining, who is now 80 and not up for travelling over here anymore. The rest can't afford to come over.
We are both from Oz and have lived in UK for 6 years. My daughter still pines for what family we have remaining back in Oz. It's really becoming a bit of an issue. I guess I am too.
We want her to get a few months back 'home' in Year 8. We also want to make the most of the journey and do a bit of travel on the way there and back if possible.
She's only just started at High School and going really well so far.
A year feels like it would be too disruptive, but 6 months feels right in terms of renting out the house, getting work etc. It's the last chance we will have until after A-Levels. Six weeks over the summer holidays just doesn't cut it, and we don't have anywhere to live over there (now that Mum's house has been sold) so needs to be 6 months for the rent and income to work itself out.
My husband can get a min. 6 month contract working out there. Maybe 3 months.
Any advice on how to get the school to hold a place open for her? Does anyone have any resent examples or contacts I could talk to re: people who have managed to get their place held open on compassionate grounds? Or any other grounds?
My daughter has cousins and aunts, uncles, great aunts she hardly knows too.
We don't want to have to lie.
Help!!
Many many thanks for reading this.
