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Home ed

Find advice from other parents on our Homeschool forum. You may also find our round up of the best online learning resources useful.

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Original poster

I want to take ds out of school 2 afternoons a week - anyone out there who has done that before?

21 replies

julen · 21/01/2009 14:18

I'm seriously considering taking ds out of school for 2 afternoons a week. He's in reception, he likes it, but he's not coping with the sheer amount of 5 days fulltime; it's too much for him, at 4.

I know it's not a usual thing to do, in England, and I don't quite know yet if I can do it legally (school isn't compulsory until the term after they turn 5, but how does it work for half days off.. No idea.) I'd like to hear about other people's experiences, if any, before I go and talk to the head/schoolnurse/etc.

Any stories gratefully received!!!

OP posts:

eleanorsmum · 21/01/2009 14:22

watching with interest as I've just had to collect dd from school, she fell asleep in class as shes so tired. just started full days after xmas will be five in august. we were offered half days for the first term but didn't take it up as she wanted to go and i felt she was ready. they all get used to it but i hate seeing her so tired and upset. she says she loves school but doesnt want to go as it makes her too tired and sad bless.

pagwatch · 21/01/2009 14:24

I used to take my DS out of school for three mornings a week . He missed one day a week until he reached secondary.

But my case was very specific as he has profound SN and the school could not provide him with a one to one teacher. So I paid a private therapist to come to my home for those sessions.

Whne he hit seconarythis year the school finally stopped it.

I think if you accept a place at a particular school then you have to put up with what they agree to.
Certainly the advice we received was that the school would have been entitled to treat absences as unauthorised.
Byut we spoke to the school and because they accepted our reasons they halped us. The LEA were very anti and obstructive.
My instinct is for you to schmoos the school but don't think you can unless they agree.
But may well be wrong re mainstream of course

Original poster

julen · 21/01/2009 14:27

WHat would be the consequence of the school treating any absence as unauthorized, do you know?

OP posts:

pagwatch · 21/01/2009 14:28

Well -that you could go to jail would be one.

Original poster

julen · 21/01/2009 14:33

Blimey. So if the school says no that's a definite no then..
It goes against all my instincts, having to comply with a system that is so rigidly applied to all children, without taking too much into account individual needs/levels of readiness/etc.

OP posts:

Original poster

julen · 21/01/2009 14:35

BTW, thanks pagwatch, for the info - I jumped straight in there.

OP posts:

ANTagony · 21/01/2009 14:37

I took my son out 1 day a week in his first year principally for childcare reasons - the school couldn't offer the same level as the nursery he was at (I'm in Wales) and I couldn't find alternatives. I spoke to his teacher - she empathised and it didn't go down as unauthorised absences because that reflects badly on the school as well. I think it was all a bit under the carpet but no one objected.

Littlefish · 21/01/2009 14:39

He doesn't legally have to attend school until the term after he's 5. When is his birthday?

If he's a summer birthday then you just need to explain to the school that you feel he's not coping, and that he will be attending part time.

As attendance is not statutory, they can't stop you!

Of course, it's better if you do all this in discussion with the school.

I'm a former Reception teacher and I used to encourage parents to extend their child's part time attendance if they felt the child needed it.

Have you spoken to the school about it?

Attendance in Reception can't be considered as authorised/unauthorised as it's not statutory.

A friend has just started taking her dd home 2 afternoons a week as she wasn't coping. Another friend (who comes onto mumsnet, so I hope she'll see this), has just moved her ds to a new school, where he's going part time (mornings only). The school are happy with this and just want him to be really settled and enjoying school.

Littlefish · 21/01/2009 14:40

Once a child is 5, they legally have to attend school, so it depends on when your ds's birthday is.

julienoshoes · 21/01/2009 14:41

Posters here are correct in that it depends on the response of the head teacher at any particular school.

Education Otherwise has a short bit about Flexischooling on their recently updated webpage.

pagwatch · 21/01/2009 14:41

I would talk to the school tbh - especially if there is any chance his teacher had noticed his tiredness. Like ANT says they may be prepared to agree something 'unofficial'.
IMHO i think it is usually the lEA who are the problem.
In my many many dealings withthem they are a complete bunch of pencil pushing, arrogant, inflexible twats. Although I am sure some LEAS and their staff are lovely .

The other option is for him to have a duvet day every now and again when he has inexplicably vomitted in the night which sadly means he is not allowed into school for a day. Possibly .

Saggarmakersbottomknocker · 21/01/2009 14:42

julen - no they can't fine you or send you to jail because he's not of compulsory age.

It is marked as an absence in their records but isn't included in the figures that school have to provide to the dcfs. Have a chat with the head it shouldn't be a problem.

julienoshoes · 21/01/2009 14:44

Not quite LittleFish
Once the child is of compulsory school age then the section 7 of the 1996 Education Actsays

The parent of every child of compulsory school age shall cause him to receive efficient full-time education suitable?

1.to his age, ability and aptitude, and
2.to any special educational needs he may have,

either by regular attendance at school or otherwise.

It is the 'otherwise' bit that allows us to home educate.

pagwatch · 21/01/2009 14:44

Perhaps when the LEA talked to me about jail time it was in connection with
my manner rather than my sons absence.........

Original poster

julen · 21/01/2009 14:46

Yes, I'm definitely going to talk t the head. Have made an appointment with the schoolnurse as well, adn have already talked to his class teacher - he's keeping up at school, she hasn't really noticed any extreme tiredness, but he just completely collapses once home, and during weekends.

His birthday is in April, which would give him a at least a chance to catch up little bit unti lthen.

RIght, off to pick up dcs. Will be back later - many thanks so far!!!

OP posts:

littlerach · 21/01/2009 14:58

My friend does this with her son, and he is 5 now. She felt he wasn't being challenged enough in Reception.

She had to ask the Head's permission, as it can also affect their insurance I believe.
The Head was happy for her ot do so.

nickschick · 21/01/2009 15:12

If your child has a certain percentge of unauthorised absence not only does it affect the schools attendance records but an EWO may visit you.

Littlefish · 21/01/2009 15:18

Hi Julienoshoes - I'm well aware of the "responsibility to educate" thing as home ed is one of the avenues I've considered for my dd. However, as the op wasn't asking about home educating and was only asking about removing her ds for 2 afternoons a week, I answered her question with regard to attendance at school.

Original poster

julen · 21/01/2009 19:24

Thanks again, everyone, for the responses; really helpful. I'm guessing a lot depends on the head's point of view. I'll just make sure I'm going to be well prepared before I talk to her, and see what she says.

OP posts:

Twoddle · 21/01/2009 23:18

Hi julen. My DS is four too, and in reception class. He attends mornings only.

We spoke to the head about this before getting DS's place - a late/part-time start is important to us - so knew the school (or rather, the head - see later) was flexible about attendance in reception year. I recall her saying at one point that she'd be happy if he came in just one morning a week to retain his place!

In reality, it's a bit messy, since DS has two teachers who job-share and they each have their own philosophy, which differs from the head's. There have been a few awkward moments where I have been collared by one of them, and been asked on the spot if DS can now start afternoons - but I keep in mind the head's view, which thankfully is the most liberal of all. We plan for DS to start a few afternoons after Easter, but hopefully not be full-time until September, when he will be legally obligated to be (unless we can HE him).

With all this ramble (sorry!), I am meaning to say do talk to your child's head. Know that your DS doesn't legally have to be in school full-time until the term after his fifth birthday, so it's a perfectly legitimate idea to lay on the table. When we talked with DS's head and one of his teachers, we were pleasantly surprised when they both said themselves that they believe reception-age kids are too young to be in school - this helped. It will, however, come down to the individual school: there are other schools around here which like all children in full-time from the third week of the September term.

Go for it - see what you can arrange. If all else fails, and it's an option for you, you could hoik your DS out for a term and try again a little later. Good luck.

onwardandupward · 22/01/2009 16:27

An EWO would have no legs to stand on in visiting you to explore absence from school until the TERM AFTER YOUR SON TURNS 5.

Until that point, the school are offering a free-at-point-of-delivery child care option. That's all that reception is, legally. Legally, you take as much or as little of that child care provision as you like.

After that, yes, your options are full time school, flexischool or HE.

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