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Original poster

Parents - Please be Truthful!

46 replies

RiversideMum · 10/05/2014 13:25

A young lad in my class has been very excited all week about a trip to a "well known place with indoor pools where you can either go M-Th or F-S". Yesterday, Mum called in and said he'd been sick on the way to school. HT on the warpath on Monday!

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Original poster
RiversideMum · 10/05/2014 13:26

Oh, and another parent now has a child with no school place because they used granny's address on the application form. All going in my school this week!

OP posts:
BobTheFly · 10/05/2014 13:30

Not much confidentiality going on either Hmm

AuntieStella · 10/05/2014 13:32

All that pulling a sickie does is make it harder for those whose DC are really ill. Not a good thing.

And that family may find that they have to provide proof of illness in future - something that I think OTT for the general population, but if there is recent evidence they will lie about attendance then it may indeed be necessary.

OwlCapone · 10/05/2014 13:36

I guess the key is whether he is confused when you commiserate with him that his trip had to be cancelled or is excited at having been there.

LexieSinclair · 10/05/2014 13:43

The thing is, if the parents had been truthful, would the HT have allowed a day off to go to Centerparcs?

cutefluffybunnes · 10/05/2014 13:49

Agree with Lexie - if it wasn't such a nanny state about time off school then the parents wouldn't resort to lying and desperation. Maybe this should be, schools please ease up.

But the lying about the address is another matter...

doodledotmum · 10/05/2014 13:50

Bob- to be fair there is no breach of confidentiality if no one knows who if is ?!? I think it's a reminder to the rest of us not to lie !!!

MozzchopsThirty · 10/05/2014 13:53

Who actually cares about this shit? Don't you have other things in life??

I couldn't give a rats ass if parents take their kids to CP during the week or if the HT is pissed off

FreeSpirit89 · 10/05/2014 13:56

I personally think at this she they benefit more from outdoor learning. Education is important but so is fun x

JodieGarberJacob · 10/05/2014 14:11

But Mozz, you have just described 90% of threads on here. Don't make the op feel bad!Grin

ProfessorBranestawm · 10/05/2014 14:14

My friend took her DS (reception at the time) in the middle of the week to a theme park and phoned her up sick. Of course as soon as he went into school the next day he was going on about it. Always struck me as a bit risky to rely on a child's ability to not blurt out the truth :o

ProfessorBranestawm · 10/05/2014 14:15

Him* up sick not her obv

MozzchopsThirty · 10/05/2014 14:23

No I haven't mumsnet is full of fun and threads like 'should I take my dc out for holidays'

The op is posting useless gossip about people we don't know or care about. It's just a random parent in a random school.
There's no question from the op just joyous bun flight instigation

meditrina · 10/05/2014 16:24

There doesn't need to be a question, nor expectation of bun fight. This is 'primary education' not AIBU.

And yes, OP, I agree that expecting a child to lie effectively or encouraging them to do so is wrong.

TeenAndTween · 10/05/2014 16:50

Lexie The thing is, if the parents had been truthful, would the HT have allowed a day off to go to Centerparcs?

No of course the HT wouldn't have given permitted absence, the HT does not have the discretion to do that.

What the parents should have done is politely inform the school that their child would be off on Friday for a family holiday. And then if the LA decided to fine (unlikely for a 1 day absence), then pay the fine with good grace.

youbethemummylion · 10/05/2014 16:58

I really dont understand if HT have any discression (sp?) or not we are going away Oct half term but fly on the friday before HT. No holiday forms anymore have to have meeting with HT. Receptionist said she wouldnt book meeting with HT as both kids have 100% attendance and only one day so she would just put in diary they would be off that day. Are they doing it wrong? Is there still a chance we could be fined?

tiggytape · 10/05/2014 16:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Retropear · 10/05/2014 17:02

Sad they have to lie.At our school you don't have to.Kids in my dd's class have been to Florida,CP,ski-ing and other exciting places.Just had a good Oftsed,attendance not a problem.

tiggytape · 10/05/2014 17:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ICantFindAFreeNickName · 10/05/2014 17:07

I don't think you can be fined unless you take 5 days off unauthorised in a term. Therefore if you request less than 5 days off it will be unauthorised, but you will not get fined for it. In my view that is better than expecting a young child to lie about a holiday. It's not fair that they can't tell their teacher / friends about what they did. But also I don't think it's a good message to give little children - you should always tell the truth, expect when your parents want to take you on holiday.

Retropear · 10/05/2014 17:08

We'll ours isn't,all the below were this half term and as I said Ofsted have just been in.Confused

Retropear · 10/05/2014 17:09

Sorry not this half term,last term.

Maria33 · 10/05/2014 17:14

But couldn't the school just not notice? Why are you policing a ridiculous law? That's not actually your job..
I can't believe either you or the ht would interfere in anyone's lives like this!! Are you going to accuse the parents of lying? How will you prove it? Or will you do some weird entrapment using the kid? Nice - a tactic favoured by many authoritarian regimes.
Chill out - I think pulling a sickie to take a kid on a treat is far less morally circumspect than trying to get a kid to inform on their parents. Is this really what is happening?

OwlCapone · 10/05/2014 17:45

Who is trying to get a child to inform on their parents?

meditrina · 10/05/2014 17:54

You can still have time off for a holiday - it can even exceed 10 days - but the HT has to satisfy him/herself that the circumstances are exceptional. So parent returning from 6 months in Afghanistan and having fixed EoT leave is likely be authorised. Parent fancies long weekend or lower price for a particular holiday, seriously unlikely.

BTW, have all posters on here noticed that OP is a teacher? The child is not her DC's classmate, he's in her class. So of course she has to deal with the fallout of the boy being unable to contain his excitement.