Time off school for sports training - allowed or not?

[whojamaflip]

Hi trying to gauge if school is being unreasonable or not tbh.

Dd is working at a high level in her chosen sport and is aiming for nationals next year. She has been invited to a training camp by the county which is over 4 days meaning she would miss a Friday and Monday in school.

I spoke to the school office to ask for a holiday authorisation form to ask for the time off and was told that more than likely permission would be denied!

Surely sports training at this level should count as enrichment? Her attendance is good and she is making her targets in class.

Also if they do say no and I take her anyway what is likely to happen?

It's too good an opportunity for her to miss btw

Here is a list of British athletes who got medals. Actually not as many of them are privately educated as you think.

www.suttontrust.com/news/news/over-a-third-of-british-olympic-winners-were-privately-educated/

Poor OP - her thread has gone off on a tangent! Hopefully whojam you had some useful advice at the top of the thread on the right way to go about getting the permission your DD needs.

If you have a child who enjoys or/ and excels in something be it sport,art, music they need to be given a platform, it is probably their life to them.
I see children like this all the time. They are all sorts of levels from beginner to the seriously gifted.
Putting barriers in their way is wrong, they need encouragement and nurture not being told they can't do it because of school.

It has gone AWOL a bit!

Anyway have spoken to both her coach and the organisers if the training camp and they are both giving me letters for school.

So it's just wait and see

Thanks and its been interesting!