Unauthorised absence for private school exams?

[SchoolMumhere]

Just asking what other state primaries are doing in terms of authorising private school exams?
Our state primary (Trafford) has introduced giving unauthorised absences this year. State grammar exams were authorised for the morning but unauthorised if they didn’t go back for the afternoon.
It is a school and area that it’s not uncommon to sit private exams and go to private secondary from state primary - partly because of lack of secondary places (due to the local grammars…🙄). Some children will sit up to 4 private exams so that’s a lot of unauthorised absence!
interested in others experience and your locality.

My DD was out for two full days sitting entrance assessment. School didn’t bat an eyelid, no unauthorised absences. We also have lots of grammars and sitting 11+ very common so most kids will sit it at their own primary school so not quite same as where you are.

State primary in Essex with pupils sitting private school exams. Always authorised with evidence of invite / registration.

@Burntsausages

Thanks for your reply. Also very common to sit the state 11+ with us (I think about 4/5 max left in the class that day) but due to the number of out of area children they no longer sit them at their own primary.

To be honest more fool to the schools as it will impact their attendance more than if they authorised it - which they could

Particularly interested in experiences this academic year as last year the school authorised them all!

@GrainOfSalt a friend wondered if it’s the fact that the attendance is affected whichever way they play it but of Ofstead come knocking (which they’re expecting any day) if they are unauthorised it shows that they’re trying to do something about the attendances 🤷‍♀️

It should be educated off site no? My school hasn’t battered an eyelid at people doing taster days or tests at various schools. They have asked for people to only be out for 3 days in total but inevitably some will do more. I’d have no hesitation lying and saying a child was sick if they were going to play silly games re saying it was unauthorised when it can easily be authorised.

I’d also be extra pissed off given my school’s love of doing random visits and sporting events during school hours.

@Bunnycat101 very difficult to lie and say they are sick when four or more other children in their class are doing the same exam at the same private school on the same day and will say that they’ve seen the other child there though…..

Yep. Our school has authorised a number of them this year.

Just bumping this as interested to get more responses - either way!

They should authorise it using the code J1 - authorised absence for purpose of interview at a new educational setting. They have a code specifically for this purpose. Attendance officer here 👍🏻

That's what I was thinking. They are messing up their own statistics for no reason at all.

DDs Primary authorised it, The Head said as far as she was concerned DD was "in education" so it was fine, her Taster Day was also authorised as was DS's

@tinygreengiraffe thanks for your reply! As in you work for a local authority rather than a school?
I think our school are trying to say that this is what the local authority have told them to do… Don’t suppose you are in Trafford?!

No I work for a school but lead on attendance. Not in Trafford but the coding used is statutory nationally so that shouldn’t make a difference! Ultimately school can decide what to code but J1 is completely appropriate in these circumstances. Page 82 of ‘Working Together to Improve Attendance’ Aug 24.

I emailed the school with the dates, they didn't reply. I couldn't have cared less whatever they did with the info.

Does it really matter to you how they mark it?

@roses2 it really does matter how they mark it if they are going to 4 exam days plus 4 interviews so could get unauthorised absence for those and potentially result in a fine!

That’s beside the fact it seems plain wrong that the unauthorised absence is designed for taking term time holidays etc but is being used for children sitting an exam for an educational institution, without which they potentially can’t progress to the next stage of their education.