Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Unauthorised Absence Year 10 (science module) HELP PLEASE

36 replies

19forever · 12/05/2011 18:42

As a family we have always made sure our children never had any unnecessary absence from schools ie Holidays etc. Attendance on average has been about 99%." However, we have always wanted to attend Glastonbury Festival of Performing Arts and this has obviously conflicted with school dates. Our eldest child is in Y12 and our youngest in Y10 so this year we assumed we would be clear of exams as Y10 traditionally have not had exams during this period. We investigated this thoroughly before applying and getting tickets. However, the exam timetable has shown that a science GCSE module is set. We would like to approach the school with a view to resitting the module in January. We know the school will not authorise the absence due to the exam but we have made the choice that we are going to the festival and we wondered what the consequences would be regarding school. I appreciate that the overwhelmingly majority will find our actions wrong,however, we firmly believe that resitting the exam will not be detrimental to our child's attainment. Both our children are very keen musicians and wish to pursue a career in this field. I don't want lie to school and say he is ill but if I inform them about our trip (3 days leave)and they refuse to authorise it and we take him anyway what would happen?

OP posts:

runningmonkey · 12/05/2011 18:51

We had a similar situation in one of my classed and IIRC the student involved did not have the absence authorised and were asked to pay for the entry to 'resit' in Jan.

My personal view as a teach is that it is not ideal for the student involved no matter how hardworking or supported they are with revision outside of school. This is because January will be a long way from when the material needed for the module will have been taught in class. In addition I presume that your DC will also be revising for another year 11 module (which for our exam board are bigger and more intensive than the year 10 modules) BUT if you have discussed this and are happy with the situation as a family then I don't think that there is a lot the school will do - you might get a bit of a lecture though!

HTH

runningmonkey · 12/05/2011 18:52

classes

teacher

Sorry typing too quickly!

RealEyesRealiseRealLies · 12/05/2011 19:20

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Loshad · 12/05/2011 21:42

just don't ask the teachers to run special revision classes in their lunchtimes in jan for your dc !

EvilTwins · 13/05/2011 19:25

I don't really understand why you would still go, given that your child will be missing an exam. Surely you could go to any one of several other Performing Arts festivals, or leave it until another year.

Sound like a very selfish decision to me.

MrsHerculePoirot · 13/05/2011 19:31

I too find it hard to see why you would continue to do this if your child has exams tbh. However, if the school don't authorise the absence (which they shouldn't in this case) then your child/ren will be marked as unauthorised on the register. If it is only for a few days then nothing more is likely to come of it. However you will be expected to pay for the resit in January, and you would need to check that your school do exams in January and this is possible to do. I know that parents can be fined for taking children out of school for unauthorised reasons, but I don't know of this happening to any parent as a one off at our school.

Does your son in Y12 not have any exams in the summer period either?

bulby · 13/05/2011 19:38

This is an official gcse exam and ( making the assumption she's sitting 2) worth 25% of the gcse. Next January you may find your daughter has other exams. School will have possibly already done and paid for the entry which takes time and money. It will be detrimental because your daughter will be going back over work she could have left behind when she is trying to learn newer stuff. Totally agree with the other teacher and the don't expect revision classes comment. Also why can't you go to Glastonbury after exam sat or leave early to be back in time?

hocuspontas · 13/05/2011 19:41

Won't your yr12 be doing ASs? (Apologise for not knowing festival dates)

Ponders · 13/05/2011 19:49

Glastonbury is the last weekend in June, isn't it? Is the exam on Fri 24th? That seems very late.

Ponders · 13/05/2011 20:03

OK, have just found the details - OCR do it on the Friday afternoon for Y 10.

bastards!

As it's not on next year I think you should definitely go - paying for the resit is no big deal (& also I DON'T AGREE with Y10s doing GCSE modules )

AnnieBesant · 13/05/2011 20:07

I have two students who are going to be on holiday for their exam. I am mighty about it. All that will happen though I imagine is that it is recorded as unauthorised absence (possibly not even that!) and you may have to pay for the re-sit.

Original poster

19forever · 13/05/2011 22:39

Thanks for your replies. Our Y12 finishes exams beginning of June and yes Science module is on Friday afternoon 24 June due to our location getting to Somerset after the exam is not viable. We had considered trying to see if it would be possible for him to sit the exam at another OCR centre nearer to Glastonbury but the likelihood of his school and another agreeing to this during a busy school period seems highly unlikely due to the work involved

OP posts:

jgbmum · 14/05/2011 10:12

Would you consider your DH and other DC going on ahead then you can meet up with them on the Friday evening?

Plus have you checked that your Y12 does not have to be in school? Ours have to return to school once the exams are over as they start the A2 syllabus straight away.

EvilTwins · 15/05/2011 17:34

Good point, jgbmum - ours are straight back onto A2 courses once their study leave finishes.

Ponders · 15/05/2011 18:24

I think OP has considered that - it was the absence of exams that was the critical factor, it would just have meant both children taking a couple of days off normal lessons, before that darned science GCSE reared its head

Yellowstone · 15/05/2011 18:26

No chance of schools arranging for a DS to sit a module at a different centre just so that you can go to Glastonbury. Exams Officers are up to their ears with work at the moment, not sure it would even be technically possible.

If I was dead keen to go, I'd do what jgbmum suggested, then you're toeing the line at school and not making a scene and getting a good part of Glastonbury.

RabbitFood · 15/05/2011 18:31

If he is year 10, then I would go to glasto. He can surely sit that module in january/march/june next year and still be within the timescale?

You would have to take the cost of the resit on the chin though, but I would go to Glast in your shoes

Yellowstone · 15/05/2011 18:32

Oops missed the bit about you living miles from Glastonbury. But tbh the module will only be short and they start at 1pm usually don't they so unless you're in John O'Groats you very probably could get there.

Now you'll tell me you live in J O'G - but perhaps you don't realise how short the modules are and how quickly you could get away. The school couldn't reasonably object to you snatching him straight after the exam.

MmeBlueberry · 15/05/2011 18:33

I would not meddle with exam schedules for something as frivolous as Glastonbury.

It will be much harder for your DD to do these modules without the coaching, and when the material she is learning at the time is totally different.

Ponders · 15/05/2011 18:46

there may well be some who have to resit in January to try for a better grade. and there's always BBC bitesize.

It's their last chance to go as a family.

LawrieMarlow · 15/05/2011 18:52

How many modules is it and what board? Some of them are very ie 30 minute exams.

LawrieMarlow · 15/05/2011 18:52

very short that should be

noblegiraffe · 15/05/2011 20:04

As a teacher I would be exceptionally pissed off about a parent letting a kid miss a module. We work our arses off marking mocks and past papers and putting on revision sessions so that the kid can get the best possible result and you're going to say 'fuck all the hard work you've put in, he can resit in January' for a festival? Kids, in my experience, do worse on resits when they haven't had all the specialist revision and teacher input up to the exam.

mnistooaddictive · 16/05/2011 18:19

As long as you don't mind the fact he is almost certain to get a lower grade in jan than he would now, go. The revision etc up to this exam will be wasted and not repeated in January so he will get s lower grade. You also leave yourself open if you gave issues with his work ethic as he will continually throw it in your face.

Obviously his science result is not important to you so go. Just make sure he understands the consequences in case he disagrees with you.

ConnorTraceptive · 16/05/2011 18:30

I'm usually quite laissez faire about holidays during term time I can never quite understand why people get all bent out of shape about people doing it but have to say I'm quite that you would let your dc miss an exam for a festival (adding performing arts onto the end of it doesn't make it seem more educationally beneficial )

i think you should consider what people are saying here about re sits not being that simple

Flip

1 2