Votes please- ask for a half day or take a sick day?

[Hakluyt]

Ds's youth theatre is in the second round of a national drama competiton. They are performing in a different theatre to their usual one, and we have just discovered that the only opportunity to rehearse in that theatre is on the afternoon of the performance- which is a school day. We have been asked if we can get permission for our children to attend. Problem is that Ds's attendance hasn't been brilliant this year- not awful, but he's had a couple of days off with a stomach bug and 4 days with a rugby injury. He has to attend the rehearsal- and I would much rather get permission. But if I ask and they say no, I'll have to take him out anyway. Which would be such a pain in the neck. The temptation is to take the easy route. What would you do?

How old is he?
Could the drama be beneficial to his school work - drama GSCE or something?

Assuming this is a production which has to be licensed (which it does if there are children of school age performing) then the authority will already be aware. Ask school whether they're willing to consider this an educational activity (hammer the educational benefit ) and see if they'll code it as education off-site rather than absence? Looks better for all of you. Make it clear that he will need to attend the rehearsal but if they choose not to consent, he will still have to go. Yes you'll have to suck up an unauthorised half day absence if that's the case. Also depending on the school, and registration times, he may be able to get his pm attendance mark then leave?

I find the view is much better from the moral high ground so I would ask and then carry on even if refused.

Isnt it likely that someone from school will know or find out about the rehearsal and realise where your DS was?

And it would be even more of a pain if you need to write in about any further genuine illness.

There is a special code for the register for "attendance at approved educational/extra curricular activity elsewhere". We have used it to cover music exams in school time and this will mean that it won't count as Absence and further affect his attendance record.

Thank you! I hadn't thought of the "approved educational" thing! I am so paranoid about absence- me being a governor an' all

this is absolutely where the " educated off site" code should be used

Right, I've asked. Tent pitched on moral high ground!

Does he need a performance licence for it? If so the licence should cover absence from school for rehearsals.

I would inform them he will be absent and ask for it to be authorised.
My niece got authorised absence to take part in a National sporting event so it may well be allowed.

For something like this he should get a different absence code as it is educational

Thanks all- authorised, no problem! Now to start a new thread about the Reward Trip...............

I've found DS school has been fine authorising sensible things like this. He had 3 days off last year in Year 5 to play in cricket matches and that wasn't a problem.

Throwing a sickie on Monday coming though so we can go and watch some cricket