Unauthorised absence in Year 13

[Wynturphelle]

It looks like I may have to take my Year 13 student out of sixth form college for 10 days. The school are advising that this would be unauthorised absence and that we would be referred for a penalty fine. The school also referred me to the county council absence policy which reads ' A child continues to be of compulsory school age until the last Friday in June in the school year that they reach the age of 16. After this age, the legal requirement to participate in education or training will fall to the young person. '

As my child will be outside of the compulsory school age when we take the unauthorised absence would we still be liable for a fine as he is enrolled at the school? Is my child liable for the fine instead? Thanks.

The fine will be £60 per parent usually. You could just suck it up if this event is so important. Personally I think that you are crazy to do this. Is the event 2 weeks long? If he must go then I'd be sending him home early. (I'm assuming that it's far away and the 2 weeks is about making the most of being there etc)

bookmum08 I agree that there are several students who stay on in 6th form for the reasons you state. I also think there are students who shouldn't be taking A levels. In practice these students tend to get weeded out. Some retake year 12 at the same school, some start year 12 again elsewhere, some get a job and some do some kind of training.

I guess I am projecting here because I remember exactly what it was like for DD and her friends in year 13. I feel that those of us who are questioning why it might not be sensible to take a year 13 student out of school have probably been through the pain of year 13 already.

Also, students spend time completing their personal statements and their UCAS applications at the beginning of the academic year.

Tapas I have an older child on fe too, so I don't know why you think I'd have no idea of the pressures of yr 13. I only mentioned my yr 11 as he us the one having (sanctioned) time off in an exam year

I was commenting rather on the way that fines can/cannot be enforced. I dont think thry can be enforved on OPtbh. I was giving my opinion which is no less valuable than yours being as we're all strangers on the internet

StereophonicallyChallenged I am only speaking from personal experience. Your DC are probably brighter than DD, and can take everything in their stride. Unfortunately DD is not like that and her grades would have suffered if she had had a lot of time away from school. She was also studying subjects that needed a lot of input from the teachers.

For the record, I don't think fines are enforceable in year 13 either.