Jester Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 Not sure if I have posted this in the right place but here goes. A parent of a part time reception child informed me today that she would be taking her child out of school one morning a week to take him swimming. I did say that by law he should be in school as he is on the register and it would be an unauthorised absence but then she said 'Ahh no, he doesn't have to be in school until next september in fact the term after he is 5' I said that yes these were guidelines but she had chosen for her child to start school now and she can't just chop and change. I said she was best to speak with the head. I have informed the head who totally backs up what I have said and is going to speak to the parent tomorrow. She said why can't they go in the afternoon when he is not in school? Has anyone had experience of this sort of situation before? I know when the child was in pre school, somedays he wouldn't turn up as the parents wanted to do 'something' special with him. Can anyone give me any advice here? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 I'm not sure how the law supports 'school policy'. I do know of a parent who takes her child to Italy for the summer, not returning until the end of September, she believes the cultural / educational value of these visits are more important to her daughter than the experiences offered in Reception. She was 5 yrs old in July! Peggy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 It's a tricky one really. Legally they don't need to be in school at all until the term after they are 5, as you said. So schools can't actually demand they are in school before that. We are having a few issues with some parents at the moment as all our children have gone full time from today and we've had a number of parents that want to keep them of some some/all afternoons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tinkerbell Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 one of my new parents asked if she could take her daughter swimming 1 afternoon a week and I said it wasn't advisable because she would miss out on what the class was doing and she would feel left out.Plus the school would not authorise it. Tinkerbellx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mundia Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 It is a tricky one, the school can't enforce anything if the child is not yet 5. If the child is attending part time, then trying the swimming gin the afternoon is a good way to go, perhaps there is a reason that it has to be the mornings. It may be that there is a reason why the parent feels that time spent swimming is more important just now than that time spent in the classroom and hopefully the discussion with the head tomrrow will make it clearer. I have worked in many places over the years where parents choose to take their children out for all sorts of reasons, and there is very little you can actually do at this point. I usually found that in time, it was the children who didn't like to miss what was on offer, and parents more often than not would come round, but not always until year 1 or 2!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jester Posted September 22, 2008 Author Share Posted September 22, 2008 We've never had any problems with parents in this way before and yes by rights her child does not have to be in school- but what is the point in starting him at school only to want to take him out cos she doesn't agree?- surely thats not fair on him? (guess the parents don't think like that do they ) I really don't understand- they were the parents at the new intake meeting asking me about ways to stimulate him at home with bbc language programmes, teaching him to write etc- scared the crap out of all the other parents! also this child is an only child and does not really mix with other children outside school. I know they want the best for him and thats fair enough but it doesn't add up with all this extra stuff they want to do with him to help him achieve yet they don't want him in school?! weird. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 but what is the point in starting him at school only to want to take him out cos she doesn't agree?- surely thats not fair on him? (guess the parents don't think like that do they ) I get your point jester but I think most parents are under pressure to start their child in the mistaken belief that if they dont they will lose the place in y1. Plus theres the added thought that if the child misses the whole of reception they will be behind in y1 with regards to friends etc. I know that if I'd been aware that children didnt have to start until 5 I would have thought extremley long and hard about it, but with all the outside ressures I'd probably have started them in reception. I think it would be nice to know that, like at playgroup, you could still be part of your childs day, without it only being for homework! But thats just my personal hate speaking Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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