Gransnet forums

AIBU

To say they should grant this?

(54 Posts)
TopsyAndTim Fri 29-Oct-21 19:05:32

Grandkids other nan lives in Canada. She is ill but it is not terminal. However, it is also her birthday, a milestone one and daughter and kids want to surprise her.
Daughter wants to take them out of their primary school for the week to travel to see her, the illness being the exceptional circumstance. Am I right in saying this should be fine?

MissAdventure Fri 29-Oct-21 19:13:49

Well, it won't be, according to the school, nor to some people in the forum, but it's for your daughter to use her discretion.
I think they are obliged to refuse any requests.

welbeck Fri 29-Oct-21 19:27:11

i think they will just have to pay a fine.

MissAdventure Fri 29-Oct-21 19:29:15

They can make you go to parenting classes, too.

PaperMonster Fri 29-Oct-21 20:00:49

The school can’t approve it. If it was me, I’d go. My daughter’s friend is often taken out the last week of term, or for example last week when the nasal flu sprays were done. No idea if they’ve ever been fined but I’m sure they’d kick up a stink if they had to attend parenting classes. That would be quite amusing actually!!

Germanshepherdsmum Fri 29-Oct-21 20:01:53

No it’s not fine IMO. Children’s education is important.

Grammaretto Fri 29-Oct-21 20:17:34

I would go. Is it her DD or yours?
Family is very important and if she needs to go, she should.
The DGC are at primary school so are not in the middle of exams.
I took DD out of school for a couple of weeks so we could all go to NZ to see her DB. The fares were cheaper and 2 weeks was school holiday anyway. 20 years later, we have no regrets.

Smileless2012 Fri 29-Oct-21 20:24:44

I would go too and pay the fine and I know that if I'd been in this position and was told I had to attend parenting classes, what my response would have beenangry.

MissAdventure Fri 29-Oct-21 20:27:24

I've yet to find out what they have in store for me, but I'm comfortable that I made the right decision.

rafichagran Fri 29-Oct-21 20:39:00

I would take them too. My Grandson was allowed to take time out of School to travel long haul with his Father, parents are separated.
I hope the School let the parents take your Grandchildren, but I fear they may have to pay the fine.

Calistemon Fri 29-Oct-21 20:41:11

MissAdventure

I've yet to find out what they have in store for me, but I'm comfortable that I made the right decision.

The stocks and rotten tomatoes I reckon.

I do dislike the fact that people are threatened with fines in every aspect of their lives. No, I don't know the answer but sometimes I think fines are just a way of boosting the coffers.

MissAdventure Fri 29-Oct-21 20:44:56

I may have to wear a dunces hat, I reckon.
I usually do as I'm told, but for the school to decide what is in my grandsons best interests just made me see red.
Particularly since it was the anniversary of my girls death.
Who are they to decide how it is remembered and what is appropriate?

Mollygo Fri 29-Oct-21 20:45:43

I’d think it was worth asking. School could always say no but unless it’s SATS time or they have lots of time of I’d hope the head would at least consider your request.

BlueBelle Fri 29-Oct-21 20:49:00

I agree with not taking kids out of school for annual holidays but if it’s a family situation and someone they may not see again of course I d go, if I got fined then I d pay up parenting classes they could stick where the sun don’t shine

GrannyGravy13 Fri 29-Oct-21 20:52:59

I would definitely take them to see their Grandma, especially after the last 20 months.

kircubbin2000 Fri 29-Oct-21 21:14:20

They won't miss much in a week.

Germanshepherdsmum Fri 29-Oct-21 22:34:40

In your sad situation you did absolutely the right thing MissA. We will start a petition to free you from the stocks if it comes to that?

TopsyAndTim Fri 29-Oct-21 22:36:09

Tickets already been booked.
She is my DD yes.
I really can't see them asking her to attend parenting classes hmm

MissAdventure Fri 29-Oct-21 22:36:37

grin
Thank you.

MissAdventure Fri 29-Oct-21 22:40:28

Well, be prepared that they could, TopsyAndTim.
Each morning and afternoon session count as 2 separate unauthorised absences, and I'm not sure what the "magic" figure is (19?) but if you go over that, then they bring on the big guns.

welbeck Fri 29-Oct-21 22:41:53

too much regimentation in schools now.
in the overall scheme of things it's small potatoes.
it's not a prison.

Calistemon Fri 29-Oct-21 22:46:57

Many children have missed so much school over the last 20 months. Many children have had low attendance percentages due to isolating, illness (not necessarily Covid) etc on their school reports resulting in a computerised prompt recommending referral to the Education Welfare Service.
One of my DGC had one, as did many in the class, which the school agreed was a nonsense.

nanna8 Fri 29-Oct-21 22:57:31

Glad we don’t have that here. My daughter went to Japan with the children for 3 months and their teachers said the kids would learn a lot more from that than anything in the classroom. Quite right,too.

Calistemon Fri 29-Oct-21 23:10:25

nanna8

Glad we don’t have that here. My daughter went to Japan with the children for 3 months and their teachers said the kids would learn a lot more from that than anything in the classroom. Quite right,too.

I've known Australian children come here for months and they did the set work online or the younger ones brought workbooks
Of course, Australia has more experience of this with years of experience ie with School of the Air leading the way, set up in the 1950s I think.

Franbern Sat 30-Oct-21 09:13:45

I do not normally approve of children being taken out of school for a holiday, but this one does seem to be a rather special reason.

Do not think that schools these days, have the authority to 'permit it', Totally daft - when my children were small and in primary school, on really good weather days, would take them all out of school to give us the opportunity of having a day's outing to the beach. Always phoned the school early in the morning saying exacrly what I was doing - would never have lied about it.

Did none of them any harm, all have excellent degrees and higher qualifications.

Of course, this would not be allowed these days. About time schools were brought back to being given authority to their own Heads.

I would say the the OP that it sound lovely that this trip is planned and will probably be some excelelnt medicine for their Nan. So worth paying the fine and being done with it.