Passports- do all your grandchildren, nephews, nieces

In reply to your polite enquiry Kali2, yes, all my family have up to date passports and my children have had them since our first trip abroad with them when they were 3 and 2. It is far easier to renew a passport than start all over again! I had read the article about schools asking for passports, but assumed it was just a school being a tad over zealous, but also knew that by bringing this subject up I would be jumped upon and accused of trying to prove Britain is crap as indeed you were. It would seem that the Brexit defenders are on a roll today. Nobody has accused you of being half Swiss yet though, I notice

Gannygangan

Non. Nope. Nein. No.

Nothing to do with Brexit.

If someone anonymous has decided this is all due to Brexit they're barking up the wrong tree.

And they know it

Which is why they are keeping themselves incognito

It just isn't happening.

The initial letter in OP, made it clear the request was linked to Brexit, and in preparation for deadline of end of June.

Many British parents do not have passports either. Would be interesting to know the proportion, and the links to socio-economic, geographical, ethnicity, etc factors. It is not a requirement in the UK to have a passports- so how can some schools request that children bring them to school.

Why not give us the name of the school Kali and then we can all verify this story. It wouldn’t identify any one pupil.

The only reference I can find to this story on the internet is this post in Gransnet. Nothing on the LEA website or any of the Coventry secondary schools websites, under letters to parents.

It’s a little mystery. But you can solve it!

Many British parents do not have passports either.
Would be interesting to know the proportion, and the links to socio-economic, geographical, ethnicity, etc factors.

That information can be accessed quite easily

The number of UK passports held at current (or as recently as can be retrieved)
The number of passports issued each year for the last 5 years (from 2012-2017 or 2011-2016 if this is too recent)
The number of UK passports issued specifically from Sept 2001-2002 (following 9/11) and then 2003 figures to compare this for analysis
The latest information we hold regarding passports is from the 2011 Census. We do not hold any more recent information.

www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/datasets/2011censusquickstatisticsforenglandandwalesonnationalidentitypassportsheldandcountryofbirth

We do not hold any information about the number of passports issued. We suggest that you contact HM Passport Office (part of the Home Office), to see what they are able to provide.

www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-passport-office

www.gov.uk/government/publications/hm-passport-office-february-2017

GillT57

In reply to your polite enquiry Kali2, yes, all my family have up to date passports and my children have had them since our first trip abroad with them when they were 3 and 2. It is far easier to renew a passport than start all over again! I had read the article about schools asking for passports, but assumed it was just a school being a tad over zealous, but also knew that by bringing this subject up I would be jumped upon and accused of trying to prove Britain is crap as indeed you were. It would seem that the Brexit defenders are on a roll today. Nobody has accused you of being half Swiss yet though, I notice

I'm no Brexit defender.

No idea what the Swiss reference is about either.

I do like to deal with facts.

And the fact is the passport issue was first discussed in 2016

Which to me means before Brexit.

It is pointless trying to drag Brexit into everything. There is a lot to complain about. But this issue is a non starter.

In case no one had noticed- Brexit has happened!!

I voted remain,so am not a Brexiteer and, like it or not, it is how things are.

All this flipping hand wringing and trying to do Britain down is pathetic. Are there not things happening in other countries that we can bleat about instead ?

This thread is about a very specific issue- and no-one is bleating (so rude too). GN is very UK centric, no? Although some have been 'bleating' about Trump in the USA, or what is happening in Gaza, etc, too.

The letter from the school was shared by someone on Twitter- to which I am not a subscriber. The actual letter was shared, with the school name and child's name removed- but it certainly looks genuine, from the copy sent to me by a friend.

Brexit has happened, but there are Brexits and Brexits. Brexit that makes some UK citizens feel like 'criminals and aliens' - or destroy fishing and now agriculture, or the GFA, and more. Are we truly supposed to lie down and take it. I don't think many voted for 'this' Frostie Brexit.

I cannot see any connection with brexit or 'Britain is crap'.

The UK Ministry of Education has the same freedom as most similar Ministries worldwide to check that children at school are entitled to be there. It does not mention seeing passports.

Some schools, and there always be schools like this, the ones with jobsworths as heads, decide that they should gold plate the regulations, so that they can be seen to be obedient and subservient to authority and demand to see passports.

It does not occur to this type of head teacher that some children do not have passports, and that it costs a lot of money to get one, especially if your parents are not well off and you are unlikely to use it before it expires.

Kali2
You asked
Many British parents do not have passports either. Would be interesting to know the proportion, and the links to socio-economic, geographical, ethnicity, etc factors

In case you hadn’t noticed I have provided links to sources of the information you seek. Not “rude” or U.K. centric - whatever that might mean (given that the majority of members are in fact in the U.K.) and you will see that Brexit is a red herring in this instance.
(For what it is worth, I like Frosties - they’re grrrrreat ?)

The letter from the school was shared by someone on Twitter- to which I am not a subscriber. The actual letter was shared, with the school name and child's name removed- but it certainly looks genuine, from the copy sent to me by a friend.

Say no more! Good old Twitter. You can always rely on it to assist in your mission.

No doubt your friend also thinks Brexit is a disaster. So you will find articles that suit your beliefs. Which is perfectly normal.

But we can see that this is just one of those faux letters/articles.

Stick to genuine articles that can be verified.

Gannygangan ? There’s nothing more to say.

nanna8

You have to have proof of vaccinations here as well. Wonder if the Covid vaccine will be added? No vaccine, no school.

I don't know, perhaps I should check but then I have great-great nieces and great-great nephews too. I could be some time.

Is that for private schools in Australia too, nanna8
I know they are zealous about most vaccines for children, even vaccinating without parental consent, yet, curiously, hesitant about Covid vaccinations for adults.

MerylStreep

Gannygangan ? There’s nothing more to say.

Oops.
I said something
Apologies

GN is very UK centric, no?
Possibly many Gransnetters live in the UK but not all.

I'm not sure whether very is the right word as many of us have families with school age children or teachers living overseas, both in EU countries and elsewhere.

I find this assumption that the rest of us live in ignorant bubble while the poster and other people like them are the only people who know what is going on.

I have a big family with lots of children in schools. I live in big village with an active 'Spotted' site and I belong to the local 'Spotted' sites. My family include teachers and school support staff in both the state and private sectors and, if this was widespread I would have heard!!

going on....very rude!!

Not needed to register at school.
Child's birth certificate suffices to show date of birth, male or female.

Is this a case of Chinese Whispers?
An unsubstantiated quote from Twitter (and nobody takes those verbatim) about an unnamed school - all we know is that it seems to be a girls’ school - no names, no pack drill, no proof that the author of the Tweet doesn’t have an axe to grind, in fact no facts to base anything on at all.
The only link offered shows no connection with Brexit (a favourite topic with some) but is actually about migrants and asylum seekers- IMO a much more important issue these days.
So much ado about, if not exactly nothing, at least something entirely different.

I think ‘we’re’ going to need a bigger stick to beat Great Britain with ?

Ellianne

Not needed to register at school.
Child's birth certificate suffices to show date of birth, male or female.

Oh!

I've just gone to great lengths to find out if my nephews, nieces, great nephews, great nieces, great great nephews and one great great niece have passports.
Not all have and not all have British passports. Some said thanks for the reminder to renew them.

They wondered why I wanted to know, I think they might have got the idea I was going to throw a big family party overseas when Covid is over.

Chinese whispers? No, it there on twitter for all who are registered to see. The letter was copied and posted, with names erased. Are you saying a mother who received that letter and shared it- had actually made it up. Typed it up with the name of the school and child, on their headed paper- just out of spite. Really.

I am sure many of you are on Twitter and can verefy this.

Nobody has accused you of being half Swiss yet though, I notice

Because that is not true.

Twitter is huge - do you have any hints eg a name or school name - if it's on Twitter it's there for all to see if we knew where to look.

I'm afraid Twitter is a mystery to me.

Toxic Twitter.
?

Syrie@NinkyMama

as said, I know nothing about Twitter- just was very surprised at the letter sent.