11 Plus Exams Forum

Asking this for a friend of a friend.

She has requested time off school for a dance exam. The head has refused permission 'as it's not an appropriate reason for time off school'.


Everyone I know taking dance exams, DD including, has had absolutely no problem being allowed time off school. Any suggestions on how the mum can tackle this?

(We think there's an agreement between RAD/ISTD and the DfE, but we aren't sure.)

Thanks

The guidance for heads is very loose, but I authorise music and dance exams.

I've never known anyone be refused time off for dance/music exams as you usually do not choose the time or date.

Is there a compromise? Can the child register am or pm? If you are fortunate with the time you can register am and then return later in the day or register pm and then go.

Have you tried moving the time of the exams for after school or the date to a weekend if its possible?

Possibly depending on how long the exam is taking the child out for lunch and changing the time of the exam for lunchtime?

What about getting the examiner to attend the school to conduct the exam and then approaching the headmaster again and then you wouldn't be taking time off school?

quasimodo wrote:Have you tried moving the time of the exams for after school or the date to a weekend if its possible?

Possibly depending on how long the exam is taking the child out for lunch and changing the time of the exam for lunchtime?

What about getting the examiner to attend the school to conduct the exam and then approaching the headmaster again and then you wouldn't be taking time off school?

Exam times are set by the board organising the session as is the venue; an examiner won't come to a school for one candidate. If its ballet then you need the right sort of floor so you can't just use any old room!

From my experience of dance exams you can't pick date and times. These are booked well in advance for the dance school, and the examiner will be seeing loads of dancers during the days, usually in small groups of 3 or 4.

I have never come across any school refusing before. Apparently the school does allow time off for music exams, but this head is refusing for dance exams.

The school must have an attendance policy and there should be a possibility of appeal to the Governors.

This was a useful discussion.
http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/primary/209 ... hool-hours" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

It might be worth speaking to the examiners.Both my daughters did ballet in school in the school hall and at Walsall Academy of Dance on a special floor and took some exams with the Royal Academy of Dance.They took ballet from young ages until about 11.

Surely she should just take her daughter out whatever the school says and it would just be logged as an unauthorised absence? It is ridiculous for the school not to allow time off for this. Dance is a completely valid subject for study for both academic and physical reasons just for starters. My daughter is about to start studying dance GCSE outside school. I really hope we don't have any issues.

quasimodo wrote:This was a useful discussion.
http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/primary/209 ... hool-hours" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

It might be worth speaking to the examiners.Both my daughters did ballet in school in the school hall and at Walsall Academy of Dance on a special floor and took some exams with the Royal Academy of Dance.They took ballet from young ages until about 11.

You can't talk to the examiners as it is all arranged through an external body; not all schools have the right facility anyway.

The 'advice' on the other website does not dispute what I've said ...