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[Terbs]

Just been talking to next door neighbour. He sent an absent request to the head teacher of his 9 year old daughters school.
Evidently they are going to Dubai during the autumn half term. He explained the return flight does not land until the early hours of the Monday morning that the school starts back, and he requested she start back on the Tuesday.
He has just received a letter back stating his request is authorised.....on condition the daughter is back in school on Monday by 1pm
No thought of flight delays, child being knackered, etc.
What a total head plonker. He is going to lose out though, as my neighbour has just agreed to chair the PTA, as nobody else will do it, which the head is aware of, and took part in the 'persuading' of my neighbour.
 
The head is shortly to receive an e-mail, telling him where to shove the PTA job, and a few other choice words.
Neighbour says "I would rather pay a fine"....followed by and including many other expletives !!!! Money is no object to him.....just paid nearly half a million for the house, and is also looking to buy the village pub.
Can't wait for him to tell me the response.

[05omegav6]

One for STEMO...

[biggriffin]

Don't bother to ask for permission, just take the child on hollybobs, and phone them in sick.

[STEMO]

There are plonkers in all walks of life, and we only have one side of the story.

[Terbs]

Agree, Steve, but the facts I have been told, are the family are well involved with the school, activities, etc. A first time request, apparently, but by all accounts, this head is a 'bit weird' with some of his other 'actions'.
Apart from what the neighbour has told me, I do get this opinion from a number of people I come into contact with, due to my status and position at the Community Centre, where we hold many activities for young children, ballet, music lessons, etc.
I have found most head teachers I have come into contact with to be 'world wise and understanding'. However, the general consensus is, this fella does not figure in the above statement

[Bigron]

Before |I retired, I had spent 20 years in education - college, not school - and it has been my experience that head teachers/heads of department are promoted to those positions when they show a massive INABILTY to teach or perform any other useful function!


Ron

[Terbs]

Can't say that about the retired Head Teacher that lives opposite me, Ron.
I wish he had been head of my schools back in the old days. He asked me if I would be able to do work for the school in holiday times, and a few times in term time. This chap listened to what I proposed with work, allowed me and the site manager to sort stuff ourselves. Offered ideas, listened to why or why not. The teachers and the staff, also the parents, thought him the tops.
After taking the work away from the PTA, I got the school round to looking top quality, and did all the decorating for many years.
Knowing how he dealt with absenteeism, I am pretty sure he would have dealt with the OP in a more dignified way !!!

[Bigron]

Then he is/was one in a million, one to be treasured - you were lucky!

Ron.

[Terbs]

Trust me, he was, Ron. Head at the school for 27 years.
Unfortunately, the new Head that replaced him, caused all sorts of problems. I don't think she lasted long....I know a few teachers resigned, the site manager resigned. Another bloke who did more for the school than his hours required. I rang the site manager and asked if my services were required, but he said she is getting the PTA to do work, and its undoing all the good work I did. He said 'We are back to paint on windows, runs, and splashes over the furniture'  All Heads are allowed to run their own regime, but she went in with no tact at all, instead of a more softly, softly approach.
I understand the latest Head is more like the original, and things are again getting back to status quo. Too late for me, though, I have retired

[STEMO]

Before |I retired, I had spent 20 years in education - college, not school - and it has been my experience that head teachers/heads of department are promoted to those positions when they show a massive INABILTY to teach or perform any other useful function!


Ron

Like I said, Ron, there are plonkers in all walks of life. I take it you never made it to a such a position. Hard to see why really.

[Bigron]

Stemo, my comments were not due to sour greapes that I never got to be departmental head - I never aspired to the post. It would have taken me away from teaching and into admin - deffo NOT for me!

Ron.

[05omegav6]

If he's that bothered, he could always pay to send his kids to a proper school where two week half terms are the norm...

[steve6367]

I'm not saying I agree with the below, but department guidance is very clear that HT's have discretion to approve term time absence in exception circumstances only and specifically states that holidays, travel and visiting family are not regarded as exceptional circumstances. So the HT should have just said no, see you at 8am Monday if he wanted to follow the guidance.

Just to give some context to his possible decision making process.

Steve

[Marks DTM Calib]

Just been talking to next door neighbour. He sent an absent request to the head teacher of his 9 year old daughters school.
Evidently they are going to Dubai during the autumn half term. He explained the return flight does not land until the early hours of the Monday morning that the school starts back, and he requested she start back on the Tuesday.
He has just received a letter back stating his request is authorised.....on condition the daughter is back in school on Monday by 1pm
No thought of flight delays, child being knackered, etc.
What a total head plonker. He is going to lose out though, as my neighbour has just agreed to chair the PTA, as nobody else will do it, which the head is aware of, and took part in the 'persuading' of my neighbour.
 
The head is shortly to receive an e-mail, telling him where to shove the PTA job, and a few other choice words.
Neighbour says "I would rather pay a fine"....followed by and including many other expletives !!!! Money is no object to him.....just paid nearly half a million for the house, and is also looking to buy the village pub.
Can't wait for him to tell me the response.

Actually, he's to be applauded for such a response.

The rules are no absence to be authorised, period. He's taken a pragmatic approach, bent the rules and I am sure the same would be considered if there were flight issues. I would not waste the email on the head teacher, its your MP that would benefit more.

Remember, the masses are suffering due to the few who take the piss with school absence. 

[Sir Tigger KC]

So we have a fella that has a few quid, about to become chairman of the PTA and has thrown his toys out of his pram because he dosn't get the preferential treatment he thinks he deserves.    As chairman of the PTA he should be setting an example not trying to bend the rules. 

The school is better off without this plonker in my opinion.