Competitions on a School day

[Ex member]

I recently received my oldest dd's comletition schedule for this year, most of them are on a Sunday except for one, one of the last competitions on the list is the British Championships (disability) and the date is on a Friday which I think is the first day back at school (if it is the case then it would be my dd's first day at high school).

My question is do schools allow time off to attend competitions especially a national competition? I am not decided if dd will do it as it is an important time of year for her with moving to a new school.

 

[Learning Parent GB]

Aren't they usually at the weekend? I'm sure it has been for the last couple of years. I would be fine with missing school for a national championship, but the first day of high school changes things as there is such a lot of new info to learn about the place, and other children don't necessarily relay information accurately.
I tried to double check the date on the BG website, but I can only seem to find 2014 data - and it was in November.

 

[Iwannabemargo]

I would chat to the school, they may well be pleased that one of their students was at a national competition and see it as the Kudos for school

 

[Ex member]

The date we have been given is 4th September, which I think is a Friday. This competition is usually in November and is the same weekend as the Veterans Competition. The coach got the list from the organiser (initials K.S)

 

[socalgymmom]

I just had to call my daughters school today, she's missing 2 Friday's this month due to Meets. They had no issues at all being that she is missing for a sport.
Although if it was my daughters 1st day of high school she most likely would be going to school. By her choice

 

[coach1234]

Depends on the school and how much they like sport really, we have a group of about 3 school which our squad girls attend, one is very sport and really supportive over all our girls will let them out for training competitions etc, one is a little bit sctriter and is a little bit funny about the girls coming out and will only let them out if they are in GB squad and the other is completely against sport all about education girls get a drop in attendance if they're off for anything gymnastics related so if the girls go to school 3 then they are not allowed out for training and parents choose to,lie and say they are ill if they have a competition on a school day (doesn't happen often) if the girls are choosing secondary school most now will choose school 1 because of how supportive they are!

 

[Faith]

Dd's school is very supportive. I fill in absence request- most of her comps are 3 or 4 day meets so she has several days off per year.

Apparently it reflects well on the school if they can show they can support a child with talent, it comes under additional educational needs. I know poor old dd was dragged in front of a recent ofsted panel to show the school in a good light.

First stop is the head. Make an appointment, tell them where she's at with her gymnastics (and big up the national squad angle). Explain that the path she's on may mean occasional days off for competition and training. Ask how they feel it might affect her education, and is there anything you can do so it isn't affected, picking up work she's missed, that sort of thing. Basically show that you want to work with the school and her education is important.

Good luck!

 

[Faith]

Oh and bad planning by BG to have a big national comp smack at the beginning of term...

 

[Jym]

My older daughters have missed a couple of Fridays over the last couple of years due to podium training at BG events. The school have been very supportive and encouraging. A note in their journal explaining what the event is and why they need the time off has always worked.

 

[gwenmom]

DD has one meet this year on a Friday morning. I've already let her teacher know. Seems like if you compete in bigger meets in our area there is at least one or two days of school missed a year. So far the school has been supportive.

 

[Ex member]

Depends on the school and how much they like sport really, we have a group of about 3 school which our squad girls attend, one is very sport and really supportive over all our girls will let them out for training competitions etc, one is a little bit sctriter and is a little bit funny about the girls coming out and will only let them out if they are in GB squad and the other is completely against sport all about education girls get a drop in attendance if they're off for anything gymnastics related so if the girls go to school 3 then they are not allowed out for training and parents choose to,lie and say they are ill if they have a competition on a school day (doesn't happen often) if the girls are choosing secondary school most now will choose school 1 because of how supportive they are!

I will double check the dates when dd is next at gym, if dd does go to this competition and win then she will be British Champion for her catergory. Dd was supposed to go and train with the National Squad last November but everything got cancelled by BG due to changes being made to the disipline, this was sort of a trial to see what is needed to become a member of the BG Squad at some time in the future. It seems like all the dates for comps and NDP Grades have been changed this year, dd's NDP's are in May this time.

 

[COz]

A shame that she would miss the first day, but wow, what a fantastic excuse!
I wouldn't want her to regret not getting the chance to go. She can always catch up on any missed information at school later.
Make sure the school knows beforehand. I suspect she would get instant celebrity status with that! I'm sure both teachers and students would help her catch up on anything missed.

Does she know any other students who will be going to that school?
Ask them the take notes on any thing important, like toilet breaks etc. buy a special notebook for the kind volunteer to use during that day and say they can go to the movies with you as a thank you/incentive.

 

[Mumof2gymnasts]

My dd has a competition on a Friday in a couple of months, luckally her school are really supportive and allow her time of for training. She has been having an afternoon of for the past year to train, and if she needs extra time of around competitions they allow it. Her time of doesn't go in the register as absent or a holiday it's put as an approved sporting event.