Lack Of Consistency


To be honest I don’t have much sympathy with this couple. They knew that there would be consequences when they took their kids out of school.

https://app.portsmouth.co.uk/full_page_image/page-12-2003/content.html

However, there is a distinct lack of consistency with how local authorities deal with school absence.

Due to a change in personal circumstances, my granddaughter has been trying, for a couple of months, to find a school placement for her daughter. She phones the authorities frequently but is told that there are no places available.

How can one set of parents be fined for “temporarily” removing their child from school whilst the local authorities fail to find a placement for my great granddaughter and face no punishment. I thought it was a legal requirement that children had to go to school.

Doesn’t that same law hold the local authorities liable for the provision of that schooling ?

If my granddaughter had chosen to keep her daughter away from school, they would have fined her.

‘Extreme’ haircut gets Leigh Park teenager kicked out of his lessons – That’s Tough


‘Extreme’ haircut gets Leigh Park teenager kicked out of his lessons.

Once again the News is printing non stories. Since when did a disobedient child become news worthy ? Since they have, I felt the urge to comment.

The 15-year-old, who lives with his parents at Cheriton Close, Leigh Park, said: ‘It’s stupid because I don’t think there’s anything wrong with my hair.

‘It’s fashionable and a lot of my friends have the same haircut, yet I’m the only one who has been punished.

I’ve got news for you, Master Davies, nobody cares if you think there’s anything wrong with your hair or not.  All schools have rules regarding dress. Not all of them enforce those rules as firmly as Park Community School, perhaps they should.

Personally I think that there are probably other issues behind this story. At least one of the comments attached to the article indicate issues with this lad outside of school.

‘I feel gutted because now I’m not in lessons with my friends and it’s going to be harder to concentrate on my work being sat alone.’

Why does being in a quiet room on your own make concentration difficult ? Surely having no mates to distract you, no mates for you to play about with, should help the concentration.

Billy’s mum Jackie Davies said: ‘The school is being pedantic.

Mrs Davies, That’s their job. Look it up.

Many people will argue that the style of his hair is not important when weighed against his education. In life we run into many such rules and we chooses to comply or resist. Whatever we choose we have to accept that there are consequences.

Headteacher Chris Anders said: ‘We’re an outstanding school and proud of our high standards.

‘Parents are well aware of the uniform policy and support it.

‘It’s always a shame when students do not follow rules but as adults working with children and young people we know it is important to be clear about the consequences of actions and to follow through when rules are broken.’

Just once in a while I would like to hear that parents of perfidious miscreants are actually supporting the schools, the teachers and the idea that their child goes to school to learn, not for some spurious fashion parade.

‘Extreme’ haircut gets Leigh Park teenager kicked out of his lessons – Education – Portsmouth News.