School and Gymnastics

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xxStumpyxx

Proud Parent
I had an interesting conversation with another gym mum. I was told that if you have a gymnast in a development / competition group then you should be on the Gifted and Talented register at school for sports. Apparently this makes the school look good in Ofsted's eyes and makes it easier to get time off school for gym related things such as training during school hours or attending a big competition on a school day or leaving school early/ having the day off to travel up to a competition. Has anyone come across this before?
 
Pink is on the G&T, but she is good at all sports. Still have to apply for time off for comps and it can be refused, luckily head number 1 was very proud of her and allowed it, head 2 was a bureaucrat, head 3 was deputy head to head 1 and has no problem.
 
DD is on gifted and talented for both gymnastics and trampolining. Her coach was happy as it means she can take her out during the day for extra training when needed.

So far, only allowances in school we've seen is DDs head of pe allowing her to run routines before a comp instead of doing dance and pe lessons. Oh and her teachers are more sympathetic about her gym related injuries lol
 
DD is on gifted and talented for both gymnastics and trampolining. Her coach was happy as it means she can take her out during the day for extra training when needed.

So far, only allowances in school we've seen is DDs head of pe allowing her to run routines before a comp instead of doing dance and pe lessons. Oh and her teachers are more sympathetic about her gym related injuries lol

Did you ask the school to put your daughter on the gifted and talented register for gymnastics and trampolining or did they do it when they found out about her gymnastics and trampolining?
 
I was told to get my dds school to put her on but according to her school it doesn't actually exist anymore and it's just permission from the head that is needed for leaving early/missing school which she will give if we have a letter from our coach although I think as far as they are concerned she does a little rec class once a week not 15 hours lol
 
Pink is on the G&T, but she is good at all sports. Still have to apply for time off for comps and it can be refused, luckily head number 1 was very proud of her and allowed it, head 2 was a bureaucrat, head 3 was deputy head to head 1 and has no problem.

Glad deputy head was on head number ones side. I don't think my daughter will need any time off during this school year for gymnastics related things, next year could be different but she will be in a new school then, I am going to see the head next week to find out about putting my daughters on the gifts and talented register for their chosen sport, one of my daughters is on the gifted and talented register this year for academics, not sure that they automatically put children on the gifted and talented register until they are a certain age in our local primary school.- end of year 3 I think.
 
I was told to get my dds school to put her on but according to her school it doesn't actually exist anymore and it's just permission from the head that is needed for leaving early/missing school which she will give if we have a letter from our coach although I think as far as they are concerned she does a little rec class once a week not 15 hours lol

My youngest daughter started doing 7 1/2 hours last week and goes 3 times a week. My oldest daughter does 6 hours and goes 3 times a week, they only share one day at the gym and that is different times of the day.
 
G&T here seems to be pretty random, another quota they have to fill, doesn't mean they get any special treatment or support.
 
We have a gifted and talents register for sports at the primary school and they do sporting get togethers during the school holidays - not that my daughters will have time for that as at least one of them will do training during the day during school holidays.
 
G&T here seems to be pretty random, another quota they have to fill, doesn't mean they get any special treatment or support.

Not expecting any special treatment but I was told it makes things easier if you need time off for gym related things. I think most schools use it to look good in front of ofstd, my daughter who is on the register for academics has done nothing any different to any other child in her year group, no extras etc.
 
well technically, time off for something non-school related is special treatment. They wouldn't be allowed it for say cubs or brownies .

They used to be able to list it as "off site learning" but that option now seems to have disappeared and it does get noted as an authorised absence. It does depend a lot of your schools truancy rate, if its higher they are less likely to grant absence.
 
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G&T 'register' is not a thing anymore. Lots of schools will still keep a record, but it's fairly meaningless in terms of what you can or cannot get for your child. Head teacher can authorise absence (depending on the lea's policy) but you may have to pay a fine even still and they will be heavily influenced by the class teacher on whether or not to grant it - a child who is struggling academically and needs all the help they can get it less likely to be granted absence than one who is doing well in class, so make sure your child keeps up with their school work if you think you might need time off for gym!
 
I have heard of this for national squad girls, but not development/club comp squad girls. It mught vary from LEA to LEA so perhaps it is worthchecking if you need an authorised absence?
 
I am basically in G&T just for where I live. I had to apply and fill out a form at the begging of this year but then you just have to update the information at the begging of every year. It makes things a lot easier
 
I asked if it would be ok if my dd arrived an hour late the day after her last comp as the previous year she didn't sleep in the car at all and did get to bed until gone 10 had been up since 5am, I know it's not that late but she usually has 10 hours a night and I thought she would be better going to school not tired you would have thought I had asked for a week off school the way I was treated by the secretary I would have to bring a letter from her coach specifying what tim her competition was going to finish and proof from the competition that she actually attended I told them to forget it and took her and just accepted a late mark
 
Having said all of that they aren't big on sport at her school can barely manage an hour of pe a week every week there's football after school but that's it we have one of these super heads that's manages more than one school as long as the box is ticked they aren't bothered thankfully her class teacher is awesome and knows her stuff and understands with 100% attendance 2 years ahead in school it's not the end of the world if her homework is a day late due to a competition!!!
 
I have written in Pinks homework book before now "Has not done homework as she was at a competition" They give it out on a Friday and expect it in on Tuesday - she has training 4-8 Friday, 10-1 Saturday and 5-8 Monday, if we are at a comp on Sunday there just isn't the time.

Never had any comeback
 
It may vary from authority to authority. In ours there is a mark category for 'authorised sporting activity offsite' and that is what you would use if they had to miss school for training or competing. It is still counted as attendance and would not incur any fines.

However it can be difficult for schools to be persuaded to use this. I don't think the G&T exists in the same way as it did or even at all.
 

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