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Advice and Information regarding Education - Attendance at School
| By law, all children of compulsory school age (5-16) must get a proper full-time education. Parents are responsible for making sure this happens, either by registering their child with a school or by making other arrangements which provide an effective education (eg at home). Failure to do so will mean the local education authority taking legal action against theparents (ie fine and / or imprisonment). Only schools can give permission for children to be absent. |
How many days can children be absent in one year?
| Schools will not normally agree to children being absent from school for more than 10 school days for family holidays in any one year, unless there is a very good reason. Elite sport absence may be supported (depending on the school) providing mechanisms are in place to assist the athlete in his / her education. |
School awareness of athlete status
| School awareness is paramount if athletes are to be absent for long periods of time through training camps and competitions. The WRU Performance Lifestyle through National Governing Body (NGB) support is extremely useful (see below) together with clear communication to the school, head, tutor etc whose understanding of the situation is crucial to providing flexibility between sport and education. |
Change in training programme
| As elite players (athletes) progress and mature, their training programmes can be amended. This change may be initiated by their coach or performance director. These changes may have a direct clash with current timetable commitments, particularly if there are new training sessions through the day. Early discussions with the school and parents are essential to resolve issues about transport, being out of school during the day, fatigue during the day, and flexibility of hand in dates for work and so forth. Again, working with the WRU Performance Lifestyle Manager and service can counter any issues and potential problems. |
Attendance at National / International Camps
| As before, early notification to the school is necessary, together with ensuring a process is in place for the athlete to catch up with missed work. The WRU PL Manager will work with the player and establishment to ensure compliance for all. |
Clash of Exams / Competition
| A common issue and early planning is vital. Exam schedules are published on various exam boards’ websites (usually 8-12 weeks in advance). Similarly, NGBs know when their major competitions are scheduled. It is a case of identifying the clashes and discussing with the school the various options. These may include sitting the exam at another venue, another country (via British Council office), or another time in the year. Personal circumstances and the number of exam clashes will determine the preferred and feasible option. Again the WRU PL Manager can assist the player in managing this. |
Support from the NGB
| Supporting letters from WRU PL Manager and sometimes the NGB to the player's school when they first enter the elite performance environment is extremely useful. These letters should contain information on the rugby programme, current player status and level of performance, any achievements, training requirements, partners the NGB works with and competitions/camps coming up. Personal contact may be needed later to discuss more complex issues. The WRU PL Manager has the expertise to manage and deal with this issue. |
Empowering the Player
| It is vital that athletes are encouraged to take charge of their education and sporting programme. Notifying the school / college of their requirements, any impending training changes and future competitions is very important. They also need to keep the Lifestyle Manager aware of any issues or difficulties they are facing. |
Negotiating Flexibility
| In empowering the athlete it is important that they understand the importance of successful negotiation. Taking account of their school's interests and options will help them achieve a win-win situation. Presuming that they are the only person in the equation is foolhardy. |
Further Information
| Further Information is availabale from the WRU Performance Lifestyle Manager and by visiting the Parent Centre website here. |
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