Sydney, New South Wales, Australia: Aarav, a 12-year-old student of Indian origin living in Sydney, has been expelled from his school after attending a national-level tennis championship without informing school authorities. As reported by Australian media, the student learned about his removal from Redeemer Baptist School in North Parramatta on the very first day of Tennis Australia’s exclusive, week-long junior tournament.
According to his parents, Hari and Lavanya, the school’s action came as an unexpected shock. They said Aarav is an excellent student with top grades and had missed only two school days this entire year because of tennis. “I requested permission for him to be absent for this week, but the school responded by withdrawing his enrolment,” the parents told the television program A Current Affair.
Aarav’s mother explained that her son maintains a strict routine, balancing both education and sports. “He finishes classes at 3:30 pm, reaches the tennis court by 5 pm, trains until 8:30 pm, then returns home to complete his homework,” she said. Aarav added that he often completes his assignments during school hours, breaks, and even on the bus ride. He believes expulsion is too harsh for missing one week for a major national event.
Hari added that the family is currently struggling to find a school that can take him immediately, although they have already secured a seat for the next academic year.
School Defends Its Action
Redeemer Baptist School headmaster Russell Bailey stated that the institution follows a strict attendance policy requiring students to be present for at least 90% of the academic year. He added that parents are expected to obtain prior approval for non-school-related activities, including sporting events.
Bailey explained that this rule helps the school coordinate with families and minimise disruptions to learning. He also mentioned that the school regularly supports students who take part in high-level competitions in various fields such as athletics, football, gymnastics, golf, computing, music, and science—provided permissions are taken in advance.
