They should let DS on school trip

[Justwhy7233]

So DS is in year 7 at school they always have a school trip at end of year for those with 90% attendance. My son has under 90% attendance due to being in hospital for two months but other than that has been in for pretty much EVREY other day. We didnt think they'd let him go which we new he'd be upset with but one of his other friends also has under 90% attendance. We got an email saying they hadn't had his forms for trip. His friend did not get one of these emails. Sol we thought they were letting him go as they realised there was NO way he was going into school. We sent the forms in and got a letter back saying he couldn't go. During the week befor DS was getting really exited about going planning the day with friends. Now he's crying. I don't mind them saying he couldn't go. I do have a problem with getting his hopes up. AIBU to think they should let him go now?

[getyourfingeroutyournose]

I would ring the school and ask to talk to the headteacher and explain that punishing him for being in hospital isn't fair. To send him an email expecting a reply has also got his hopes up. Explain all of the consequences of this and the fact that he has been through enough with being stuck in hospital.

[civilfawlty]

Honestly, this policy drives me nuts. It is a complete pain to keep children at home particularly when one is working NOT a choice most parents willingly make. But, when they are ill, it is obviously the right thing to do, particularly when they are infectious, unless they want to whole school to come down with something. So we keep them home. In your case, your boy was in hospital. But the school then go on to punish the children for being ILL. It's completely perverse and badly thought through and I would argue counter productive.

Anyway - YANBU. Of COURSE your son should be allowed to go.

[nosireebob]

I can't believe schools think they can inspire kids to become kind and thoughtful citizens by punishing ill health.

Also, in my view up to the teenage years it is rarely the children's fault if they don't attend when they should and punishing them just hits kids who often have other trouble at home too. And why are school trips treats rather than a learning experience of equal value? Sometimes I really despair

[Justwhy7233]

I know it's ridicoules! But I also don't want to make to much of a fuss as he's only in year 7 and I don't want to get on the wrong side of his Hoy. Iyswim and it's just making him more upset about his hospitial admission in October

[PotteringAlong]

The trip is for those with 90% attendance. He doesn't have 90% attendance. He can't go.

[Justwhy7233]

I know pottering and I understand that! But it's getting his hopes up

[Rhubardandcustard]

They should look at if he has 90% attendance excluding the days he had in hospital. Op I would bespeaking to the head teacher about this. I'm glad this doesn't happen at my dd school.

[Creasedupcrinkle]

PotteringAlong, are you hard of thinking???

[NicknameUsed]

"The trip is for those with 90% attendance. He doesn't have 90% attendance. He can't go"

So you would punish a child for being in hospital for two months Pottering?

[Justwhy7233]

He shoes have a long term condition and his hospitial admission was a secondary result of that iyswim

[Creasedupcrinkle]

That's straightforward discrimination on the basis of disability.

[clam]

I would be LIVID about this. It's pure discrimination against children with poor health. It's not their fault they've had the misfortune to be ill, and to make them "suffer" even more by missing out on something else, is mean-spirited and unkind.

[whois]

I bleeding hate these stupid rewards for attendance. It's punish ill children and those with chaotic home loves.

[Gileswithachainsaw]

So only healthy children go on school trips?

get run over on the way to school spend sone time recovering and you don't get to?

follow nhs guidelines on sickness and diorrhea and other contagious diseases/illnesses and you're screwed also?

Wtf kinda fucked up policy is that.

how bloody dare they

[youarenotkiddingme]

Are you hard of thinking?

I don't think YABU. Not even that they got his hopes up but they are excluding children due to attendance related to disability.

Look up the equality act. They are putting him at a disadvantage to his peers because due to disability he couldn't be in school those 2 months. And actually, he should have been educated for the time he was in hospital by hospital school - so his attendence in education may not have been under 90%.

My DS has missed a session every week for past 2 months for a course he attended due to his disability. They classed him as educated off site.

[TrickyD]

Pottering, the OP is not complaining about the policy of needing 90% attendance in order to go on the trip. She is annoyed, and her DS upset, because the school sent an email which, understandably, she took to mean that the DS could go, and then they withdrew the offer.

[redskytonight]

I think this is a ridiculous policy and would definitely say that the school should not count illness/other good reason as part of their absence statistics in this case. Actually I'm strongly against "treats" of this nature in any case.

That said, I don't see how the school can let OP's DS go on the trip, unless they are prepared to also allow every other child with

[Justwhy7233]

His attendance would be between 90-95% without hospitial admission

[EweAreHere]

This is outrageous. Of course he should be allowed to go if he has a good attendance record outside of his hospital stay.

I would complain in writing and demand a meeting with the Head, etc, and make it extremely uncomfortable for them.

[HeteronormativeHaybales]

I'm abroad. I used to regret that my kids aren't getting a British education. I don't any more. Bonkers petty uniform policies, bonkers cruel discriminatory policies/'rewards' on attendance. I despair.

OP, your poor son. I'd be going to the head and, if no joy, to the governors/LA.

[IJustLostTheGame]

That policy stinks.

Punishing kids unlucky enough to get poorly during term time sucks.