Period pain proof required for school sick days

They are telling them to 'get attendance up or else' and they are hoping this policy will improve attendance. Do you really think the head actually wants a load of sick and in pain kids in school because they are just a mean kind of person who gets kicks out of being cruel, or because they are desperate to improve attendance because they are under threat? A school under requires improvement gets a visit every 18 months to 2 years, last one was 2023 so they are due one early 2025 and the inspectors will be expecting to see improvements. Heads have taken their own lives following a difficult ofsted visit, the impact and pressure of them cannot be underestimated. I saw our head have to explain child by child for those with attendance under 95% exactly what she had done to improve it.

And that's not saying that I agree with this, because I definitely don't, I'm just explaining why the school has brought in this ridiculous policy

It’s so easy to forget how horrid a cold feels until you have one. Just utterly miserable.

Ofsted aren't telling the head teacher to ask for a gp note for period pain. Utterly ridiculous.

I think of I had a daughter at such a place I'd be suggesting that all girls just took the day off, pain or not, whenever they started a period to make a point. There is no way another persons pain etc can be quantified so if be mounting a strike response or of fury.
I've suffered severe vomiting for the first two days of my period for most of my life and have endo and adeno. As a grown woman last week I spent two days utterly incapacitated due to the severity of the pain, I could barely move, my husband had tu deal with children etc, it was honestly as bad as advanced labour. No way would I even get out the door like it and I've been " getting used" to this for 30 years, Imagine a teenage girl being confronted by this and just expected to ignore it. It's close to barbaric and shows total lack of awareness and serious need for education in the headteacher and SLT. Attempting to put standards which are in some cases unattainable on everyone is incredibly short sighted and will cause significant distress and damage to teenagers mental health. It's another unnecessary pressure.

People are trying to tell you that yes for some people it is "unbearable"

And this is exactly why they are doing it. Ofsted can mark a school down for attendance, a school with several requires attendance and falling roll is at risk of closure, so the head is trying (in the wrong way) to improve attendance.
Ofsted are not interested in those with 95% and above, but there is a big focus on the 90-95% attendance group.

The FSM level is significantly above the national average, so they will get greater pupil premium funding, but with this comes an expectation that the school will get attendance up especially in the FSM group as this will be particularly closely inspected. As a school governor I have been part of ofsted meetings where they have pulled the head apart for not getting attendance up quickly.

The problem isn't really the head, its a combination of government targets, and increased termtime holidays bringing down attendance, meaning they are trying to bring it back up through trying to make sick kids come into school.

I’ve always been very lucky with my periods, a bit of pain (some months worse than others) but absolutely nothing in comparison to what some poor girls and women go through. I’ve seen kids (when I was teaching) doubled over in pain and white as a sheet. How are they meant to focus on learning when they feel like that??

I mean try thinking about childbirth , some do it naturally , some have gas and air , pethidine or epidural…

guess what how people cope with pain is different..

It takes weeks to get an appointment at my GP surgery in the first place.

The period would be over by the time we got there. And how can it be proved to anyone ?

Maybe , just maybe, more girls are having horrendous period pain
Just a thought.

I have seen ambulances caused for period pain. You couldn't go to a GP and sit in a waiting room with this level of pain. This is lie on the floor immobilised in pain level pain, you cannot make someone go in with that level of pain. They also can't prove it to a doctor either. All they would be able to do is tell the doctor how much pain they're in, hope they believe them so the doctor writes a letter.

There is no medical evidence the doctor would get of the pain other than just the explanation that it hurts which is the same they'd give the school.

Teachers can't force girls to function in this state and denying pain like this exists or happens regularly for some girls doesn't make it go away.

But at the same time have you ever tried to get a gp to take period pain’s seriously ?

So it's been a failing school for years and their answer to the problem is to make life difficult for the girls as if the failures are down to them?

You cannot make a girl wear a tampon.

No way no how ever. Never ever ever would I accept such a dictat from a head or anyone else in the world.

I used to be in so much pain with my periods, I'd throw up several times a day. You think someone in that state should go to school? That they'd be able to even concentrate on a lesson?

Yes their bodies are their own. If they don't want to take meds/use tampons then that is their right, but the poster was stating that their parents are stopping them from using them in 'their area', which is very different to girls making a choice.

The poster I was replying to said...

But a lot of parents often help girls take time off on PE / swimming days while on their periods because they don’t want them to wear tampons / take medication which isn’t right.

So yes they are suggesting that girls should do these things

It’s amazing considering how long it takes to actually get a gynaecology referral for teenagers in the Uk. If you get one at all the waiting list can be YEARS. For some girls , and I know some, their whole lives are blighted by heavy painful periods and the only solution offered ever seems to be ‘go on the pill’ .
Children are barely allowed to use the toilets at school these days, let alone having to explain why you need to go mid lesson.

Heartily agree. Their stats mean more than a child's health and wellbeing.
Just awful.

You honestly haven't a clue.

If you don't suffer from endometriosis or PCOS, you have no idea. It's in no way comparable to a standard period.

It's dismissive attitudes like yours that contribute to women with real gynaecologist issues not being listened or having delayed diagnosis.

Definitely overreach by the school. But it is in a rather deprived town; I wonder if there are higher than typical levels of fake reasons given for absences and they are trying to correct this, admittedly in a rather misguided fashion.

Well, from the very start my periods were horrendous. The pain was so severe that I'd be unable to move from the fetal position, let alone stand up and walk. It would cause dizziness, I'd regularly throw up and flood through pads in 15 minutes. Numerous doctors appointments just to be told that this was 'normal.'

I was finally diagnosed with endometriosis at the age of 46. Stage 4 and ravaging through my pelvic area. But hey, you were ok so sod everyone else!

My ex (male) boss let me have a day off once for period pains, even suggested I drink milk with cinnamon as that's what his wife had to help with period pains.

Schools are ridiculous these days. If my daughter's ill, she's not going to school. Say they have diarrhea if you have to. I hate it all, I think it's cruel.

Congratulations. How lucky for you that it wasn't so bad to warrant time off.

You do realise not everyones cold or periods are the same or have the same pain tolerance levels right?

Some people have it worse than others.

Inhumane bastards. Some of the worst times of my life, being forced to sit on a hard uncomfortable chair at school lessons whilst feeling like my body was turning itself inside out with pain and my thighs had turned to lead.

Ofsted for Neale-Wade:

Number of pupils: 1303
School capacity: 1708
35.8% of pupils eligible for free school meals.