To keep DD off school?

@Rhayader they know she was in hospital, absent with an I for illness next to it is no extra hassle. It's actually more work to go back and change it .Plenty of illnesses require a week at home , like chicken pox a bad bout of food poisoning or D&V etc.There's no doctor or hospital notes for that. What would parents do then?

I'm not saying go in all funs blazing, send your proof, answer any communication from the school but stay firm in your stance that DD was seriously ill, she's still recovering and that's that.

The DfE guidance on school attendance can be found at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66bf300da44f1c4c23e5bd1b/Working_together_to_improve_school_attendance_-_August_2024.pdf

Section 365 is the section quoted above - "Schools are not expected to routinely request that parents provide medical evidence to support illness absences. Schools should only request reasonable medical evidence in cases where they need clarification to accurately record absence in the attendance register – i.e. making a decision that code I is the absence code that accurately describes the reason the pupil is not in school for the session in question. In the majority of cases a parent’s notification that their child is too ill to attend school will be that evidence and can be accepted without question or concern. Only where the school has genuine and reasonable doubt about the authenticity of the illness should medical evidence be requested to support the absence."

Many schools have created their own versions of this but go much further as they are judged on attendance. However - they should still follow the DfE rules! So unless they are saying that they have genuine and reasonable doubt about the illness, they cannot ask you to provide sick notes. Indeed, many GP surgeries will refuse to provide such information.

I would email school, tell them know that she will not be attending until she is well enough to manage, and that you expect all the absence relating to this hospital admission to be authorised as per the DfE guidance.

Regarding fines - do not let this worry you. If they do issue a fine (which they shouldn't) it would not be upheld by the courts as there is clear information that it is a genuine absence.

Great idea.
I’d email it today and then ring first thing and explain that you’ve sent an email as proof and will she still require a doctors note.

It’s the week before half term and I’d be tempted to keep her off for it and start fresh after the holiday.

She would have missed 2 weeks of school though and so I would try and see what topics she’s missed and if she can do her homework or go on bbc bitesize to catch up.

Call gp first thing and ask for a review.

Ps: just sent a pic of your discharge note to the admin team so they can see she was only discharged today.

It’s so incredibly sad that you’re having to doubt yourself in this situation and worry about being fined because your child was in hospital! I would say definitely keep her off, she needs a day or 2 at home, hospital is quite a stressful experience but I understand your hesitation.

I just think the govt/ schools have lost the plot about attendance and it puts such horrible pressure on parents.

I would absolutely keep her off. It takes a while to build up your stamina/energy after a week in hospital. Cut yourself both some slack, take a day off, then reassess tomorrow evening

Good grief. The poor girl has been in hospital for 6 days and has had a lumbar puncture. Keep her off as long as necessary.

Email the school with the discharge notes if needed. Simply state something like this:
Dd has finally been discharged today and is now on the mend. Hospital have informed us that her recovery should not be rushed. She will therefore be absent for the next few days at least and we will then review on a day to day basis. Hopefully, it won't be necessary to plan a phased return to school but I will keep this in mind.

DD will of course keep up with any homework set. Kind regards.

You haven't taken her for a cheeky week abroad before the half term break. You have every right as a parent to keep her at home until she is well enough to return.

This is from the dfe guidance for schools:

" In the majority of cases a parent’s notification that their child is ill can be accepted without question or concern. Schools should not routinely request that parents provide medical evidence to support illness. Schools are advised not to request medical evidence unnecessarily as it places additional pressure on health professionals, their staff and their appointments system particularly if the illness is one that does not require treatment by a health professional. Only where the school has a genuine and reasonable doubt about the authenticity of the illness should medical evidence be requested to support the absence. "

That's ridiculous. Your child was in hospital. If they're stupid enough to take it further , I bet the LA will be delighted to waste time and money dealing with this when it's about a child in hospital.

I'd also look for another school. I wouldn't trust Anyone that pencil pushy with the wellbeing of my daughter.

Dear god what a world we live in when a school won't authorise absence for a child in hospital.

Make the choice for the best well being of your child.

School can tell you that.

It isn't a legal requirement as she isn't in paid employment and isn't needing to certify for sick pay.

She's been in hospital. They did ache the when you are ready to be at home - not when you are fit and well.

I was in and out same day when I had major surgery. I was well enough to be home - had 3 more weeks off work (was signed off for 6 but well enough to do my job after 3).

Just ring school and say she's still unwell and give them ward telephone number if they want to contact them for a sick note.

This is ridiculous. What message are we sending our children. And I work in education!

School are being unreasonable, of course they don't need a sicknote after 3 days. Even an adult in employment can self certify for 7 days.

I think definitely a day, ds 12 just out from hospital the other day after 5 days in and he was unsteady on his feet after being in bed and on so much medication for so long (suspected appendicitis). He was out in the afternoon, stayed off the next day then went in the following day with a note to say no pe or swimming and to stay in the school when they went to the pool because of the heat. They don’t get back to themselves for a few days after

Just keep her off and ask via a consult for a note if you do actually need one. I would have thought the discharge note would be evidence in itself to cover the hospital duration.

Also if I had spent a week in hospital it's unlikely I'd go straight back to work so I wouldn't expect a child to do so. Especially not for a full day where they don't have any autonomy over their day - by that I mean if I did go back to work but after an hour felt unwell I could stop or take a break or do whatever I needed but at school they are at the mercy of their teacher who may make them power through.

Seen you update, instead of phased return I would call them about excusing her from PE for a few weeks until lumbar puncture has fully healed and after that gentle exercise.

You don't need a sicknote for a child. If she's not well enough for school just tell the school that and they will put it as authorised absence as she is unwell.

I'd say that if you as her parent don't feel she is well enough then you should keep her home. If she hadn't been in hospital but just felt unwell or had a sickness bug you'd keep her home without getting a doctors note.

Keep her off . She has just come out of hospital . It’s exhausting for both of you

I don’t know which way to vote as you haven’t defined which is which.

I think after a 6 day hospital stay you should keep her off for at least another week (week following is half term isn’t it?). I would call the school about maybe needing a phased return starting the week after half term (two weeks from tomorrow).

You have every right to keep your child home if you feel she is not up to a full school day. You don’t need a doctors note. There is no requirement.

i think you can ask for a sick note of some sort from the nurse. The hospital offered to write me a note to take a week off work post op.