School absence rules are super powering the spread of flu

IME, it’s not the attendance rules that are the problem at the moment. Parents are sending their sick children into school because they still have more to organise before the holidays and want their children out of the way, or because they don’t want to miss out on the Christmas activities or because they don’t want to take time off work. It’s disgusting. Parents can be vey selfish when it comes to sending in sick children. I don’t believe it has anything to do with attendance rules, because there are plenty of children that are never kept off no matter how much they’re coughing over everyone else.

@Franjipanl8r obvious to some of us ,some people are more worried about a few moments of cold air..

My DD before she became ill said lots of DC were coughing and the teacher said she was cold and close the window.

Everyone should be asked to dess for the cold and ventilate as an order.

What a stupid comment.

There isn’t enough fresh air in schools. Windows are tight shut in winter and not enough stale air is refreshed. This speeds up the spread and transmission of viruses massively.

@LambriniBobInIsleworthISeesYa Who reads that rag?

My DD ( 12 ) has just spent 5 days in hospital with influenza A 2 weeks after she had 5 days off school for Covid. The flu knocked her white blood cells out leaving her nuetropenic but again pressure on attendance she decided she wanted to go back with the rule from DR she wore a face mask until Nuetrophils were at least 0.6.
went back and had spoke to school 3 times about it and her form tutor told her she could remove her mask 🙈🙈🙈
her attendance this year has been terrible but now she will not go back the rest of the week.

That's a devastating diagnosis to receive. I very much hope your treatment/recovery are going well 🤍❤️💚

The situation with the teacher in question is that she is due to retire in the new year. It's just unfortunate timing for my daughter, because she's an outstanding teacher who has frankly reached the end of her tether. I wish teachers were given better preventative support for things like stress, and that funding were available to allow full time cover staff on the payroll.

My observation about attendance (for both pupils and teachers) is entirely inapplicable to those with serious illness; I took it for granted that would be taken as read. The idea that you felt guilt in your situation is upsetting, and I apologise if I offended you. I was talking about minor illness (which I understand accounts for the majority of absence. As well as instances like term time holidays).

Schools are hotbeds for viral transmission. I think it’s insane that kids that are contagious with things like flu and covid are encouraged to spread it. 1,000 kids per week (on average) get long covid in England (ONS). Flu spreads fast. It’s awful how much additional pressure is put on healthcare, the economy, the workforce, education because of these insane policies.

Where have I said they go to school when they feel unwell? Where?

I DID say it causes my child significant anxiety to miss school, because of a practice the school themselves have championed. So even if he does feel unwell, I promise you he feels a damn sight worse at the thought of staying off. Where am I not putting my child's needs first?

The school have said attendance is the priority, and are punishing children for not going in. I am simply playing by their rules.

try not to worry, I hate to thi 13 nk what our attendance is this term in year 6 - maybe 85%?. missed first day back in September for an op and day after to recover. half day for pre op in November. then was off Monday pm 24th Nov and he went back today. it is what it is. we needed a care plan to return else he'd have gone back yesterday. another half day off Friday to go back in for a dressing change. Our children's hospital is 13 miles away his midday appt will wipe out most of the day.

I mean, it's your choice to raise your kids like that
personally ill keep putting their needs first. they need to be home if they're ill, and sometimes I have to decide that's even when they think they feel well enough at 8 am. you're entitled to use yours to make a poin the head teacher is most definitely not getting

I'm sorry that it's affecting your daughter's confidence. Please know that her teacher almost certainly feels awful about it. I felt incredibly guilty leaving my English classes due to sickness, especially just before their exams - the guilt was awful on top of everyone else, and only one or two of my colleagues knew it was because I'd just been diagnosed with a brain tumour; never mind the students and their parents.

Attendance obsession absolutely is applied to teachers, so I don't for a second think there are teachers going off for weeks at a time without a genuine reason.

We know when we or our DC have a sniffle or something worse so just follow your own judgement. I've sent a DC in unwell, hoping they would perk up, and phone call an hour later to pick up. Felt awful, didn't want to take him in and seeing him so poorly I've sworn to myself I won't do it again. School was fine about it, they know the genuine cases as otherwise has exemplary attendance.

As a teacher and parent, fine for us all with a cold, not ideal, but anything worse it's downright stupid to attend. Xxx

The education secretary is driving this

That's about the long and short of it, yes. Reap what you sow.

How can I know they're ill when they're asymptomatic?

As stated, I will review my policy when they review theirs.

I'm genuinely worried about the impact of school absences on one of my primary aged children, who have had 11 days off since returning from the summer holiday. But 10 of the 11 days were split over three different inpatient stays in the children's hospital, and the remaining one the the day immediately after she got home from hospital at 21.30. She's sitting at 91.75% attendance this term.

She has a chronic condition which flares in the winter, she is periodically immune suppressed. She already goes to school when she has minor illnesses and viruses, more so I suspect than her classmates, as anything more major is an immediate hospital admission.

I'm not sure there is anything we can practically do to improve her attendance beyond what we are managing. I've asked the school, they can't suggest anything either. We are doing a lot of work at home to try to keep her up to the class standard. We are expecting a follow up from the council about her attendance though as we are way below what they chase on.

bit that's such a petulant reply.

instead of making a sensible decision based on what is best for your kids and to a degree your school community, it's like your stamping your feet and going "FINE, I'll send her in, and then you'll bet poorly too, and telhen you'll be sorry and that'll teach you for upsetting me, neh neg na neh neh!!!! 😛😛😛

if 60% were actually off and the teachers were sending letters home to parents sending sick kids in, wouldn't the school have been better off making a fire break and just closing for a week?

@LambriniBobInIsleworthISeesYa Fellow disabled and chronically ill here, wishing you a full and speedy recovery

Wow you’re like totally lacking in empathy, aren’t you?

That is not a valid excuse to knowing send your child in when they’re ill! You doing that could kill somebody and no I’m not just talking about kids with leukaemia

Charming.

Agreed. We called to let school know DC had chicken pox on a Wednesday. The following Monday we received an automated text to say DC had been reported to the attendance team at the council. I called the school immediately to ask what on earth that's about, and was told I was supposed to call on the Monday "because it's a new week" to let them know DC was still off. It's CHICKEN POX. They know there's an outbreak - most of the class have had it. Then, even though we had spoken on Monday we got another text on the Tuesday. So now we're on some list with the attendance team like we're deadbeats who keep their child off school for no reason. It's so offensive.

Schools and Covid did make me laugh. Your child will be safe at school we have put precautions in place to help stop them catching Covid.

Schools can’t stop kids passing on nits let alone something you can’t see 😅

But yes times like this the schools or local education departments really should take into account that loads of bugs are flying around and be a little less attack dog on children being off sick.