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Original poster

Do you think I should complain to the school about this.

57 replies

petetong · 28/01/2009 21:41

I sent my ds to school today, he has a cold, but other than a sore throat and cough on exertion he can cope with the day and felt well enough to go. I gave him a letter to excuse him from PE, but the PE teacher made him participate and said that he shouldn't be at school if he isn't well. I am very angry, but am not sure if I am over reacting.

OP posts:
Original poster
petetong · 30/01/2009 21:48

Sorry couldn't get back earlier. I work in a school and asked one of our PE teachers what the deal was. He said that he does make students who have brought in a note do PE, but with certain exceptions. Students who normally partake are forgiven if there is the odd occasion when they are truly not feeling up to it. My ds comes into this category. He also said that he would never expect a student who was feeling ill to partake in a full session and would find a suitable job i.e. instead of playing football, being linesman, referee or ball boy. I did say that if my ds didn't feel well enough to take part in the PE lesson that I would simply keep him off school in future and the whole office erupted, especially the EWO who wasn't impressed with my suggestion. Seems like the ordinary parent can't win.

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mumeeee · 29/01/2009 12:30

I think the teacher was right. A cold and cough should not stop your DS from doing PE.
If he really wasn't well enough to do PE than he should have been at home.

cory · 29/01/2009 08:08

The problem with "if he is well enough to be at school" comes when the school is so keen to push its attendance record that parents feel bullied into sending their child into school even when they are not very well. I often sent dd into school when she was unwell and feverish, because her headteacher kept threatening us with social services if children had too many absences.

Desiderata · 28/01/2009 22:44

You should never excuse a child from PE. It's just not British.

'Tis only a cough and a sore throat. That lady with cancer, whose name I have unfortunately forgotten, ran for thousands of miles.

C'mon PeteTong. Toughen up, girl

cat64 · 28/01/2009 22:39

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seeker · 28/01/2009 22:22

What harm would he come to if he did PE?

mrsruffallo · 28/01/2009 22:21

If he is well enough to be in school he is well enough to do PE.
He could have been exerting himself at break time for all you know.

robinpud · 28/01/2009 22:20

I take it the note stressed the need to walk slowly at all time to avoid exertion?

StewieGriffinsMom · 28/01/2009 22:20

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robinpud · 28/01/2009 22:20

It isn't always as straightforward as that though is it? For instance if a child arrives at school with a note from parent excusing them from swimming for instance, we have to find somewhere for said child to go whilst we take the class swimming as we can't supervise them safely at pool and teach swimming. So, we have to find another class where that child can be safely supervised. As all classes swim, and times overlap, it can mean sending a non swimming year 1 child to a year 6 class for the time needed. Not ideal. We also need to set work to be done etc etc. Imo parents should ensure children are fit to be at school and do everything that is expected of them that day. You would also be surprised by the number of notes parents send explaining child cannot do x and y due to cough on exertion, then said child is able to play noisy, energetic game of football at playtimes quite happily.

Original poster
petetong · 28/01/2009 22:17

Robinpud, as I have said, he has a cough on exertion. I don't remember ever being asked to exert myself during Maths or English lessons. Ofsted judges schools on attendance and I would have thought that they would have been grateful that he was there for an attendance mark.

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TheFallenMadonna · 28/01/2009 22:16

Gawd, PE excuse notes. Honestly, if you saw the sheer volume of these in some schools, you'd understand the teacher's POV IMO.

janeite · 28/01/2009 22:14

Most schools will have something written somewhere, or commonly believed, that says, on the whole, if a child is okay to be at school it is okay to do PE. Obviously there are exceptions to this but a cold wouldn't be deemed to be an exception. I think you'd be over-reacting if you complained tbh.

supersalstrawberry · 28/01/2009 22:13

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supersalstrawberry · 28/01/2009 22:13

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robinpud · 28/01/2009 22:11

PE is part of the curriculum. Would you expect him to be exused from maths or english?

He's either well enough to be at school or not.

gov allows 5% as absence for any reason.

By all means complain, but I think you have not a leg to stand on.

ladycornyofsilke · 28/01/2009 22:11

A child who isn't well enough to do PE due to a virus shouldn't be in school.

supersalstrawberry · 28/01/2009 22:10

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littleducks · 28/01/2009 22:09

oh god, i remember my pe teacher telling me exercise was good for menstrual cramps, as i was doubling over in pain when i was supposed to be playing hockey the b*ch, believe me i know my body..... it isnt, it want until i laboured i realised that i actually get contractions not just period pains

i think it is unfair to force a chhild to do something that you as an adult wouldnt, i think you can be well enough to get on with day to day life taking it easy at times but not

seeker · 28/01/2009 22:08

Be very careful how you complain - if you do. Your ds has to be at that school til he's 18 - and the apectre of being one of the ones whose Mum Writes Notes will hang over him all that time. My dd is in year 8 - and they have already sussed the ones who get notes excusing them from things - and aren't particularly sympathetic!

supersalstrawberry · 28/01/2009 22:07

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scienceteacher · 28/01/2009 22:05

I guess his teachers don't share your opinion. They obviously feel that a student who is in school and looking OK is well enough to access the full curriculum.

herbietea · 28/01/2009 22:04

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ladycornyofsilke · 28/01/2009 22:04

Teacher was right.

StewieGriffinsMom · 28/01/2009 22:04

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