School attendance pressure

[Reluctantbettlynch]

I think this is something that needs to be re-assessed after all this. If they want to count attendance then each episode of sickness should be counted once rather than each session counting against the school / child's attendance. If covid teaches us anything it should be that we do our best not to share germs and try to be sure children are better / no longer contagious when we send them back to school in order to protect others.
I have 2 dc, one finished primary before there was so much pressure on attendance, and the other has been off sick more in the first 3 years of school than elder dc was in whole of primary. I have heard parents saying child was vomitting day before and they send them in next day etc. Children in the school have complained at class attendance races where their classmates bully them for being off sick because it affects the class position in the race.
If they are well they should be in school, if they are not well they shouldn't be. The current policy is too extreme.
What is your experience?

School staff agree, blame the people that set the targets.

Some pupils are off much more often than necessary, and that should be challenged as it can be detrimental to learning, well-being and safety. But for the majority of sensible, realistic absences, schools only chase because they have to. There's constant pressure from above to improve attendance, it's exhausting.

agreed @toastedcrumpetsforme. It doesn't help teachers or the schools.

I totally agree, it's ridiculous. Particularly the pressure they put on kids with attendance awards etc

We had a situation where one DC suffered a relatively serious injury AT SCHOOL. Then had to have time off for operations and physio etc. Then we got quite a threatening letter from the school telling us her attendance wasn't good enough! And she obviously missed out on the attendance prizes etc. Because she was having treatment for an injury she sustained AT SCHOOL! Ridiculous!

This makes me so angry. I used to be a school welfare officer. The school was so hot on attendance that they used to encourage parents to bring in unwell children who should have been home in bed. My sick bay was a revolving door of children with heavy colds, temperatures, mild sickness bugs. But if the parent kept them off the school would be in hot pursuit come 9.15.

The amount of ill children I had to send home on a weekly basis was shocking, they should never have been in.

But the head would rather they came in, were sent to welfare by half past nine and then sent home again. It was awful (and I got a lot of bugs while working in that job).

What is your experience?

I live in Scotland where common sense prevails. I have never understood the obsession with attendance they have in England.

I didn't know Scotland had different rules. I am in Wales but we still suffer from stupidity from Assembly Govt as well as Westminster in some areas.
Does anyone have experience in lobbying for change? What are the most successful ways?