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Original poster

School requesting a absense request form to be filled in for a child missing a couple of hours, due to hospital appointment

21 replies

Lardlizard · 21/10/2020 11:25

Surely a quick email to explain why said child will not be at school when where and why is enough?

It will involve missing afternoon registration

OP posts:

GirlCrush · 21/10/2020 11:26

id just ignore it

let them chase it and see how ridiculous they sound

Original poster

Lardlizard · 21/10/2020 11:28

It’s not like I’m asking for permission, my child is going to the appointment no matter what

OP posts:

GirlCrush · 21/10/2020 11:29

so just email a copy of the appointment details and leave it at that

then go

ignore any follow ups from the school who should have better things to be doing

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OnCandyStripeLegs · 21/10/2020 11:32

We are supposed to do this too, even if you just need to collect 10 minutes early for a consultant's appointment you've waited for months for. One of the sections of the request forms is a paragraph space for the parent to fill in "tell us why this appointment was not made out of school hours" and you get an email when the absence request is "approved"

Original poster

Lardlizard · 21/10/2020 11:33

Do you think it’s a bit ott of the school to be requesting this ?

Is it do with their stats ?

OP posts:

Oldraver · 21/10/2020 11:33

"tell us why this appointment was not made out of school hours"

Bloody ridiculous. I'm surprised they dont get sracastic answers

gigglingHyena · 21/10/2020 12:03

Normal for both my childrens schools for years now. They used to ask to see an appointment letter, but things changed and I understood they were not able to ask for that any more so we have a form to fill instead.

Always been quite short, when will we need to pick them up, what time will they be back. Seems reasonable and while I could email it I can see why in a large school they want them all in one place.

PeterPomegranate · 21/10/2020 12:08

Is your child’s attendance already low? Could that be why they’re asking you to justify absence. Or is it a blanket policy for everyone?

May depend on the school. I found our school were fine and helpful when my son had lots of absence last year for medical appointments. I just emailed and never had to provide evidence of appointments. Might make a difference that he needed treatment for an injury that happened at school in the first place ...

pastandpresent · 21/10/2020 12:11

What's the problem? My dc's school only require the copy of appointment paper, but I have no problem filling in the form if that was the standard school procedure.

underneaththeash · 21/10/2020 12:14

2 out of our 3 schools also ask for an absence form for all medical appointments.

steppemum · 21/10/2020 12:16

Our secondaries do this.
They are quite apologetic but insistent. It makes it much easier for them to justify the absence I think.

Just fill it in.

CornishTiger · 21/10/2020 12:16

tell us why this appointment was not made out of school hours

My response would be do you have any tips on how I could get one outside of school hours?

Flowers94 · 21/10/2020 12:19

If everyone emailed it would be extremely difficult to manage.
They have a procedure just like any workplace, to ensure no information gets missed.
Not unreasonable or a personal attack on you

NiceViper · 21/10/2020 12:22

@Lardlizard

Do you think it’s a bit ott of the school to be requesting this ?

Is it do with their stats ?

Nope.

The school register is the basis for everything to do with attendance stats. Your DC was not there for registration, so you need to do whatever the school procedure is for explaining the absence.

RedskyAtnight · 21/10/2020 12:22

The "why wasn't this appointment made of school hours" is to remind people that they should be making them out of school hours (e.g. routine dentist check ups) if at all possible. Not that they should reorganise the hospital appointment they've been waiting months for.

My DC's current school accepts a quick email, but their old school insisted on form plus copy of the appointment letter. I wouldn't think it worth the aggro of arguing.

I find it more interesting how they record absence where DC has missed registration due to medical appointment but attended most of the morning/afternoon. It seems to be variously recorded as "Present", "Authorised absence", "unauthorised absence" (I always get them to change when it's recorded as that) or "Late" with no particular pattern about it. Which makes me wonder how good attendance stats are anyway ...

NiceViper · 21/10/2020 12:23

Sorry that was 'nope' to the first question, and 'yes' to the second.

pastandpresent · 21/10/2020 12:24

It's funny that some school ask why the apps are during school hours. My dc's regular apps with specialist nurse is always after school hours, yet dc need to leave during school hours since it takes 2 hours to get there.

Wolfiefan · 21/10/2020 12:25

When I worked at a school they had to keep absence info for a number of years. An email isn’t so easy to keep. Easier for them if you fill this in and file it.
Why isn’t it made out of school time? Alternative times not offered. Simple.

RedskyAtnight · 21/10/2020 12:28

When I worked at a school they had to keep absence info for a number of years. An email isn’t so easy to keep. Easier for them if you fill this in and file it.

That will be OP's answer then. The school is one that still files paperwork rather than simply saving emails.
Surely an email is massively easier to keep than a form?

FamilyOfAliens · 21/10/2020 12:29

Could you have used the time it’s taken you to start this thread to fill the form in?

Just a thought.

OnCandyStripeLegs · 21/10/2020 13:45

@pastandpresent

We also have to write the address of the clinic where the appointment is, I presume so someone can Google maps directions to see if you've left enough travel time.

A copy of the appointment card or letter is not sufficient - the form must be filled out as well.

There was a time where we had regular in-school time appointments so I had scanned in their pdf - yes, they don't make the form an editable document- and filled in the why "because that was the time given by the clinic" and location "as per attached letter" and reason for appointment "please call me if you wish to discuss." No one ever did, luckily because quite frankly if you've attached an NHS clinic letter to this ridiculous form to justify your "reason for this appointment" along with justifying the time and justifying the location of the appointment then whenever asked for all that is someone who has never had dealings with the NHS ever. Why yes please could I have an after school time appointment at my closest NHS facility and would you mind explaining why you as a health care professional think my child needs this treatment because their school doesn't agree.

For secondary the kids just wave the letter at the people in the office on their way in and out.

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