School and authorised absences

[Goingonab33hunt]

DC (8) was off one day last week due to fever and the bug has lingered on but he's been going in despite complaining daily that he doesn't feel too good. This morning however he started vomiting so I rang the school to let them know I'll be keeping him home and why.

I got a call back almost straight away from the attendance officer questioning why DC was having so many days off as last year his attendance was 94% and they are extremely concerned. I explained that we got Covid twice last year during term time and he also had severe unexplained stomach pain which was debilitating enough to keep him home and needed investigation. Every single time I rang up and left a message as I should. She wasn't having any of it and told me fever = unauthorised absence and I need to send him in.

Is this the norm in your DC's school? I'm concerned about the coming months as it gets colder and the lack of heating it's not something we choose but simply can't afford. I'm sure for many families it will mean their young DC getting chest infections and respiratory problems due to the cold/damp caused by no heating and frequently missing school as a result.

Is the attendance officer someone from the school or the local authority? Complain to the governors if the school, the council if the local authority.

Duty of health and safety and care towards others. The attendance officer is probably fed up with lies and excuses from others, and has forgot or ignores genuine reasons.

So he's had 2 days off and the school are ringing you? That's ridiculous! You're meant to keep them off 48 hrs after being sick and she's saying to send him to school?

I think they're rattling your cage because it's a lever they have to improve their attendance stats.

I wouldn't take it too literally, personally. Carry on using your own judgement, maybe tell them it's vomiting next time he has a fever if you have to. I'm all for DC attending school if well enough but I have never heard of wanting them in with a fever before.

I don't think I would send him in, because I couldn't trust them to send him home again if too unwell.

Your school sound awful OP, the poor child is ill! My DC had hospital appointments last term and we had letters saying their attendance was around the 92 - 94% mark (all 3 DC have an autoimmune disease that requires regular bloods / neurology / gastro input). It's not as if you are flouncing off on holiday in term time! Hope your DC feels better soon. I would flag it with the Head just to express how upsetting and unnecessary this is - having an ill child at school is unfair on both the poorly child and other children.

It's not unauthorised absence it's illness.

Make sure they're recording it right on their records.

Sadly with the new Government Guidance it will be the norm

www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-improve-school-attendance

The fever bit is rubbish though that is one of those things you definitely are off for!

My dd is only a month into reception and I honestly dread the day this shit starts.

Unlikely for school, I'm a qualified doctor with plenty of paediatric experience so shall not be accepting their over the phone opinion of how my child is well enough to be in school.

Honestly just tell them to bore off 🤷🏻‍♀️

Yes the attendance officer is part of school. She explicitly said fever is not included in the ailments for authorised absence but vomiting is. Not sure what else is covered but a friend's DC (same school) had an ear infection recently and they told her to send him in. But DS can't even get out of bed so I haven't sent him in today. What really annoyed me is the way she kept repeating so many days off is extremely worrying and it makes them wonder what's going on. He's asleep in bed but they're more than welcome to come have a look!

@Fuuuuuckit I did ask and she said if we say it's fever it will be unauthorised. I think I will speak to the HT next week. Ds told me lots of the kids are coughing and sneezing in class so the teacher has all 4 class windows open and keeps his coat on. DS is sat next to one of the windows and feels really cold but isn't allowed to put his jacket on.

This is a school issue then.

The Government have changed attendance guidelines and there is a massive push to get overall school and individual attendance above 97% and at a minimum of 95%. A huge push at our schools is about been late and unauthorised absence.

Unauthorised absence for a fever is though ridiculous illness should be authorised

You need to ask to see their attendance policy.
Where has she got that part from that fever is unauthorized absences?. Non of the government documents go into that much detail and the attendance codes don't either.
Yes the government is pushing really hard to bring up attendance in schools but a reasonable approach is needed.

DS is a y7 and has just had his 3rd round of being sledgehammered by cold/flu illness requiring time off school. He was sent home late last week and missed a further 2 days. He's had 98-100% attendance most school years until this point, but between the stress of being autistic and transitioning to a much larger school, being ill by mid-September and a difficult year for minor illnesses, he's just not recovered fully since early September and keeps going down heavily with the next one. He's currently on 89% and fortunately he's not had any bother chasing attendance. If he's ill, he's off until he's fit to learn again, and I'm not the type to keep them off for any sniffle.

The targets are totally unrealistic and out of touch with reality.

My SEN daughter has got 62.88% attendance, authorised absence 35.61% and 1.52% unauthorised absence and I haven't had any bother.

DS is sat next to one of the windows and feels really cold but isn't allowed to put his jacket on.

DS is sat next to one of the windows and feels really cold but isn't allowed to put his jacket on.

is this a uniform thing? English schools are batshit. Sounds like you always need to say D&V every time.
Hope your DS is feeling well soon

They are probably worried about Ofsted and their figures. A local deputy head said the LEA only have the capacity for a few fines so focus on those whose behaviour needs changing and are missing loads of days for no reason. You can almost certainly ignore with no repercussions, even if they tried to fine you they wouldn't get anywhere.

Fever is the one symptom of a cold etc that our school asks you to keep them home for! Runny nose, cough they can go in but a fever means stay home until it’s gone. In fact they emailed this week to remind about the 48 hour rule for d&v and the fever rule. I’ve no idea if it’s set out officially elsewhere but it seems a sensible rule to me.
Go with the d&v bit in future though. If the child is ill then they’re ill!

My son has an awful cough. He's been to the doctors, chest is clear. GP thinks his throat/ lungs are irritated and it will pass eventually. Gave him an inhaler to help open up the airways.

School want him to come in and then they call me at 12ish to collect due to coughing fits. I called in sick for him and they have said he needs to come in and they will send him home if necessary.

It is annoying I have a job. He's in high school so could stay home alone as doesn't feel ill. Also temp change makes it worse so going outside into cold air at break then into hot school and then he coughs and is sent to the sick room.