Do schools have the power to set individual attendance targets rather than a one size fits all 97% + expectation ?

[middlegroundmissing]

Is this possible ? It seems to be completely unrealistic to have a high target in some cases and leads to ‘failure’ and stress for parents.

Can schools set individualised targets ?

We have an issue with repeated illness. Ds is fully vaccinated. Eats healthily. Takes vitamins. Gets appropriate exercise and enough sleep yet constantly catches horrible viral illness with high fevers and stomach bugs. Had bloods etc and no reason for it apparently just childhood Illnesses. He does have adhd but that rarely causes absence unless he has an appt about it which isn’t often. If he’s ill he’s really ill and can’t go in . Rather than us repeatedly not managing to get the expected level can we legally ask for the school or LA to lower their target in an individual case - is that possible ? Has anyone done this ? I’d rather work towards something attainable instead of this constant failure

Does it make a difference if you know he's genuinely ill and unable to attend? He will still have the same attendance regardless of whether his target is 97% or 92%.

But if they lower the expected % it means we will be subjected to less stress and hassle and not be pulled in for meetings as often because it’s getting stressful and tedious - to be told to control something we can’t control

My proposal is lower the expected and attendance level and focus on attainment rather than attendance. He is doing really well academically above average in some areas and on target for others so unless that changes I think it would be reasonable to lower the attendance expectation and just review based on attainment instead

I have the same issue but getting GP to investigate has been impossible. He's got 2 years of school left so I will just wait out.

The idea about linking it to attainment would be discriminatory. Say a child has low attendance because they have to go to hospital frequently. Such a child is less likely to have high grades because of the amount of school they miss. Plus would the attainment be at least class average or top 25% of class or something ?

Schools push attendance because of OFSTED and I suspect it's used as a child protection thing too since low attendance could mean a parent who is unable to get the child to school because they are drunk or something.

No they don't. Even if they did, they wouldn't. If a child has less than 97% attendance the school need to meet with parents to:

1. Find out what's going on as part of their safeguarding duties.

1. See whether there is a way to improve the attendance.

I'm sorry you are finding having to speak to school stressful but you are mistaken to suggest poor attendance is OK if the child is achieving on target.

All kids do better if they attend school more and it's the schools duty to do everything they can to minimise unavoidable absence. Given the difficulty schools face at the moment it's great that they are so committed to your child's wellbeing.

It's not a target for you to meet it's a measure of how much your kid misses school for the school's processes.

When I say discriminatory I mean that such a policy would inevitably lead to "My child is high attaining so should be allowed on term time holidays" which is more likely to be children from richer families.

No and it's appalling really.

I would like to know how successful all the attendance letters, rewards etc are in actually supporting children who have poor attendance, when it isn't as a result of illness.

I'd also like to know why there doesn't seem to be a recognition or a system that supports education at home when a child regularly has to miss school due to illness, hospitalisations etc.

I just mean on a totally individual basis as in with our case yes attendance is low but he is doing well so if they could just separate that from everything else and accept we are doing all we can it would alleviate so much stress. I’m trying to find out if it’s even allowed for schools to do this would it be a reasonable adjustment ? I’m not sure but I’m at a loss as we just can’t control it !

Well obviously it’s not ideal , I’m not saying it’s OK but it’s totally out of my control and dragging us in for meetings or potentially issuing fines isn’t going to put off any viruses !

No they don't, it's a blanket figure. It would cause havoc if they could to be honest. Every other parent would argue the toss
All you can do is accept it for what is is. If he's ill, he's ill and shouldn't be expected to work at home if he's too poorly to go in

All kids do better if they attend school more and it's the schools duty to do everything they can to minimise unavoidable absence. Given the difficulty schools face at the moment it's great that they are so committed to your child's wellbeing.

Not all Kids do better if they attend school more.

Some children do better away from school.

Wellbeing does not just involve putting a child into school especially where the act of 'being' in school causes the child harm.

I know that this doesn't apply to the OP but I need to point out the inaccuracy of this statement.

sadly they won’t can’t and wouldn’t.

my child used to be like this. It worked out nearly one day a week over the whole year. Nobody could work it out. Turns out we had a slow dripping leak that covered the whole ceiling under the bath mouldy like black mould but it hadn’t come though all the way to be visible in the room under. When it finally collapsed he hasn’t had another day off since.

I’m not saying it’s OK but it’s totally out of my control and dragging us in for meetings or potentially issuing fines isn’t going to put off any viruses !

I didn't say you thought it was ideal, I explained why the school have to do it and why it's a good thing that they are taking the time to meet with you.

You seem to feel judged by this process but it isn't about you, it's about how schools ensure they are supporting all children who miss school. They won't be issuing fines for a child who is so ill they can't possibly attend and the parent is engaged and supportive.

They won't be issuing fines for a child who is so ill they can't possibly attend and the parent is engaged and supportive.

I wouldn't be so sure about that.

I've known it happen when the child is too ill to be at school for anxiety/ mental health reasons.

Yes i do feel judged . Very much so and it’s really really stressing me out.

I feel I’ve done all I can and going through the same things when it isn’t changing isn’t helpful. It’s like they think I have some control and I don’t - I can’t stop him catching illnesses and I feel like saying I refuse to go to any more meetings that my position is clear because it’s out of my control. I’m relying on luck whether he gets Ill or not it’s not anything I can influence.

Ofsted set the targets. So no it's not up for negotiation

Wellbeing does not just involve putting a child into school especially where the act of 'being' in school causes the child harm.

I've known it happen when the child is too ill to be at school for anxiety/ mental health reasons.

The things you are posting are not related to OP's situation and aren't really likely to help ease her worries.

Many times it's not the school.

In our secondary school (currently local authority, about to switch to academy) they have been excellent and accommodating of our DS who has disabilities due to lung issues. They set work online and when he is able he sits in bed, resting yet doing the work. He's doing very well, very high expectations for GCSE regardless of the time off.

However, Local Authority are annoying as hell. The school is asked periodically to send all attendance logs to them. Anyone under the magic 97% is looked at. So DS with sometimes as low as 75% is immediately red flagged.

The fact that he has additional needs is not recognised by them, despite the school receiving an email from them as he has been flagged and answering, no concerns, he has issues, we are aware.

Then, I get some clipboard warrior, with no medical training, no SEN knowledge, nothing at all but a bean counter on the phone. I get patronised to the hilt. Have to bite my tongue from saying f off.

The last one was so utterly rude. I pointed out that, considering how quickly Covid spread in schools due to the constant barrage of 97% attendance or else, you would think we had learned from that. He wouldn't be off as often if people kept their kids home with chest infections.

She said she "didn't agree" and he could "just go on with a cough". I asked did she have any knowledge of COPD, Restricted Airway Syndrome or anything of that nature. She confirmed that no, it's "just asthma though isn't it with a fancy name?"

How I didn't put the phone down I don't know. I explained that no it really isn't. That he gets so tired from being unable to breathe properly that he cannot "just come to school". That he has been blue lighted to hospital a number of times.

She still didn't get it, threatened a criminal record and a fine for every day he has had off. It's like the more stupid she felt she looked, the nastier she got. So I said "well, let me know if you find a magic wand to cure his illnesses that the NHS and many leading UK lung experts have yet to find and I will listen to your threats with interest". Then I put the phone down and swore very loudly.

So yes, schools would like to set targets but it's the DofE and government ultimately

That’s horrendous I’m so sorry you are having such dreadful issues it’s appalling the local authority can just dismiss a serious health condition. It really is just a case of 97% + and no exceptions isn’t it 😭

Please don't feel judged @middlegroundmissing believe me some of the absence reasons I've heard would make you want to slam your head repeatedly on the desk
Keep calm and carry on working with them.
It's not nice to be on the receiving end but it's unfortunately part of the process

It’s like they think I have some control and I don’t

I think it's unhelpful to project what you fear they think. They are just doing their jobs and will deal with lots of kids missing school and have seen quite challenging home situations. Unless you have missed something big I suspect you will be an easy case they forget about as soon as they've made sure everything is OK. They are trying to help- e.g. perhaps aranging half days if your child is still recovering.

I feel like saying I refuse to go to any more meetings that my position is clear because it’s out of my control.

You can do that if you don't feel the meetings are useful. Unless your child has huge levels of absence you aren't going to get fined for just dropping below 97%, as I said it's jsut a trigger for them.

If your child is so ill they are absent a very large amount your focus should be on pressing the GP for further investigation and perhaps ask them to update the school or provide a letter.

I just wish I could do something to stop him catching everything . We even recently paid for chickenpox vaccination as I was worrying if he got that it would be more time off so hopefully that helps it was the only thing I felt I could do.
He’s on vitamins and probiotics but nothing is boosting his immune system yet and there’s no issue that the doctor found all his tests were perfect they just put it down to childhood illnesses. I have to admit I’ve started to go out less at weekend with him we used to go to the park or cinema and I’ve cut that down going if I expose him to less people he will catch less which is really sad as it’s not fair to limit activities but the stress I’m under to somehow be the one to influence how often he’s ill is immense

The attendance figs are also to flag up kids not attending for other reasons, OP. They need to be in place. They might be inconvenient but they hopefully save some kids from misery and danger. And if they take your word that kid is OK to be off because he's ill, they have to take the other parent's word too - the abusive or neglectful one. And their kid might also be attaining when they're in.

I know it's a nuisance but I'd rather have the nuisance than the alternative for some children

One of my children has had really poor attendance in both his primary and first secondary school. It was due both to physical illness and the schools not being able to meet his SEN needs. We were never pressured into achieving 97%.