To find this new school rule ridiculous?

[Wherearethebees]

My children have returned back to school with a new rule in place that each child is only ‘allowed’ 5 days of sickness per school year. Any other sickness will be unauthorised leading to a fine.
Several families received letters that their children had X amount of days sickness last school year and this is their warning to not repeat it. I received one as my eldest needed an a&e visit in June which resulted in a week off school, (as well as several days through the school year for a chest infection and separate ear infection) I kept them updated and provided proof.
Apparently it doesn’t come under their invisible list of which illnesses are acceptable to have during these 5 days.
I understand that it may be to avoid children missing school as they just can’t be bothered to go in, term time holidays which have doubled recently in this school and fake illnesses so they can have a day at home, but there are children who are genuinely unwell and can’t plan ahead for this or foresee when they will be unwell, particularly in winter when there are all sorts going around.
My youngest for example has had 3 awful colds this year from nursery, enough to be floored and unable to play or eat much for a few days, so basically I would be fined for keeping my child home to recover if this was a universal rule. It’s not like I want to have time off work and lose pay, as well as lose money to the fine, so what do they think they are achieving?
This will cause a spike in children being sent to school unwell spreading illnesses and causing even more children (and even teachers and other staff) to be unwell.
Does anyone else have this rule at their school? Is it really enforceable?

@MultiplaLight calm down?

I struggled to remain calm when DD's school sent me a letter threatening to report us to Early Help ( social services ) after she had three days off sick, It was the three days sick plus the one day every six weeks she has to go to hospital for drug infusions to keep her well that triggered it. Obviously I would also be reported to social services if I didn't take her for her infusions and made her go to school instead!

So glad she has finished school now.

Yes, it’s ridiculous, but I’d hope it would only be acted on with those parents who present safeguarding concerns. It’s only the first full week of school (last week was only 3 days) and each of mine have already missed a day of school due to sickness. 😩 Older one because she had a suspected broken wrist so we were in A&E and younger one is currently off for 48 hours due to d&v (which no doubt the other is likely to catch!).

Even more annoying, last year one of mine got referred to early help because she missed 6 sessions (1/2 day) in one half term. Because she - and everyone else in KS2 - were at swimming one afternoon a week. But the school was marking them as absent for half a day every week because they weren’t physically in school for the afternoon register, because half the school was on the coach going to the local leisure centre for swimming. Literally like the system said ‘child is absent too many times’ and we got an angry letter about it with how to access early help. Just because like no one thought the process through about what would happen if half the school wasn’t recorded on the register. It boggles the mind.

This is a ridiculous rule. There often isn’t medical proof for things like sick bugs and viruses- the GP surgery are massively overstretched at the best of times, they don’t have time to write sick notes for children with a sore throat or diarrhoea.

Yes, ridiculous from an incompetent new government. They really are excedimg themselves and quickly alienating the public.

I agree with what you are saying in principle, but it is highly likely that the teachers will be unaware of this particular rule.

Schools, that is, heads and governors will be responsible for this. (and even then the governors may not know)

Are you sure you haven't missed a bit about how a doctor's note to prove sickness exempts you? That this is just self-declared "sickness"?

It is indeed illegal. The School Attendance (Pupil Registration) Regulations 2024 state that if a pupil is absent due to illness, this must be marked in the register with code I. That is not an unauthorised absence code and therefore cannot lead to a fine. This is backed up by the relevant statutory guidance.

If the school has a problem with parents using illness as cover for taking children on holiday, they should tackle it by asking for evidence of illness. They should not attempt to fine parents illegally.

The fines are not automatic but apply to any unauthorised absence. However, sickness is not treated as an unauthorised absence.

Just like work, more than 5 day absence needs medical proof.

Unlikely most kids will be ill with more than 5 one day illnesses in a year.

So what if their absence is unauthorised? Does it make any difference in reality?

That's ridiculous and needs to be treated as such.

What are they going to do, come to the house and drag a snot-ridden, feverish child out of bed? I think I'd take a photo of poorly child complete with red nose & cheeks, a photo of the medical thermometer reading, and call them in sick.

If they really wanted to argue about it, they are more than welcome to pop round and get infected. They are going to end up looking incredibly stupid.

You could have all sorts of fun...involve the local paper, your MP, get a petition going on social media. Ooh, I can feel myself coming over all strident 😊1 😎

Sorry - missed the second part of @meditrina's question. I would start by pointing out to the head that the policy is contrary to the law and therefore any fine issued would be unlawful. If that fails, follow the school's complaints procedure. If that still gets you nowhere, I would take it to the LA as they are responsible for issuing the fines. I would hope they would be interested to know that a school may be asking them to issue fines unlawfully.

Yes. As the OP says, unauthorised absences can lead to parents being fined.

I would not pay such a fine if I received it but I would be sending the Governors and Head a strongly worded letter.

There's a big notice in my GP's waiting room saying that they do not provide letters for school absence. Can you imagine the time it would take up, and the extra appointments?

It all comes down to OfSted who can downgrade a school on attendance. Governors and heads are obliged to do something about it or they can be clobbered. Such utter nonsense of course.

Write to the governors - not a complaint, but outlining the absence of logic associated with this silly policy. Also maybe outline various scenarios as above so that they can see that it is nonsense.

I would imagine this would put the school in a very risky position in terms of disability discrimination too. DS like many disabled children misses a lot more than 5 days a year because of his disability. He is in when he can be but if he isn’t well enough he can’t go in.

For this reason the statutory guidance is clear that schools shouldn't insist on a doctor's note but should accept other forms of evidence if they are concerned that a parent is lying about their child's illness.

Don't worry about the absence of logic. This policy is unlawful. Concentrate on that.

Where are our children picking up these illnesses? Yep, at school - made worse by the ridiculous OTT absence policies, which means parents are sending in ill children or sending children back too early.

So……I wish someone would take legal action against their child’s school if their child get ‘too many’ absences and an officious, threatening letter. The action could be that the school has knowingly exposed the child to germs by their absence policy, thus leading to ‘too many’ absences for the child and a letter to parents that has caused upset and distress.

Turn the whole steaming pile of crap back on them!

Class teachers do not want this. They will also be worried about the affect of stupid rules like this on their relationship with parents.

Blame OFSTED, blame the academy trusts/LA, complain to the head. But don't take it out on your child's class teacher. They're the ones who are going to be lucky enough to catch even more illnesses from their pupils, apart from anything else

I would send them in every single day they are poorly and tell the child to tell school they are ill and need to go home - but they cant or parents will get a fine, so should stay in the sickness room. Child spreads germs to peers and teachers, risking an out spread of illness, but hey, school wants them in! 🤒

document every time they are off with a visit to GP. Waste the GPs time but say, sorry i need to document this as im at risk of a fine due to school policy and need evidence they were poorly if i ever have to go to court!

My friend has been told by our school that proof would be needed for any medical absence. As a result both of us looked up government policies and they are clearly giving her the wrong info, but it seems that schools are interpreting guidance to mean we need a doctor's note for everything!

It's becoming ridiculous in England with this obsession with school attendance. Encouraging parents to send kids in sick just because of silly attendance figures is ridiculous.

*My children have returned back to school with a new rule in place that each child is only ‘allowed’ 5 days of sickness per school year. Any other sickness will be unauthorised leading to a fine."

Won't stand up.

Reach out to your local authority and the news media. THey'll love this one.