Has anyone managed to get a mainstream school to agree a lower attendance target

[Tryingasmuch]

For lifelong medical issues if a child just can’t get the required 97%?

Can schools do this or is it ‘set’ by the dfe?

This sounds like a school target?

The DfE (I think) is aiming for 95% or over and it's a whole school target, not an individual one as such.

It's useful to know an individuals attendance percentage when knowing who to tackle or what to do and obviously if all the indivials have below a certain attendance, they'd never hit the whole school target.

What's the issue OP? Are they not authorising absences for ill health, or do you feel a part time timetable is needed or do you need some support at home like tutors.

Dd has only ever managed 88-90% due to illness / disability we have now had our second fine issued and the next stage is court but 10 sessions off is only 5 days and when she has episodes they can easily have her off for a day each time . She is under investigation for certain things but one possibility is a functional neurological disorder alongside her already diagnosed conditions .
We have put to school can they as a reasonable adjustment (with the consultants agreement) have Dd attendance target set to a lower more achievable level for her and for fines etc to kick in at a different threshold (or not at all) but the school have said they won’t authorise any absence now only medical
apts if we have proven the clinics do not run outside of school hours and if they do even if we have to wait weeks more we have to take those appts which is also meaning dd is having to wait longer for help with some things

Yes mainstream schools can agree a lower attendance target either as a reasonable adjustment if the student is disabled or because the student is obviously ill.

There is guidance on this which they are supposed to follow.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66bf300da44f1c4c23e5bd1b/Workingtogetherrtoimproveeschoolattendancee-Augustt2024.pdf

Sounds like your school is at best not being helpful and at worst harassing an ill child.

(I have functional neurological disorder. It's not fun)

Does she have an EHCP? If not get the ball rolling on one.

So they aren't authorising absences on grounds of ill health basically.

They are saying they don't believe the illness is grounds for an absence or that they dont believe she has the illness.

Without knowing what the illness is I can't tell if that's reasonable but they should have very strong grounds for not believing you as the guidance is very much believe the parent, don't ask for evidence. At least initially.

We have provided proof of diagnoses but they are very much saying ‘but we have / have had other student with these things and they weren’t this affected’ so insinuating we are being over cautious and/or exaggerating. The consultant is fully supportive but each time they write it’s very much dismissed and we get the talk about how this level of attendance will affect gcse results and how we will be fined. We haven’t got an EHCP we are in the process (I have had to do this myself school are again , not supportive)

That is really helpful thankyou. I wasn’t even aware a PT timetable was a possibility this could be something that might really help I have a meeting tomorrow so I will
ask about this

It’s really upsetting as dd tries her absolute hardest yet she is so distressed as feels she is failing and she is getting down and frustrated and i didn’t want her to feel that way

Look up section 19 guidelines. They legally have to code as illness if it is illness related. And they can ask for proof but within reason. There is a full detailed policy online on government.uk also if 15 days are due to illness/mental health then they legally have a duty to provide alternative education. Whether work at home or alternative provision etc. I will try and find the link. You should not be fined for illness as an authorised I code.

They want ‘eyes on her’ by a professional each time but the GP hasn’t got appointments and then it goes unauthorised. Eg last week she had a seizure in the night and just needed to sleep afterwards which is usual and has been written in letters by her neurologist. School wanted this verified either by GP or themselves but she just needed to sleep so it was coded as unauthorised

I did offer that they were welcome to come to the house to see her but they wanted her taken in

I would go to court with letters from the consultant supporting your child’s illness and how that affects their ability to attend school. The court can be your best friend and put the school in its place on this. One of my DC had severe asthma and was in the low 80%s. School did the same thing ‘but other kids have asthma and they manage to have perfect attendance’ 🫤

The court dismissed the fines and told off the school.

Have you provided proof of medical conditions? I did a subject access request of my daughters medical records and sent anything relevant to the school. Both my children have random issues recurrent since toddlerhood and usually have about 85% attendance. We've never been fined yet.

Yes we’ve sent everything

Honestly OP let them take you to Court.

The schools behaviour is ridiculous.

You've provided enough proof already.

I dont think they get far in court with this. If it is as you describe. Can you get some legal advice from a charity.

They should not keep asking for evidence. It even says that in the legislation. Look at the article named in the pics I post. Can't seem to do a link

Does anyone know anything about a ‘team around the family’ meeting ? I’ve read about it but unsure if this might help ? Can I organise it as I feel it might be better to have all professionals in the same room as currently it’s just a case of us giving consultant letters which aren’t helping?

Would it be safe to video her having a seizure? Would she feel comfortable with that happening?

If the answer to both of those questions are yes then I would begin videoing the seizures and sending them as evidence with your absence note. If they still refuse to code it as illness on the basis of no doctors note I would reply with

"As you know I am receiving absence fines based on the fact that you are unwilling to note the days following X's seizures as illness absence if she hasn't been seen by the GP; despite my having informed you that a GP appointment isn't usually appropriate in this scenario. I have provided a consultant letter to you explaining her medical needs in this scenario and a copy is attached.
If you are still unwilling to log this as illness please can you send me a formal letter on headed paper confirming that you have received a video of X having a seizure which is time and date stamped as Y. And that you have received the consultant letter explaining that following seizures the best course of action is Z. And that you have still made the decision not to code her absence today to recover as illness".

Do that a couple of times and if they still don't back down send all of the email trails, the letters from her consultants, plus any formal letters that you can persuade them to send you, to the governors with a formal complaint about disability discrimination.

I think TAF can be organised by Early Help. So you could ask for a referral. It woukd depend how you felt about involvement

I dint think.you can organise it yourself.

I agree with pp, let them take you to court. They are not applying DFES guidance.

I've had to take my LA to tribunal twice over EHCP and the tribunal told them off soundly both times!

God no, don’t video the seizures. The school is being 100% unreasonable and bullying. The school would have no idea what they are seeing either. Do not a set a precedent where the school will start expecting more evidence than they are legally allowed to need.

I’d refuse to pay the fines and see them in court. Submit all the medical evidence to the court along with copies and a timeline of how you have already provided this to the school.

This is a rabbit hole you don’t need to go down OP.
Stick to your guns, don’t pay any fines and have your day in court.
The school is going to lose. They are way out of line.

School are being totally unreasonable.

Do not film seizures. This is an invasion of your daughter's privacy and dignity during a medical event.

Ask them outright if they do not believe you or the Consultant, because this should be the only reason why they are demanding excessive medical evidence.