To wonder where the school get off?!

[Gossipmonster]

School have sent home a letter outlining new rule tightening around lateness, uniform etc for September. Fair enough (although I can see the skinny trouser ban being a PITA for all parents of girls).

They also state that if your child is off sick they need to be looked after by yourself or another adult - and spot checks will be made. WFT? I (will) have a 16, 14 and 12 yr old (youngest maybe fair enough), work full time and am on my own.

So evey time one of them is ill I am expected to take a day off work?

I think this is ridiculous esp when observing the 48 rule with V and D.

Do the school have a right to stipulate this? .

A cold or a sore throat shouldn't mean they take time off school.
The school has a responsibility to safeguard children.

Ridiculous! YANBU

I think they might mean 'should be at home supervised by an adult, not up the road shopping with you or hanging around the school gate on their own'.

I leave ds1 and ds2 at home if they are poorly they are 10 and 13, I have other children to get to school etc. They know they can call me, or knock on the neighbors etc.

At that age children can be poorly enough to be off school bit not need an adult with them the whole time.

they are maybe targeting the (cough mum I am cough ill brigade I dont think a 1 off sick day will be spot checked and also for truants as well, If a 12 yr old was il would you not have somebody look after them anyway if they are ok to stay home alone they are ok for school imo

Ask them for the Act putting this legal requirement into force.

Of course this is targeting certain families, but schools should not lie - which is what this appears to be. Not only is it a lie, it is a sloppy, poorly presented one. Could do better!

Different people will make different judgement calls depending on all sorts of things like their child's age, their neighbours, etc etc. Which is why the law does not specify it.

People taking time off to look after 13-15 year olds on the 48 hour rule got very short shrift at my old work place. I had a friend who worked for a large supermarket who was hauled over the coals for having time off for treatment for breast cancer, I can't imagine that employer would've liked it very much if she'd needed time off for a teen who had had a stomach bug but was otherwise well.

I think it is more to do with recurrent truants. The school can ask an EWO to make checks, if they feel this is the case.
If you have enrolled your dc at school, i.e they are registered, attendance is compulsory.
School in general isn't compulsory, but an education is.

It does sound like an anti-truancy move - the school would have a pretty good idea who to spot-check, I daresay, if they ever did actually do it.

I don't like this idea particularly - but you would not believe how many parents are at work/out of the house and don't realise that their children have not gone to school. I spoke to a parent once who, while on the phone, went upstairs (in their admittedly very large house) and found her son still in bed.

bollocks is it legally required that they are cared for at home.

They might be tucked up on the sofa at a grandparent's house, for example.

I agree that something else is going on here. Maybe they're trying to put the frighteners on someone

Laurie, do you mean they need an adult at home at all times? Genuine question, not being offish!

Laurie - I know it is different for fostered children. But it is really very common indeed for secondary age children to spend time at home without an adult. I wouldn't leave my 11 yo for a day, but he spends 1.5 hours ish by himself most days, until I get home from work.

Children under 16 should have an adult at home IMO

Is this for real? Seriously - you wouldn't leave a 15 year old home alone at all? I have heard it all now!

I leave all my children home alone in the day (ill, holidays, inset days). I would have to live on benefits if I didn't - their father is a useless prick and my family live 60 mies away.

I had to take time off for DS2 to have emergency surgery (minor) it was a nightmare.

that's madness, if they spot check and get in touch with you could you say they where are grandparents or something. I will leave my 15 year old ds at home on the odd occasion he is unable to attend school due to D&V or some such.

Yes, I can't leave a 15 year old (obviously as she's fostered)

Plus I work in a school (and dh works in a different one) and children who are home alone and the school finds out are reported through SS.

For some reason the ones who get themselves up and out to school with no adult present are the most concern - no idea why that is.

I was left home alone when I was sick from about 10 years old. My mum rang a few times throughout the day to make sure I was okay and I could always knock on the neighbours door if I couldn't get hold of her and needed something.

I would assume they mean "need to be at home and not out in town", but just worded it badly. Most parents can't take time off work to look after their children every time they're sick.

I bet SC. are THRILLED with your school *lauriefairycakes" it's not a CP issue there is no law, other than your legal obligation to get them to school.

And yes the ones who get themselves up and to school with no adult present would also be my main concern - why is there no adult with them - are they pissed/on drugs/ill?!

So if your school found out a 15 year old was home alone with a cold they would call ss? Blimey, what do they expect ss to do?

Any time at home alone Laurie? Seriously?

What's wrong with a 15 year old getting themselves up and to school without an adult? I was 12 in 2002 and I was getting myself up and to/from school everyday without my parents help. They only yelled if I slept through my alarm to get me up, otherwise I was on my own.

Same here livinginwonderland. Much older than you but similarly left to get self up and out at a similar age.

There is nothing wrong with it - it can be an indicator of other things though.