AIBU? DS was ill and the school have marked it as an unauthorised holiday and are threatening to fine me!

[WeAreEternal]

A couple of weeks ago DS (7) had an upset stomach, he D&V over night and most of the next day.
First thing in the morning (a Thursday) I called the school and let them know he was ill.
He was feeling better by the evening but as he had D&V school policy is 24 hours off, so I kept him off Friday too.

I received a letter from to school yesterday saying that those days have been marked as an unauthoried holiday as "although we received a phone call from you stating that (DS) was ill, we are led to believe that DS was in fact on a holiday to XXXX on these two dates"

The letter goes on to say that if he was genuinely ill they expect me to provide evidence such as a doctors appointment card, a prescription, a medication receipt or something simmilar that can "verify my version of events".

I am a medical professional, I know when when my DS needs medication or to see a GP or when he just has a bit of a stomach bug and needs rest and fluids.
Who would take a child to the GP or buy medication for D&V anyway?

How on earth can I prove that DS was ill?
And why are they even querying this?
AIBU to think this is bloody ridiculous?

Anyone have any ideas?

Did you send the letter recorded delivery WeAreEternal?

Remember to track it if you did. Print off the signature just in case the school attempt denial of receiving the letter.
Hopefully they will get it tomorrow but if not Thursday.

Friday - link to the report. I'll have a look and tell you whey the school did not get Outstanding. Outstanding is a pretty tough target these days by the way, which is why a lot of previously Outstanding schools are now being judged as Good by Ofsted. If we're talking the difference between Good and Outstanding then attendance could have been one of the deciding factors, but the report would say that, and also highlight areas for improvement.
I can say categorically that the reasons why a school gets the Ofsted judgement it has is always clearly stated in the report.

Peeking, I'm asking for the link too. It's Guineapigfriend who mentioned it. As you say, I'm sceptical about governors saying "the reason
we didn't get (grade) was because of (thing not in the report)". It's always in the report, but claiming it was something else may be a way to avoid blushes.

Sorry Friday, I mis-read. Always such a lot of chinese whispers after Ofsted have been in. My tip to everyone - read the report - if it's not in there it didn't happen. (And if it's not in the report I'd question whether any governor should be nattering about it in the bloody playground!).

Let me just clarify that a bit - if it isn't in the report it wasn't a deciding factor in making the judgement, or an area that the inspector thought significant enough to comment on.
Ofsted inspectors don't stand around with governors over a mug of tea hoicking their bosoms and saying "Well, it's not in the report but... if your attendance had been better you'd have got Outstanding!"

I'm not going to link to the report because there's stuff on my account which I'd rather remain anon.
The governor is my neighbour and a pita helicopter parent & also a teacher (at another school) -I don't trust her, however 'I felt that she was genuine when she told me that the school's attendance was discussed at a meeting with ofsted and it was not favourable. And that it had to change if the school wanted outstanding in the future.

But thinking about it she was prob over egging its significance.

And that it had to change if the school wanted outstanding in the future.

And yet the inspectors didn't trouble themselves to put this in the "What the "What does the school need to do to improve further?" section that is normally the second item (after "Information about this school") in the full report?

If you get no joy with the Head I suggest talking to the chair of Governors, to make it clear that you are very concerned that to allege your child was on holiday when following the school's policy on sickness is a serious matter.

Saying that attendance was a significant factor in the school not getting an outstanding rating might well be an attempt to deflect the "blame" onto parents and pupils. Not that a rating of "good" isn't an acheivement.

Yes the letter was sent and will be tracked.
I have not sent copies to the LEA or governors, but did state in the letter that I will be contacting the LEA if they do not provide me with their 'proof' that I am lying or correct the register.

And just to note, nobody from the school has contacted me today either.

Did you ever arrange to make an appointment for Wednesday?

When is the meeting, tomorrow?

No I decided the letter was the best way forward, and with the way that things seem to be going so far I am doing as others suggested and keeping everything in writing.

WeAreEternal - you are right not to send a copy of the letter to the LA. They will not be interested in the slightest. Did you get a copy of the complaints procedure? If not, you need to do this. You should find that in fact there is no role for the LA to play in this sort of complaint. The procedure probably goes Headteacher - possible informal mediation by Chair of Governors - Governing Body complaints panel - Secretary of State.
LA involvement in the school complaints process was removed some time ago (I should know, it was part of my job to deal with them).
Guineapigfriend, I think you're right, your neighbour/governor was talking out of her posterior. As others have said, Ofsted will highlight significant areas for improvement in the report.
Having said all of that, people need to get their heads around the fact that it is much more difficult to get Outstanding now than it was a few years back. A school that gets Good has done very well, even if they were Outstanding previously. It's the categories below that we need to be concerned about. "Satisfactory" is no longer an option.

So looking forward to this update. How soon after the letter arrives will the OP get a phone call?

I give it 30 minutes.

I think you are wrong orlando , i think the school will ignore the letter or it will be put in a pile to be dealt with at a later date . I do not expect any speedy resolution .

The school will have to consider how they are going to worm their way out of this before they respond, so I expect a delay.

However, it is good practice to normally acknowledge a letter but explain it needs to be ivestigated, but at this school I am doubtful that will happen.

OP - Did you ask for a response within a time frame?

Hopefully you did so you can then escalate to LEA and who ever if they fail to respond.

Also please remember if they do resolve this over the phone or in a meeting at school. Ask them to confirm outcome in writing and keep a copy on file or you write with your undertsanding of the outcome and ask for it to be kept on file - for future reference. God knows what this school may pull out the bag on another day.

I very much doubt they will phone back. Probably a letter back, but who knows how long that will take...

I am just amazed at how shabbily this school is handling the op. I thought my DC's school was bad at communicating but this takes the biscuit!

Yes I said they had one week to respond.

Well the letter has been delivered at 10:23, I don't expect a speedy response though. And even if they did call me I won't answer, well obviously if it is during school hours I will because it could be about DS, but I would just say 'sorry I am not willing to discuss this over the phone please respond in writing as requested'.
I am going to make damn sure I have everything in writing.

Don't blame you OP.

Just a waiting game now. Hopefully it will all get resolved soon.

Hope you get a response soon and I think you are right about ensuring everything is in writing. The whole thing is utterly crazy. They owe you a huge apology but I don't imagine that you will get it sadly.

WeAreEternal, if you don't get the response you want from this then please follow my advice above, get the complaints procedure and follow it. Hopefully they will treat this as stage 1 of a complaint anyway and act accordingly.
For those getting narked because the school isn't responding in minutes, this really isn't urgent on the scale of things. (I know that will ruffle some feathers, but it isn't). Op gave them a deadline, so there's no need to get up in the air until that has passed. The Headteacher needs time to look into things and prepare a response.
I'm just saying calm down.