To be pissed off about a snotty letter re ds's attendance?

[Whowillsaveyoursoul]

He's in year one and had four days off last term. He had a sickness bug two of the days and a chest infection the other two. The chest infection was quite nasty actually but happily tagged onto a weekend and half term otherwise he'd have missed more days than he did. Maybe they think we went on holiday?!
Anyway Aibu to think 'get lost' - what do they want me to do? Send a vomiting 5 year old into school? Send a child with asthma who can't breath properly and with a temperature of 40 into school?
Hopefully he won't have any more time off - the letter says 'whilst we appreciate there may have been valid reasons for the absences we hope we have your full cooperation to ensure there are no further absences next term.'
How would the like me to ensure that my child doesn't catch norovirus? I'm really cross!

I remember my daughter saying she felt unwell at school, the teacher sent her to the school nurse and dd threw up over the nurse's room. Nurse phoned and my hubby went and brought her home. Later that day the attendance officer arrived to find out why she was off school that afternoon. My hubby was not happy that this idiot was checking on a child who had been sent home by the school.
Idiots.

SuburbanRhonda I did try and say upthread that I don't blame the schools for this, but the system they are tied in to.

I get why heads and schools are (understandably) unwilling to rock the boat, but it seems as if we, as parents, are unable to make a difference either. We'd just get the response that we have here, that it's to protect the children who need protecting and won't anybody think of the children.

no consideration for the bigger picture.

Yep, that's Ofsted. See also lack of consideration for children who don't get their target grade because of illness/bereavement/shitty homelife etc.

If parents are getting riled up because of this comparatively minor nonsense in the Ofsted scheme of things, then perhaps they could spare a thought for teachers whose entire job is dominated by this sort of crap, and for whom the words 'Ofsted will be looking for' are a constant klaxon.

It sounds like Ofsted have a lack of consideration for children, full stop. They're not individuals, they're numbers and statistics.

Too true seff. According to the head of my sons school even though he has a well documented medical condition to explain his poor attendance his attendance figures still count against the school. Now thankfully we have a great school who said "that's out problem not yours" but you can see how that pressure on the school can lead to schools putting pressure onto parents of children with poor attendance.

Now if Ofsted can manage what his medical team can't and find a way to stabilise his condition that would be great!

Suburban

I'm in Scotland and yes, I oversee the management of various schools. (Not just absence) I am well known for NOT following the stupid Policies and Procedures relating to absence, especially when the individual needs of children aren't being met. Individual needs of children appear to have been overlooked, in favour of overall absence statistics.

That's good to hear you have the flexibility to ignore rules you don't agree with, fabulous.

Shame the same doesn't apply in England

That letter is really rude! May have been ill? Wtf?

So what if it's automated? Doesn't mean it shouldn't be worded with a modicum of respect and politeness does it?

I'd write a snippy email back and then chuck in it in the bin and get on with my day and give it no further thought.

So glad I'm in Scotland. We have none of this shite.

You probably would have to give it some more thought if you sent the school a "snippy email", movingon.

Why not just do the last bit and throw it in the bin, or even better, go into the school and discuss it? If you do that at drop-off, it would take even less time than writing an email.

Is there any point going into the school or sending an email, though? As has been said, their hands are tied, they have to do this.

Sending an email to the head of ofsted may be a better idea.

I don't get how they think this improves attendance...It just rushes kids back into school after an illness, which leads to more days off when they relapse. It's self-defeating

But hold on, is this a Gove policy? The man who wanted every school above average? If so, logic doesn't apply....

Because SuburbanRhonda I would want to make the point that it is needlessly rude first before I chuck it in the bin. Then once I've got it out of my system I can move on because I have done something constructive but not disproportionate.

I happen to think rudeness needs challenging. They have to send letters - fair enough. Do they have to have rude wording? No, I don't think so. Does it warrant a special visit to discuss? Ridiculous idea - what a waste of everyone's time over some poor wording.

Thanks for that kate - I had completely forgotten about "every school above average".

It's made my evening

It takes about 5 minutes to write an email. Frankly it would take longer to queue up at the school office.

movingon, if your complaint is about rudeness, I hardly think a "snippy email" is going to strengthen your case, do you?

Snippy as in brief and rather curt? Why yes, absolutely. It is possible to be a bit snippy while still being polite.

Also I wouldn't be making a case. I would be pointing out I found their letter needlessly rude and they might like to reconsider the wording. I would not be trying to engage them in debate or prove who is right or wrong

imo, with schools you have to pick what you think really matters. If you complain about everything your really SERIOUS complaints will not be taken as seriously as you will have a reputation as a whinger

this seems like bad school policy, Ours looks at patterns of absence and reason given.

You could go bananas, or you could jus shrug it off. I recommend the latter.

( or just say to the teacher - 'that absence letter by the way, you knew why he was off, didnt you?')

These letters are sent out as an overreaction to OFSTED's monitoring of attendance. You can either ignore this one on the basis that it's ridiculous, or react.

A suitable reaction IMVHO would be a politely worded note to the chair of governors stating this was sent in response to a mere four days' absence (which is miniscule for a kid that age) and does not do much to promote friendly home/school relationships, given the slightly imperious, mistrustful tone.

Betcha you won't get any more letters like that afterwards.

YUP
AGREE WITH bm