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!

Head though rather than COG

but be REASONABLE

Ahem

I think I'd be tempted to keep the letter and wait until the school decides to close for a 'snow day' or two, then readdress it and post it back to them

I wish there was a 'like' button Girls fortunately didn't get this stuff when DC were at school. I would have been tempted to thank them for the reminder of the importance of attendance at all costs and in future they would be in school regardless and I would not expect to be called to collect them as I would expect the learning experience to include ' dealing with illness'

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

But how many of these are real and how many are imagined?

I've lost count of the amount of primary schools and nurserys I've looked at and when asking them questions they have said ofstead requires us to xyz but its often stuff that ofstead don't require and offer no opinion on.

An easy example is pin style socket covers I've had shed loads of early years setting tell me ofstead say they have to have them up ofstead for many years now makes no recommendation either way.

I have children in indie schools that do get ofstead inspected and not once has the school sent a letter like this or even questioned an absence of any nature and ofstead have never had any issue with them.

But how many of these are real and how many are imagined?

Oh god you have no idea. There are massive businesses designed around telling schools what it is that Ofsted want to see this year. Ofsted consultants will come to the school and spout off. One came to my school and said we shouldn't be using textbooks. Now I know this is bollocks, but would I use a textbook during an inspection? No. Rumours will go around like "I heard this school failed Ofsted because...." "This teacher got inadequate because this one kid..." "This teacher got outstanding and they weren't even in the room " Look on Amazon for books on "how to teach an Ofsted Outstanding lesson", as there are tonnes. Things that Ofsted inspectors say, which are their own opinion are spread as what Ofsted in general want to see.

And because every school in the country has The Fear, we all run around like headless chickens jumping on every latest nugget of gossip.

But then Ofsted don't even follow their own rules. Ofsted inspectors should not be grading individual lessons. Michael Wilshaw has been very clear on the matter. And you find teachers reporting even now that they've had Ofsted and an inspector has given them a lesson grade.

With such a nebulous and inconsistent inspection regime, are you surprised that schools are nervously following everything they have heard Ofsted might want to see?

We had a letter from school about attendance after DD was poorly in term 1. It said "we are setting your child a target of 90% attendance for term 2". I replied, saying personally our target was 100%, she didn't need to be weaned back into attending!

That would really piss me off too. Maybe send all to the state sec for education? Ask for her comments.

Yeah, definitely twats. I give lifts to a girl at our school and last term she had two separate WEEKS when illness kept her off school. I thought that was a bit but 2x two days? No way is that being over cautious, esp. given his asthma.

YANBU

I'd respond so it is on your child's file too. Remind them your child has a chronic health condition and refer to any relevant school policy eg off 24 hours d&v etc

Maybe in future also notify absence by email aswell as a call in case of another letter querying whether absence valid so you have proof of notifying them.

(No letters in DD's private school and authorised days off for hols too!)

My dd's school are the same. It causes nothing but hassle school tbh. If I has my way it wouldn't exist. It's to the point where you're a bag or nerves if they say they're sick and you have to keep them off. She leaves this year. I can't wait, neither can she.

YANBU I'm in my twenties and my school used to send me those snooty letters even though they KNEW the reason I was off school was because I have severe crohns disease and was in and out of hospital.

In fact, I could almost wonder if the ridiculously patronising tone of the letters (DD2 read hers out in that dramatic sarcastic voice only a teen can do) is deliberate.

Schools know they go straight in the bin, so they might as well include as much Ofsted pleasing "education is important" twaddle as possible.

They are so twee and patronising, they can't possibly expect anyone, especially teens, to take them faintly seriously.

My school sent one of these to a child who had cancer and was dying. She was in and out of hospital. Which the school knew. But they still sent the letter saying EWO might be following up the absences.

Asking parents to ensure no further absences is ridiculous. No one can ensure that, unless the child goes school however ill or infectious they are.

School sends out badly-written letter. Who knew?

But it's not just badly written, it is demanding the impossible. Surely there is someone on the school staff who is intelligent enough to realise that. If not, it doesn't show the school in a particularly good light.

To all those saying ignore it doesn't apply to you - that's all very well but the letters do make me feel hounded.

Due to various hospitalisations and illnesses resulting in routine consultant appts my eldest dc has had about 75% attendance for yrs7,8 & 9. We regularly get letters stating that we will be prosecuted if dc keeps missing school.

We have become so frustrated with this lack of empathy that dc suggested they go into school even if they're ill. This then leads to dc being at school for half an hour before being sent home again. How is that helping anyone?

They have asked for medical proof even though the school has been copied in on discharge summaries, hospital teacher's reports etc.

What makes this even worse is that there are children at the school who dc says, because of skiving, are on 65% attendance and apart from getting letters they are left alone as the school knows that no amount of chasing or threats will make any difference.

All in all, these letters just make me feel like a shit Mum & makes my dc feel like shit and none of it is our fault! There must be a better system where they target those who just can't be bothered to go to school?

tickle you have no idea what actions are being taken behind the scenes of the students who are skiving, and neither should you. You shouldn't deduce that nothing is happening, because my school does all sorts for kids that the general public are unaware of.

i do attendance stuff at mine but always look at reasons given for absence