To think including Exclusion in absence reporting is stupid?

[MaddyHatter]

Just had a letter from the school Attendance officer complaining my DS's attendance is too low at 90.4%

I had a look through the record, and in that he is including the 5.5 days of fixed period exclusion that the school punished him with since september.

Without those, his attendance figures are 94.6% (7.5 days sick and 1 medical appt)

Can they include fixed-term exclusion in the absence percentage? Its not exactly us keeping him home for no reason

He 's missing out on school by being excluded so of course it should be included.

YANBU. The whole attendance obsession is stupid.

Absence is absence. The letter will be generated automatically when attendance drops below a certain mark.

Was the letter may informing you or demanding something happen? Eitherway, phone them up on Monday and just point out the reasons for the absence.

Yes, they can. He wasn't at school so he was absent.

Sickness isn't keeping them home for no reason either. If that's included then being excluded certainly should be!

But its not like we had a choice about him not being there, he was excluded!

soapbox, its the standard one telling us any further absence will need medical evidence.

I emailed him and suggested he refer himself to the Head Teacher for that.

Lunar, the difference is, when they're Excluded, they're legally not even allowed on the school grounds.

Can't say the same for sickness.

He did have a choice over being excluded though. He would have had warnings beforehand.

Yes it is counted. The school's line will be that he shouldn't have done whatever it was he did to warrant the exclusion.

The code used in registration certificates to mark an exclusion is counted towards absences. It is an authorised absence. The child was not in school, not on a school visit and not being educated off site.
Less than 90% attendance is categorised as persistent absenteeism by the government.

Why is only the school responsible for your son's exclusion? I presume he did something to get excluded and therefore is responsible for that absence?

I wouldn't give a monkey's about the computer-generated letter, but I sure as hell would about 5 days' exclusion.
How about making the behaviour that led to that your priority.

he's 'responsible' in so far that he has some significant disabilities.. he has Autism and ADHD and they're relating to some issues those cause.

The last one is actually under review as i've contested it as i feel its illegal under the disability discrimination laws in the Equality Act.

That, however, is neither here nor there. I think its stupid that school sanctioned punishment is included in the absence figures.

My Dd has an absence recorded. She tripped over a damaged fence and they inisisted I took her to hospital.

The hospital were baffled why I had been made to bring her in as she wasn't badly hurt. I didn't think she needed to go, but they insisted and still put it down as unauthorised absence. It doesn't make sense

• Am I being unreasonable?

• Yes.

• No I'm not.

I've seen your previous threads Maddy and sympathise. It's just adding insult to injury at this stage, even though it is presumably the correct way to log things from a policy point of view!

He had to have done something serious for a school to exclude him?

Surely they should have a code?
several years ago, those taking music exams were "educated off site" so maybe they should have some sort of code to allow it?
To differentiate between those with behaviour problems (SEN or not) and those who really are skiving/genuinely poorly

This would be easier for the school to prove the need for intervention surely?

I remember your previous threads and the reasons for his exclusion and sympathise too

I agree with a PP, it seems like adding insult to injury.

My DD has having some therapy sessions - all booked and organised by school but she missed morning registration once a week for 10 weeks. We also received one of those attendance letters. I just binned it to be honest

not at school = absent

the reason is not important

I would be more worried about my child being excluded than the technicalities of his attendance rating!!!!

Just, we're working on it. his ehcp just went live :)

The reason is important if the school are excluding the child for behaviour triggered by the fact that they are failing to make reasonable adjustment for SN.

I have never had to deal with behaviour issues, but I do remember very well that constant veering between "oh, you can't expect us to have your child in class if she can't do x" and "your child is now in trouble because she hasn't been to school and we are going to have to report it". And wanting to scream in their faces "but you bloody rang and told me to take her home- which way do you want it?"- though obviously I never did.

We weren't the only ones either: absences that parents had been told would be authorised due to bereavement were then put down as unauthorised, hospital stays which had been agreed on after discussion with the school suddenly became unexplained absences.

The only thing you can do is to keep very calm, keep all your paperwork in perfect order and agree to see any EWO's or SW's who offer: get them on your side and they will fight some of your battles.

Let's hope they actually pull their fingers out and stick by it Maddy