To be annoyed at attendance letters from school

[PumpkinPiloter]

We have just received another letter from school about DS1 attendance.

The letter states that as his attendance has dropped since the last letter we need to make an appointment with the head teacher or be referred to the Education Welfare Service.

DS1 suffers from bouts of tonsillitis so does have a fair few absences we would also rather keep him home when he is poorly and try to make the best judgement call we can.

The last period they have judged him on was the 2 weeks before the school broke up for Christmas so even though he had 2 days off this has led to an 87% attendance rate.

We both feel that if other parents were more diligent about keeping their children at home when they were poorly our son would not catch as many bugs.

For background DS1 is in primary and is in the top few of the class across all subjects for attainment and effort. DD2 has had 1 day off sick since the start of the school year in September as she just does not catch as many bugs/suffer from tonsillitis like her brother.

It grates me the way that it seems that laws seem to be drawn up for the few percent of the population that do not parent effectively as opposed to the vast majority of parents who do.

I understand to a certain extent that this is a tick boxing exercise from the school but can they are fully aware of his health issues and that he works hard and is way above the national average for attainment.

Surely in a sane world some discretion should be used when sending out threatening letters and wasting everyone's time.

I would phone the school and reiterate why your DS has been off school. Say that there is no need for any kind of meeting. Explain that any further absences need to be respected because your son has frequent bouts of illness.

Secondary schools usually deal with absences well because they have pastoral departments. It may be more difficult for you OP because you are dealing with a primary.

(I have personal experience of all but the last, plus a range of other circumstance where a child was 'sick' which i won't bore you with.

Of course, most of the time, when a child is reported as ill, they are ill. However, following up patterns of absence can be surprisingly revealing about a child's welfare, and may be an important part of a picture - though I agree not the whole picture, which is why meetings with parents is so important)

The legal responsibility for schools wrt safeguarding / CP is significant, as well. Nobody - not for legal reasons, nor reasons of simple humanity - wants to miss something. That may lead to a 'rather safe than sorry' culture that can look over-zealous. However, if we DO miss a safeguarding concern, then everyone will rightly blame us for that. It's a difficult balance.

cantkeepawayforeve Really [humm] that's a very sad view of the people. 1 day in a term is probably not any of those things. When was it suddenly up to the schools to identify all these things? If you look hard enough you'll see problems where there are none. Bureaucratic rubbish is what these letters are

It does seem strange that they are only looking at an 8 day period. Was he off sick for the last couple of days of term? My DC school sent out a letter about how they would be "closely monitoring absences" that were a Monday/Friday, at the end/beginning of term and anything dipping below 95%. They've also brought in a policy that if the attendance level falls below 95% all subsequent sick absences will be unathorised unless you have evidence you have taken your DC to the GP.

WHat was his attendance like for the rest of the term? If it was a follow up letter I presume it was similar levels?

Looking at attendance over a 2 week period is clearly a nonsense. What is far more realistic is what has attendance been over the Autumn Term. If this is below 90% then the school will need to be asking questions about absence because the average attendance at primary level is about 95%. If it below 85% then certainly around my area the EWO would start to have some involvement.
However as long as you can show conversations with the doctor and you are happy that the incidences of absence are genuine then the school will have to be accept the situation. It is however not going to stop them pushing for better attendance.

It grates me the way that it seems that laws seem to be drawn up for the few percent of the population that do not parent effectively as opposed to the vast majority of parents who do

I totally agree. I assume you have evidence of illness? In a sane world this would be sent in at the time of the absence and that would be that.

Maybe the people from the welfare education office can twist the GP's arm and get the tonsils out if it will improve his attendance.And remember, these are days of learning new things he's missing, not just sitting doing jigsaws.

They've also brought in a policy that if the attendance level falls below 95% all subsequent sick absences will be unathorised unless you have evidence you have taken your DC to the GP

Oh goody! That will keep GP waiting lists down ... What utter stupidity.

I can not remember his exact attendance for the Autumn term but I believe is twas just above 94%.

He was poorly for the last day of term which he was really upset about. The timing might have been a factor.

Oh God, I'm a pastoral manager and I send these letters (sorry) every school has to have an attendance policy and there is a direct correlation between attendance and achievement. We do 5 weekly attendance 'surgeries' and usually call students and parents in for a meeting when attendance drops below 90% in a 5 week block. The meetings are designed to be a supportive 'is everything okay? Is there anything we can do to support student? Anything else we need to know' they are discretionary too so if I've been in regular contact with a parent regarding a students ongoing absence. I probably wouldn't call them in for a meeting but would telephone and say 'just to let you know that x has come up in our five week data but I'm not sending out meeting request because I'm satisfied that everyone is doing what they can' we only refer to EWO if student comes up in the data for 4 consecutive lots of 5 weeks. EWO is our gateway to prosecution and would only use her if I had serious concerns about a student. There is an escalation process and the EWO is the top of that chain. I'm guessing this is a primary school though because the head is getting involved? I'm secondary so different. I'd attend the meeting explain the situation. Primary schools are small places and I'd want to stay on good terms with the teachers.

I am totally aware that he is missing some learning. However when he is ill I will often ask for work that he has missed and we do a lot of work at home on various subjects as I am a trained teacher.

Email HT and say you'd like to work with them so will attend a meeting and you'd like them to arrange the school nurse to be present as this is a medical issue.

EWO isn't a bad thing. In fact if they get involved it may help you get further with ent on removal.

My ds went through a period of constant tonsillitis and when they decided to have a last wait and see 6 months - it just stopped !

What @Super123

That should say what @Super123 said! Totally agree. I don't get this being afraid of the attendance/welfare officer (I have teacher friends who are afraid of them ok it's their jobs) but as a parent let them hear the reasons and understand it not be shielded from it.

Its an aromatic system apparently.
As soon as the attendance falls below a level they have to send it out regardless of reasons.
I got one for my daughter and a snide comment from the office lady.
So I have a right good nip back.
The school is well aware my daughter has bowel problems, asthma and a low immune system. I got a doctors letter and asked for it to be put in her file.

I always had tonilitus as a child it's horrific. And to meet the standard of getting your tonsils it's really strict.
They are finally thinking of taking mine out At 27

Its an aromatic system apparently

Yes, it does stink.

Ive just had a stress about this too. Got a letter just before christmas to say any further absences have to be backed up with evidence eg appointment letters/doctors notes etc. DS (13) suffers from migraine (under GP care and on medication), microcysts in his eyes where we have numerous hospital visits and now has braces so another appointment every 6 weeks to adjust! The school is aware of this yet is still sending the letters out as if its truancy!

I think in your position I would write/email the school back and say that as they seem to be basing attendances on a very short time period to assist with there manipulation of figures to make them seem artificially low that you would much rather meet with the attendance officer instead

That way you can explain properly and ask them to calculate the figure properly based on the whole year and see what it actually is while meeting someone who will work with you and help you

I like you was equally as wary of "officials" from school when I was having problems with DD after she started high school as she hated it due to bullying and was refusing to go, I am now on first name terms with the school safeguarding officer and she has been an immense help with sorting things out in school for me when there have been issues.

It took a combined effort over 18 months to get DD into school on a regular basis but she is now going without a problem every morning

It’s just a complete box ticking exercise.

They are in primary school and it’s just about stats and number crunching.

There are many twats who send in their kids unwell who then pass their germs on to other kids. The kids whose parents keep them off unwell get nada, yet the kid who passed on the germs in the first place gets what is essentially a “good health” certificate at the end of term for never having a day off.

Utter utter bollocks. And very very selfish on the parents part.

If my child is unwell, they stay at home.

That’s all there is to it.

Don’t sweat the small stuff op, as annoying and frustrating as it is.

That sounds awful Laurief my partner gets chronic migraines at so I imagine what your DS is going through. Have you tried migraineze its all natural and it allowed my partner to come off some horrid drugs and really helped with migraines.