To not understand the fuss over attendance?

[CestLeWhy]

disclaimer: I didn't go through the state schooling system in the UK, DS is in reception, so I have no experience of school quotas/ funding/ social services. I'm not trying to be goady, I'm genuinely asking.

What is the fuss about attendance? I see so many posters proudly stating their kids have 100% attendance, and that is to be celebrated as it shows they are very conscientious, but why is it such a big deal?

DS just received his reception report and got 'Exceeding' in every category and glowing praise (not even a stealth boast, I am so proud) but his attendance was below 90%. So what? He's only 5. If he's poorly, which he is often, I keep him home rather than send him in for a miserable day for him and disruption to the class. A large chunk is also accounted for as we are from a different country so I take 2-3 days off a year for him to celebrate our cultural holidays. I think it's more important for him to grow up assimilating both cultures than attend every single day. I don't want to drip feed, we had a family emergency which caused some of the days off, but even without, his attendance would have been below 95%.

I can understand lots of reasons to monitor attendance: it can be a safeguarding indicator, it's important in higher years where they learn at a very fast pace etc but I just can't understand why it's considered so important in isolation for all year groups.

Educate me, please, MN!

I think the 100% attendance awards are bullshit personally. It encourages parents to send their ill children into school, and then the bug goes around everyone else. There is a kid in my DDs school (admittedly primary school where its not as important) who recently got an award for 3 years 100% attendance, however she has been sent in ill more times than enough and has actually puked at school a few times and been sent home, but because she got her mark, it counts as being in. Ridiculous really. being rewarded for spreading illness.

YANBU. I think it's terrible. My kids attend an independent school who have an end of year prize giving but attendance isn't taken into account, they make it about the work and progress of the pupils

Having said that, poor attendance can be a red flag for something else going on behind the scenes, so I absolutely think attendance should be monitored closely, but not rewarded

DD had to spend a fortnight in hospital because of massive problems with her breathing. We told the school what was going on and we still got a ridiculous letter about it saying her education would be falling behind and that..well what on eaerth can we do about her being admitted to hospital?! Seriously, I know schools are under pressure but they really should not be. Yes some parents will keep their kids off for a sniffle, but most won't and will be bloody sensible about attendance.

Exceeding for seventeen early learning goals is pretty much unheard of

In the U.K. It's very strict with schooling, my mums friends daughter never used to go and she didn't try either to make her go , the police actually took her to court she was arrested the lot and sent to prison for a few weeks, then she got pregnant at 13 now has a 11 year old and she's 24.

On the whole, the amount of young people who go into their first jobs and being shocked that employers won't put up with their "I can do as I like" attitudes is terrible. When they realise yes they do have to show up on time, yes they have to be there everyday they are contracted to work and yes they do have to wear the correct uniform.

It's a struggle for some who have been used to getting away with "flexi" time at school because Mum and dad have said it doesn't matter if you attend because "you won't be learning much today" anyway.

@ohreallyohreallyoh

Thanks for cropping my post to suit your agenda!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I SAID....

It's not the odd few days off and dropping to below 90% attendance that makes a child fail ... If they are failing, it will be for other reasons, like poor teaching, bullying, illness (that they cannot help,) or just that they are not academic. (And in a few cases, it's poor parenting...)

I did NOT say children fail purely because of poor teaching like you tried to make out I did, I said some children fail at school for a number of reasons, including poor teaching, (and in some cases, it is bound to be that...) Basically it does not necessarily have to be dropping slightly below 90% attendance that causes a child to fail at school!

If you are going to be so stroppy and make shit up to cause arguments, and be so morbidly offended at nothing, then maybe you are in the wrong job! And please stop trying to pretend teachers are perfect and their shit don't stink. There are many excellent teachers, but some terrible ones too!

@DanceAddict

Thank you.

Part of it is to do with resilience, to do stuff in life even if you don’t feel like you want to.
That, and learning stuff.

I hated being off ill from school, I’d go back and feel so left behind everyone else

@ohreallyohreallyon

Love the way you never mention a THING about the fact that my daughter was bullied within an inch of her life for a YEAR, and the school did fuckall about it, until I reported in to the education authority! All you care about is yourself!

No wonder SOME teachers have such a bad reputation!
Makes my blood boil!

To be fair, they won't be learning much in primary school this coming week, which is why DS is going on holiday instead (yes, even with 88% attendance!) as it will benefit him more.

Not necessarily, I know ds school are working right up to Wednesday with a more relaxed day on Thursday for leavers assembly etc. He has a “big write” to do on Monday

I am very glad I work in a university and not a school, as that means I am not only allowed but actually obliged to differentiate between Special Considerations and laziness.

I don't think it means my students learn less: what it does mean is that students who are struggling with problems beyond their control don't have to drop out. I'm ok with that.

@JustDanceAddict

hattie wow, well done on standing up to the bullies and effecting that change. Schools never like to admit there is bullying, but now every school has an anti-bullying policy which should be followed and I have to say was in my experience (primary, but still.)

Thank you. It was a battle, and it was a very tough year, as the school would NOT admit there was bullying going on, as it would affect their precious OFSTED rating.

The Head was a tosser, and a few of the teachers were fucking useless. They could see bullying was going on, and the girls ganging up on my daughter, but just turned a blind eye to it.

As I said, some teachers are wonderful, but there are some that useless, and should not be in that profession. Including several people here who seem to care more about their precious selves than the fact that a child's life is being ruined, and her education fucked up because of extreme bullying in the school - that carried on outside the school.

As I said, all the school did was make my daughter think SHE was the problem, and SHE needed counselling, and SHE needed to grow a tougher hide and learn to deal with conflict better.

Tell that the the parents of children who have taken their own life, because of bullying, and the school doing fuck-all about it.

Like I said before, it was only when I involved the Education Authority that the school were suddenly desperate to help my daughter.

When you take stuff like this, and put it alongside the fact you get threatened with jail for keeping your kids off in school time (when they will close the school when it suits THEM!) is it any wonder that parents get fucked off with schools - and (some) teachers!

As I said, some teachers are wonderful, but some are truly fucking awful, only care about themselves, and should not be in the job.

I am hiding this thread now because I will end up saying something that will get me banned!

corythatwas
Umm, we can make that distinction in schools too you know.

They are two very different sectors. Adult students vs child students relying on adults is a fairly substabtial difference.

I mean we could be cynical and say universities accept low attendance to courses along with giving unconditional offers to lazy and not that bright students and then bend over backwards to drag them through 3 years because they want bums on seats to keep the money rolling in so drop outs are problematic to the ubi framework. But of course that would be an unfair generalisation.

Schools can and do make distinctions between ongoing issue and people who don't ensure their child is educated. Not all places get it right. Nowhere in any sector gets it right all the time, but don't be so disingenuous to act like universities are so benevolent for the good of students whereas schools only care about an attendance figure.

Fair enough, Sirzy. They won't be working in DS' school and we aren't in my school. It's basically movie and game week.

ProfessorMoody

Do please explain what you're mortified about for me? Or was it just a case of that being the only come back you have for me? Witty!

All you care about is yourself!

Of course...that’s why I spend hours planning lessons, spend my lunchtimes doing clubs and catch up lessons, spend my evenings ignoring my own children trying to make sure your children pass exams providing meaningful marking, phoning parents, planning trips that add to the curriculum (and undertaking those trips in holidays), dealing with sobbing students, listening to what students want and need, attending training, reading books on pedagogy, and the rest.

Sadly, for some parents, the expectation is I do all that and I parent their children for them too.

I do think it is ridiculous the pressures on schools all based around statistics and can end up with children in poor health being discriminated. I remember very clearly at high school being shamed for attending hospital appointments.
However, I do think it is up to the school how they deal with attendance. My daughter's school have been excellent. There is encouragement to have good attendance but it is very low key - no prizes or days out for the children lucky enough to not be unwell. My daughter started the school half way through year 1 and the school were very happy for her to have a phased introduction. She did mornings for a week and then mornings plus lunchtime for a further week. They explained to us it would affect her attendance statistics but not to worry. At the beginning of Sep we are going away for a long weekend so she will miss 2 days of school. The school understand our particular circumstances and are supportive of the decision.

So yes the government is to blame for putting pressure on schools but the headteachers should be able to navigate this without causing har
m to the children in their care. They are the ones who should really undetstand the humanity of the children and that they are not just numbers.

My son has good attendance he has failed all his early years goals bar two I think where he is "emerging" fuck off with the attendance = outstanding

I'm a teacher and think the current fad for attendance obsession is a total waste of focus and pits parents and schools against each other for no good reason. In 99% of cases there is a reason they aren't in school that is fine by me. In the 1% of cases we have other ways of dealing with problems.

An unwell or very sad or very distracted child won't learn anyway....so really all this business about "they can't learn if they aren't there" is moot. More to the point, most child learnt quite a lot before they came to school (eating, walking, talking), so I'm not such a big believer that school = fantastic learning at all times, home=waste of time. That kind of rubbish would end up with 4 week olds being removed fromt her parents so they can learn to crawl properly.

UndertheCedartree
I agree with you on lots of that.

The longer I'm in schools the more I realise that most pieces of monitoring and checking and endless rules end up coming about to deal with the lowest common denominator and the poorest attitude:

• some staff can't be bothered to look at children's work = obsessive book scrutinies
• some parents can't get their heads around plain black non skinny trousers = single supplier ridiculous uniform
• some teachers don't do their jobs properly and are lazy = excessive monitoring dor everyone else
• some staff decide to allow children out of class routinely = schools remove staff discretion when letting pupils out to the loo
• parents decide they are going to tell their child not to do detentions etc = rise in schools creating isolation rooms
• some parents can't be bothered to ensure their children get educated properly and routinely keep them off school = increased monitoring of attendance (and associated ballaches for peopld who have genuinely poorly children)

Kit, it wasn't supposed to be witty, or a comeback. How odd.

I'm mortified for you if you genuinely think all children with 90% attendance or less should be investigated by the LA, and that you think children who are ill a lot should have their health checked. How laughable. You know, it is possible for multiple illnesses in a year? Last year DS had the really nasty flu and was off for nearly two weeks, as well as a horrendous stomach bug, an injured chest and an asthma attack leading to a chest infection. His health other than these incidents is fine, and he's been checked

Most schools are able to tell the difference between a child that would be at risk from low attendance and one that isn't. We haven't and won't be investigated, as they're sensible enough to know why he's been off, and I have the advantage of being able to coach for tests etc as I'm a teacher myself.

So yes, mortified for you if you think every case is the same, if you don't realise how illness works and if you think LAs should be bothered by every incident of less than 90%. It's pretty embarrassing.

90% attendance is really pretty low.

I know I wouldn’t be happy with my kids missing that much school unless there was a medical reason.

ProfessorMoody I've quite clearly said in my replies how I am not talking about children with specific issues 🙄