To think it's very unreasonable for school not to take my word DS is sick.

[VioletsArePurple]

DS has been home sick (sore throat, fever, headache) for three days. I have emailed them each day to inform them he is ill. No response from them on day 1 or day 2. He's going back tomorrow. Today (day 3) I got I an email from school with the following text: "...Just wanted to check in regarding how XXX is doing and also from an attendance perspective. Our school policy around holidays is to mark a child as unauthorised absence unless we have medical evidence for their illness. I wonder if you have been to the GP or hospital and if you have any evidence of this or a prescription bottle you could email us a photo of so I can change his attendance to illness once he comes back in."

AS it happens I was at the GP this afternoon for an appointment for me. And behind reception there was a sign stating:

SICK NOTES FOR SCHOOL ABSENCE
Your GP does not provide this information.
Please do not book an appointment.
A school should accept a note from the child's parent or guardian.
Speak to reception for further information.

Now, I should point out I actually love our school. But this email annoyed me. They have no idea how much I was looking forward to the first day of school. They can have DS all of next break to make up for it if they like.

(Are they demanding this evidence even when there is a sibling who is at school?)

Check your council's policy on school attendance. Ours says that "if your child's attendance is not improving despite support from the school" they will proceed further, with a fine being possible. In which case, I'd let the school refuse to authorise it if they want, as it seems very unlikely that it would be taken further unless it's rather more than a one-off.

A1 no, I can't really answer that because it varies across schools, LAs and MATs. My LA would only pursue very low attendance when other avenues are pursued. That said, my LA expects schools to chase up medical evidence...

In addition, my LA has been flagged as having high rates of 'persistent absenteeism' and my school as having high rates of holiday absence and sporadic illness absence...

This thread is full quite rightly of indignation about unnecessary bureaucracy, time and expense for GP surgeries. We need to understand schools are also time poor and literally poor. We cannot pay for medical evidence as has been suggested (unless everyone wants budget to be moved form elsewhere!).

This burden of proof thing is very thorny : the ONLY person who can 'prove' a child is ill really is a medical professional. It's a tough one.

I'll come back to my original point : 3 days is ridiculous to be chasing any evidence at all for.

That skiing holiday though! ANY week off school will likely impact in a big way on something!!

As said sent a photo of note. Also some surgeries who do this letter charge. Would school pay? No they would not.
Next time they call you to say DC is unwell why not ask if it has been diagnosed by a medically trained person or are they guessing? Ball back to them. Lazy hounds

And (harrumph) POOR families do not choose a £300 flight over a £900 flight...

Holiday absence (authorised or otherwise) is almost entirely the preserve of state educated middle classes.

really the world is not going to implode if your child has a few days of unauthorised absence (how it affects the school is a different matter)

They almost certainly have though frothy : a first aider...

So many parents lie around holiday times, this is the position schools have been put in. Don’t take it personally.
Its very easy to get sick around holiday times. You can get sick while on holiday and unable to come back.

They are not allowed to mark it as unauthorised when your child was ill.

They are not allowed to refuse your assessment that the child was ill.

They are not allowed to insist on GP evidence. (Google it)

Problem is most school office staff are not too bright and most Headteachers are wildly powertrippy and the combination => they do not know the rules and can behave in a bullying fashion.

I would write a furious letter to the head saying that when you notify them of a child’s illness they are legally obligated to record it correctly and they are not entitled to medical evidence, which in the case of common illnesses like eg norovirus will not exist, and unless they correct their policy you will be reporting then to Ofsted and Department of Education. Make an outraged fuss in a documented and articulate fashion and they will back off (and be nicer to other parents for a while). Otherwise they will walk all over you.

This burden of proof thing is very thorny: the ONLY person who can 'prove' a child is ill really is a medical professional. It's a tough one.

Sorry but no. Parents aren't required to prove their child is ill. Legally a school or LA would need to prove they weren't.

Oh, and a first aider isn't a medically trained professional.

A sore throat is not enough to be off school. Always send in. If they get that bad, then you'll get a call at lunchtime.
Not recorded as an absence either.

We cannot pay for medical evidence as has been suggested (unless everyone wants budget to be moved form elsewhere!).

Everybody knows that school budgets are hugely squeezed, but so are NHS budgets. Why should the NHS have to find space in their extremely tight budget to bail you out with yours? What about them having to move the budget from elsewhere? Nobody in their right minds wants people with serious treatable illnesses to have to suffer longer than necessary and struggle to see a GP because their appointments are clogged up with children with viruses who just need to sleep it off for a couple of days.

The emergency services periodically release data of the numbers of people abusing their resources by calling 999 because they've lost their TV remote control or the takeaway delivered the wrong order and everybody is appalled at this shocking behaviour. They always have to state the obvious (as it seems some people just don't get it) that every ambulance sent out to a timewaster with a stubbed toe is one that can't attend a person having a heart attack. And yet there are many schools actively encouraging parents to abuse GP services, just so that they can tick a box.

The register has been amended to reflect he was ill.

I particularly enjoyed bumping into his LSA on the way into school. She bent down to DS and said "How are you X? I hear you've been ill."

the ONLY person who can 'prove' a child is ill really is a medical professional.

Not necessarily. There are some conditions like back pain which can wholly depend on the patient reporting their own pain and experiences and which cannot be diagnosed with tests. Even with D&V, it relies on people reporting having had it - I don't think there's any test that can conclusively prove that somebody has been sick or had the runs earlier that day.

Great news, VioletsArePurple

I hope they're proud of all that they achieved to finally arrive at their conclusion, rather than just listen to you in the first place.

Until schools stop getting graded on their absences during inspections and with other interested parties this won't change. The schools don't want to hassle you about your child's attendance - we have to. Our attendance is shocking and we get penalised for it anytime some one 'visits' the school. Our students are sick when the are on holiday , parents in our area can't afford it otherwise. All our absence are unauthorised unless they have a doctors note but whether illness or unauthorised it still reports the same. The burden off attendance needs to be taken away from schools and let them concentrate on teaching. Yes I know from safeguarding POV we need to monitor but we have 2 full time members of staff for attendance and it is a responsibility on everyone's pmr and attendance is still rubbish.

I'd be tempted to take a photo of DS asleep on the sofa with a copy of today's paper on him and clearly taken in your house as proof you aren't larging it up in Spain lol

Seriously though, schools are under so much pressure from 'higher up' to maintain high levels of attendance. Plus you do get the parents who book holidays in the middle of the school term - schools have to treat everyone the same. And those parents who complain that they are entitled to take the children out of school for a holiday - how would you react if your DC's teacher went on holiday in the middle of the term?

Lots of schools have changed their absence policy from 48 hours to 24 hours even though NHS guidance is 48 hours.

I particularly enjoyed bumping into his LSA on the way into school. She bent down to DS and said "How are you X? I hear you've been ill."

Or maybe it was a test. Did you read this?

"I deal with attendance. Today I had lunch next to a child he was absent on the first three days of term. His “aunt” had called to say he had a bad cough and Mum couldn’t call as her phone was getting fixed. I wasn’t sure whether or not to believe. “Dave” looked utterly exhausted at lunch and I commented on it “you look tired has your cough kept you awake”. “No Mrs BuggerOff I’m tired because we only got home from (long haul destination) at midnight”. "

Glad to hear that the register had been amended purple. I hope DS is feeling better.

Slight derailing, but many people here mentioned that GPs should be happy to counter sign passport forms without charge/complaint.

Doctors are actually no longer on the recognised list of professionals who can do this, unless they know you personally as a friend. HTH

This burden of proof thing is very thorny : the ONLY person who can 'prove' a child is ill really is a medical professional. It's a tough one.
What utter nonsense, I know when my child is ill - my DD has recurrent UTIs, I know the signs she’s unwell and can make that assessment myself. If I contact the school and say she is unwell I expect them to accept that, if they are unhappy with that I’ll send her in and they can deal with the urinary incontinence, high temperature, shakes and shivers. I’m sure they’ll quickly decide she’s too ill to be at school with no doctor involvement.

What you mean is the school want a doctors note to prove the parent isn’t lying - which is an entirely different thing and speaks to the relationship between parent and school.

My doctor charges for a note.

The funny part of all of this is that I am the education gestapo. I settle for nothing less than the absolute best I can get my hands on. I would NEVER take my kids out of school on a jolly. And I certainly can't afford a holiday. AND... if I did decide to go on holiday I'd be honest, tell them why I thought it was a good idea, and I'd go and accept it would be unexcused.

Fortunately, I have evidence for the upcoming eye doctor appointment. Although I'd rather go to the eye doctor after school. But, of course, there is no such option in the NHS.

I expect that the reason for this notice, is that other parents from your school have received similar emails and they've been inundated with requests for GP letters! Just take a photo of the GP notice and send it to school and remind them he's I'll.

Schools really annoy me sometimes (though I know they largely do a Fab job)

To be fair - not even a medical professional can 'prove' a child is ill! I remember taking it as a kid, and the GP believing me!!! If the kid has a temperature, surely it's enough for the parent to tell school that. Fair enough, if the kid is off for months or has attendance below 90, school might want additional proof. But for kids who otherwise attend well, it seems a bit bonkers!

Hence the prove in speechmarks jelly.

But, in court, the only testimony that is taken on -let's say mental health- in court case (not talking school attendance here) would be a medical professional, not someone's mum...

I do agree that parents' words is nearly always enough. Nearly. Not always. People on here may be lucky enough not to have dealt with Munchausens by Proxy (as it was called). I have dealt with that and it was extremely extremely tricky, partly because the mum knew she didn't 'need' medical evidence.