To think schools will struggle to enforce attendance after this...

[formerbabe]

Genuinely not a teacher/school bashing thread.

I understand and always did that they were under pressure to keep attendance figures up.

However, I think when all this is over, they're going to really struggle to convince parents of the importance of attendance bearing in mind that the government has kept our children out of school for over a term...(yes I know they've still been open for some kids and many teachers are still setting work before anyone says).

I've always taken my dcs school attendance seriously and will continue to...but I think a lot of parents will be pretty sceptical after this.

Aibu?

I think most parents will understand the difference between most children being kept out of school during a pandemic, and letting their child skive.

They've not done it on a whim though have they? It's a public health crisis.

I'm not a fan of fining and banning term time holidays, but I don't think the school closures should be used as an excuse to ignore the importance of school attendance when things are back to normal.

I can just imagine certain parents shrugging their shoulders and taking their kids out of school to go to a theme park because what's one day when they missed a whole term previously

I dunno. I think you’re right that some parents might take advantage. However I take attendance seriously because I think it’s important, not because someone else tells me it’s important.

You’re probably right, but then that’s because too many parents are too stupid/selfish/stubborn to realise the huge difference between schools closing so that all children are receiving the same provision, whatever that may be, and one child out of a class missing out on something that the rest are doing.

I'm of that opinion. My children are thankfully healthy, younger end of primary, achieving well, barely miss a day for illness - but I take them out for 6 days a year (5 for a holiday and 1 for a weekend away) and I have always written groveling letters on the forms before. I won't now. They'll be fine.

Schools have always struggled with enforcing attendance. There are plenty of parents who take kids out of school or let them skip it. Most parents think that their case is different and they know best as to whether DDs 'period pains' are so bad she needs a duvet day or DS 'had a bad night'. And plenty of them decide a day out at a theme park is important because 'DH has to take annual leave when he can and it doesn't always fit into school holidays'.

There will be no real change.

There’ll still be fines and attendance will still be an Ofsted stick to beat schools with. If absence is markedly worse across the country then fines will be increased I’d have thought. But since there’s been so much angst about schools opening more widely and how the children’s mental health needs schools to be open and how much catching up needs to be done, I would have thought parents wouldn’t want their children to miss school at all.

Hopefully an end to the attendance parties and treats!
It is ridiculous that not being sick is rewarded!

I was literally laughing about this today:

Before: you can't have one day off for a holiday

Now: kids can be out of school for six months and it doesn't really matter.

(My youngest daughter has had 100% attendance every year for 7 years so far and we are homeschooling religiously.... I'm just amused at the inconsistency).

Yeah, my DDs' school has put out transition videos for Y6 which were great - except the headteacher did this bit about how important it was to come to school "even if you're a bit unwell". My spouse and I looked at each other.

We get it's the typical thing about the importance of attendance, it was the same thing as in the school planner, and I know other local schools that previous put out point by point things like 'caring for younger siblings or waiting in for someone is not a reason for an authorized absence' so it's obvious a bit of an issue that as previously mentioned, plenty of schools have struggled to enforce, but it felt funny and weird to say during this time.

I hope it means you won't be expected to send your kids to school when they're Ill.

100% attendance means nothing but that you're lucky to have not been poorly. I would never take the piss personally but I've equally never liked the pressure for 100% attendance.

That's why stuff spreads like wildfire because they're actively encouraged to attend unless they're actually hospitalised.

If they're actually encouraged not to attend I imagine there will be less bugs etc circulating.

It's a parent job to make sure they go to school if they can or take that seriously why the hell have kids

Main difference is at the moment - all children are out/doing the same work/those in school are not being taught

One child missing 2 weeks for a holiday means an individual needs catching up.

When normality returns I am sure all teachers will know they will have to catch students up on their return.

It's a parent job to make sure they go to school if they can or take that seriously why the hell have kids

Of course it is and yet here am I, as a parent, desperate for my dc to go to school and the government say they can't...lots of parents are pretty pissed off and will consider it double standards to have attendance closely monitored in the future. Not saying its right, it's just what I predict will happen.

Yes you are being ridiculous. There is a massive difference with the whole class being off and doing a catch up on the work together and just one pupil missing 2 weeks of school that they won't get to go over again. I can't understand why people don't get this?

@runrabbitrunrunrun

Hopefully an end to the attendance parties and treats! It is ridiculous that not being sick is rewarded!

I hope so. I am a teacher and I really value education. However I also have a child with a health condition that requires regular surgical review and sometimes he needs an emergency procedure. He will never be able to achieve 100% attendance and it makes me angry because he isn’t starting on the same playing field as healthy children.

@Noodledoodledoo. But right now, children aren't all in the same situation. Some will have very involved parents helping them and plenty of resources, a laptop, books etc. Others will be doing nothing. Some will be doing some tasks and not others.

The impression I am getting from reading all the other threads is that parents are desperate to get their kids back to school because they're 'missing their education'. So when this crisis is over, why on earth would they choose to take their kids out of school without excellent reason?

We’ve booked two holidays next year, they fall in term time, part of for both.

We are both emergency services, the past few months have been tough. He’s been at school thoroughout lockdown and has been tremendous with all the changes, he was just 5.

I would have thought twice before about term time holidays, now I just don’t care to be honest. He’s done so well and copied so well, we need welcome breaks next year!

• he was just 5 at the beginning of lockdown

Children are going to miss lots of school for various reasons. Isolating because of symptoms or because a family member has symptoms, teachers having to do likewise. Attendance is going to be poor for a long time

[quote formerbabe]@Noodledoodledoo. But right now, children aren't all in the same situation. Some will have very involved parents helping them and plenty of resources, a laptop, books etc. Others will be doing nothing. Some will be doing some tasks and not others.[/quote]
Which will also be taking into account for. For most schools, I am aware others are not so good, teachers are keeping records of work completed, checking level of engagement, even if not giving full marking feedback,

I am fully expecting students not to slot back into the next year scheme of learning without some catch up time for all, its going to make it tough for teachers but its all part of the workload currently.

Always taken mine out for odd day anyway and keep them off when sick , still always have good attendance and do well and I think like most I know my kids better and know if one day will affect them hugely or not
Can't see there being attendance targets for a while and maybe after all this we may be encouraged to keep ill children home with bad colds or D & V as we will realise it's responsible to not send a contagious child in
I had crappy letter because I kept mine off for 48 hrs after a 3 day sickness bug they told me only needed to be 24 not what nhs told me

Nearly all the comments say YABU but 65% of voters say YANBU.

Personally I think a lot of parents will think that after 6 months off, a day here or there won’t make a blind bit of difference in the long run. Especially for the younger children.