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?

[Healthyandhappy]

Tbh prob wont as on parents evening when they are made aware their child is severely behind because of covid they will want child in school. Of my child was in comp of be hiring a maths tutor

[Fancify]

I think they might and I kind of hope it’s the case. I agree with PPs that 100% attendance is not the be all and end all. Parents should be allowed to use our common sense a bit more, they are our children after all and we do know them best.

I was taken out of school for family holidays as we couldn’t afford to go anywhere at peak times and it didn’t affect my education at all. I’m grateful now I was able to have those experiences. I also missed a lot of school because of debilitating period pains which I know a lot of mnetters don’t approve of at all but I am so grateful my mum understood and let me stay off as she suffered badly with them as a teenager as well. She knew me and knew I would catch up, it was never made into an issue.

[TeacupDrama]

YANBU certainly it should be the end of such draconian things as send your child in anyway and we'll send home if we think they are sick enough, children going to school with bugs whether cold, normal flu covid norovirus or jut any old D&V chickenpox etc shouldn't really be happening it happens for two reasons a) the child is not that sick so parent things it will be Ok, b) parent can't get childcare as no one will take a sick child and they can't take the day off as they risk losing their job and then it will be worse for child as they might lose roof over head ( not everyone works for public sector legally you might be entitled to emergency leave in practise you may be seen as trouble)
People also go into work sick when they should not for the same reasons if off sick it can trigger displinary you can't afford that for Freddy having sniffles you would take the risk for freddy having pneumonia
the holiday thing is a bit different but lots of key workers will have had leave cancelled and might have been working since March without a break and may need a family holiday come September
honestly it won't wash telling parents of 5-10 year olds that two days off before whit week or summer holidays will affect their education permanently obviously missing weeks of school matters but the odd day really doesn't
I also hope it is the end of giving prizes for no sick days , as it is not going to help with getting people to self isolate if that means losing a bonus at work or a end of term disco /day trip at school

[megladon2020]

I think there will be a lot of absences next year, mostly precautionary due to COVID. So track and trace will still be going on and if a child develops a cough etc they will probably have to isolate until tested. Maybe there will be less onus put on attendance rates next year and schools won't be judged against it.

[earthyfire]

My kids have always had 100% attendance or near, thankfully my children are well kids (touch wood). I think the fines, awards and pressure on parents to send children into school when they are unwell needs to stop.

[Tulipstulips]

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.

[strugglingwithdeciding]

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

[Noodledoodledoo]

[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.

[EmmelineGreen]

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

[Placesrobe7099292]

• he was just 5 at the beginning of lockdown

[Placesrobe7099292]

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!

[Downton57]

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?

[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.

[Useruseruserusee]

@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.

[lucyintheskywithcz]

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?

[formerbabe]

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.

[Noodledoodledoo]

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.

[cyclingmad]

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

[Bollss]

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.

[BiBabbles]

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.

[zoemum2006]

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).

[runrabbitrunrunrun]

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

[CarrieBlue]

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.

[BlessYourCottonSocks]

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.

[sunrainwind]

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.