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?

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.

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.

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

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.

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