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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Being marked absent if not on zoom.

187 replies

Whattheactual20201 · 04/01/2021 14:50

I am for school closures and we are in London so school is closed we just got an email to say DC2 school are having a zoom registration every morning at 10 am where all children must attend for a morning debris tray in and half an hour lesson dressed etc.
Rules are
Quiet room, adult present, but no one else.
You must make sure your child is attendance otherwise they will be marked as absent.
Would be impossible for us to do
So will have to accept her being marked as absent on the days we can’t do it. Can this go down as official absence like a usual one would ?

OP posts:
greenunicornhorn · 04/01/2021 16:55

Our school do this except they're pretty casual about a quick wave and then we log off. Perhaps you're allowed to do this? Our school knows I work so was ok with that as a good enough reason to get off ASAP.
It's good for the dc to at least briefly see their friends faces imo.

Our school also did it in the afternoon as well. That one was really annoying so I emailed the teacher and got out of it but have to email to say everything ok. I think for our school it's safeguarding to check the dc are ok while they're away from school.

Uhhuhoyaye · 04/01/2021 16:56

@Cocomarine

Plenty of people will have a reason why can’t do this. Plenty of those will actually be good reasons. Not all.

Your daughter’s autism: good reason.
Oh and I have a dog: ridiculous reason.

Stop blaming schools for doing SOMETHING. They are trying to set an expectation that children attend something, every day.

I don’t know the extent of her additional needs, but if she will get NOTHING from zoom, I’m sure that contacting the school and explaining that will help. What they’re trying to do is set the expectation for those who can’t be arsed (parents, not kids) Thad actually - school have a requirement.

Again, I don’t know her particular needs, or if her 13yo brother has to be present for an online class at the same time - but if not, can he supervise her?

Just because some families can’t manage this, doesn’t mean that it isn’t a fair process - as long as the school listens to the parents who genuinely can’t. You did lose me rather at using the dog as one of your excuses.

Schools should be blamed if they do something ridiculous ot impracticable for many parents.
greenunicornhorn · 04/01/2021 16:56

Fwiw I do think it's a positive thing.

ruabon12 · 04/01/2021 16:58

I am not sure why adults need to be there. In any case, why not 9am if all schools are shut?

LST · 04/01/2021 16:58

Well mine won't be logging on. Both me and dp work full time.

IntermittentParps · 04/01/2021 17:00

They're expected to have a device per child (phones not allowed, only tablets/PCs) and a room per child.
That's extremely out of touch. And pretty offensive.

TableFlowerss · 04/01/2021 17:00

Who cares it’s all fucked up now anyway. What they going to do? Report you?.....

jessstan1 · 04/01/2021 17:01

[quote Whattheactual20201]@AldiAisleofCrap there’s no way she would sit there or talk 🤣

She has a autism, speech delay, attached to feeding tube I would have to bring newborn with me and be dealing with both whilst also doing a work meeting. Elder DC is fine he will be on laptop in his bedroom ( 13 )[/quote]
Perhap your thirteen year old could be with your daughter while she registers on zoom.

It does seem ridiculous though, I bet half the kids don't do it.

Strawberrylaceaddict · 04/01/2021 17:04

We’re in the same boat, both kids required to do this, one all day apparently, we both work full time and we don’t have enough laptops/devices at home that have cameras to do this. I can’t get hold of the school so tomorrow will be interesting..

knitknack · 04/01/2021 17:05

Is this a state school? I’m an AH with responsibility for attendance and I can tell you there is no legal basis for this UNLESS the school is open and you’ve chosen to keep him home?

toocold54 · 04/01/2021 17:05

I get your frustration op but it’s just a way to check on her ‘face to face’ and let her have some ‘normality’. If you contact the school they will either try and help you eg borrow a laptop or mark it down as there’s a reason for absence.

I am a teacher and single parent so there are certain times my DC can’t do zoom calls either. But many prefer them as it is a way to keep them entertained whilst you are doing other things so there’s less juggling home schooling and wfh.

bendmeoverbackwards · 04/01/2021 17:06

Great post @Cocomarine I completely agree. Some people seem so down on schools, they can’t do anything right.

It’s a bloody nightmare for schools and teachers, many of whom are parents themselves. They’re doing their best.

Ihatemyseleffordoingthis · 04/01/2021 17:08

It's the assumption of privilege (no-one else in the room, one to one parental support, not on a phone - would be cuckoo-land round here tbh) and the tone of - you must comply or face absence protocols that would piss me right off.

I could and would facilitate this for Y6 DS, and be grateful for it. But it doesn't make adjustment for the many children and families that can't.

B33Fr33 · 04/01/2021 17:08

Every child on teams during last term had an adult available as far as I could tell. But the class had about 1/3 logging on. I'm not sure about absence recording etc. But we also had work timetables, work to do and submit so you didn't completely miss out if you couldn't log in to each lesson.

Misssugarplum12764 · 04/01/2021 17:09

The most recent guidance from the DFE about remote education says that schools have to monitor engagement in it. So if lessons are live, this means monitoring attendance. At the moment, schools don’t need to report this, but it wouldn’t surprise me if they soon had to!

As for the bit with a parent needing to be present, that must be something the school has chosen to do, and that’s not in the official guidance.

toocold54 · 04/01/2021 17:09

In any case, why not 9am if all schools are shut?

My school sent a survey home to parents that said the hardest times for them to do zoom calls are between 8:30-9:30 as this is when they’re dropping the DCs off to the childminder, grandparents or younger ones to nursery etc so this might be the reason that this school are doing it at 10am too.

Ihatemyseleffordoingthis · 04/01/2021 17:09

Perhap your thirteen year old could be with your daughter while she registers on zoom.

  • perhaps they will be attempting to do their own school work? but in any case they wouldn't be appropriate for the safeguarding requirements
Cocomarine · 04/01/2021 17:10

@Uhhuhoyaye only if it’s impractical for some and school don’t make allowances.

Of course there are exceptions.

But there are a hell of a lot of kids who can be given a smartphone (or tablet, or laptop) for 45 mins at 10:00 (helpfully not even first thing) to join a call.

I know how many of my Y7’s year are perfectly able to contribute utter shit to the Y7 WhatsApp group chat - yet somehow can’t join a Team call. 🧐

Of course there are people who don’t have the devices, or need more support than average and the parent is too busy with work / other children etc. (though not the dog: that is not a valid excuse to neglect your child’s education).

But that is FAR from all the children.

  • get the ones who can do the lesson, on the lesson
  • listen and be sensitive to those who just can’t (additional needs child, perhaps)
  • identify the ones who don’t fall into the above category but are just AWOL, then work with the families as far as possible to get them on
  • formulate a strategy to help those that you can’t help, even if that is simply knowing how many children will need to have in person intervention classes on return

Just because some parents can’t make this happen, doesn’t mean you don’t bother at all.

Rhayader · 04/01/2021 17:11

I have 3 kids including a needy teething 7 month old. That just wouldn’t be happening. I am happy to sort out attendance but I can’t leave the other two alone elsewhere in the house

fassbendersmistress · 04/01/2021 17:11

I think you are taking them too literally. Approach it as guidance and proceed with what fits your family and their needs best. Maybe drop a short note to the teacher to advise (altho this would not be a priority for me if I had a newborn!).

Original poster
Whattheactual20201 · 04/01/2021 17:12

I don’t think I said anywhere that the zoom sessions shouldn’t happen ! I am saying that it shouldn’t go against attendance.

OP posts:
toocold54 · 04/01/2021 17:13

It's the assumption of privilege (no-one else in the room, one to one parental support, not on a phone - would be cuckoo-land round here tbh) and the tone of - you must comply or face absence protocols that would piss me right off.

I’m a teacher and completely agree - it wouldn’t be possible in my home.

But we have been told that this lockdown needs to be stricter as too many students (and parents) just saw it as an extended holiday and then ended up getting behind and so it’s just making sure no one gets any further behind academically as possible.

jessstan1 · 04/01/2021 17:18

@Whattheactual20201

I don’t think I said anywhere that the zoom sessions shouldn’t happen ! I am saying that it shouldn’t go against attendance.
I quite agree but don't worry about it. What are the school going to do if your daughter doesn't zoom at that time? I doubt it will make much difference in the long run and is not worth stressing about.
Cocomarine · 04/01/2021 17:20

@Whattheactual20201

I don’t think I said anywhere that the zoom sessions shouldn’t happen ! I am saying that it shouldn’t go against attendance.
Genuinely, why do you care? Do you actually think you’re going to fined over this? Or lose an attendance certificate?
doctorboo · 04/01/2021 17:20

I’ve got three home from tomorrow (unless they’re allowed into school because I’m a TA, although because I’m not in 5 x a week they’re still deciding).

They have to complete and publish their work online (screen shots or pics of paper print outs) and talk to their teachers 3 x per day. It’s going to be tough for staff juggling in-class learning plus making sure they talk to children via zoom or phone call but I’m also dreading wrangling my lot!!