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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think the schools covid absence penalising is bloody ridiculous

48 replies

Laughingstock91 · 13/01/2022 20:20

My DS is 15 and got covid last year and had 2 weeks off school. He was only a bit ill but most of it was isolating & waiting for test results etc.

The school have put a massive red flag on his school report saying his attendance is a cause for concern.

Aibu to be raging about it. It’s not his fault that he got covid and had to isolate. If you were lucky enough not to get covid then obviously you won’t have a big red mark on your file. But in a pandemic surely this system of absence reported should be suspended as otherwise you have kids with poor attendance on their file when they leave school through no fault of their own but because it’s public health policy that you have to stay home.

It’s absolutely ridiculous!

OP posts:

Pieceofpurplesky · 13/01/2022 21:00

Has he had time off other than covid related? Did he complete all
Work when he was off (if provided)

Bessica1970 · 13/01/2022 21:00

As PP have said there is a code for covid absences (both having it and needing to isolate as a contact) that doesn’t count towards attendance figures.
Either school have not recorded it correctly or you have misremembered some additional absences.

Original poster

Laughingstock91 · 13/01/2022 21:00

@ElBandito he actually had got a long term health condition too which means he does have more time off than most due to hospital stays etc. I think the whole system is ridiculous but more so during covid

OP posts:

PinkWaferBiscuit · 13/01/2022 21:01

@ElBandito

It wouldn't be 'his fault' if he needed surgery and was off school. It wouldn't be 'his fault' if he had a life limiting illness and was off school frequently. No one really gave much of a toss about those children though.

But now that the whole attendance thing is hitting everyone else, suddenly it should be suspended.

Exactly what I was going to say. It's not his fault but it is an accurate statement of his attendance as it would also be if he was off for any other reason that wasn't his fault.

Additionally I don't know what you think the school record is but the record does not go anywhere, why are you giving this head space?

Tealightsandd · 13/01/2022 21:02

@Bessica1970

As PP have said there is a code for covid absences (both having it and needing to isolate as a contact) that doesn’t count towards attendance figures. Either school have not recorded it correctly or you have misremembered some additional absences.

What about Long Covid?

PinkWaferBiscuit · 13/01/2022 21:03

[quote Laughingstock91]@ElBandito he actually had got a long term health condition too which means he does have more time off than most due to hospital stays etc. I think the whole system is ridiculous but more so during covid[/quote]
I cross posted with this update. Why are you cross at the covid absence being recorded and not the other a senses. Neither are his fault and it sounds like he would have had his attendance flagged regardless of the covid isolation.

Original poster

Laughingstock91 · 13/01/2022 21:04

@PinkWaferBiscuit I am giving it headspace because you get a formal letter from the attendance officer once it’s over a certain percentage

OP posts:

PinkWaferBiscuit · 13/01/2022 21:06

[quote Laughingstock91]@PinkWaferBiscuit I am giving it headspace because you get a formal letter from the attendance officer once it’s over a certain percentage[/quote]
It's just a letter though, it doesn't mean anything and it won't be seen by anyone else. They have to send them regardless of the reasons for the absence.

twominutesmore · 13/01/2022 21:08

[quote Laughingstock91]@Stevenage689 but it’s not his fault. It’s luck of the draw and he had no choice but to stay home. The whole system should be suspended during covid[/quote]
But nobody is ever going to see, hear or know about this record so who cares. It's just an automated system that nobody cba to change.

twominutesmore · 13/01/2022 21:11

@Tealightsandd

YANBU

These attendance records should never have been allowed to become a thing and should be scrapped.

They've always been an appalling form of disability discrimination.

Of course we have to keep attendance records. Low attendance is a red flag for good reasons. Usually a standard letter is generated but further action can be taken if staff have reason to be concerned.

Original poster

Laughingstock91 · 13/01/2022 21:14

@twominutesmore but this is what I am saying. How is that a feasible policy in a global pandemic? DS had to stay home as it’s government policy and action could be taken against us because of it. It’s so stupid!

OP posts:

twominutesmore · 13/01/2022 21:15

[quote Laughingstock91]@twominutesmore but this is what I am saying. How is that a feasible policy in a global pandemic? DS had to stay home as it’s government policy and action could be taken against us because of it. It’s so stupid![/quote]
No action will be taken against you. It's a standard letter.

Sowhatifiam · 13/01/2022 21:16

Schools have an obligation to follow up on poor attendance - it is a massive safeguarding issue. There have been screams of ‘what about the vulnerable children’, all through the pandemic and now you want attendance monitoring suspended? Couldn’t make this shit up, could you?!

UncomfortableSilence · 13/01/2022 21:16

@spanieleyes

Schools used to be able to code absences from COVID differently and they didn't count in absence figures. The government stopped that and absences due to covid ( apart from when waiting for a PCR result) are now simply recorded as absences

Posters stating the school are coding it wrong as it's Covid are not correct unfortunately this is what we now do so it does count as absence. And I'll be that poster that says these letters do go out automatically when attendance reaches a certain percentage and other posters are also correct in saying your school attendance records will never be looked at again once you've left.

But YANBU it does grate slightly DD1 is in a similar position but I'm not giving it a second thought like any other illness it's just bad luck they got unwell.

Tealightsandd · 13/01/2022 21:17

two minutes I was thinking more of those 100% attendance rewards (but also a letter like the one OP's received when the absence was already known by the school to be related to Covid).

Children with disabilities and long-term illnesses (or off because of Covid isolatin) shouldn't be discriminated against).

Original poster

Laughingstock91 · 13/01/2022 21:18

@Sowhatifiam no, I think that covid should be treated differently. It’s not been coded seperately in this school despite the fact that we had an email from test and trace saying stay home.

OP posts:

twominutesmore · 13/01/2022 21:19

@Tealightsandd

two minutes I was thinking more of those 100% attendance rewards (but also a letter like the one OP's received when the absence was already known by the school to be related to Covid).

Children with disabilities and long-term illnesses (or off because of Covid isolatin) shouldn't be discriminated against).

Oh I see. I don't think op is talking about the attendance awards. I disagree with those too. But a record needs to be maintained for obvious safeguarding reasons.

Darbs76 · 13/01/2022 21:20

In our school they are sent out automatically when attendance hits a certain level. My DD has had a lot of health issues in the last 18 months since her first period caused her to need 2 pints of blood (bleeding wouldn’t stop) and we have been waiting 7 months to see a peadiatrician, yet we got a letter saying we needed to provide evidence or further action will be taken . When I complained to the tutor (who knows all about it) they said to ignore it as it’s automatic. I’d be annoyed about a covid one too

Tealightsandd · 13/01/2022 21:20

Yes sorry I got confused. My fault for skim reading.

twominutesmore · 13/01/2022 21:22

[quote Laughingstock91]@Sowhatifiam no, I think that covid should be treated differently. It’s not been coded seperately in this school despite the fact that we had an email from test and trace saying stay home.[/quote]
OP, just forget about it. Somebody in the office has printed a standard letter for everyone with attendance below a certain amount. Schools have to do this. If there were other reasons to be concerned about your son, it would all form part of the bigger picture, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

liveforsummer · 13/01/2022 21:38

Where do you think that record goes? It literally ends when he leaves school and affects nothing going forward. Don't worry about it

DolphinFC · 13/01/2022 21:49

Please remember that in the eyes of Ofsted Covid never existed so how can a Covid related absence exist?

Aria999 · 13/01/2022 22:32

They could just change the wording of the letter slightly to acknowledge that mandatory covid absence is in the figures and it isn't anyone's fault?

It's the accusatory tone that would mist annoy me. It's not like you have any desire to keep them off school for quarantine!

Also if it's being mixed up indiscriminately with genuine attendance issues then that is cause for concern as the latter would need action taken.

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