School attendance

[butttonnmooon]

I just received a letter from school, quite patronisingly reminding me of the importance of attendance and that improvements need to be made.

My child had one period of absence in the whole school year, last September, when they had covid. This was was almost 2 weeks due to the legal isolation period at the time and also being quite unwell.

Since September they have not missed a single day of school

Wtf?

I mean I understand the repeat offenders, a day here a day there, long weekends etc, but come on surely they could at least check the child's history before piss arsing about sending letters.

It'll be automated for anyone who's under 'x' % of attendance for the year

I’m a school Secretary. Schools are obliged by Government to make attendance a high priority, hence the letter. I work in a very small school (100 kids) and still end up working at least an extra hour every day to get all my work done. I really don’t have the time to spend an hour or two checking every child’s attendance record and deciding which ones need a letter and which don’t when I can send out a mass mailing to everyone and those to whom it doesn’t apply can very sensibly ignore.

Also, it can be pre-emptive, who’s to know that just because your child has good attendance this year you won’t decide that a holiday during term time or a couple of long weekends at Centre Parks would be just what your family needs next year?

I work in a school and know that these things are sent automatically if you are under the attendance %. Do not take it personally, the relevant staff in school will be aware of why the attendance is low, its just the computer that isn't.

We all get these at our school. My child has had a week off with covid and then two days off in hospital; my other child had no time off. We got two letters. It's just standard.

It wouldn't bother me, its just something automatically generated. If your dc needs to be off, they need to be off.

It would piss me off too. I would write back and remind them that the reason they were off was due to a legal obligation to isolate.