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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To keep her off again? Will something happen?

81 replies

tabbysarerude · 12/12/2022 07:31

My child has had 4 absences, the AM and PM count as one each. I kept her off when she was coughing in the night. And last night she's been sick and said her tummy felt bad.

Do I force her in or keep her off? The head mentioned something about if they don't get 98% attendance it triggers the law? Not sure what she meant but I'd rather force her into school feeling unwell than have some type of fine.

OP posts:
Star81 · 12/12/2022 07:32

Schools generally have a 48hr exclusion period from last bout of sickness so you should not send her to school.

Hopemax · 12/12/2022 07:33

If my child is too unwell to go to school, they stay home regardless of attendance %.

hopskijump · 12/12/2022 07:34

She's been sick of course you keep her off!! What do you want to do, make all the other kids sick for Christmas? Well aren't you lovely!

There's no fines for being off sick. It's a safeguarding thing. So they'll check why she's off, are there any health issues or problems at home to make sure kids are safe.

Don't be an idiot you know what you need to do.

Mumdiva99 · 12/12/2022 07:34

4 absences over the whole term will not impact her attendance that much. The 98% will be looked at over year to date. 2 sessions a day.

Please don't force her in if unwell. Also 48 hour rule.

thelobsterquadrille · 12/12/2022 07:35

She needs to be off for 48 hours if she's been sick.

IhearyouClemFandango · 12/12/2022 07:35

98 doesn't trigger anything statutory. If she is ill she's ill, it won't be being marked down as unauthorised.

Original poster
tabbysarerude · 12/12/2022 07:36

Star81 · 12/12/2022 07:32

Schools generally have a 48hr exclusion period from last bout of sickness so you should not send her to school.

Mine musn't as I sent her the Tuesday after the Monday when she had the cough on the Sunday night. That was caution on my part thinking well why chance her spreading or getting the strep?

Today it's a tummy thing but again why risk it, but the school seem to be very hot on triggering whatever legal action there is. I'm wondering what this legal action is?

OP posts:
CloseYourEyesAndSee · 12/12/2022 07:37

Attendance under 98% is totally normal and does not trigger the law. If she's sick keep her off.

Original poster
tabbysarerude · 12/12/2022 07:37

hopskijump · 12/12/2022 07:34

She's been sick of course you keep her off!! What do you want to do, make all the other kids sick for Christmas? Well aren't you lovely!

There's no fines for being off sick. It's a safeguarding thing. So they'll check why she's off, are there any health issues or problems at home to make sure kids are safe.

Don't be an idiot you know what you need to do.

A safeguarding check? What does that entail? How can they check why she's off when she's not off and it's after the fact? I say why she's off when I call so what does the check entail?

OP posts:
Original poster
tabbysarerude · 12/12/2022 07:37

IhearyouClemFandango · 12/12/2022 07:35

98 doesn't trigger anything statutory. If she is ill she's ill, it won't be being marked down as unauthorised.

I know, I'm saying if you go under 98%

OP posts:
Original poster
tabbysarerude · 12/12/2022 07:38

IhearyouClemFandango · 12/12/2022 07:35

98 doesn't trigger anything statutory. If she is ill she's ill, it won't be being marked down as unauthorised.

The two previous ones were marked as unauthorised because I called on the day. The other two were for a family funeral.

OP posts:
HeyBuggy · 12/12/2022 07:38

48 hours is vomitting or diarrhea not any general sickness.

Please don't spread a vomiting bug around a school because you're worried about a fine.

ChickpeaPie · 12/12/2022 07:38

48 hours off for sickness means vomitting not coughing

Killingmytime · 12/12/2022 07:40

tabbysarerude · 12/12/2022 07:36

Mine musn't as I sent her the Tuesday after the Monday when she had the cough on the Sunday night. That was caution on my part thinking well why chance her spreading or getting the strep?

Today it's a tummy thing but again why risk it, but the school seem to be very hot on triggering whatever legal action there is. I'm wondering what this legal action is?

Show quote history

Schools have 48hr rule after sickness/diarrhea

Talipesmum · 12/12/2022 07:40

Let them know before the school day starts that she is ill. Then it should go down as sickness not unauthorised.

Notbeinfunnehbut · 12/12/2022 07:41

Some schools can be really funny about attendance , and threaten the welfare officer etc as a way of keeping parents compliant rather than genuine concern not every school is like this but some are

it Can make some parents very scared of keeping their children off which is wrong , definitely keep her off op.

Findyourneutralspace · 12/12/2022 07:41

You’re definitely over thinking this. Nothing will happen.
The very worst that might happen is school send you a letter explaining the need for good attendance - but I’d be very surprised if keeping her off today and tomorrow triggers this..
She’s off for genuine illness so it’s nothing to worry about.

rubyslippers · 12/12/2022 07:42

Don’t panic
absence caused by illness is usual
if your daughter was off, late etc every week you may get a call from your schools attendance officer to check in
what you’re describing in a term is usual - there is no fine for the absences you’re talking about
you sound very agitated and worried and I think you need to speak to the school to clarify their policies - not sure why an absence reported on the day is unauthorised - that’s usual isn’t it?

ThaiDye · 12/12/2022 07:42

Please keep her off if she's not well, for her sake as well as to avoid spreading illness to others. She'll recover much faster if she's allowed to properly rest.

Am seeing so many crazy threads on twitter of parents having to take their sick kids to school for 'inspection' by the school to get their absence approved, or a school newsletter saying 'bring the calpol your child needs and leave it in the office and we'll administer it'. It's like schools have become so obsessed with attendance that they'd rather have a bunch of sick kids in infecting everyone else (including the teachers) than accept that they need time to recover. The priorities are completely messed up.

Original poster
tabbysarerude · 12/12/2022 07:42

Notbeinfunnehbut · 12/12/2022 07:41

Some schools can be really funny about attendance , and threaten the welfare officer etc as a way of keeping parents compliant rather than genuine concern not every school is like this but some are

it Can make some parents very scared of keeping their children off which is wrong , definitely keep her off op.

Yes that's it, the head made a big deal of it and I feel worried to keep her off in case someone knocks on my door, I could be working and I work live so can't answer, then what? Social Services? It actually scares me to be honest and yes I am afraid to keep her off for this reason.

OP posts:
LargeglassofRosePlease · 12/12/2022 07:43

Hopemax · 12/12/2022 07:33

If my child is too unwell to go to school, they stay home regardless of attendance %.

This. Fuck their stats .
Its all for Ofsted purposes anyway.

Of course you need to keep her off. 48 hours is the minimum length of time.

Not fair on her, other children and teachers, not to mention the immune compromised people.

You’re going to get people on here telling you to send her in as that’s what they do, but please don’t be selfish about it and follow their advice.

Call the school office . Explain. Call the GP if you have to- it’ll be documented at least. Not suggesting an appointment at all as she’s contagious but you can tell them about it/ ask for advice.

Luzina · 12/12/2022 07:45

If you phone school and say she’s ill it’s unlikely any safeguarding check will be completed (eg someone from school coming over to check in).

Legal action for low attendance - if you search on google there is good information on gov.uk (I can’t copy and paste the link for some reason). It will vary depending on your school/local authority but usually attendance would need to be loads lower than 98% for anything to happen

DeathMetalMum · 12/12/2022 07:46

Sickness is classed as unauthorised. Unless it's pre-planned with doctors letters etc.

I wouldn't worry we had letters from school when dc were in infants and seemed to go through phases of catching everything as attendance dipped below a certain %. The school have to send the letters out, it's protocol in our local authority. It's really only looked at if it becomes consistent or a pattern, or extremely low.

Keep them off if they've been sick as pp's said 48 hour rule.

Luzina · 12/12/2022 07:46

Also social services would absolutely NOT get involved unless there were safeguarding concerns. Having a few days off sick is not a safeguarding concern

Original poster
tabbysarerude · 12/12/2022 07:47

Okay thank you. I got paranoid after the head went on about it.

OP posts: