To be furious with school

[Margot78]

My child was very poorly this morning- sore throat, temperature and had been up most of last night. She had her SATs test due this morning but was zonked out so I explained to school that she was just too poorly to sit a test today. I was then bombarded with unpleasant calls from both her teacher and the headteacher demanding that I force her to come in. They implied that I didn’t care about her education and they said she would not be able to resit it and would get a zero. They just wouldn’t leave me alone. So I ended up dragging a sobbing child out of bed, forcing her to get dressed and get in the car. She took the test and then I picked her up. I know schools are under a lot of pressure but does that really excuse this kind of behaviour? Surely something is wrong with the system if this is acceptable, putting this amount of pressure on parents and children?

You need to start a career in stand up! I almost spat out my coffee reading this

Why on earth did you give in to them and take her in?! SATS are purely for schools, not for the good of the children whatsoever. I certainly wouldn't have got my ill child out of bed for it.

That's so out of order. Schools are under pressure, but this highlights that wellbeing of kids is at the bottom of pecking order. Firstly for bullying an unwell child in to school and secondly no concern for other kids who can now get ill as a result.

Even with the breathtakingly incompetent and awful education secretaries of recent years, I am sure there is a process for a child who cannot sit SATS tests. Even before the pandemic, there was the ash cloud which stranded people abroad, for example.

I wonder if the teacher and head teacher concerned would have phoned a dad and said the same?

Well presumably they didn't know who was going to answer the phone, so I'll take a guess at yes.

I was thinking the same. Very strange.

Probably one of “those teachers”

Secondary school teacher for 20 years - this is a really grim way for the teacher and head to behave. Kids get ill, even on test days, and if they don't have contingency plans that reflects on the school's poor planning. If a child has to sit a paper first thing when they get back, so be it.

I would absolutely make a formal complaint. I believe you would go to the Board of Governors first, as your problem is with a head teacher.

I am really sorry that you and your daughter had to contend with this.