To tell the school to get lost

[Maisemoo]

So had 4 missed calls from DS10 school today while I was in a meeting so I returned the call as soon as I saw this. Lady on reception told me I had to come in for a meeting regarding sons attendance as is 89.9% which is below the 90% threshold! I explained since Sept son had E. coli (for which hospital letter was shown), D&V and covid, he also finishes 20 mins early every 3rd Wednesday to attend CAHMs due to his ASD and anxiety- again school have the paperwork for this. Receptionist kept telling me I wasn’t in trouble and not going to be told off- to which I replied I am an adult so was not in fear of being ‘told off’. Receptionist said I had to attend Monday at 10.00- I start a new job Monday so told here I won’t be attending- all the absences were genuine and I had no interest in a pointless meeting. Receptionist rang 3 more times with different days and times before getting the hint I was not interested- AIBU to refuse this or should I just of sucked it up and gone

You work
People sometimes forget this.
Highways are doing roadworks outside our property and keep leaving cards asking us when we are going to be in during the day as they need access. I told them on Sunday. They were surprised we are not there every day waiting for someone them pop round. it really winds me up how we are supposed to drop everything.
Id agree to a telephone call at your convenience if they’re desperate.

Ask them specifically how this is impacting his attainment and what numeracy and literacy skills he needs to improve over the summer.

I got a phone call about attendance for my Y11 son who missed three days Sept 22 to Jun 23. He's never ever been late in his school career from nursery to leaving and no more than one or two appointments in any year previously. I was actually really offended by that call. Not least as with lockdown it was "attendance? Nah you're alright we are closing indefinitely, suit yourselves just teach them at home"

@pleasehelpwi3

Some schools are overzealous. Like as another poster mentioned, recording school trips as unauthorized absence.

Schools could use a bit more common sense. If they have all the doctors letters provided to them explaining every absence, then they don't need to go in all guns blazing the way some of them do.

89.9% would be 90% if the school rounded to whole numbers. As I said, pedantic. Thanks for correcting my grammar

That is like saying my £9.64 shopping would be £10 if the checkout rounded to whole numbers. Yes it is true but completely irrelevant.

Oh so you are not striking for another pay rise then?

I had so many of those letters I could have papered a room, ds was a persistent school refuser. I just used to turn up at the meetings, make the appropriate noises & forgot them. They were doing nothing to support him in school, weren't doing anything about the horrific bullying he was suffering despite me getting our MP involved. After I got a call to collect ds from school because he had been assaulted & suffered a head injury that needed stitches & I found out that the boy who had assaulted him had only been put in isolation for a day I stopped dancing to their tune. Ds came out with good GCSE results despite the school, not because of them.

My daughters teachers had 5 weeks off total for an illness which culminated in surgery. Don’t know what it was and it’s none of my business, point is people get poorly sometimes and can’t help their time off. It’s not like he got e-coli and covid on purpose!

Yanbu for being annoyed about this. My daughters school is constantly pestering us about her attendance, despite her having cerebral palsy and epilepsy. They somehow think that I should send her in when she’s paralysed from having a nocturnal grand mal seizure and can’t walk. Or when her ataxic tremor is more severe due to a virus and she can’t walk.
They even had the brass neck to fine us for taking her out of school for 5 days during covid lockdown so we could spend time as a family after a particularly tragic death in the family.

The school system is stupid. And the bs about gcse statistics and attendance is in my opinion all made up trollop. I know a ton of adults who barely went to school and are well excelling those who went to university. It’s all tick boxing designed to keep people in line so we’re miserable little tax payers.

Since when is it news that solicitors are among the highest earners and teachers aren't? My job requires a uni degree yet no one (not even in the city) will pay more than 35k for it, but I knew this when I chose my career.

As the school already has the medical evidence, there is no need for a meeting. It's not a good use of anyone's time. I would send an email to check the right people have all the relevant information that was supplied at the time of the absences which should be sufficient for what they need.

One of my children has 100% this year, another at 55%. The 55% is Yr11 as well. He just wasn't well enough to attend any more than he did.

@Prescottdanni123

"Some schools are overzealous. Like as another poster mentioned, recording school trips as unauthorized absence."

That's ridiculous. No school would unauthorise a school trip. What would be the point when all that would do would lower the school's attendance figures! It may have been recorded accidentally but not on purpose!

Tell them you can do an evening zoom meeting or phone call instead.

Tbh I’d just go at another time.

Not when there is a medical explanation, no.

Humans get ill.

The child was sick! My gosh, Hoe daft can you be 🤦‍♀️

I would not take time off to go in for a meeting and miss work, I would tell the attendance officer to call me if they were concerned.

You have a hospital letter. The school are being ridiculous. As if anybody can justvtake a day off from work. Or suggest a time to suit you. Like an evening.

YANBU. Ignore and if they continue persisting email the office/ head teacher about it.

Years ago when my DD was ill a teacher was seriously aggressive towards DD when she returned. Also told me that DD could not have any days of school and made DD to do 3 tests during lunchtime, meaning DD couldn’t eat. She’d had swine flu and the hospital told us to keep off school. School knew this. So the next time she was sick I took her to school. Teacher called to say DD was ill and had to go home. I did this every time. Teacher couldn’t face me after the third time.

Didn't say it was news. But am allowed to make the observation.
Doesn't make it right either. Maybe just maybe if 44 year old teachers could earn what 24 year old trainee solicitors do earn, there wouldn't be so many teachers leaving the profession only to be replaced by new young recruits, many of whom don't stay the course.
Don't understand why this thread is even entitled 'to tell the school to get lost' when anyone who's ever worked in a school knows it should be 'government' to get lost, as they're the ones making schools make these 'phone calls.

I'm sure many people would rightly castigate schools if they didn't investigate why children were absent and something happened to that child. Not the case with OP, but don't shoot the messenger.

Maybe I'm not following the advice I give to kids- ignore annoying people, don't react- it's what they want in reacting to the wilfully ignorant who trot out the DM lines about lazy striking teachers. On my strike day- not paid- I've spent all day.....working! It's basically an unpaid planning day and report writing to make up for the planning time I'm legally entitled to but don't get as a Y6 teacher at the end of Summer term in a stretched, short-staffed underfunded primary.

I think I'd be putting in a strongly worded complaint.

I can see why you are annoyed.
I’d email and confirm what each absence relates to and say evidence provided on x date or as advised at time.
I’d also argue disability related absence shouldn’t be included.
End by saying you are happy to send him when fit and well but if he’s ill he won’t be in school.
I’d also add he was able to attend on strike dates if you add another 5 or 6 strike days on as in attendance he’s way over 90%.

Without derailing thread but City trainees are not typical law earners.
Local authority solicitors/criminal legal aid etc are on very similar type wages to teachers.

....to the government, who tell schools to make those calls.

I work from home and have very flexible hours but would not attend that on principle