Unauthorised absences wtf are we supposed to do!

[dreamingbohemian]

Surely everyone knows that it's nearly impossible to get GP appointments these days. And surely everyone understands that sometimes your DC are too unwell to go to school but not unwell enough to get an emergency appointment.

But my DC's school are now saying any absence that doesn't have medical evidence will be unauthorised. They will only accept things you can get from a GP, like an appointment card or prescription.

So what are we meant to do??? We are finishing the year being this close to persistent absence, which doesn't seem fair. We can't help it if DC was ill a lot this year, but with routine bugs that a GP would never see him for or prescribe anything (including norovirus -- are we meant to send him in and spread it then?)

AIBU to think this makes no sense?

(not school bashing here, they say they are just following policy)

I'm not necessarily saying I agree with it, and at 92% attendance I think that is harsh

Have you read any of the thread?

There are many illnesses which do not require a GP appointment, and appointments are hard to come by. So no appointment slip/card available in many cases and they will not routinely issue letters.

There are even examples on here where schools have ignored any evidence they have been provided with anyway.

That’s concerning. So there is one rule for some and a different rule for others. Thanks for clearing that up.

I'm not sure what your point is, but surely you can see that a child with 29% attendance (for example) having a week off ill is more concerning than a child with 99% attendance?

That's awful you have to go to such lengths when your DS has diagnosed conditions, I really feel for you. You shouldn't have to be creating spreadsheets to justify how you care for your own children, it's just crazy. I will follow your advice though next year, just in case.

There is a slight chance DC has a genetic disorder but the NHS won't test for it and we can't afford a private test right now. But it doesn't make him more vulnerable to viruses or anything like that, so wouldn't account for his absences this year.

That's appalling, really.

Exactly - let them do what they will. If your child is ill, he is ill.

I actually also meant based on what logic. Not based on you!

No, don't do that. Please don't spread more bugs around the school children and staff. Stay away and call the school pre-9am to say your child is ill and will be off sick. Doubt they will take their report card to their first job interview and be questioned on 'unauthorised absence'. It's safeguarding after all.

Ah, OK. The logic is that sadly there are parents out there who don't value education and who keep their children at home when they are perfectly ok, whilst telling the school they are ill so that the school authorise it. The logic behind demanding medical evidence is the hope that parents bring their child in as they know they can't prove the non-existent illness. This clearly isn't the case for the OP, but it does, unfortunately, happen

The use of the term 'logic' there is very kind.

Absolutely this

Filming a sick child to send to all and sundry at school?
Printing out personal medical information to 'prove' hospital attendance?

Completely inappropriate, intrusive and a bit creepy to me, why on earth would someone film their child like this.

OP, by the sounds of the few posts Ive read of yours so far, he doesnt really have poor attendance, so a few unauthorised absences are neither here nor there.

Its a poor use of public services to ask for GP intervention for children that just need to rest and stay at home. I certainly dont want my local GP overrun with people just wanting sick notes, adult or child.

This year was the first year without major Covid precautions and it really showed. Less dedicated time for hand washing and the stomach bugs returned.

Not getting medical assistance for Vs and Ds but if a child voms on Monday they're off until Thursday realistically (unless it's not a bug and just a 1 off vom). Couple of those and you're at a week off. Week for chicken pox when that arrives, couple of random 24hs for actual temperatures and it's easy to see how primary kids hit high 80s attendance at best.

I used that word because that is the word @jays used. Reasoning, then, or rationale, justification?

No, you used that term because that’s the term that suited you to use! Don’t bring me into it to excuse yourself!

Ok. The reasoning, rationale and justification are all dodgy.

Our doctors appointments are authorised absences.

However the trick is to make appointments after afternoon registration so anytime after 1pm (for example).

If you can't do that then I'm at a loss tbh.

Not discrimination. If a child has a long term illness/disability, the school will be aware, and won't require a GP's confirmation of illness every time.

I have nowhere said I necessarily agree with it, but I think sometimes people who have no experience working in schools don't get how much of a big deal we are forced to make out of attendance. We try all kinds of methods to support attendance and try not to resort to this one. I definitely think it should only be used on a case by case basis as part of the wider picture

Oh no, def get that schools don't come up with this bollocks by themselves. Individual schools/staff may often behave badly, but they aren't the ones who created the underlying problem.

This is tricky and thorny. Some parents will happily keep their kids off to join them for treat shopping days, Friday patterns are quite common and schools will pick these up, some parents use older kids for stopgap childcare...
Schools have a duty to explore why some kids might drop below 93%. The patchy absences (a day here, a day there) are the ones that get them to prick up their ears.
But in all honesty, what are they going to do? The parent is the one that needs to square the fact that persistent absenteeism correlates with low attainment. And, when the child is left with few choices post-16 because of their absences, this parent should be prepared to not blame the school or their child, but themselves.
Schools know the genuine absences because they tend to be chunks of time (obviously that's a bit of a generalisation) but even these trigger the letter of shame. Schools need to try and protect the kids being kept at home for dodgy, parent-centred reasons, which is why they probe.
There is also the anxiety factor. More children are being kept off because they "struggle to get into school". Some anxiety is, of course, crippling; much is because something happened at break yesterday and the student wants to avoid the fallout. Once that word has been mentioned, though, and the die is cast, you have a child who sees a condition that can define them... and teenagers crave definition. Then, when they don't get the grades to get into their post-16 provider of choice, reality can be a sour slap in the face and suddenly those days off for "anxiety" have been extraordinarily costly. Schools need to encourage some parents not to wave these diagnostic labels around - hence the accusatory letters which are sometimes appallingly written.
It's so fucking hard being a parent and balancing sympathy with tough love to protect the future choices of your child. I think the attendance thing, though it doesn't seem like it sometimes, is a blunt way of schools trying to help.
That was an unexpectedly long post.

Sometimes, though, you’re bloody unlucky and your kid keeps getting D&V.

You're absolutely right, which is why I believe asking for medical evidence shouldn't be a blanket rule once attendance drops below a certain %. For example, schools often know who is genuinely ill and who is pulling a fast one. As a PP said, regular Friday absences are definitely a 'thing' amongst some families

I had many letters,when DS2 was in primary school until about yr 7. His attendance barely hit 85 most years. He caught everything going as well as having his own illnesses. I put them safely where they belonged, in the bin. Along with any follow up letters about 'coming in to discuss'. Not once was any letter followed up. The Dr simply insisted he would 'grow out of it' and so he did. He didn't have a single year from reception to yr13 as full attendance. He was just a child who caught things.

On one occasion I called him in sick after he had thrown up in the night and she said 'are you sure', I said he was looking fab this morning and I was quite happy to take him to school but she declined. And that was the end of that.

It's all utter nonsense.

Clearly school/LA are going against official guidance. It's nuts that schools have this drive for attendance, whilst at the same time pushing policies that facilitate illness (including long term illness).