To have refused to sign this parenting contract about attendance

[NoContract]

Dd is 15. Attendance is very low (62%). Has never been above 80% since starting secondary.

Dd has multiple medical issues. We have given so many letters from consultants. For the last year if she has for example had a regular illness eg d and v we have had to get proof (a GP appt) or threats of fines are immediate.

Today I was asked to sign a contract that I will make sure attendance improves. I refused as I have no control over it - I’m really thinking now that home education is the only way forward ? Because I refused I was told there will be further referrals made ? Feel like I’m going mad and talking to a brick wall if it was that simple and I could sort things out I would have ??!!

Dd has asked me not to disclose the conditions as there are a lot and may be identifying. I’m able to say they are all long term / permanent and that we are currently not having much luck finding effective therapies

Can you play what I call the ofsted game. Basically get her in for morning and after registration but she may leave school in between those times?

We do that for any appointments but if there are days when she is too unwell to attend she can’t even leave the house

Would more rest/less exposure to germs impact any of the conditions? If so I’d look at applying for a reduced timetable

I was in the same situation and spent years dodging that kind of shit. While I was sympathetic towards the school being under bureaucratic pressure, I had no control over my son’s health or the NHS waiting lists and lack of urgency over treatment so feel no guilt.

That’s appalling, they should be focusing on those who could attend and are healthy enough to do so, both mentally and physically, not cherry picking on those they are clearly well aware have chronic health issues. Education in this country is shocking.

Bugger - that’s pretty much it they want is those marks at the time. I think there is a fb group called not fine in school which may be able to help and there is a send group people recommend that can give advice - hopefully someone else knows the name of it.

I think you need to apply for an EHCP to get home schooling but you need to stay on the school roll so it is in their interests to push for it to happen. We did that and we have EOTAS home school now. It is much better.

Get the school do apply for the EHCP. They will do it better.

YANBU

Its just shocking and patronising.

Who can we as a collective speak to about this nonsense? I’m sick of school obsessing about attendance (by kids are both at 100% so I have no skin in the game). They also tell the kids they’ll basically be failures if they don’t have 95%+ which really angers me as your opportunities don’t end at the age of bloody 16. it’s unrealistic and it treats children like numbers

Illness MUST be an authorised absence, and they can only ask for evidence if they doubt what you're saying.
Do they accept the "regular" absences, those due to her ongoing conditions? If so il I'd be tempted to use those reasons for all absences, even if D&V or whatever. It's not really right but ultimately if she's not well enough to attend school for whatever reason, does it matter what the recorded reason is?

You need to get onto the person in charge of SEN&D at the school, and the governor in charge of this. This contract is discrimination against your daughter who has long-term medical needs. It's a wonder your GP hasn't already jumped up and down about the need to provide evidence of absence.
It sounds as though a different school might be needed, or alternative provision. If the school aren't willing to engage, the local parent partnership people or SEND team would be the next people to go to.

Agreed - came back to the thread to say I would put a response in writing with the phrase ‘as per the equalities act…’

I had same problem with my DD and on several occasions she went into school on morphine just to get her there.

To be fair, she had a fantastic form tutor who intervened whenever he could but I had to learn to not care about the attendance letters. At one point our GP sent a letter to school saying basically stop being ridiculous. Don't know if yours could do anything similar.

If it helps, she did improve once she got the right treatment and has just graduated.

At 62% attendance she will have missed a great deal - to reach her full potential in her GCSEs she'll need extra support of some sort.
It sounds like her medical conditions meet the definition of disability? I would look at EHCP. Repost in the SEND forum for more expert advice. Google your local Sendiass (special educational needs and disabilities informative advice and support service).

Also @prh47bridge posted a link a few weeks ago that asking for proof of illness it’s against guidelines so if he comes along ask for that info so you can ask them why they are going against them.

It’s been for the past year they have insisted on proof of all absences so obviously for appointments I send the letter but I had to pay for a GP letter basically pre authorising anything related to diagnosed conditions and for anything else I have to make a GP appt and send proof which has meant taking her for things I really wouldn’t usually go for and is really wasting the GPs time but if we don’t then they will refer for a fine if it’s over a certain amount of sessions in a set period.

Academically she’s doing really well but when I point this out it seems to get their backs up and they then start on socialising and resilience so I feel I can’t defend myself at all

I’m going to ask them as it really seems over the top I’m wondering if a letter from them explaining it’s not appropriate or necessary to see them so often might help

Big Hug

Im sorry to hear DD has so many issues and they're going to be ongoing. 🌷

That's enough to deal with, without the education system being so fucking ridiculous.

What did they say when you asked how YOU were supposed to magic away her conditions & vulnerability regualar illnesses when her consultants can't?

and didn't they think if you could make DD 100% you would for HER not their fucking attendance %.

Id be moving her or home schooling.

I get that schools are pressured for attendance levels, but they need to go sort the vaping 'nah no going, prefer to hang about at the corner shop' lot out & look after kids like DD.

🤬🤬🤬

See, I would play the ofsted game by reporting the school to ofsted and the local authority for using tactics that are clearly aimed at off-rolling op's child. Ofsted takes a very dim view of schools who apply this kind of pressure to parents who have a clearly documented and evidenced reason (medical) for their child's absence. The fact that op is considering homeschooling is precisely because of the pressure that is being applied. Off rolling is real. SEN children/ parents in particular are subjected to it.

I would be amazed if at least one of her conditions didn't meet the definition of disability, if not all of them. The school are obliged to make adjustments in this case (this can include adjustments to the threshold at which they start haranguing you about attendance). They should not be penalising her in any way for low attendance that is related to her disability and they should not be pressuring you to "make sure" her attendance improves when she's been off for disability related reasons. It's discrimination, and it's illegal.

https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2023/04/10/what-are-reasonable-adjustments-and-how-do-they-help-disabled-pupils-at-school/ (although funnily enough this glosses over disabled children having lower attendance - must be off message).

I would point out that she is disabled and protected by the equalities act, if you haven't already, and ask what adjustments they can make to help her.

I'd probably do a complaint to school and copy in high up in lea and governors .
I'd detail all her illnesses and and the information and include copies of the letters .I'd be saying it was discrimination and harassment against a vulnerable pupil ..

You are very unlikely to be fined.

Schools are under a massive amount of pressure on attendance. They have very little leeway and the government has published guidelines that they have to follow.

They can't make you sign the contract.

If you actually want your daughter in school then I would recommend:

Ask to speak to the SENCO and tell them you are applying for an EHCP for her on medical grounds. This both means the school has to do a lot more paperwork and means that if the school refer further up the line for fines the expectation is that the school have put things in place to support her, not just threatening you.

In normal circumstances the school would apply but parents can apply themselves.

You may need a bit of talking through the process so have a look at the SEN boards on Mumsnet. There are also charities that give advice on the process.

I would also make clear that you consider your daughter disabled under the equalities act definition (impact on her life lasting more than six months) and that you expect them to put reasonable adjustments in place.

Then ask for whatever you want - she carries her own drugs in school, biscuits in lessons if diabetic, Room to rest in if she is tired.

Then when they start hassling you about attendance you hassle back on the reasonable adjustments. So if they email saying please sign a contract you email back saying you haven't put all the reasonable adjustments in place let me know when you are ready to support her disability and we can talk.

They will back off. You may also get an EHCp and some helpful changes.

Socialising & resiliance.

fuck off, I bet your DD is more resilient than any of the Wet Lettuces hassling you.

wankers

Btw do NOT think of this as them wanting the best for your daughter.

They want ofsted off their back and they have guidelines to follow.

They don't give a shit about your daughter.

I worked in a school for twenty years.