Does your primary school do this? Home visit on Day 3 of illness

[Moonshinebaby]

So my son (4 years) is off with chicken pox at the moment. This is his 3rd day of illness.

Since he's started reception in September, he's only had 2 previous sick days due to vomiting.

It's in the school's policy that they will visit a child on the 3rd day of sickness.

I thought they are bluffing, but they actually have just been around.

The lady said that it has nothing to do with my parenting, but that they need to do spot checks.

I asked and they said there are a few cases of chickenpox at the school at the moment.

Does your primary school do this?

No, but it's a specialist school with lots of children with very fragile health who are often off sick. I haven't heard of it with friend's children (but none of them have had more than a day or two off since school started in Sept) who are at different primary schools either but I think it's not necessarily a bad thing.

No but secondary do

Hi k it's good. We complain about cases with children like Sara Sharif. I would be quite happy for school to come.

Mine haven't for either COVID (in the mandatory isolation period) or Chickenpox which was going around the class like wildfire. Not had any others beyond the 48h vomiting exclusion TBF...

My dc primary school do this on the third day too, however we live in a more deprived area where attendance in the school is generally quite low so I think they are generally checking on the welfare of children and families

I can't think how they'd find the time tbh!

Our school is more hot on absences just before the holidays than the rest of the year though. DS is actually currently a bit sniffly and I'm praying he doesn't get worse and need time off as we are going away at the end of the week (after school finishes!) and I know it'll look very suspicious if we don't turn up the last few days 🫠

No never had this.

I think they have a special team who does home visits. It wasn't a teacher, but an attendance officer and the family support worker driving the car. :D

A few days before Christmas holidays I'm not overly surprised... even on Mumsnet people say "just lie and take them on holiday" rather than going through the proper procedure

Yes but after only 3 days off? Are they also having to do this on a bank holiday weekend? The 6 week summer holidays must be a nightmare....

I think it's sensible for someone - a teacher, doctor, social worker to check all is well if there are repeated absences or othe concerns. Day 3 for all illnesses feels a bit much.

I wish this was the case when I was a kid, at home ill for months without parents bothering to get help and no way to reach out to anyone.

I think it's great that schools do this now.

We would only make a home visit for the following reasons

Parent hasn't contacted us to explain absence and office staff unable to reach them on phone.

Child's attendance is very poor and a cause for concern.

Child has been absent for 10 consecutive school days.

Safeguarding concerns.

We simply don't have capacity to visit every child who is off ill for 3 days, especially this time of year with lots of bugs doing the rounds and the 48 hour rule meaning 3 days absence wouldn't be that unusual.

Secondary school sent dd home vomiting one Monday. Tuesday as I left with other dc - so about 8.30 - attendance officer from the Council turned up. Apparently dc wasn't at school.... And her attendance was only 96%..
I rang to discuss with school and the secretary said yes she was sick yesterday but we need to know she isn't under the patio today!!
When I took ds out of the same school nobody came and he was home for 10 weeks....
10 long bloody weeks...

Dd3’s primary school does it on day 6. DS’s school do it on a Monday with anyone who has been off since the last week do some a whole week and some just Friday Monday.

DD4’s specialist school does it when they want to check all is ok. So depending on the situation

I am governor for a group of schools with an attendance team and yes they do home visits. Schools have to do what they can to encourage attendance, and sadly non-attendance for frivolous reasons is on the rise (and parents do simply lie on occasion).

Well, I made sure I lifted his jumper so the attendance officer got a good view of his chickenpox marks :)

Ours did, but we also got a visit on day one due to social services being involved, he’s bloody well adopted, not under a child in need plan etc!

At 4 they have no obligation to be at school

No, never had this nor has anyone I know in our area.

The nursery I work at have recently implemented this. It’s a welfare thing not because they want to catch anyone out.

But surely if they are visiting a child with chickenpox they could spread it around others they visit

How can they justify that as nursery isn't even complsary

I'm surprised by this as well

I have two children at nursery and they LOVE sending children home.

I’m loving that they described it as a spot check 😂😂😂

They wouldn't do this tbf, but they are both tricky and inconsistent about attendance. During the pandemic they said they would record a welfare concern if I kept my son home for one day to get a PCR test (sure enough it can back positive). But then one day they called me to collect him after a playground accident and showed great concern when I said I would be there from work in 45 minutes. They would have been happy for me to send a random neighbour to get rid of him quicker.

So basically whatever suits their priorities rather than any actual concern for the child.