School saying DS should be in school

[Verityberry]

DS threw up once early hours Monday morning. Obviously I kept him off that day. His school has has a policy where they say if children are only sick once then they can come back after 24 hours but if it’s more than once then they class it as a bug and therefore it’s 48 hours.

I’ve kept him off today as I am almost certain it’s a bug that he’s caught from DS2 as he was being sick Saturday night. When I phoned school to say he’d be absent again today, they asked me how many times he was sick. I told them once but also said his younger brother was sick 2 days earlier so I’m presuming it’s a bug that’s why I’m doing the 48 hour rule. They told me that he should be in school and if I wanted to I could bring him in a bit later and they wouldn’t mark it as late.

I’m feeling quite guilty that I have kept him off but if it is a bug (which I really think it is) I would feel awful if he passed it onto his class mates

The advice, all of it everywhere as far as I know, is 48 hours from the last incident. Why does the school think they know better?

@AnneLovesGilbert Exactly! I remember a couple of years ago DH was poorly, he’d only been sick once but then I got it from him 3 days later so I don’t understand why they presume it’s not a bug if vomiting has only happened once

You just say "thanks for confirming the policy, but as his parent, it's my judgment that he isn't fit for school today, hopefully he'll be back tomorrow".

Don't feel guilty it's one day, and I always thought it was 48 hours regardless. Just take him when you think he's better.

How old is he OP? I work in a school so am not surprised by this completely pedantic question from them but just keep him off if you feel like he needs it and are worried about infection risk.

@Colourbrain He’s 9, year 5

My dc high schools are 24 hr for sickness rather than 48hr they had in primary.

I find this odd as it is more likely to spread!

Absolutely ridiculous if the school - they have probably been picked up on poor attendance, so they are trying to improve in the wrong way!
My children's school is 48hr rule after sickness but at times, we know my DD has been sick because she's too tired to digest food, so they are fine for her to come back after 24hrs.
Basically this rule has come about because children would be sick overnight/morning and parents would still send them in, to see how they got on. This meant sickness bugs would easily do the rounds.....

If you’re UK based, the NHS guidance is 2 days (as you mentioned and plan to adhere to). So I’d simply advise them that their policy contravenes the advice of healthcare professionals & in this scenario, the NHS advice prevails.

Ignore them, if you feel he should be at home then keep him at home.

They only care about attendance for their OFSTED.

Health advice is very clear: "Children with diarrhoea or vomiting should stay away from school until they have not been sick or had diarrhoea for at least 2 days (48 hours)." On a health matter, why should the school's policy trump the advice of health professionals? Is my child too ill for school? - NHS

I'm puzzled as to what the school would do if you keep your child at home. Surely they don't plan to mark this as unauthorised absence, harming their own attendance figures, just because they've made up their own guidance which contradicts that of the health service?

I’d just say thanks for clarifying the policy, but he’s not well enough to be in school today, whether it’s a bug or not. Hopefully he’ll feel better tomorrow!