School refusing to authorise illness absence despite governors ruling in our favour

[Mumof2jamie]

Looking for advice as am really struggling to understand where I can go from here….

My daughter became seriously unwell. (Even hospitalised at one point)

Like any parent, my priority was getting her the medical help she needed and supporting her recovery.

We followed the procedures. We kept the school informed. We provided medical evidence. Yet despite that evidence, her absences were recorded as unauthorised.

In the midst of it all, I’ve got in touch with the goveners and even won the case against, the school to authorise these absences however, I’ve literally received another letter from the headteacher expressing he doesn’t have to uphold the governors recommendations and even said no governor body or authorities will change his decision to authorise her absences. How is that fair??

What has upset me the most isn't the paperwork.
It's the message this sends to families dealing with genuine illnesses.

Parents shouldn't have to choose between caring for a sick child and worrying whether they're going to be treated as if they're doing something wrong.

This has caused stress at a time when our focus should have been entirely on my daughter's health.

I'm sharing our experience because I believe families deserve to be heard but also wondered if this isn’t just my experience or there’s others out there?

What can be done now or where can I go for further help? I’ll appreciate all advice so please if you can, anything will help at this point. I’m really at breaking point where am getting absence fines left right and centre so now do I just pull her out the school by de registering and just be done with it all?

Thanks in advance

This is awful - I had a battle recently when my child had an awful virus and they wouldn’t authorise - they eventually backed down with a photo of the antibiotic with name and date on it

there was a post here a few days ago where a school wouldn’t authorise chicken pox absence 1 maybe you’d find some useful information on there if you can find it !

in your shoes I’d be tempted to just pull her out and try and find a new school for September and start fresh !

but the fight is probably worth it to prove a point - but I understand how draining it must be

What on earth is his problem?? Have they said why they won't authorise them?

What sort of school is it? Maintained or academy?
What is the next stage in the school's complaints process?
Ultimately op, you need to decide how much this fight is worth your energy. I agree it seems really unfair, but it might be easier just to let it go and move your daughter.

What is the headteacher’s reason for saying no?

Did you have all the evidence?

How long was she off for? I just noticed that you said she had time off for supporting her recovery so I wonder if he thinks she was off longer than she needed to be.

The English education system is bonkers. Sorry you are going through this.

What's the consequence of it being unauthorised?

Send him a solicitor's letter requiring him to cease and desist from trying to bully and threaten you, and from trying to force your sick child back to school before they are ready.

Make it clear that you will not accept a fine and will go to court if necessary to expose his/her unprofessional, aggressive and inappropriate approach.

The reason they are applying the pressure is we are approaching the end of the school year and the HT can see that they are going to miss their target. Their actions are completely self serving and selfish. Don't imagine they are anything else.

I asked ChatGPT as I think the school is being awful and clearly just want to make their attendance records look better!! This is what it said:

In England, a genuine illness should normally be recorded as an authorised absence, especially if you’ve informed the school and, where requested, provided appropriate medical evidence.

However, the law gives the headteacher the authority to decide whether an absence is authorised or unauthorised. If the school is not satisfied that the absence was due to illness, or if requested evidence is not provided, they can record it as unauthorised.

That said, government guidance generally expects schools to authorise genuine medical absences and not demand unnecessary medical evidence for every illness. Organisations that advise families on attendance issues note that schools should authorise illness-related absences unless they have a genuine reason to doubt them.

So, in practice:

• Child off sick, school informed, illness accepted → Authorised absence.
• School requests medical evidence and it is provided → It would be difficult for the school to justify marking it unauthorised without a specific reason.
• School doubts the reason for absence or believes the evidence is insufficient → They may mark it unauthorised, but you can challenge the decision.

If your child’s absence has been marked as unauthorised despite you having medical evidence, I would recommend:

1. Asking the school for the specific reason for the coding.
2. Requesting a copy of the attendance record showing the absence code used.
3. Referring to the school’s attendance policy and asking for a review of the decision.

If you tell me:

• What medical evidence you provided (GP letter, hospital appointment letter, prescription, etc.), and
• Whether this was illness, a medical appointment, or a longer-term condition,

I can give a more specific view on whether the school’s decision appears reasonable.

That’s ChatGPT asking at the end, not me 😂

wow what a power play from the HT!

Did the governors state in writing to you that they agree all the absences should be fully authorised as Sickness?

I would forward the HT’s reply to the governors, asking for clarification regarding the HT’s comment about their decision being advisory only.

If you are sure of your ground, I’d probably NOT pay the fines and let the school or LA take me to court. From what you’ve said, this is absolutely ludicrous behaviour by the HT.

Governors deal with Strategic decisions, Headteachers deal with Operational ones. They've agreed the attendance policy, they've set it in the first place - the head's job is to follow it.

Sounds like there's only one side of the story here, as the Head presumably has a reason for refusing to authorise and therefore nobody else can judge the situation, given that a significant chunk of information is missing.

Before deregistering, I would get the process straight in writing. Ask the head which attendance policy clause he is relying on, whether the governors decision was a recommendation or a formal complaint outcome, and what the next appeal/escalation route is. Keep the medical evidence, fines, letters and dates in one timeline.

Do not pay any fines. If the LA issues a fine, write back explaining what has happened and including copies of your medical evidence.

Inform the governors that the head is defying their decision.

Consult a solicitor. A letter threatening action for harassment may be enough to make the head reconsider his choices.