I find it entertaining that the school now has time to send us emails congratulating our children for having 100% attendance in their first week.
I understand that the government wants to crack down on school absences, but I don’t think this is the main problem… and I certainly don’t think emails like this are going to make any difference.
We lived abroad for a year, and I actually really liked the system there. Every child had five days a year that they could use for anything — a mental health break, a family day, a holiday, whatever — with no explanation needed. For illness, they needed a doctor’s certificate.
There was also free breakfast and afternoon clubs, free summer camps at school, and free public transport for all children — subway, train and bus — so that parents could actually work.
And when children see their parents working, they seem to have more aspirations themselves: to attend further education, get qualifications and eventually have a job and be independent.
Meanwhile, here the government is only concerned about attendance… but I don’t think working parents are getting much support to actually make that attendance always possible.
Typing this after forking out nearly £700x2 for my kiddos’ bus passes.