Attendance letter

[buttybuttybutthole]

My Ds has an accident recently ahh has resulted in a 5 day long hospital stay. Because he had impetigo when he started this year (7) and then the nasty flu that resulted in half of his year group being off, we now have the joy of receiving and attendance letter in the post.

This was that if he has any more days off he will be referred to the educational social worker and any more days off must now be accompanied by a doctors note.

Wtf.

So yes great I really wanted my ds to be hurt /Ill.

I can't even get a doctors appointment for over a week- do doctors really want to do sick notes for sickness, fever, migraines etc??

I feel like writing back saying yes let's work together. As long as you make sure there are no contagious children in school, and every surface is clean when there is a flu/virus epidemic, then I'll get the doctors note.

I can't imagine how many families have children who have additional needs who receive these stupid letters and feel added pressure at being threatened with a social worker, and now must send their children to school or battle for a doctors appointment, taking up appointment that might be unnecessary!

It’s hard isn’t it. Schools have to keep a note on these things I guess, but it’s really annoying when you can’t help your child being ill. Mine is one that catches everything going too. We have never had a doc note asked for. It wouldworry me too being threatened like that. I guess all you can do is take him to docs next absence and explain you don’t think he may even need appt but school want a record etc

That's a really good idea.

Our docs is not the best though, You really have to be very ill before you get an appointment !

My sil has the same request from Dn school. She went to her gp who went apeshit on the phone to the school. They've never asked anybody else for a sick note again!
I mentioned it in conversation with my gp who also confirmed they wouldn't write a sick note for a child

😱 How awful to be in this situation. I was also surprised when read at the school’s policy - Only school decides should the ill child go to school or not . I saw so many times a situation where kids go to school with 38C because that school said. I am sorry but this is my child, his life in my hands. Why do I have to follow the idiotic rules and keep the high attendance instead of helping to the child? The treatment is not a holiday.
However, do not be shine to call to your GP and ask at least to register the sickness at their system. Some GPs have a service - call back. And if the social worker will knock at the door, you will be protected.

This sort of thing really pisses me off!!
I too would ring the GP and at least get this logged, to cover myself.
And a carefully worded email response to the school just logging the dates/times/illnesses/facts, I think is appropriate.

Unless you're in Scotland, term only started two weeks ago, give or take an inset).

Has he actually attended at all yet this school year?

Because if he hasn't, then yes there will be a query, especially if the school is oversubscribed and they need to check if he will be taking up his place or if it can be offered out to the waiting list.