Help please...ds hurt himself yesterday, we have attendance 'issues' atm

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I'm in a bit of a panic.

In the middle of a row with his HT about her 'concerns' that he hasn't been at school occasionally, due to illness

yesterday evening he fell off his bike, and smashed his face into the swing. He cried for ages and it swelled up and is very painful (just on the jawline). I don't think it is broken but he has had a restless night and is currently sleeping on the sofa.

We need to leave at 8.15 and I don't think he will be up for it.

In the current climate this is NOT going to look good - she's made it pretty clear she doesn't absolutely take my word for it when he is genuinely ill and I wrote a long letter refuting this which I intended to give her today prior to a meeting next week.

What do I do? Take photos of his injury? Take him in and show her it?

I'm so angry that I'm in a position where I feel he ought to go in just to keep her happy.

TIA for any thoughts.

He is just 6 btw.

Have you taken your ds to the docs to get him checked out? He's quite young and sounds like he's had a bit of a bash . Not sure what to suggest about the HT though, my two aren't school age so I have all that to come. I suppose you just need to be transparent and keep her informed if he will be in late or not in at all today.

6! FGS. Keep him home. Take a photo of the injury and include it with the letter.

Why is it such an issue for the school? Can you, hand on heart, say that he has been ill enough to miss school? In which case the head cannot say anything surely?

My DS is 7 and has just finished Year 3 - over Feb/March this year he missed 15/16 school days. He had a tummy bug that came back twice - it was going around school. Then he got chicken pox! These things happen. I followed the schools rules on when to send back and he was off for that long. I was worried and I did email his teacher and she gave me some suggestions for things to do at home with him. When he had chicken pox I also popped in to school and picked up the next 6 books on his reading scheme to carry on with those. But it wasn't necessary - just something I wanted to do.

In Year 2 he had a term where he again missed quite a few days through illness. Again not a problem with the school.

Thankyou both very much.

I think I will take him to the GP today as I was quite concerned about the severity of it - but he screamed when I suggested we pop up to A&E and started being silly with his brother a bit later, so I thought it could wait till today.

Buda, yes, hand on heart - I am very careful as last year he had lots of time off due to over tiredness and the school was aware of this and initially cooperated, then made things v hard for us - we're now at a different school.

I tried to wake him again just now and he went straight back to sleep.

Hard hat on I think for the phone call!!

Good luck

thanks NA

I emailed them earlier and then rang once we had an appointment - they were pretty snooty and said they would rather he came in midway through lessons than wait till later.

So I took him in straight from the GP (who checked him over and thought he was Ok).

I handed them the appt. card to photocopy, which they said they didn't need to do but I explained there was an issue re attendance atm and that I'd rather they did.

I didn't get any kind of smile out of any of them. It was hideous - I really feel as though they are treating me as if I am a practised liar, and it upsets me hugely.

I am probably too sensitive to it but knowing the HT is a bully and that I'm not believed generally (when in fact I'm one of the most honest people I know) doesn't help. It feels like a kick in the guts every day atm.

...and there's nothing I can do about it. Other than saying 'Please be nice to me, I am genuine' which isn't exactly going to work is it!

Sorry to rant, I am such a wuss.