Y8 Feeling ill when at school.

[Tirrrrred]

Hi Dd is y8. Last year she came home ill 3 times. On every occasion she's had to use her break / lunch to go to the office and also go find her head of year. She's would text me saying she can't find the head of year so every time I've phoned the office and they have told me to tell her to go back to them. Sometimes if she cannot find her head if year in break she has to go back to lesson and wait until lunch to go look.

This year mobile phones aren't allowed. She's just finished and got home. She said she felt ill all day. She was sent to different teachers to ask them if they could call me. She didn't have time to buy her lunch. So are nothing. She also asked if she could go for a drink of water and was refused.

I know kids like to escape class and use the toilet / get a drink but surely they know which kids do it a lot and evict kids must be genuine.

I think it's up to me if she is poorly and comes home?

I awkward thought the best thing to do was try and if not come home.

If they won't send her home though the next time she's feeling off I'll be in 2 minds.

All the faffing is to probably put kids off leaving early but surely there is an easier way.

I want to email and say as soon as she's ill she can cone home. I've even written it in her school planner. The office / teachers won't have time to look through her planner will they and obviously they can't remember who I am.

What would you do?

Thanks.

She had 100% attendance until Friday when she was off.

I'd ask for a meeting with her Head of College/Year to discuss how you want them to call you if she's saying she's poorly.

Playing devils advocate, if she finished the day and then came home at the end of it, why did she need to get sent home sick? She hadn’t thrown up, hadn’t got a temp and wasn’t visibly ill and managed just fine as the day went on.

I wouldn’t be telling my year 8 child that they could come home if they were feeling slightly off colour.

When ds (y9) felt unwell in school recently he told the teacher whose class he was in; she sent a pupil to get the first aider/pastoral care lady; who rang me, and sat with ds in her office until I arrived.

Why is she feeling ill so much?? And honestly, does she really need to go home each time?? Three times in a year is a lot unless she has a medical condition. DD1 (10) was sent home after being sick at school on a Monday last year. She wasn’t sick again but still had to be off 48 hours. She felt sick on a couple of other Mondays but I sent her. This year she felt and was sick on the first day of school. The staff asked her why she thought she was sick and she said it was probably anxiety. Which it totally is. They accepted this and let her stay even though she was sick a couple of times. I’m actually glad they are being so sensible, as I don’t want her missing school if she’s not actually ill. And she wants to stay, and feels better after she’s vomited. Is there more to this than your daughter feeling poorly?

Thats a strange system, if someone is ill why should they have to wander the school finding the right person, surely they just go to the office or tell the teacher of the class they are in?

@Spudina i wouldn’t say 3 times is particularly lots especially since covid and I wouldn’t be very happy with your dd staying in school after throwing up if she felt better there is a reason for the 48 hour rule as to stop others all then being off.

I would much rather they called when ill as then like you say if they were feeling not quite right you would have the confidence that they would call.

@Goldensunnydays81 the 48 hour rule is to stop gastroenteritis spreading. My DD feels worried (and it’s always a Monday and I can recognise what’s anxiety and what’s illness now after dealing with it for years) is occasionally sick with it. She’s not infecting anyone. Luckily the school agree with me and are happy for her to stay.

This system seems awful. What if a child passed out whilst roaming the school looking for this teacher?

Having said that what was the actual issue that she needed to leave and come home and how was she once home? Was it that she was actually ill and something a paracetamol wouldn't be enough for or did she feel unwell due to anxiety and maybe trying to avoid something/ someone in school?

Why do you mean why is she ill so much? She's hardly ever ill.

I don't understand?

If she's ill I want her home.

Exactly. If she's taking the mick then fine I can see why school would've call me. 3 times in 14 months isn't a lot I don't think?

Surely there is a school nurse that has the authority to send a child home if they are unwell? And surely one of her teachers could phone home and say she is sick? Does it actually have to be the HoY that makes the final call?

I’d certainly be raising it with the school.

She has done that once when she was upset at school and said she was I'll but the other times she was ill. Temperature cough sore throat etc.

She's worried about going on Monday if they won't send her home. She was off Wed-Fri and still unwell now.

This is why they're all precious snowflakes

When she's got a job and a sore throat she'll have to suck it up

Life is hard, sometimes you feel a bit shit, get on with it

Yes head of year. Imagine how busy they are with 6 classes of 30 odd kids. This system must work otherwise parents would be complaining. Last year it was ok as she could text me and I could phone the office and they sent her home.

Of course she will when working but I've had flu all week I definitely wouldn't want to have to get dressed and speak to people all day then get the bus home.

I would complain OP. If you are sick you shouldn’t have to go on trek around the school to find the HoY - what if the HoY happened to be in a meeting?!

Personally I’d expect a school nurse or the child’s teacher at that point in time to arrange for the parent to be contacted.

And absolutely, if you want your child at home due to illness, they shouldn’t be allowed to override your decision.

This sounds like a very bizarre system, sending ill children to find a teacher.

Normally in schools, there is a school office/first aider where children who are ill during the day are sent and they would deal with this.

Ask the school why they have such a weird system different to other schools - this will affect all children, not just your DD, so needs addressing.