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Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Primary education

How many sick days off school has your dc had already?

44 replies

Roseflower · 30/11/2010 11:05

Since starting reception this year my dd keeps getting all sorts of bugs and illness (and infecting me and dh too, and we reinfect her!). I think she has has 10 days off already.

I know this is high number off days to be ill and am worried the school will get mad, but I cant send my child in ill and its getting me a little stressed out.How many days off has you little one had off? Is this normal in reception due to the new exposure to bugs etc?

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TotorosOcarnina · 30/11/2010 19:24

DS2 - One day, we had to get him an appointment as his chest flared up over night and he needed new inhalers, when he got hoome at about 11:30 he was freezing and I just wrapped him up and put a film on

DS2 - ermmm, non I don't think! Not this year, he had problems with his ears last year so havd a fair few.

patienceplease · 30/11/2010 19:35

"I feel it is really unfair that there is no distinction made between illness and unauthorised absence or lateness. The child is just marked absent."
I was a teacher and we always had to differentiate - there were loads of different codes to put in the register depending on why the child was absent. The education welfare officer ( not sure if they're still called that) wasn't that interested in illness unless it was lots and regularly (unless medical issues were known about) it was the holidays/ unauthorised that they got upset about.
No school likes lots of absences though - cos the goverment gets cross about it.

PavlovtheCat · 30/11/2010 19:39

3 - 1 for tummy bug 1 and 2 for tummy bug 2, in reception, i am amazed she has not had more time off tbh, expected her to be walloped with stuff but she is an amazingly tough cookie. However, there is a chance she will be off before the end of the week as she had a cough which won't clear and is looking worn out, we think maybe friday off if she still looks run-down. Some children in her class have had several throat infections/chest infections already. It seems normal.

Hawkmoth · 30/11/2010 19:46

None. She got a certificate at the end of half term - something I never did EVER!

She's had colds and coughs but got so upset at the thought of missing that she soldiered on and flaked out at half three. I hope she keeps it up because I had a very poor attitude to school attendance!

biglips · 30/11/2010 19:51

6 days as dd1 had scarlet fever (shes in yr 1)

mumbar · 30/11/2010 19:53

DS Yr2 - 1 hour. Got called to say he was sick on a Friday afeternoon. He was sick once more that evening and back on the Monday.

He had 4 days off in yr R and 2 in Yr 1.

rebl · 30/11/2010 19:54

DD reception - 2
DS reception - 10 and now looking like tomorrow as well so that will be 11. But he's broken his arm so had a week off for that alone.

girliefriend · 30/11/2010 19:59

10 days but then 9 of those were post having her tonsills out!

nearlytoolate · 30/11/2010 20:01

Mine are in yr4 and yr2 and have had 1 day off between them ever! I do expect them just to soldier on through minor illnesses, much as I do...I think also you're more likely to keep them off if you are at home anyway.

schoolsecretary · 30/11/2010 20:10

my dd in year 4 has NEVER had a day off since reception!

in response to
"I feel it is really unfair that there is no distinction made between illness and unauthorised absence or lateness. The child is just marked absent."

Can I just say that there is a distinction made between illness code is (I)and late (L)and unauthorised absence either (O) if no reason given or (G) if unauthorised Holiday. there are 29 codes and they are used by most staff, EWO's insist on it, I would say your child being off in reception if it's illness will not be chased by EWO as long as you have given school a reason for the absences. Most reception children are under 5 anyway and therefore under the school age so can't be prosecuted.

DownyEmerald · 30/11/2010 20:45

DD reception - 4 days so far (3 with a sort of tummy bug thing that came and went and came again) and 1 day off last week through being shattered (and actually was going down with a virus that manifested itself at the weekend).

She has had three/four weekend days being ill so we've been lucky how weekends have fallen.

All in November - the school days and weekend days - so it hasn't been a good month!

DefNotYummyMummy · 30/11/2010 21:22

DS in reception - 3 days. 2 days were unecessary but he was coughing up his guts and the teacher said he wasn't himself. Took him to the doc and he said there was nothing wrong with him ! He probably just needed 1 day to take it easy. He still has a cough by the way. Just have to wait says doc.

Other day had a fever. Recovered well and then we all got so sick. Some weird tummy bug.

west243 · 30/11/2010 21:45

Hi, just wondering, are we supposed to provide a letter to the school each time our child is off? Also are we allowed to request time for holidays outwith the usual school holidays?
I was a bit confused by what some of the folk who have posted above meant about taking time off for holidays. And when is it classified as being unauthorised?
My son has just started P1 in scotland so am new to all this.

fedupwithdeployment · 30/11/2010 22:15

DS1 aged 6 in Year 1 - no days off this year. And one day I think last year. I am perhaps lucky - they don't get ill - he is never sick(touch wood!)and if he has a cold, he goes in with tissues.

schoolsecretary · 30/11/2010 22:24

Hi west243 depends on your school's policy, should be detailed in school prospectus. We expect a phone call on the first day and a note on return if more than 1 day off. and if you want to to go on holiday during term time you need to fill in a request form, heads can authorise up to 10 days but only if you've attendance of 95% in our LEA. If your attendance is less than 95% but you still go on holiday then it's unauthorised and EWO will fine you. Am in England so not sure if this will be the same for you.

SandStorm · 30/11/2010 22:25

My dd in year 3 hasn't had a day off yet and dd1 (yr 8) had her first day off today.

Reception children always pick up everything going - it's all to do with new children, new germs. If it's any consolation it happens again in year 7.

ShanahansRevenge · 30/11/2010 22:26

Gah my DD is 6 and she has had around 4 I think...TOO MANY! she gets bugs a lot!

PavlovtheCat · 30/11/2010 22:44

i should not have posted on this thread! I got a call from upstairs about 30 mins ago...mama! i don't feel well can you tuck me in? noooo! don't stroke my hair, my fingers hurt, my toes hurt, my skin is hurting, oooowowow don't touch me!' red rosey cheeks. I asked her if she would like to stay home with daddy tomorrow and she said 'uhuh', she loves school so she must be sick! poor love.

MaudOHara · 30/11/2010 22:52

Mine have both had so much time off I've lost count but certainly into double figures.

And I'm not a parent that keeps them off lightly either - quite often they've gone in perfectly fine in the morning only for me to get a call mid way through the day.

We've had colds, D&V, dizziness following a head injury; sprained ankle; migraine and tonsilitis. Still beats a couple of years ago when some little sod child took a tennis racket to a wasps nest in a tree, all the wasps came out in force in a stinging frenzy - there must have been about 75% of the school stung several times and all sent home - this was the second day back

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