Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Primary education

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

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Phoning in sick to school

30 replies

roadkillbunny · 10/03/2011 09:18

My dd is off school sick today and when I was dropping off ds at pre-school I said to another Mum (who also has a child at school) that Mrs X sounded ill herself and the other Mum expressed surprise that I call the school when dd is going to be off sick, if her DC is sick she doesn't bother calling, she is not the only Mum I know who has said they don't call school when their child is sick and this surprises me, I have always thought that is what you are meant to do so that the school know what's going on.
So I was wondering, how many people call the school and how many don't think it is necessary? I don't know if it makes any difference, the parents who have told me they don't call are reception so are either only just of legal school age or aren't yet of legal school age where as my dd is Y1 (although I called school if she was off sick when she was in reception).

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Eglu · 10/03/2011 09:23

Our school sent letters home recently reminding us to call if our child is off sick. If you don't call they will usually end up calling you, but it is a really small school.

lovecheese · 10/03/2011 09:25

Always phone, why wouldn't you? School do not need the hassle of phoning up absentees.

thunderbird69 · 10/03/2011 09:26

I always call. If you don't and the school doesn't call you to check where your child is - that is a bit worrying isn't it?
What if the child walks to school by themselves and didn't make it in for some reason?

LindyHemming · 10/03/2011 09:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

upahill · 10/03/2011 09:29

I think it is a mattter of curtesy on your behalf to be honest.

babyapplejack · 10/03/2011 09:32

Always notify school. It's rude not to and against our school rules anyway.

Colourworld · 10/03/2011 09:33

I just email.

MarshaBrady · 10/03/2011 09:33

I (or dh) always phone on first day.

But not sure whether I should on the second?

coppertop · 10/03/2011 09:35

The rule at our school is that you must phone in if you're child is ill. If not they will phone to find out where your child is. This applies to all children so it doesn't matter if they're still only 4yrs old.

freshmint · 10/03/2011 09:36

I phone every day
unless i know he/she is going to be off for eg 3 days (really ill) then on Mon I say "he/she won't be in until THurs at the earliest" and then phone on thurs if he/she is still ill

KirstyJC · 10/03/2011 09:37

I phone in each morning that he is sick - he was off Monday and Tuesday this week so I called both days.

If I had thought about it, I could have told them on Monday that he wouldn't be in Tuesday as he had vomited on Sunday, so wouldn't be 48 hours clear until Tues pm but I forgot, so called in on Tuesday as well. If I had remembered I would have told them on Monday about being absent on Tues as well.

Our school has a policy whereby you need to call by 9.30 if the child isn't in that day.

lucykate · 10/03/2011 09:39

we have to call or email by 9am otherwise it will go down as an unautherised absence.

Original poster

roadkillbunny · 10/03/2011 09:40

I always phone again on the second day off (if there is one) again I think the school need to know what's going on, I don't know what happens if you don't call, I would imagine they would call you (think I will ask one of the Mums who say they don't call) , it is a small village school so wouldn't take more then a couple of minutes to call any absent children who hadn't phoned in but I feel that the school shouldn't be having to use there time this way, I am glad that it seems to be a small minority who don't bother to call in, it just got me thinking as I said it is only a small school and the Mums who have told be they don't bother amount to 30% of the reception class!

OP posts:

BetsyBoop · 10/03/2011 09:47

I would expect a school to phone the parents if a child didn't turn up for school & they didn't know why - it should be part of their safeguarding policy. Ours certainly does this if they've not heard anything by 09:30.

I don't think there is any need to ring in every day though, just keep the school informed as to when they are likely to be back & if that changes (they need longer off) then let them know.

Pancakeflipper · 10/03/2011 09:54

At our primary school we have to phone by 9.30am, there's a dedicated phone line where we leave a message and the lovely school secretary collates the messages.

If we don't phone them. They phone us to ensure we are aware our child isn't at school. Common sense. But I will never get to write one of those letters my mum did .."Dear Teacher, Johnny was not at school yesterday because he swallowed 2 marbles and we had to wait for him to expel them in the toilet. It was probably more exciting in your class than our bathroom...."

Seona1973 · 10/03/2011 12:25

I phone in if either of mine are off sick. We also have to send in a letter when they go back to explain the absence

MillsAndDoom · 10/03/2011 14:20

Our school has the same rules as Seona's

cory · 10/03/2011 20:55

Here we have to phone in every day, even if we did tell them at the beginning that child will be off all week.

Chooshoes · 10/03/2011 21:02

We have to phone in on the first day of absence before 9.15. I have been known to get a text from school asking where DS is, just as I was holding a bowl under his chin to catch vomit as he was sitting on the toilet!!! We also have to send a note in with the child on the first day back after sickness.

5goingon13 · 10/03/2011 21:09

When DS (in Reception) was off recently I rang everyday. I kind of looked at it in the way that if I was going to be off work sick then I would have to let them know so why should/would school be different. When he went back I asked if they needed me to write a note aswell but they said that wasn't necessary. They also said that if a child was absent and they hadn't heard from the family by 10am they would ring to see if there was a problem.

Hulababy · 10/03/2011 21:18

I always phone if DD is off sick, and I send a letter in with her on her return - the letters go in their file as a hard copy reason to xaplain absences.

I work in an infant school. Some parents call, some don't. Few bring in letters. I believe the office chances absences and the reasons for absences after a day or two.

IntotheNittyGritty · 10/03/2011 21:58

It is extremely ignorant to not inform the school that you child will not be there. Schools then have to waste time and money contacting parents to find out where they are.

What if your child normally walks to school by themself (or even dropped off at the door) but on a particular day they didnt arrive in their classroom. And the school doesnt contact you because its not their policy. How would you know if they were wagging?

Who would be responsible for your child then?

Its common courtesy to notify schools, whether its their policy or not.

caughtinanet · 10/03/2011 22:03

I can't imagine anyone not phoning the school - I wonder what these parents think the school do if a child isn't there at registration. Do they think the teacher just shrugs and carries onto the next name on the list.

Totally thoughtless behaviour

elphabadefiesgravity · 10/03/2011 22:05

Yes we have to phone in sick.

Recently the school phoned me to see where ds was. I had called my in laws to ask them to take dd to school as ds wasn't fit to take out of the house and they forgot to go to reception and tell them ds was sick.

IntotheNittyGritty · 10/03/2011 22:06

Even when I was at school parents had to inform the school if children were going to be absent. Its nothing new

Children also tell teachers tales that they have to go home to look after xxxx or other creative stories when they are planning to skive off school but parents havent notified the school of this.

If schools believe the child and dont inform the parents, and parents havent informed the school, who accepts responsibility for your child?

Flip

1 2