Child had 11 days off sick for mumps from school and now im being sent an education welfare officer to explain attendance???

[honestyismybond1]

Child is at a good primary school who I have had an excellent relationship with.My childs last year attendance was 90%.This year we aimed for 100% but sadly caught mumps and was very ill off sick for 11 days.Child saw GP on first day of absence who confirmed mumps and school was notified on day one by myself.I called the school many times updating them and requesting missed work to keep up.My child loged into school website everyday for 2hours to complete math work to keep up but sadly requested work from school did not come.When child went back to school I let teacher know how hard child worked at home even though very poorly and all seemed fine.Two weeks later got a school letter saying being moniterd by educational welfare officer for poor attendance and any future absences will be marked unauthorised unless I get a doctors note even if its a 24 hour bug or cold.So when my child was ill yet again a week later for a tummy bug just for a day I took my child to see GP to get a note and showed her the letter and the Dr went mental but to my shock not towards the school but to me.Gp requested I pay £20 for letter or go! When I said I could not pay £20 Gp said was putting on my record that I am always to pay £20 if I want any information to stop me wasting her time.I felt sick and very upset.I pointed out to her that we were both on the same side and that it was the council,education board,school demanding this and if we both complained in some way it would help.I then dared to ask if this was fair and was clearly told what she thought did not come into this and she will only take the course of action of asking for £20 to stop it happening.So the parent gets blamed from all angles and the child gets unauthorised mark on school record!When I calmed down I rang eductation board who was delighted with the action my school had taken and even said to me "we have vast matters in this area and if a child is ever ill more than once a year then this needs investigating" who the hell has a child who is sick only once a year? If you do please clone them because this is not the norm.I am worn out with this so can anyone please share what they think and what they would do? Thanl you

I would tell them that you want a copy of the evidence they have that you were on holiday.

Trouble is, all the posters getting angry on here, are posters who have had dc with genuine medical issues, which - as Cory has said - are recognised once investigated further by the EWOs.
90% attendance means a child is having the equivalent of 1 day a fortnight off - it's just a trigger line at which many schools, (or LAs) decide 'we need to investigate this is all above board'.
There is uproar every time a child sadly dies through neglect or abuse in the home about 'why the schools didn't notice' etc - many of the hig profile deaths in recent times have involved children who just started missing more and more school, and probably not enough was done to ensure they were safe. I'm not suggesting any of the posters on here who are getting outraged are like those, but wouldn't you rather get a letter asking you for evidence, than have another child slip through the system because no-one cared enough to follow it up ?

If this happened to me then I would not take my childnout of school when they are ill. Instead go against school policy and infect as many kids as possible. School will soon change their tune regarding having a go at parents who do the right thing and keep their ill children from school. If a teacher is off for the week then it will cost the school hundreds of pounds in supply costs.

Thread is more than a year old so think OP will have resolved issue

Hi i also received a letter as my daughter had 13 days off for the whole school year 5 days of this were for severe tonsilitus! this brought her attendance to 92.76%, i was asked to give them a drs note but my dr wasnt as nasty as yours but would not give me a letter for a child! I saw a child throw up in the playground last week but was allowed in school the following day! I was told if there sick there to be kept off for 48 hours! They put pressure on parents to keep attendance up so children are going in poorly!they dont care about the child anymore its all figures its wrong