reception teacher just told me "it has been brought to my attention your ds' attendance is low". Grrrrrrrrrrr

[sunnysideup]

I feel totally got at! DS is in reception, started last sept and though he is the youngest in the whole school practically (he will still be four when he FINISHES reception!) he has settled really well.

Since starting school he has done the typical thing and gone down with one virus after another. We've had a couple of newsletters from the head which are careful to mention NOT to send children till ideally 48 hours after they've been vomiting......I've always phoned and told the school what DS has when he's off.

And now the bleedin teacher is 'raising' it with me as it has been 'brought to her attention!' GRRRRRRR. He's only getting ill because he is at school anyway, and they keep telling us to keep them off when ill, and now they are concerned re his attendance! WTF??????????????????????

Sorry, just wanted to rant and hope that someone understands where I'm coming from. I am absolutely streaming with cold today (caught from ds, caught from school!) so this felt like adding insult to injury!!!!

Don't feel got at. Chances are the reception teacher doesn't know you that well yet and so won't know if you are one of the mums who keeps their children off if they have an itchy nose. She is doing her job by mentioning it. If you've rung in every time then you've done your job too. Just try to shrug it off, you know your ds has been home legitimately and now the school does too.

school gets judged on attendance

so it is important to them

I'm sure she didn't mean anything by it

and if he's poorly he's poorly

thanks mildmannered....ooh, it's the injustice of it all! And yes you're right, at the bottom of all this it's purely their concern for their attendance figures. My priority is DS and giving his little body the best chance of developing to his full potential, which I don't think will happen if I send him to school when he's as ill as he has been. He's tired enough by school when he is fully well!

thanks guys. The thing is, I feel the reception teacher knows us pretty well - they have a good system in his reception year of 20 mins social time with the parents in the classroom - that's every day since september! We've chatted numerous times about ds and what he's had, and he is one of those kids who looks like a little waif when ill, white as a sheet and black circles under his eyes. If she's looked at him even once when he's returned to school looking like that it will have been obvious he's been quite ill.

I just don't see the point in her raising it, it won't change whether he gets ill or not.

I think she probably HAS TO.

I know what you're saying newboots, I understand they've got their systems. But it seems they're too rigid, they're dealing with very young children here. 20 DAYS before ds started school he was still 3! He and others of his age and stage are bound to pick up illnesses during these winter months. A 3 year old has not had time to develop their immune system to match these attendance targets obviously!

I think it's this sort of thing I was worried about when DS started school so young. I told myself I would treat it like another year of pre-school - trouble is of course the teachers can't treat it like that while keeping to the rigid systems we have at present.

dd2's birthday is 27 August so she will be a baby when she starts

dont keep him off for every sniffle though

if he is off this much with vomiting make sure he sees the gp

sorry but she is right to mention it

I'm still waiting on achool saying something to me. Ds is 4 1/2 and been in reception since September. He has had one cold after another, then ear infections then the tummy bug, and most recently a really bad virus that kept him off for 5 days. He goes in with colds, but other stuff he HAS to be off with. Poor we soul looks all pale and interesting! So all in all since September I reckon he has been of about 20 odd days...I know it's just the system but i would be really unhappy if they said anything to me, so I totally sympathise. I just hope his immmune system builds up soon...then i can go through it all again with DD and baby ds...

Yes, try not to get upset. I think all absences over a certain amount have to be checked. And better the teacher mention it in a casual way than having a formal letter from the head or cc.

You know, this week is National Attendance Week so schools have to report attendance and lateness data to.... whomever these things get reported to. We got a 'gee up' letter about it. Sometimes when they're little they really do need the rest.

i am glad ds went to pre-school nursery before reception for this exact reason. he caught everything back then and so is not missing any time now. this year is so important to him he absolutely loves going and i dont want him to miss a day he doesnt have to. which is why hes in school today when most of the class stayed off because of the snow. we actually live next door to the school - if we had to drive or take the bus i might have thought differently.

Actually I thought their attendance didn't count against the school until they were of legal school age ie. after they are 5. dd is the youngest in her year (end August) and is tiny with it but tbh at some point you do have to stop getting hung up about it or it will affect him. Some younger kids struggle for a few years (most often boys) but it isn't necessarily the case. Perhaps not only are they concerned about their figures but also that he is missing out on the basics of education which could hinder his progress ?

mysonsmummy, I had ds at the school nursery for a year before he started reception, in the hope he would be fine for school, but oh no, no such luck! And dd is at preschool twice a week now, so that's a whole new set of bugs to bring home and share around! I hate keeping him off, he loves it and this time he missed his class assembly....and he was upset he missed his ort reading book change, poor we man! Can't think of anything else to do for him to boost his immune system..he eats a healthy diet, drinks good amounts of water/milk and gets a lot of excercise..is inbed by 7.15 every night, up at 6.45..anyone have any tips???

msl have you tried multivits for kids particulalry in the winter?

Also a flu jab can help against colds - still get them but nothing like as badly.

Hope he builds up his immunity soon

I cannot believe that they start so young.

thanks pw, will give it a go....

I give my DS Vivioptal which is a liquid multivit - he LOVES it. Also boost with chewy vit c tabs if colds going around or he's sniffly. Touch wood seems to mean he doesn't get things too badly.

Didn't realise the legal requirement to start school was age 5. They try to get them in at 4, don't they? That's very good to know. Some kids just aren't ready at 4.

I'm expecting the teacher to pull me up regarding DS's attendance too. I don't keep him off without good reason but he's still had about 10 days off since September with D+V bugs and when he's been really snotty with a cold. I don't think it's fair to expect them to cope with a full day at school expecially with spending a whole hour out in the playground in this weather unless they are completely well.

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