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Primary education

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Original poster

93% attendance for YEAR 1

12 replies

CafeAuLait7 · 05/06/2019 18:45

My DS who's 6 has been unfortunately catching coughs and colds this year that bring on ear infections, chest infections, fevers and a tummy bug.

We received a letter by the education welfare from our county basically saying that his attendance has captured their attention and he will be closely monitored from here on out!

It's been 3 weeks since we received this letter and apart from half term he's been going to school everyday, however over an hour ago he has been vomiting every 15 minutes! I believe it's another tummy bug Shock I'm worried about his attendance obviously and his school has a 48 hr policy when it comes to tummy bugs so that means he'll be missing 2 days this week.

Does anyone know how much the attendance percentage goes up for attending and how much it goes down for being absent?

OP posts:
Aroundtheworldin80moves · 05/06/2019 18:48

There's about 400 sessions a year (2 per school day).

SummerHouse · 05/06/2019 18:55

Roughly 0.5% equals a day at year end. So it will be about 1%. A little more as it's not end of year yet. Please don't worry it's just a standard letter not meant to concern children with genuine absence but of course it does. It's annoying as 48 hrs is their rule but then it feels like you are being targeted for respecting that. I would not give the letter another thought and just look after your poorly child.

letsrunfar · 05/06/2019 18:58

The monitor lots of children with "poor" attendance. If it's genuine, what can you do?

Practically you can, be as objectively critical as you can over whether dc is well enough to go into school when they are ill.

Get your dc to see the gp every time they are not well enough to attend school from now on.

Make an appointment with the school head to discuss the matter.

Other than that you can't do much else.

elliejjtiny · 06/06/2019 11:42

My 6 year old's attendance was 88% last year. 2 hospital stays, one tummy bug and loads of hospital appointments. We got one of those letters about monitoring attendance but that was it.

SoupDragon · 06/06/2019 11:47

Get your dc to see the gp every time they are not well enough to attend school from now on

I don't think it's at all appropriate to waste the GP's time like that.

SoupDragon · 06/06/2019 11:48

These letters are automated I think.

HomeMadeMadness · 06/06/2019 11:56

I wouldn't worry about the standard letter. Just call the school, tell them he's vomiting, presumably they won't want him in and don't worry about it. The next step would just be a meeting with the school but since you will have called the school on each occasion he's been ill I doubt it'll even go that far.

letsrunfar · 06/06/2019 12:02

@SoupDragon

Agree it probably is a waste of GP's time, although something might get picked up.

General advice from schools I've worked with to parents with sickly children, is to go to the GP on each occasion to keep yourself covered.

In cases where absence falls particularly low, a simple "oh I've got a sickly child" doesn't generally cut it. The authority would expect a responsible parent to be engaging with their GP at the least if absence is so high it's triggering their procedures.

But in the case of the OP it's early days and I'd imagine her dc has just had a little blip.

NicoAndTheNiners · 06/06/2019 12:18

Letters like this make me so cross.

It almost makes you tempted to send them in when they're vomiting every 15 mins! I mean obviously I wouldn't because it's the kids that would suffer and it's also not the individual teacher's fault but it's bloody infuriating.

I guess it's easier to send out an automatic letter once attendance reaches a threshold rather than the education dept spend the money to employ someone to look at each individual case.

PantsyMcPantsface · 06/06/2019 12:51

I've just checked DD2's from the same year group and she's at 94% and no one in school has said anything - because they know she's been off if she's been ill, or for surgery and associated hospital appointments. This is despite the school having been due an Ofsted, and having an Ofsted and the pressure really being on them with that looming.

It'll be on the next report to the governors (I am one so I know this happens in our school) and in the attendance monitoring reports that child AB in class Y1 was off for X sessions ill and X sessions for an operation and nothing more than that.

As it turns out I think we HAVE been to the GP for the bulk of the illness related absences but that's only because she's a sodding skin picker who ends up with impetigo as a result and needs antibiotics then!

My other child is on 100% this year purely as she's got over that phase where they seem to pick up all the germs being newer to the school and her party trick is getting tummy bugs for the start of the holidays meaning our lovely days out turn into me being on catch duty with the sick bucket!

Quartz2208 · 06/06/2019 12:56

Yes it’s an education welfare office thing. We have recurrent tonsillitis and viral wheeze when it’s doctors I take in the proof or prescriptions

I also spoke to the headteacher and he said the next stage is an informal meeting with the ewo and him I talked through the issues and he said it would be fine

Helix1244 · 06/06/2019 19:28

For dc1 the D&v seemed to then cause ear infections.
I found using olbas oil helped keep nose clearer and fewer ear problems.
Hand washing after soft play before eating.

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