Attendance

[Number109]

My child’s school are starting to report attendance figures again and are contacting families where attendance is below 90% and have asked everyone to aim for 95%. My child (yr 1) has 88% at the moment, 1 day was for a sickness bug, the rest is covid which she’s had twice since November. This evening she appears to have chicken pox so looks like another week off! How am I expected to answer the heads questions if they come? Is it worth contacting them directly to say I’m aware it’s an issue but it’s a combination of things that can’t be helped? She’s submitted all of her online learning when she’s been off but mostly without any feedback.

You should report the reason for your child's absence. Frankly neither the school or you have any say on when your child gets chicken pox other than it is inevitable that sometime in their primary school career they will get chicken pox.
All schools are under pressure to have attendance of 95% plus but most schools are being sensible and recognise that this is a longer term objective given what has happened in the last two years

You don’t need to contact the school. You have explanations and Covid in particular (with 10 day isolation) had abnormally reduced attendance.

EWOs and schools don’t worry about cases like yours. If attendance been good before this term.

What’s more concerning is the child who misses a day or two each week/often late, and vague “they were unwell”. You start getting concerned about home life.

They have to send the letters, but they won't be worried - they know the reasons, and it's unlikely to happen again. Statistically, very many children will dip below the threshold in at least one term in their school career - but quite often just because chickenpox and a sickness bug have hit in the same term.

I work in a school and monitor attendance. We are under pressure from all sides to improve attendance; governors, local authority and especially DfE. We’ll have to send the letters soon but we have looked at the data in advance, we know which children have had Covid. We’re much more worried about those whose attendance is in the low 70s and haven’t had it.

I had the same issue I contacted the school after they sent out the report because they didn't put Covid illness towards absences so it never went towards the percentage. I rang up not knowing after they sent a report with percentage and a threatening note saying if pupils are in this percentage bracket they likely will fail in life. They said now Covid is just classed as any other illness. I don't think it's fair at all and now take no notice to what her school says. Can't wait till she's out of there!

Thank you all. I actually popped into school to report her absence (they lost their phone line in storm Eunice so no phone or internet back yet!) and asked about this and the receptionist said the attendance officer would almost certainly look at it but they wouldn’t be concerned.