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Primary education

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Original poster

Poor attendance letter

38 replies

Inkdrinker · 18/05/2022 22:43

Hey,

Today my eldest who is 10 came home with a poor attendance letter. Admitting, the kids have had a lot of time off school. We've all had covid, multiple sickness bugs and she was struggling severely with anxiety over school which I did give her a day off for.

I was shocked to see that her attendance was 79% but she was off school for a week with covid. The letter states the educational welfare officer will be keeping an eye on the attendance.

Obviously, I understand how important attendance is for a child's learning but I don't feel comfortable sending her into school if she is quite clearly unwell. Do I need to be concerned about this letter? I'm now worrying about social services and all sorts 😐

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

suzyscat · 18/05/2022 23:55

One of mine has had about the same level of attendance this year. We got the letter too, but the school were very understanding and explained they are obliged to send it and offer support.

If a child is sick, a child is sick. After not very much school for two years, we seem to have copped for every bug going. You feel bad for keeping them off and bad for sending them in sick to spread it and invariably collect them an hour later.

I think there'd have to be more than that going on to involve social services. Just keep in communication with the school.

Heckythump1 · 19/05/2022 06:12

Covid has played massively into absence this year and has been completely unavoidable.... heck my kids class teacher probably has a similar absence level to your child and I bet people would have a different reaction to that than to you daughters! :p

Tontostitis · 19/05/2022 06:19

That's almost one day a week off

itsgettingweird · 19/05/2022 06:31

Sickness bug is a statutory (although so ignore it hence whey they keep going round schools!) 48 off after the last bout of d and v.

If you're keeping her off for 4-5 days every sickness bug and then covid that only takes 4/5 times to amass up to 20/25 days (40-50 sessions) off school.

If an attendance officer comes and days anything you can simply ask if they are suggesting you ignore the sickness bug rule and send her in? Then end there and wait for a response.

There is an increase of illness in schools currently because children haven't got the string immune systems anymore due to isolations and covid etc.

ItsSnowJokes · 19/05/2022 06:59

They are auto generated letters (I used to have to do them when I worked in a school). It is everyone who has below x amount of attendance gets sent them. Its nothing personal.

My child was down to 70% at one point this year, now up to 88% (it looked worse as she only started at the school in February so she had less days to even it out). So many children have had terrible bugs this year and topped with covid absence it is a nightmare. It doesn't bother me as I know she has been genuinely ill, I think she is brewing something else as well as she has a runny nose currently.

Just ignore the letter, get on with stuff.

KnitPurlKnitPurl · 19/05/2022 07:16

LIZS · 18/05/2022 22:51

20% absence is almost half a term.

Or a day every week. It’s a LOT of absence. A week for covid, a day for anxiety… so what about all the rest?

balalake · 19/05/2022 07:20

Schools are required to take certain actions such as this over attendance and in some other matters. Ironic from a government led by a man who never attends work 80% of the time.

Regarding the anxiety, you should be doing something such as a reward/treat for going to school, not just giving a child a day off. Please don't end up with a 'snowflake' when it can be avoided.

ADarknessOfDragons · 19/05/2022 07:21

KnitPurlKnitPurl · 19/05/2022 07:16

Or a day every week. It’s a LOT of absence. A week for covid, a day for anxiety… so what about all the rest?

Show quote history

Well the OP also said 2 lots of D&V and various days off for high temperatures etc until covid test negative.

I'd just hope you dc is well from here OP!

ADarknessOfDragons · 19/05/2022 07:24

balalake · 19/05/2022 07:20

Schools are required to take certain actions such as this over attendance and in some other matters. Ironic from a government led by a man who never attends work 80% of the time.

Regarding the anxiety, you should be doing something such as a reward/treat for going to school, not just giving a child a day off. Please don't end up with a 'snowflake' when it can be avoided.

Totally depends on why the child is anxious. My dc can't cope in the school environment now and pushing her in has escalated matters. Rewards and punishment don't work with ND children. The OP hasn't said anything like that about her dc but even my diagnosed ND child who's struggled for years hadn't had a day off until last November with anxiety so it must have been quite bad to not go into school.

lollipoprainbow · 19/05/2022 07:32

Regarding the anxiety, you should be doing something such as a reward/treat for going to school, not just giving a child a day off. Please don't end up with a 'snowflake' when it can be avoided.

My daughter is autistic and is highly anxious she is not a 'snowflake'. With attitudes like yours is it any wonder mental health is still a stigma.

Original poster

Inkdrinker · 21/05/2022 14:54

lollipoprainbow · 19/05/2022 07:32

Regarding the anxiety, you should be doing something such as a reward/treat for going to school, not just giving a child a day off. Please don't end up with a 'snowflake' when it can be avoided.

My daughter is autistic and is highly anxious she is not a 'snowflake'. With attitudes like yours is it any wonder mental health is still a stigma.

Fully agree. I can't believe people still refer to people as snowflakes because they struggle with certain things or may be more sensitive than others.

Just goes to show that there is still a lot of work to do to increase support with mental health illnesses.

OP posts:

hamptonedge · 23/06/2022 20:32

The letters are to bring the low attendance to your attention, which it obviously has. If its sickness I wouldn't worry as it will be coded as such.

ShepherdMoons · 22/05/2023 22:42

Our school is in a MAT and they are obsessed with attendance. Letter are sent out constantly to parents, the children have been ill with measles (somec children are unvaccinated and chickenpox as well as the usual sick bugs.

I find it ridiculous when parents have no control over attendance, the myth that we are all keeping our children off for kicks is bizarre.

Consequently, most parents in our school have had threatening letters (attendance at 94% at this stage of the year) and it's created a lot of animosity. The 100% attendance awards are just weird - well done for not getting sick or having a child with MH issues or a serious immune condition. Absolutely awful.

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