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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Receiving an attendance warning following absences due to illnesses

43 replies

Mimeee · 20/03/2025 11:45

My son is in reception, he's 5. Since January he has had to stay off school on three separate occasions equating to 7 days due to scarlet fever. In addition to him actually being unwell, it's school and government guidelines to stay off school for 24 hours after starting antibiotics for scarlet fever. So we'd have to notice the symptoms, contact the GP, get an appointment, get a diagnosis, get a prescription, obtain the prescription and give him the antibiotics for 24hours before he can return to school. He got his 3rd diagnosis on Monday. The school have been informed each time and he has to take antibiotics during school hours so they are fully aware.

He has also had vomiting illnesses a couple of times, which we are advised they have to stay off for 48 hours for.

It's pretty evident that my sons immune system isn't quite working as it should, and he is currently undergoing further tests and waiting for a paediatrician appointment. This isn't anything new for us, unfortunately he's experienced repeated and long lasting illnesses since he was 6 months old and he's on his 2nd referral to a paediatrician.

Further to the illnesses mentioned that we have had to keep home from school for, he has attended school a significant amount whilst being visibly unwell as we're trying to encourage attendance as much as possible except when it seems to be something that puts him or others at risk.

We have followed school, government and GP guidelines.

Despite this, I have received a direct message from my sons teacher to say his attendance (91.5%) has been flagged and we need to make sure he is attending school regularly as he is at risk of becoming a "persistent absentee". This has, I feel justifiable, really angered me.

I understand policies and procedures are in place, however, surely individual circumstance should be taken into account? We are already informed of attendance % in school reports, parents evening and a weekly notification of school class attendance, so this message was sent in addition to this. Am I to expect myself and my child to be penalised for something that is quite literally out of our control? Do schools not have anything in place or recognition of individual circumstances? It seems extremely ignorant to take this approach and sound like they are implying that a % comes above his health, safety and wellbeing - as well as others, given what hes had recently is known to be contagious.

Am I overreacting? Sorry for the long post. It's hard enough not being able to help my child be healthy or know why he isn't, without the added pressure of being told we're doing something wrong for the sake of a %

OP posts:

LoudSnoringDog · 20/03/2025 11:46

Ignore it. Don’t stress about it.

Arcticrival · 20/03/2025 11:48

Just a standard letter automated by the system. just ignore it

Stichintime · 20/03/2025 11:50

As the absences can all be backed up with medical evidence you have nothing to worry about.

dizzydizzydizzy · 20/03/2025 11:55

It's infuriating, OP. Keep giving the school evidence of the medical tests and treatments but other than that, ignore it.

I used to be a school governor and the pressure on schools to keep up attendance figures is huge. Attendence was discussed in all governor meetings. It also forms part of Ofsted inspections.

BoleynMemories13 · 20/03/2025 15:40

It's protocol to send a letter when attendance dips under a certain percentage. They're not saying they don't believe you, they're not saying you'll be fined, they're simply making you aware that your child's attendance percentage is currently what it is, the affect this has on their education and how, going forward you need to make sure they are in school unless genuinely unwell in order to get the percentage back up.

They can't pick and choose who they send the standard letter to. These letters always cause upset for those who, like you, have a child who has been genuinely unwell. However, for every child like your son, there will be another who receives it who is always off for frivolous reasons and needs to up their game. Schools need to play the game with Ofsted to show they take persistent absence seriously, by sending the standard letter. You know the reasons are genuine, so you simply ignore it. It ticks a box for them that they've flagged it with you.

Fountybeach · 20/03/2025 15:48

Ignore it. Please stop sending him to school when he is visibly unwell though, poor little thing, let him rest !

CoffeeBeansGalore · 20/03/2025 15:51

Send a letter addressed to the head teacher. If you email it, send the letter as an attachment.
State you want it put on record that your son has health problems and is currently under the hospital paediatric dept. You follow the school's own protocols when it comes to contagious infections and none of his absences have been for frivolous reasons. And to please note that there will be further hospital appointments which he will be attending and therefore will be absent from school again. You will of course notify them in advance of when the appointments will be as soon as you know.

Disturbia81 · 20/03/2025 16:01

Yes automated letter, I got the same and they knew we had kept her off longer each time due to school guidelines, not because we wanted to. The wording is shit but they don’t have time to tailor them individually.
It’s hard isn’t it, they want us to keep them off and then make us feel bad for it

Disturbia81 · 20/03/2025 16:01

ApathyMartha · 20/03/2025 16:26

Schools have to show they’re making the effort to keep attendance up so these standard letters come out. I had one early in the year as each day off at the start makes more of an impact than each day off later in the year. It was ‘filed’ appropriately 😁.

TumbledTussocks · 20/03/2025 16:29

as other posters have said, it is a legal requirement for schools to send this letter regardless of reasons for absence. Don’t take it personally, it really isn’t about you, your son or case specific. It’s horrid to receive but it doesn’t mean anything.

Nursemumma92 · 20/03/2025 16:30

Schools have to do this. Don't give it another thought, it is just the system which is extremely frustrating but nothing personal.

MMmomDD · 20/03/2025 16:39

One of my kids gets ill easily, so in winter seasons her attendance drops.
I have been getting these letters for years - since primary. Was scared the first time like you are, I think.
Kid is now in secondary, and it’s an annual tradition…

I just write back - saying ‘thank you for your letter. DC had a few unfortunate illnesses in this flu season. We are hoping this improves in spring.’….

And keep going. If your child is unwell - they stay home. Letters or no letters…

Thisisittheapocalypse · 20/03/2025 16:40

You're angry at the school who has no choice in the matter of automated attendance letters?

Just ignore it and keep all documentation.

MyUmberSeal · 20/03/2025 16:42

Honestly, it’s a box tick exercise on the schools part. Nothing will happen, ignore it.

JoyousEagle · 20/03/2025 16:48

Just ignore it. My niece was in hospital for five days and her ridiculously academic results focused school called my sister to say that she needed to be in otherwise it would affect her future academic results. She was in year 1 at the time.

tsmainsqueeze · 20/03/2025 17:42

CoffeeBeansGalore · 20/03/2025 15:51

Perfect response.

Manchestermummax3 · 20/03/2025 18:00

This goes in File 'B' (bin!) & get on with your day.
You'll be getting a lot more of this automated crap over the primary years.
It's stupid government worded bullshit so they look like they give a shit.
The only time the council will bother you is if you're going on holiday in term & they want some money out of you!
(Obviously I'm not including shit parents who don't bother with their kids attendance which it does not sound like you are.)

PeppyTealDuck · 20/03/2025 18:02

Received and it goes straight in the bin.

My first and foremost duty is to make sure my children don’t go to school when feeling sick. That’s a what I remind myself in situations like these.

Noodles1234 · 20/03/2025 21:05

Any child attendance under 95% triggers a communication home. Long term low attendance will show in their test scores and general academia. Sometimes individuals are checked off if there is a known (long standing / chronic) condition. Different illnesses they are likely to still send letter home.

just ignore it, but keep the school informed of all sicknesses, reasons etc. underneath it all it shows they care (and care for their attendance sheet / Ofsted).

MarnieJADE · 20/03/2025 21:18

Persistent absentee is DfE terminology for children attending less than 90%.

Expected that school flag that he is about to fall into that category. School are doing what they have to do, by DfE guidance.

Natsku · 20/03/2025 21:29

If it's just the automatic letter then please ignore it. If it's an actual direct message from the teacher then I would talk to them about the situation, I'm sure they will understand.
My DD has missed so much school this year, not in the UK but here we get automated emails when children hit 30, 60, and 90 hours of absence which DD has hit all three of this year so I talked to her teacher about her missing so much and there was no judgement, just a desire to help her get back into school and catch up on missed work.

WhatMe123 · 20/03/2025 21:31

Normal procedure op don't worry

whynotwhatknot · 20/03/2025 21:52

isnt it automatic once they hit a certain level-wouldnt worry too much

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