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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

Attendance rates percentage - please make me feel better about ds's 93%

23 replies

Mspontipine · 09/09/2009 16:40

Today I received a letter from ds(6) school to say as his attendance was 93% last year he is below the national average of 95%

To be honest I am and .

Education and school is very very important to me and I am alarmed!

I thought I was one of the good parents

Ds is a very robust boy and apart from a couple of bugs that have kept him away and a couple.. maybe 3 long weekends where he has had one and a half days off to go away that's it. We haven't been off for weeks on holiday etc.

What do you think - do you know yours??

Letter was very nice, not accusing just informing and inviting discussion.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

TotalChaos · 09/09/2009 16:47

At least you didn't get a letter from the Educational Welfare Office, like me! DS's attendance was 83% for Xmas term last year, as he got loads of bugs and then a dose of measles. I diddn't dare take off any days for long weekends after falling under the EWO radar.

PixieOnaLeaf · 09/09/2009 16:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

HelenaBonhamCarter · 09/09/2009 16:59

Long weekends??

You cheeky bunch!

We had 86% last year, which was because of illness alone (his first full year at school)

She didn't inform EW though, I think because I got to the first and told her I'd spoken to them

TotalChaos · 09/09/2009 17:01

btw the 83% was solely due to illness, there were no long weekends even before getting the EWO on my back.

TotalChaos · 09/09/2009 17:02

Helena - I think that below 85% attendance is the trigger where they have to pass it on to the council.

HelenaBonhamCarter · 09/09/2009 17:04

Exactly TC...if you think about it it doesn't take much. I think he had 3 days off with cough/temp thing, about 4 days with the D&V everyone else had, and actually he did have about 7 days off with proper flu. He was almost up to school on the last day before Christmas but I was bedridden, and didn't want him to go in and catch something else at that point! So he missed a day then when he could have gone in I suppose.

We are not superhuman.
If other mothers and fathers kept their children off when they were knowingly contagious, maybe ours would not pick up so many bugs...

HelenaBonhamCarter · 09/09/2009 17:04

Thanks - x posts

lou031205 · 09/09/2009 17:05

That means he had 2 weeks and 4 days off in total, OP.

StripeyKnickersSpottySocks · 09/09/2009 17:09

I had an embarassing time at a parent's evening, must have eben about Easter time last year. I was moaning to the teacher that DD was so far behind and I was upset she hadn't caught up and school weren't helping her more. Her teacher pointed out that due to 2 week long holidays and a long weekend she had an attentance rate of 86% and maybe if I was so concerned she shouldn't miss so much school?

Original poster

Mspontipine · 09/09/2009 17:10

That's a lot isn't it lou031205 - I'm going to check it tomorrow with office - not all guns blazing of course but most of all - I feel like I've let ds and the school down

There were no unauthorised absences on his report. Filled in a "holiday form" for each and have never been refused.

OP posts:

cory · 09/09/2009 17:11

Have spoken to my GP about this and he thinks the 85% target for all children is ludicrous as a lot of children's immune systems won't have developed to that stage by the time they start school, so they are quite simply going to get that many illnesses whatever you do.

If it is of any consolation to anyone, dd's attendance in Yr 6 was 63%; she has ongoing medical problems and hasn't been above the 85% since Yr 1. She is still in top group for all subjects in Yr 8, though; she reckons all those days spent in bed means she gets more time to read than her friends

HelenaBonhamCarter · 09/09/2009 17:11

See I reckon Stripey that holidays are the key. If i took ds on bracing trips to nice foreign places, or Blackpool, he might be ill less.

It probably all cancels out. Tell them it was prophylactic health promotion.

Ripeberry · 09/09/2009 17:12

I think you are 'allowed' 10 days off each year, but you have to ask first.

bigchris · 09/09/2009 17:15

how did it go today with your mad stalker head HBC? cant find original thread!

HelenaBonhamCarter · 09/09/2009 17:19

She was talking to other people thank goodness, couple of near misses though and yesterday she HIJACKED a conversation I was having with the secretary to stick her head out the office and screech 'Can I help you!?!!' at me, with a weirdly attractive smile.

Odd is not the word. Thanks for asking BC

Original poster

Mspontipine · 09/09/2009 18:31

OMG

I cannot believe I made this statement in my op. I was in a real rush and trying to cook and dish up tea before Beavers at the same time!!

"Education and school is very very important to me"

Please let me correct myself. Pleeeeeeeease!!

Education and school is are very very important to me.

That phrase will haunt me forever more!!

OP posts:

cory · 09/09/2009 18:39

Ah well, it could have meant EducationAndSchoolAsAPackage is very important to me.

pleasedeletemeletmego · 09/09/2009 18:54

10 days (20 sessions) takes you to around the 95% mark. Easily racked up when they're small and pick up lots of bugs. I wouldn't worry about it - school will be much more concerned with anyone under 85% because it puts them on the radar for the DCFS hit squad.

lljkk · 09/09/2009 18:59

What will DCFS do?
I have just requested authorised abscence for 15 days hols for DC -- to see extended family who live on another continent. School can lump it, we only take them out for hols every 4 years.

pleasedeletemeletmego · 09/09/2009 20:21

The DCFS just hassle the school, go through the registers, ask numerous questions and want to know all your procedures, why this parent wasn't chased up, why this one wasn't referred to EWO, ad infinitum.

We have a multicultural school where children regularly (and rightly) take time off to go to their or their parent's country of origin, take time off for Eid etc but it's not taken into account by the DCFS. They're just bothered that the bottom line attendance figure is iffy.

dee0468 · 14/09/2009 17:55

My dd who was in reception last year had an attendance figure in the low 80's. One week was a family holiday. The rest was chicken pox and tummy bugs etc. Think they also counted the days they closed school in these figures. Don't think it will be a problem though as below compulsary school age.

dee0468 · 16/09/2009 12:10

I lied. It was nearer 88 percent.

Alou · 27/09/2009 17:46

I have received a letter from education because my childen's attendance is below 80% for the last school year. One of my children had an operation and had 2 weeks off of school and my other child has a long term health issue. They have caught so many things from school, like vommitting bugs, slap cheek, and swine flu. They had 2 weeks off at the end of last term becaus of swine flu and it has affected their attendance. My Son was so ill I had to phone 999 and the paramedics were going to hospitalise him. What am I suppose to do? My children like school and my Son does well. My Daughter enjoys school and learns at a slower rate. I know attendance is important, but I do not know what else I am suppose to do. I have taken my kids to school unwell; even going against government guidelines (I later found out) but the school were not bothered. My Daughter had an eye infection and the school had to administer eye drops because they said it was ok for her to attend to school, even though the guidelines advise otherwise.

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