Received a letter from new school about DS absenses.

[angelcake99]

Ds has only been in his new reception class 5 weeks, and in that time he has been ill 3 times. I kept him off for a two day periods because he had a sky high temperature and was dizzy and sick. the other period of sickness was flu with a raging temp and then viral conjunctivitis.
I phone school every day to tell them and sent him back with letters fully explaining why he had been absent.

Now I have received a letter from the Headteacher asking me to see him as the Education Welfare Officer has flagged us up as Ds was off a monday and a tuesday of different weeks. i am stunned that this has been noted so early on in the year. Does anyone else have experience of this?

I'm really quite narked about it, because my son has picked up everything going since he has attended this nursery and school, I have an appointment next week what should I say?
Getting worked up about it

My ds started reception this year and, though I am a cm and he has mixed with children of all ages for the past 4years, he has been ill twice already this term - first time good old sickness n 'sh..s' and second raging temp and hallucinations. Second time I rang in it was pointed out he'd only just gone back - so I offered to take him in and for them to take the risk that -

[a] he would pass the bug on to pupils and staff

[b] he would be poorly while there and they would have to send him home amyway.

They soon agreed that mummy knew best. I understand that schools have 'targets' for sickness and absences but if a child is ill then they should be at home with a parent or carer, not at school infecting others and being miserable. My daughters both went to the same school and they know I wouldn't keep a child home unnecessarily, maybe it was the way it was said that offended me - who knows.

It's standard. I had the same in July but I was furious as my DD has a serious heart condition and she was kept off with suspected swine flu (very dangerous for her) and I couldn't believe I received a letter about her absence. I complained to the head in the meeting as my DD rarely misses school for her heart condition and does amazingly well despite having such a serious condition. Some common sense should be applied to standard procedures sometimes.

Oh and I was flabbergasted last week. DD was sent home as she was sick in the playground (loads of horrible sick bugs going around). I kept her off the next day and I got a snotty message asking why I hadn't rung in and reported her absence. I had presumed that as they had called me to collect her early as she was sick I didn't need to ring in!