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Secondary education

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School attendance & No allowances for covid

30 replies

Managingteens · 10/04/2022 13:39

So I received a letter yesterday regarding my sons attendance with a police caution??!!!! My son has admittedly not a great attendance record but as he’s had covid 2 or 3 times this year (3rd not confirmed by test) sports injuries amongst other days off for legitimate sporting events (permission granted from the head) and a frequent migraine sufferer I find this utterly unbelievable. They are not making any allowances for covid or self isolation periods. Isn’t the government advice to self isolate if suffering from any covid symptoms? This school won’t allow for any time off for covid symptoms only for positive test results. He was told when he had a stomach bug he could be given a toilet pass??! And when he had a migraine he could sit in a room on his own! I had spoken to the school and been ‘referred’ and spoken to who ever that was on a couple of occasions and been told I hadn’t provided enough evidence to support the reason behind his absence. The school were already aware my doctor won’t provide evidence and in fact my doctor was disgusted that the school was asking for private medical information along with wasting their very precious time In the middle of a health crisis. I explained this to the school who accepted that. On the last conversation I was told again I hadn’t provided evidence as requested and would be referred again. I wasn’t asked for evidence but was then told if I couldn’t provide doctors evidence I should have taken a photo of the pharmacy and the medication...??!! So I failed to do something I wasn’t asked to do?! And taking a photo?! It absolute nonsense.so I didn’t get the medication from a pharmacy so I sent my online bill along with a photo of my medicine cupboard and got no reply. Then I get this letter?!
I’m annoyed that I am following government guidelines to keep my son off school when he has apparent covid symptoms and I’m getting a police caution letter for doing so?!! If it wasn’t for covid his other times off would be within limits. This world is going mad. I also think I’m getting unfairly targeted because I asked the attendance lady to stop talking ‘at’ me on the phone and explained when someone is asking for their help and one asks a question it is common courtesy to partake in that conversation and answer that question not just go on repeat and ramble on. 10minutes of non stop rambling I got off her so no I don’t think I’m liked 😳

OP posts:
Fridgeorflight · 10/04/2022 13:42

Can you reject the police caution?

FATEdestiny · 10/04/2022 13:49

You have a legal obligation to ensure your son attends school. Your school has a governmental obligation to ensure your son attends.

It's what attendance policies are for.

They start warning you from before 90% attendance usually. That's the equivalent of 1 day off per fortnight.

Legal proceedings usually start once you pass 80%. That's the equivalent of 1 day per week off.

What is your sons current attendance?

Dress it up any way you like, you are letting your son down. So the school, police and local authority will hold you to account.

Nat6999 · 10/04/2022 13:53

Speak to your MP, I've found that the only way to get school to take notice is to get an MP involved. I had the same problems as ds had frequent migraines & also had to self isolate several times with Covid symptoms or had been a close contact with Covid.

axolotlfloof · 10/04/2022 13:58

What's your son's attendance percentage?
I can understand if it's very low why the school would like to improve it, it reflects badly on them.
Are any of those days off avoidable?
Could he go in for the first fee periods of sporting event days?
How bad are the sports injuries that he can't attend school?

MikeandDave · 10/04/2022 14:00

Dress it up any way you like, you are letting your son down. So the school, police and local authority will hold you to account.
What rubbish the schools were happy to close for months due to Covid during the pandemic, my child's school had to keep three year groups home last week due to staff shortages caused by Covid and my Gran is not allowed visitors in her nursing home due to an outbreak. Yet parents are getting police cautions for being responsible and not sending their child to school with symptoms. There should absolutely be some leniency over Covid symptoms and no wasting of doctors time asking for evidence.

Ducksurprise · 10/04/2022 14:05

I can't see it's a police caution are they not just trying to scare you? I thought it went to panel/attendance office first.

I've also had one of these letters (written as if I'm a lazy cow who keeps kids off for no reason) what makes me more cross is the school went to remote learning for 22 days since September as the teachers were sick. We have had two bouts of covid where we had to isolate for 10 days and one week of noro (which led to online learning for three days)

AnneElliott · 10/04/2022 14:50

I can't tell if you've actually received a police caution but don't accept one without taking legal advice. It is an admission of guilt and will show up on a DBS check.

HSHorror · 10/04/2022 15:34

My primary kid has had 6d since sept
4d after flu spray- temp etc dec
1d vomit jan
1d vomit apr

However dc was actually ill like 6 days in episode 1.
Vomited twice episode 2 48h apart and actually should have had another day at least with 48h rule.
Episode 3 luckily fri morning otherwise woukd have been another day.
So is 6 could have been 8.
And that is with having 0 days all year for Covid symptoms or when the rest of us had covid.

Maybe with migraines your dc could make it in after a couple of hours?

Surely your dc covid absences could be excluded if you send proof of lft (i know schools do put as I for ill but it ought to be excluded for prosecution!)

My other dc only had 1 dsy off with covid and 1 (should have been 2 ) with mild diarrhoea.

As you can see im now ignoring the d&v 48h rule. Other parents are also ignoring it. My dc both vomit easily and like op child i think dc2 it's likely migraines as dc only one to vomit and also now is feelig better within 2h. And they managed to vomit - over xmas when we hadnt seen anyone and during lockdowns.

Since i realised people have asymptomatic d&v and adults often get it and dont vomit ive ignored the rule. After all if it's a bug my dc1 was in school anyway. Another kid was actually sick in the classroom.

lanthanum · 10/04/2022 15:59

"You have to admit an offence and agree to be cautioned. You can be arrested and charged if you don’t agree.
A caution is not a criminal conviction, but it could be used as evidence of bad character if you go to court for another crime.
Cautions can show on standard and enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks."
www.gov.uk/caution-warning-penalty

If this genuinely is an attempt to give you a caution, you would need to agree to it. Think very carefully (and preferably take advice) before doing this, as it could affect your employment.

Bobbybobbins · 10/04/2022 16:21

If you have a positive lft, definitely send that in as proof of covid. My school also 'doesn't count' the absence of they have had covid. Regarding overall attendance, it depends a bit on the figure. If it's 90% plus then I don't think it's a massive issue. If it's say 70-80% then the school are obliged to act really.

bellac11 · 10/04/2022 16:29

OP you need to set out if you are in England

What is the percentage of attendance

How many episodes is this

When you talk of being referred is this to the educational welfare officer at the Local Authority?

When were you first opened to them? Did you engage?

RoseAndRose · 10/04/2022 16:36

he’s had covid 2 or 3 times this year (3rd not confirmed by test)

This school won’t allow for any time off for covid symptoms only for positive test results

If it wasn’t for covid his other times off would be within limits

This might be the crux of it.

MadMadMadamMim · 10/04/2022 16:44

Govt advice in England is that pupils do not have to isolate, and even with a positive test if you feel ok you can still go to work/school, so I'm not surprised the school won't allow time off for "Covid symptoms" .

He's obviously had lots of time off, and No - the advice is not to isolate. It hasn't been for some time. He needs to be in school.

bellac11 · 10/04/2022 16:47

I forgot to add, if he suffers migraines, he needs specialist migraine medication, not over the counter things. They dont treat proper migraine.

RoseAndRose · 10/04/2022 18:20

Our school has/had guidance that you stay home until the fifth day after onset, and return only if LFT is negative by then

It might have changed again now, but I'm pretty sure it was the norm up to at least 1 April

So yes, he should have been off school (unless v recent) but also he should have been tested as proof (LFT sufficient and still free at the time)

Managingteens · 11/04/2022 08:34

Thankyou for all your comments those helpful ones and unhelpful.
I am of course dedicated to getting my son to school. And please be assured I have never let my son stay off school without due cause.
For those of you that scold me for isolation I agree covid rules have changed now and in mentioning isolation I was of course referring to last year where covid isolation rules were in place. Obviously he has not ‘isolated’ when there is no isolation.

Medication for migraines aren’t given out to kids his age and the medication he has had doesn’t stop the flashing lights and light sensitivity. These headaches last for a few days but he only ever has minimal amount of time off usually over the period only when he has vision impairment. Yes there are days he just goes in late but is has either been marked as being absent or unexplained lateness so every which way is a brick wall. Sending him to school to sit in a darkened room by himself just so the school can mark him as attended...?

I get it you all seem to think you’ve done a great job at getting your kids to school while they’re puking and have upset stomachs and snot everywhere possible covid but what about all the other children you are making ill in doing so? So none of you question that?
The 48hr rule was there for a reason. The stay at home if ill rule which is still being advised by the government is there for a reason. Now it doesn’t count! because the school needs attendance figures up?! What about the health and well being of my child! He was sitting beside someone in class who was sick in a bag and was told to go clean himself up and then come back to class. Am I the only one that thinks this is crazy?

More sick kids in school makes for more sick kids!

My son is a very active kid doing more things outside school than in and will for sure be more focused and less stressed and for sure less ill when he leaves.

Covid has for sure effected this generation profoundly yet there is no le-way, no allowance, for that as if it’s lets pretend it didn’t happen we have a target still to hit and funding to get and our ofsted coming up so let’s just ply the pressure and make up new rules (like taking a photo) after the fact.
We are all trying so hard to keep fighting on through hardship, through rising inflation, through job losses, to jump through hoops and follow the rules when really the rules don’t make sense. None of his really makes any sense and there is no common sense.
For me my biggest gripe is lack of communication, lack of empathy, lack of support and no help just threat of police. Where is people’s common decency at?!

OP posts:
WinterSpringSummerorFall · 11/04/2022 08:38

Can you get a police caution in the post? I wouldn't have thought so... what dies that actually say?

urrrgh46 · 11/04/2022 08:41

You have my upmost sympathy - the letter is just a threat. It's the utter rubbish like that that led me to home educate and use an internet school for my children.

orangeisthenewpuce · 11/04/2022 08:41

OP you need to tell us what his actual attendance is before we can offer good advice. Levels of absence make a big difference to what will happens.

bellac11 · 11/04/2022 08:44

You havent answered any of the questions about attendance, episodes when you were first referred and how you engaged

Migraine medication is given to children, particularly those who are being affected to the extent that their schooling is affected

Wannakisstheteacher · 11/04/2022 08:51

Exactly how many days have been missed since September?

BuanoKubiamVej · 11/04/2022 08:51

Once tests became readily available there was never a requirement to just isolate if you had symptoms - you had to book.a test and isolate till the results came back and if negative then no need to isolate.

If you are taking a child's education seriously, as is your responsibility as their parent, then in the event that they miss loads of school due to illness then you don't voluntarily make it worse by allowing loads of extra absences for sporting endeavours.

A police caution has no immediate effect - it just lets you know that if you carry on behaving in this way then you will be prosecuted formally. If you are convinced that you are doing nothing wrong then obviously crack on and you can explain it all to the judge when the time comes. If you are genuinely doing nothing wrong then you will be found innocent.

SquitMcJit · 11/04/2022 09:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Rogue1001MNer · 11/04/2022 09:29

Has your DS had above 96% attendance over the past 3 years?
What was his engagement like over lockdown?

Managingteens · 11/04/2022 10:47

@urrrgh46 i can totally see why people do as you have done. Its like talking to robots.

OP posts: