100% attendance at school

[incywincyspideragain]

if ds has anytime off for appointments (outpatients or clinics) that cause him to miss morning or afternoon registration he doesn't get his 100% attendance - I have no choice when NHS clinics are scheduled and I daren't reschedule in case we go to the back of the queue, some are only during school time unless we get 'lucky' and its during the holidays... if a child has a know medical condition that requires regular review or an operation scheduled should it really count against them? our school makes a huge deal about attendance, I can't help feeling its another thing ds won't achieve - I know its not a huge deal really, just felt like a mini vent

Well, first of all those attendance certificates are riduculous because it's mostly a matter of luck, catching a virus or not, so they are not worth the paper they are printed on in terms of genuine achievement or effort.

However, I think it is wrong to set up a system where a child with SN / disability could NEVER get one, and that it is their very disability / permanent condition that is the cause of that.

My DS challeneged his school about it when he was his Class Councillor - and the school changed policy: any absence directly connected to a permanent disability or SN condition did not count against them for the purposes of the attendance certificate.

I think my 'issue' is ds is very aware that he isn't 'star of the day' or 'star of the week' he often asks how he can be it and we've been through the 'rules' but he finds it so hard, I guess I'm looking for any victories with the system, not getting ill was one of them but it appears having check ups and treatment does - we had tears when I picked him up for an appointment last week because the school nurse was in and she was talking about hygiene and he 'needed to be there to see what was going on' 'it wasn't fair' etc and finally 'I won't get my prize at the end of the year because I didn't get it last year because I had to go to hospital and I should be allowed to stay because everyone else can'

I can understand that!

Arrange a meeting or write to the school explaining that, and that it is discriminatory against children with ongoing conditions to count hospital appointments against them, and that they should start at the same point as other children - it is absences due to ordinary common illnesses that count, unauthorised absences or routione appointments that could be made in holiday time (e.g regular dental check-ups, routine eye tests). Theiur current method puts children with disabilities or chronic and ongoing conditions at a disadvantage - and that is contrary to the DDA!

Appointments should not count as absences i would go and ask you school secretary about this. They are authorised