school attendance clinic ... upset and annoyed

SUESMITH_2

we still have to send notes in or write in their planners when they go back after illness, the telephone call is not enough. im surprised though that they didnt remind your daughter to bring a note in, they do at our school

*Louise*

Good letter, but imo I would take out the section about being late, and just work with the stuff they are questioning.


I would get clarification on what approach you should take, at my DS1's school if you phone in the morning it's fine. A note only needs to be sent when the child returns afterwards if the school hadnt been informed by phone.

kunekune

Amended letter will be on its way to school shortly ...

I guess that one of the reasons I am a bit peeved is that they have not followed proper procedures, going straight to the stern letter.

Yes, it is described as a "clinic". There will be a social worker and a nurse, the assumption being that her attendance is indicative of a problem with either us or her. We were not asked whether the day was convenient.

It is a bit like my work, where if you are unlucky enough to have more than one illness in a year, you are now hauled in for a "return to work" interview, even if the absence was just one day each time. Lovely double-speak, of course. Illness happens and it does not know whether it's term time or holiday and certainly has no respect for exactly how long ago the last one was!

I am not easily intimidated, and I'm able to research the situation and write a letter, but if this put me in a right spin, what would it do to someone who was less confident and articulate?

She is, incidentally, a top student, and academically rather gifted. There is no issue with her performance when she is well.

Minxy_Bella

kunekune wrote: »

Amended letter will be on its way to school shortly ...

I guess that one of the reasons I am a bit peeved is that they have not followed proper procedures, going straight to the stern letter.

Yes, it is described as a "clinic". There will be a social worker and a nurse, the assumption being that her attendance is indicative of a problem with either us or her. We were not asked whether the day was convenient.

It is a bit like my work, where if you are unlucky enough to have more than one illness in a year, you are now hauled in for a "return to work" interview, even if the absence was just one day each time. Lovely double-speak, of course. Illness happens and it does not know whether it's term time or holiday and certainly has no respect for exactly how long ago the last one was!

I am not easily intimidated, and I'm able to research the situation and write a letter, but if this put me in a right spin, what would it do to someone who was less confident and articulate?

She is, incidentally, a top student, and academically rather gifted. There is no issue with her performance when she is well.

Same with me, hun - I was so cross, as an ex-teacher, that I could well imagine how upset a non-teacher would be - if that makes sense

My Year 11 child in question is pretty good in class as well - the week after our attendance interview, we had an academic review and the form tutor couldn't find anything negative to say. And I'm sure he tried really hard! :rolleyes: So when schools say that 'poor' attendance always reduces acheivement by at least one GCSE grade, they don't take into account the motivation and intelligence of individual children, whose only crime is to get poorly!

farmerboy

Minxy_Bella wrote: »

Same with me, hun - I was so cross, as an ex-teacher, that I could well imagine how upset a non-teacher would be - if that makes sense

My Year 11 child in question is pretty good in class as well - the week after our attendance interview, we had an academic review and the form tutor couldn't find anything negative to say. And I'm sure he tried really hard! :rolleyes: So when schools say that 'poor' attendance always reduces acheivement by at least one GCSE grade, they don't take into account the motivation and intelligence of individual children, whose only crime is to get poorly!

Totally agree with you there Minxy.

Last school year both my DS1 and DD1 had a bad year with illness, these were not the odd day but 3/4days and usually with a visit to doctors/hospital, plus the subsequent check up appointments. We never got any letters to attend any meetings and we kept the school and form teachers fully informed. When we had the end of year parents evening the DD1's tutor mentioned the abcence rate whilst showing a table of the forms attendance and achievements. DD1 had the 2nd lowest attendance but was the best achievement by far in the entire class, I pointed this out which stopped the argument dead.

DS1's tutor only mentioned it in passing as this year is his y11 year, once again we pointed out his achievement score and expected grades, plus the fact that he will be missing alot of his holiday as he was going into hospital to have a procedure to help his health problems so he would miss less of his Y11.

DS1's attendance is 100% atm (until thursday when he's off for a day to visit a agri show with regard to trying to secure a scholarship), and DD1's is 90%, but she is still top of the class.

Some kids can get away with some abcence.

Indie_Kid

I am really surprised I never got this when I was off for 3 weeks in year 11. Despite letters being sent in asking for work, no-one gave me any. I wasn't well enough to go in and get some.

One of the teachers (who knew what was going on) then had the cheek to moan at me for being off. As if it was my fault I got an infection and was in so much pain I couldn't stand up.

HariboJunkie

Please remember that low attendance in school is sometimes indicitive of a bigger problem. There are children who are truanting and it must be hard for the school to distinguish between them and cases like your daughter's if you were not sending in notes.
Attendence clinics allow schools to check if there is an underlying issue (such as an ill parent being reliant on a child to be at home or a deeply unhappy child who can be helped with support etc).
Yes it would be great if a bit more common sense could be excercised but I would prefer that schools were over vigilant than allowed some sad cases to slip through the net.

kunekune

I know that - but it's a small school, and the lack of notes could have been tackled more informally. We thought the supervisor of the breakfast club, who always had the details, was passing them on, and have had used the same procedure for more than three years without any complaints before.

I do wonder whether they think there is a problem at home - our circumstances aren't easy, and we aren't getting much outside support. They will know that. I'm also quite slack with things like homework (bad mum) and don't get in to many events (bad school supporter). I could probably do with a carer assessment myself, but those issues have nothing at all to do with attendance.

ncsmummy

I know how you feel! I had a letter from dS school as is attendance was 87% and they EXPECTED me to improve it!!! so wrote a very nice letter to head explaining that this letter had annoyed me as although his education is important to him it is far more important to me and I REFUSE to allow my children to stay at ome unless they are ill - last term this house was just one bug after another!
My DD on the other hand is in yr1 at Infants and due to her being extremely unwell last term - which the school was kept fully informed about and refused to give me anything to do at home with her, which I could have done as and when she was up to it!!! Her attendance was 84% and we have been summonsed to the head. DH is going this evening - I was mostly furious because my DD hates missing school, even when shes not well! Her attendance for the whole of last year was about 97%!!! I do not allow my children to stay off school for no reaon but if they are genuinely unwell then I resent being made to feel like I am wrong for keping them at home!!!
Their education is hugely important to me - they are both extremely clever and want them to do well - however their health is equally important to me!!!!

mrcow

85% attendance is pretty poor. Especially if the school have no supporting documentation explaining the absenses.

If they failed to investigate and/or explain to the parent why excessive absense causes a problem, then they would be failing in their duty of care towards the child.

Interesting about you not sending her into school as it was unsafe to walk up the road. Did any other kids make it into school that day?