100% attendance

My daughter's school gave out prizes last week for children who had achieved 100% attendance last term. Needless to say she hadn't achieved it and I had a sobbing child to deal with on the way home from school. I have spoken to the Head a number of times and been told that the 100%attendance is not aimed at children like my daughter and, as an adult, I can take that on board but at 7 my daughter could only see that her asthma, which she already feels in unfair and stops her doing things, had now stopped her winning a prize. I'm wondering whether anyone out there has a really supportive school that has a good way of handling this issue without making children with chronic health issues more aware that they are somehow different. I'm in the process of writing to the school and would be really grateful for any ideas that I can take to them that might help.

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sorry havent got anything helpful to say just wanted to say my daughter has had this at all 4 schools she has attended except 1 where the assistant headmaster actually had asthma and they were fantastic.its horrid and prejudiced against anybody with a long term illness or condition,and i feel encourages children to go in when they are ill.my daughters asthma is often triggered by viruses most of which are picked up at school! best of luck in getting things to change.

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i found this ace-ed.org.uk/Resources/ACE... ages ago when looking up something for a friend (who was being excluded for poor attendance) and it does mention 100% attendance awards. Its worth talking about this with the school, mentioning the disability discrimination act will make them sit up and listen as they can't ignore that! It really depends on how much time your daughter misses, and whether any kind of attendance targets are appropriate (tbh i have always disaproved of 100% attendance awards at primary school age especially - mostly the child has no choice about whether they come in, its usually the parents decision and made in the best interests of the child, and the other children, they shouldn't be punished for eing ill) but it might be possible that for your daughter her 'reasonable adjustment' is say, 3 months in the year with full attendance, or if neccesary, down to weeks depending on how severe her asthma is and how often it is reasonable to expect her to be in school. It is still an attendance award. Frankly, even if your child's school wont do it (which i think is pretty poor)then you could do something, set her a target that will stretch her but is achievable (it doesnt have to be attendance, it could be a particular grade or whatever) and if she ahieves it she gets a treat, make it clear that this is becuase she can't get the attendance award, and then hopefully it'll be less of a sore point. It also depends on how many kids get the award, if *most* children recieve the award, then it is more upsetting for her, but if only a few get it then the school is much less likely to make adjustments.

Hope this helps!

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Hi I am new to the forum, but totally understand your post about your daughter. My son, due to his asthma and related viruses, bugs, colds and issues, has had to have lots of time of school and as a responsible parent, I always let the school now. This coupled with 2 monthly hospital appointments for asthma this year (all have to be during school hours!) has meant that he has missed lots more school. Resulting in my receiving a very stroppy, and I regarded offensive letter from school pointing out the correlation between school attendance and academic achievement. My son is a bright child achieving way above the national average inspite of his missing school (he is in year 6) and I was livid. I am an ex secondary school teacher and a responsible parent and felt so upset by all of this. The school did apologise but it has made a difficult situation even worse. My sympathies to you and your daughter. I feel penalising a child for being off for ill health is against equal opportunities, maybe you should mention that to the school, Good luck.

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My son has had quite a lot of time off school for various appointments, procedures and his ongoing health issues.

I have pre warned his headmaster that this will continue and he warned me that although they understand fully , we are still going to receive letters about his attendance.

They will be filed in the appropriate place.... Marked BIN!!