Being 'forced' to obtain a sick note for child?

[kingmidas1962]

sorry if this is the wrong place, or indeed the wrong type of forum for this but just thought I'd ask if I can be forced to obtain a sick note for my daughter, by her school? We asked for one days holiday for her during term time and the school will not authorise it as her absence last year was below their required minimum (she is in year eight). I can just about understand this - and I know we have no 'right' to take her out of school in term time. They have also said that ANY absence, even sickness, from now on will be classed as unauthorised unless we provide a doctors sick note!

 

I do not want to waste my GP's time if I know she has a virus, or an upset stomach for example - which I KNOW does not require a visit to the doctor but also means she is not well enough for school, so I'm stuck. Help please!

[ForestChav]

Don't see what they could do if they refused to authorise absence if she was sick. If she's ill then she's ill - if she's absent and she's not ill that's a different matter. Double standards of course, if you sent her into school when she was sick and was throwing up all over the classroom, they'd probably give you both barrels for it.

[kingmidas1962]

well, apparently if she has too much unauthorised leave it is reported to the local education authority and we could be fined! Of course by refusing to authorise leave, even sickness, the school are actually making this more likely to happen .... catch 22!

[cactuskid]

An annoying situation which I have been in several times with my kids at school. There is no legal requirement as far as I know for you to provide sick notes but the schools and local authorities act like social service so all you need to do is cover your ass.

 

As the childs parent or legal guardian you are responsible for your child and are able to determine by your own inteligence as to whether or not your child is fit for a day at school. The school just want to cover their ass too so make their day by writing a short declaration to them that can be recorded against the absent days.

 

"It was of my opinion that on 18/10/99 Tom Smith was not well enough to attend school without the probability of causing alarm or distress to himself or others. For that reason I took the decision to allow his absence on that date."

 

It works for me so shold work for you.

 

Sign it. A persons signature is very powerfull in law so use it

 

Chris

[Crazy Diamond]

well, apparently if she has too much unauthorised leave it is reported to the local education authority and we could be fined! Of course by refusing to authorise leave, even sickness, the school are actually making this more likely to happen .... catch 22!

"could" is the operative word here. And they couldn't just fine you, they would have to take you to court and win a case to show that you deliberately and neglectfully allowed your child to miss school.

 

The law has been changed to allow schools to deal with truanting where the parents collude or don't do anything tp prevent it, and some schools are abusing the change in law to try and bully parents. Remind them that for employees, it's only after a week that you need a dr's certificate and its a self-cert before that, so could they please show you where it says in law that you have to provide a medical certificate for a child's absence from school, and it they can't (they can't!), let's have no more of this nonsense.