My son is not yet 5, he is in Reception class at primary school. He has had time off this year for Chicken Pox (severe) and various other viral illnesses. The school keeps sending me snotty letters threatening me with fines and prosecution and demanding doctors letters which I have provided. I have just found out however that he is not yet compulsory school age and won't be until September coming. Can they continue to harass me like this? I am not a mum who can't be bothered to take her child to school, I just refuse to send him in whilst he is ill and I ALWAYS inform them of his absences. What can I do to get them to leave me alone? Jil_bo: No actually, I was not given any such option. He took up a free nursery place in the September after his 3rd birthday, I was told I must apply for his reception place for him to be able to stay at the school which I did and he progressed in to reception in the January intake. I don't know what you are talking about as no one told me of any 'option' to enrol him at a later date. Regardless of him being school age or not I will NOT send him to school sick, what kind of mother would I be if I did? if the child is age four or age twelve they should not bully and prosecute parents for having a sick child, they should concentrate on the parents who can't be bothered to get up in the morning. I didn't sign any attendance agreement and there was no other attendance policy stated in the application pack. His birthday is June 9th for info sake.
Toddler & Preschooler - 4 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
wow, that school is being very harsh! you should set up a meeting with them and explain that they are being very unfair and that you've always informed them when he's been absent. Good luck!
2 :
tell them that you have decided to keep your son home for the remainder of this school due to his missing alot of school and age factor.he will benefit more next year because of his age.dont take no for an answer.
3 :
Go and see the school in person with a copy of your son's birth certificate. Show them that he is not yet compulsory school age and is under no obligation to be in school. Also bring copies of the medical reports again so they know that you did try to put him in school but his health would not allow continuous attendance, so you have decided you will keep him at home and enroll him full time next year, as required
4 :
i might be wrong here but you would have been given the choice to send him to school at this age. for example if a child turns 4 before the 28/29th of feb 09 they are allowed to start school that year or you can decide to defer them to the year after so they are closer in age to the other kids. so if they are 4 in, say, august 09 they aren't allowed to start school in 09, but if they are 4 in january 09 - you then are allowed to choose if they start in 09 or defer them to 2010. so you must have decided to enroll him at school therefore you agreed that he would attend so the school are just doing what they always do.
