'Sick note culture' hits schools

**ShadesWolf** · 06-11-2005, 09:11

A "sick note culture" is being blamed for an apparent rise in the sickness rate among schoolchildren in England.
Research for Cambridge University found sessions missed due to sickness in a sample of 76 schools rose from 4.05% to 5.37% between 2002-03 and 2004-05.

Some head teachers and welfare officers said they thought parents were pretending their children were sick - or taking them on holiday.

The rise coincided with a government clampdown on term-time holidays.

Ministers had warned that parents who took children out of school without permission for holidays could face fines.

The government publishes figures on absence from school, both authorised and unauthorised, but does not give a break-down of the reasons. However, many local authorities do keep such records.

The national average for authorised absences is 5.85% of half-day sessions.

**ShadesPanther** · 06-11-2005, 09:41

A few of my Friends used to go on holidays either in the middle of term or a week before the end of the summer term.

I also had one friend who was only there about 75% of the time (probably less). Obviously he didn't come back for after his GCSEs.

EDIT: 1,000 post woo!

**The_Doctor** · 06-11-2005, 10:15

I had a friend who was off months at a time. His mum knew this and was fined. All he did was play games, which him very good at them and take them far too seriously.

He only got one GCSE, English E or D. Which is sad because he was quite clever.

**JAG** · 06-11-2005, 15:33

No doubt Labour are to blame Shades, eh?

**ShadesPanther** · 06-11-2005, 17:00

No, It probably isn't Labour's fault. They could possibly have done something, but then hindsight is a wonderful thing. They probably havent done that much worse than other governments at education.

I don't blame labour for everything, just the things I don't agree with or think is silly.

**Crazed Rabbit** · 06-11-2005, 17:27

So, its illegal for parents to write sick notes for children if they aren't really sick, and you have to get permission from the school to go on vacation? Hello, Big Brother!

Here we are just supposed to tell the school we're going to be gone.

Crazed Rabbit

**JAG** · 06-11-2005, 17:37

It isn't permission, it is that you can't have a holiday during school time, because many parents disrupt important work to go on holiday.

Not sure I agree with the policy but it certainly isn't big brother govt.

**BDC** · 06-11-2005, 17:46

Originally Posted by JAG

It isn't permission, it is that you can't have a holiday during school time, because many parents disrupt important work to go on holiday.

Not sure I agree with the policy but it certainly isn't big brother govt.

It's a conspiracy by the tourist industry to make sure they can extract the most money possible from parents.

And everyone knows that the amount of work done in the last week of term = zero.

**Big King Sanctaphrax** · 06-11-2005, 18:59

So, its illegal for parents to write sick notes for children if they aren't really sick

What's wrong with this? You are compelled by law to go to school, and if the parents did what you just described, they are complicit in truancy.

**King Henry V** · 06-11-2005, 19:52

It's simple: if you don't go to school for long periods of time, you're marks slip (I've learnt that the hard way).

**ShadesWolf** · 06-12-2005, 08:48

Originally Posted by JAG

No doubt Labour are to blame Shades, eh?

No JAG I would blame society for this one mate

The ' Can't be bothered lot'

I have told this story before....
The one thing that I accept THIS governement has achieved in its Eight Years of HELL, is introducing the 'Sure Start' nursery project. This project give free places to under4/5's in the most rundown areas, and give first joice to the most needy in those areas.

However, in practice, it has ben a waste of time and money and those who are the most needy, cant be bothered to get up out of bed and take the children.

So JAG this one I pin on society/ culture as a whole....

**JAG** · 06-12-2005, 13:48

So JAG this one I pin on society/ culture as a whole....

Something I can completely agree with you on.

**zelda12** · 06-12-2005, 16:51

Due to a malignant illness, known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, aka ME. I have at times been off for as much as 30% of the school year, for the past 5 years. Yet my grades are still very high.

Its all a matter of perception, some people are genuinely ill and have to work extremely hard to keep up with the rest of the class. The other people just skip school for no reason other than a lack of motivation. Make school interesting and cut the flipping exams and you'll see school attendance rise, and the quality of learning as well. At the moment we spend upwards of 25% of our school year preparing for exams...you can see the impact of this one the pupils.

**ShadesPanther** · 06-12-2005, 17:13

Once you reach GCSE year its 100%

It does depend I find when Im off a week from Illness I usually do work hard to catch up and it s still harder than if the teacher did it with you.

People who just skip for the fun of it definately have no motivation to catch up so just don't bother.