advice needed

I've just looked up attendance codes:

NEW ATTENDANCE CODES, DESCRIPTIONS AND MEANINGS

CODE

DESCRIPTION

MEANING

/

Present (AM)

Present

\

Present (PM)

Present

B

Educated off site (NOT Dual registration)

Approved Education Activity

C

Other Authorised Circumstances (not covered by another appropriate code/description)

Authorised absence

D

Dual registration (i.e. pupil attending other establishment)

Approved Education Activity

E

Excluded (no alternative provision made)

Authorised absence

F

Extended family holiday (agreed)

Authorised absence

G

Family holiday (NOT agreed or days in excess of agreement)

Unauthorised absence

H

Family holiday (agreed)

Authorised absence

I

Illness (NOT medical or dental etc. appointments)

Authorised absence

J

Interview

Approved Education Activity

L

Late (before registers closed)

Present

M

Medical/Dental appointments

Authorised absence

N

No reason yet provided for absence

Unauthorised absence

O

Unauthorised absence (not covered by any other code/description)

Unauthorised absence

P

Approved sporting activity

Approved Education Activity

R

Religious observance

Authorised absence

S

Study leave

Authorised absence

T

Traveller absence

Authorised absence

U

Late (after registers closed)

Unauthorised absence

V

Educational visit or trip

Approved Education Activity

W

Work experience

Approved Education Activity

X

Non-compulsory school age absence

Not counted in possible attendances

Y

Enforced closure

Not counted in possible attendances

Z

Pupil not yet on roll

Not counted in possible attendances

#

School closed to pupils

Not counted in possible attendances

Part of guidance for code C:

REGISTRATION CODE: C

Brief Description

Other authorised circumstances (not covered by another appropriate code/description)

Statistical Meaning

Authorised Absence

Legal Meaning

Absent

Physical Meaning

Out for whole session

DCSF Definition

Special occasions at the discretion of the school

Additional useful information:

(These examples are illustrative and not meant to be exhaustive)

Only exceptional occasions warrant leave of absence. Schools should consider each request individually taking the following into account:

• the nature of the event for which leave is sought;

• its frequency (is it a one-off, or likely to become a regular occurrence?);

• whether the parent gave advance notice; and

• the pupil’s overall attendance pattern.

Examples might include special occasions such as attending the wedding of a family member, family bereavement, prison visits.

REGISTRATION CODE: I

Brief Description

Illness (NOT medical or dental etc. appointments)

Statistical Meaning

Authorised Absence

Legal Meaning

Absent

Physical Meaning

Out for whole session

DCSF Definition

Missing registration through illness is an authorised absence. If a pupil is present for registration but returns home because of illness, no absence need be recorded for that session. Schools should keep a record of pupils leaving or returning to site in case of an emergency.

If the authenticity of illness is in doubt, schools can record the absence as unauthorised absence (Code O) but should advise parents of the school’s intention. Schools can request parents to provide medical evidence to support absence on the grounds of illness.

A pupil receiving medical treatment on site should be marked 'present'.

Relevant Regulation

6(2)

Additional useful information:

This code is to be used when parents phone to say that their child is ill. Parents should always be advised to notify the school as soon as possible when a child is ill. It could also be used when parents send a letter after the period of illness to explain the child’s absence.

Absence at registration due to a medical, dental or hospital appointment should be recorded using Code M.

While schools can request medical evidence to support absence on the grounds of illness, schools are advised not to request medical certificates unnecessarily (particularly retrospective certificates), especially if the illness was not treated by a doctor at the time. Unnecessary requests will block GP’s appointments which, in turn, could delay treatment of others and doctors report that it is difficult to provide retrospective evidence, particularly if they did not treat the pupil. Medical evidence can take the form of sight of prescriptions, appointments cards, etc. rather than Doctors’ Notes.

REGISTRATION CODE: M

Brief Description

Medical/Dental appointments

Statistical Meaning

Authorised Absence

Legal Meaning

Absent

Physical Meaning

Out for whole session

DCSF Definition

Missing registration for a medical or dental appointment is authorised absence.

Parents and pupils should be encouraged to make appointments out of school hours. Sight of an appointment card is advisable if a pupil is an irregular attender.

If a pupil is present for registration but has a medical appointment later, no absence need be recorded for that session. Schools should keep a record of pupils leaving or returning to site in case of an emergency.

A pupil receiving medical treatment on site should be marked 'present'.

Additional useful information:

For Health and Safety reasons a system must be in place to record that a pupil has either arrived at school or left the premises during the session.

Medical appointments include:

• Attendance at a GP’s surgery;

• Attendance at a dentist’s surgery; and

• Hospital appointments (not a stay in hospital, for which Code I should be used).

I cannot see why they cannot use one of the above codes, I would challenge them in writing about it.  Technically you could be liable for prosecution based on unauthorised absence so them using the wrong code is serious.

Thanks for taking the time out to reply. My sons doctor did refer him to CAMHS and I was spoken to over the phone by the Access and Assessment Team. This was because of the way the letter was worded by his dr. The dr had put in their ?behaviour problems ?autism ?depression.  Basically they said to me that is sounds very much that your son has got aspergers, and it needs to go to a paediatrician.

Well we know this already!!!!!! We have an appointment in 2 weeks with a neurologist and this is because of his facial twitching. 

It seems to me that CAMHS are a waste of time, as like you say they prolong the assessment and come back with a load of bull. I have been advised that it has gone past the point of camhs and that we need to wait till our appointment and go from there.

In the meantime the school are still putting him down as unauthorised abscences even though they know everything. All they are worried are their stupid figures.

Until I came on here, I never realised what a battle this was going to be.

All areas have different waiting lists, but invariably CAMHS (presumably that is who will be assessing him?) take many months and often much longer than the 3 months they are supposed to take between referral and assessment.

You ought to tell the school he has special needs, he is just pending diagnosis and in the meantime, you do not expect him to get detentions, and in fact you won't allow it.  (That's what I'd do anyway).  You have legal responsibility for your son and if you refuse to allow the detention I'm pretty sure they cannot enforce it.  Tell them they are treating your son discriminatorily.

Regarding CAMHS, hassle, hassle, hassle.  Find out who is the manager or lead clinician and make direct contact.  According to NHS NICE Guidelines they are supposed to have a named contact for parents throughout the process.  The assessment itself should take no more than 3 hours providing there are not reasons to extend it, such as uncertainty.  Don't get fobbed off with one of those "has autistic traits but not enough for a diagnosis" either, that seems to be flavour of the moment for CAMHS which is a cop-out.  It's like saying someone is a little bit pregnant.  It's a neurological difference, and it's a spectrum.  Your son is having problems at school so he has severe enough traits to warrant a diagnosis, if autism is what he has (which it sounds like some traits from what you have said).