Cambridgeshire school reverses period policy after concerns

A school which would not authorise sick days related to period pain unless parents provided “related medical information” has reversed its policy.

Neale-Wade Academy in March, Cambridgeshire, said – after further consulting government guidance – it now did not require doctor’s notes for period pain absences.

The school’s initial policy was criticised on social media, with one woman saying her endometriosis, which causes painful periods, was only diagnosed in her 40s.

In an email to parents, Graham Horn, the principal, said the school was “very sorry for any concerns” its policy had caused.

It had previously told parents it would not accept “unwell, poorly, or ill” as explanations for absence, adding that communications using those and similar terms would be unauthorised.

It also listed period pains as an unacceptable term, unless medical information was provided.

Under national rules, schools are required to consider fining parents if a child has missed 10 or more sessions – or five days – for unauthorised reasons.

The fine is normally £80 if paid within 21 days, or £160 if paid within 28 days.

In his latest email to parents, seen by the BBC, Mr Horn said he was aware of concerns within the school’s community and “beyond, about the need to supply medical information to support absences”.

It read: “I am very sorry for any concerns you may have had as a result of this and I wanted to take this opportunity to further clarity our policy.”

Mr Horn said the school was aware of the pressure on local GPs, the difficulty getting appointments and the challenge of trying to get a medical diagnosis for some conditions.

He added the school had “further consulted DFE guidance” and could “confirm that we do not require doctor’s notes or other medical information to support reasons for absence, such as period pains”.

Jo Atkins Potts, from the charity Bloody Good Period, said she welcomed the policy reversal, but hoped for a world where “menstruation is openly discussed respected and supported”.

She said: “This change is a small victory for those who bleed and for the students at Neale-Wade Academy, but we have a long way to go in dismantling period stigma.”

In a separate statement, a spokesperson for Neale-Wade Academy – a secondary school and sixth form with 1,300 pupils – told the BBC it worked hard to “understand any challenges or difficulties that families are facing, whether that is around attendance or any other issue”.

They added: “We have written to families to clarify our approach, which does not require medical notes when a student is absent.

“We very much have an open doors approach and encourage families to come and talk to us about any worries they have so we can explore these and find a positive way forward.”