I was at court for this afternoon's session.
The head teacher of Ellie's school gave evidence, mainly focused on her very poor attendance records.
This was a new school for Ellie after going back to live with her parents in December 2012, starting from the new term in January of 2013, the same year she died.
She didn't turn up on the first day and JG phoned to say she had chicken pox. The next day Social Services contacted the school because they had discovered JG had been admitted to hospital (it wasn't stated why she was in hospital). SS were concerned because they didn't know who had Ellie (strangely), but they then got back in touch with school and said she was with her father. So Ellie missed the first week or more of school. Then in Feb she had another spell of time off school, I can't remember the length of it because after a while there was just too much info to commit to memory, but I do remember that by the April the school were really concerned because her attendance was 72.5% (her absences totalled 14 days by April) and they summoned JG to a meeting. She cancelled twice and got quite angry with a member of staff at the school on the phone, saying she wanted a letter from them setting out the reason for the meeting to give to her solicitor.
JG, and I think BB also, eventually met with the school and said they were concerned that the school had information about BB's conviction and were treating them differently from other parents. They came in with press cuttings about their case and said the school should Google them.
In June I think there was further concern raised about absence. JG phoned to say Ellie had tripped up a step and banged her head on the ground.
In July Ellie missed the last day of term and parents didn't contact the school. Schoo contacted JG and she said she thought they had broken up for Summer hols the previous week and they were on their way to a family holiday she had booked.
In the September Ellie missed the first 6 or 7 days of the new term. No explanation given by parents. Also younger sister had been booked in to start in the nursery class and she wasn't taken either. Head didn't think it was because of a family holiday because they had already taken their holiday in July.
Then in the first week of October, the month that Ellie died, she missed 9 days of school. JG phoned them to say the whole family had flu. When Ellie returned to school concerns were raised by staff about her appearance. She had a mark around her eye, yellow/brown, and a mark on her forehead and a plaster above her eyebrow. Three different staff members questioned her separately about how she had got the injuries and she told them that she had tripped over the puppy. They were satisfied that it was the truth. Ellie was happy and drawing a picture while staff were talking to her.
There was some disagreement with the parents about a doctor's medical note that she had been required to give the school. They said it had been put in Ellie's bag but when the teachers searched her bag it wasn't there. Parents said it was because JG had taken it back out of the bag when Ellie came home from school. Head asked them to send it in again the following day. JG was really angry with them on the phone and said they were being victimised.
Next day head saw BB waiting outside the office with Ellie and he came out to speak to him, Ellie went into class, BB was with Izzy. Head took BB through the security doors into a corridor to sit and speak with him about the sick note. BB's manner was "very aggressive, confrontational and he spoke in a very loud voice/shouted". Head was concerned about children in classrooms down the corridor hearing him and about Izzy also being present while he was behaving in this manner, so he stood up to end the meeting, opened the security door and asked BB to leave. He left.
I think Ellie's attendance for that short half term was something like 13%.
BB's barrister asked if he had any reason to think that Ellie was not happy or comfortable when he had seen her with her father. He said he hadn't seen her with her father (apart from that day outside the office) he had only seen him standing in the playground by the bike sheds with the puppy, waiting for Ellie. But he hadn't any reason to think she wasn't a happy child. Barrister also pointed out that there was no legal requirement for Izzy to attend nursery at that age, her attendance sessions added up to just 3 days by the time Ellie died.
JG's barrister asked about the return from the 9 day absence with plaster on her head at the beginning of October, if Ellie appeared to be in any pain. He said he hadn't been given any reason to think she was in pain. I think that must be when they suspect the broken shoulder occurred, and will be trying to show that JG wasn't aware Ellie was in pain.
Think that's about it. Oh yes, one more thing - JG sent them an angry email after the incident with BB/head, listing points she wanted the school to address, but it never happened because of Ellie's death. I think one of the points on the list was the surname she wanted them to use and another mentioned the grandparents and access with Ellie, but I didn't catch the context of that.
