Year end awards year 6 leavers

[sallyhasleftthebuilding]

So year end and the prizes are awarded 13 out of 56 didn't win anything with 3 children getting 2 awards - one child received 3

So over all 8 cups short of a full set

Surely in an all inclusive every child matters and every child has good qualities - isn't this system out dated?

Why not just give them a personal award /certificate rather than leave a few in tears?

Or give them all an award?

What's your thoughts?

[sirfredfredgeorge]

A school that hasn't managed to build the emotional resilience to accept not getting an award without tears would be for me more worrying signal of the school than the awards.

DD in reception got a certificate in an assembly in the first few weeks of school "Dunno, everyone gets one throughout the year" is what she said when she asked, giving one to everyone devalues it all entirely.

Of course giving out 48 sounds pretty devalued too - but I don't think the solution is even more so everyone gets one just for showing up.

[CPtart]

Our school gave out 5 awards. 38 kids in total, so 33 got nothing, including mine ( a high achiever). That's how it should be, and IME how it will be at secondary school too, even more so.

[ThatGingerOne]

No. Not everyone gets an award. The awards would have been based on academic achievement and therefore some children would have won them and some wouldn't. Surprised they gave so many in a primary school. In high school it was just one per subject and some students did the best in more than one subject so they got the awards for more than one. YABU

[Bestthingever]

Yes CP that's how it should be. Someone just told me very proudly that his year 1 dd was made pupil of the year. I was amazed that a school thought it was a good idea to pick one pupil out of sixty at the age of 5 and 6.

[catkind]

Ha, precocious cynicism there sirfred! Though we have had to pre-brief DD about everyone getting a turn with class teddy, which is part of a similar reward system, as otherwise she'd be all "it's not faaaair I sat quietly tooooo".

I think you're right sally, prizes for all (doesn't have to be much, just a certificate or something) or prizes for less than half would be better. It's like the party invitation thing isn't it. Leaving out just a few comes across mean.

Though something they could all be part of like a leavers' play or talent show or something might be better.

[Brighteyes27]

At my DS's leavers party a v large primary all children received an award certificate with a photo some were silly something like every bodies best friend. Most well travelled pupil etc etc. Then after this otter awards like musician, art, sport, numeracy, literacy, IT award etc. My DS won the numeracy award this was the first award to be presented it was presented very quickly with little build up no speech and no trophy just a certificate. Whereas the sports and musician awards had a massive build up, lengthy speech and the kids received a trophy or cup.
This year they only gave the main awards with massive build ups they listed three nominated students for each award my DD didn't get one but was nominated (most children weren't even nominated) but think they had such a good time I don't think any where bothered or taken seriously except by some sad parents putting them on FB.

[Leeds2]

At the school where I volunteer, there are about 20 in Year 6. There were awards for maths, English, science, music, art, sport and drama. Those who hadn't won one of those awards were called up to receive certificates for such things as being kind to younger children, being a good role model, being helpful etc. T~hey all got something, and I thought it was a good way to do it for Year 6 leavers.

[mrz]

We give out 2 trophies to Y6 at the end of the year voted on by all the staff ...we could make up reasons to give everyone a trophy or we could give no one an award

[CodyKing]

The school is very competitive - only announcing winning teams rather than taking part.

Main awards were for sports football players player team captain all round sportsperson - them academic awards maths champ super science and literacy, creative writing - then personal awards - most helpful - best buddy - then hard workers or triers who overcame difficulty in academic or personal situations -

Just seems a shame 13 didn't have one category -

Where I work we give each a small chat about their school life comic moments and they get a certificate - personal rather than leavers certificate - each gets their turn as the each have completed junior school rather than single anyone out. I think it's lovely and special for them all, and their parents to know they are well thought of and have good qualities

For the record DS for an award and DD didn't - both had been told not to expect one to avoid any tears -

[mrz]

Our Y6s give each other awards - non stop chatter - most likely to forget their pen - always smiling - bravest etc

[exLtEveDallas]

42 children in Year 6 this year.

9 Trophies
12 School Council/Prefect Certificates
6 Sports Certificates
2 Head Boy/Girl medals

Some kids got more than one award. Some kids didn't do anything 'award worthy'. Some kids were a pain in the arse throughout the year. Some kids were outstanding in certain areas.

Those that deserved recognition got it.

All got a 'Leavers Certificate' that said "Congratulations on completion of the first stage of your education - the whole school community looks up to you"

Sounds fair to me.

(oh and some got attendance awards as well)

[wizzywig]

Maybe it affects/ bothers us parents more than the kids?

[Witchend]

When I was at primary I think they fid it quite well.
One form entry, around 30 children (though dsis had 45 at one point)
In juniors (years 3-6) top boy, top girl (done on end of year exams) plus most improved/best effort.
All year 5 and 6 would get some sort of swimming certificate. They ranged from "entering water" through to "25m". Years 5,6 did swimming once in week.
Then those who passed got their cycling proficiency (mostly year 5, some year 6)
Then there were a couple more certificates which all of year 6 would get one at some level.
Then about 10 big awards. Academic (sometimes it was top, sometimes improvers), music, badminton, most helpful, art, can't remember the rest. But they never gave anyone more than one of those awards.
Yes, sometimes people got upset because they thought they'd deserved one they hadn't got. But all year 5 and 6 got something.

[IoraRua]

23 children in my schools 6th class. Three awards - Student of the Year, Sportsperson, Kindness. It devalues awards imo if you are giving them just for the sake of it, and the kids don't appreciate it. We'd recognise everyone in little things throughout the year anyway.

[PonderingProsecco]

No awards like this at end of year 6 thank goodness.
All received a dictionary and a handshake at leavers assembly.
Leavers party at the school and KS2 disco to follow.
That was plenty intense enough!

[sirfredfredgeorge]

Ha, precocious cynicism there sirfred! Though we have had to pre-brief DD about everyone getting a turn with class teddy, which is part of a similar reward system, as otherwise she'd be all "it's not faaaair I sat quietly tooooo".

As well as getting the first assembly certificate, she also got the class teddy first, no idea why she was quite so favoured, although probably were both really related to the broken bone on the first day of school. So I'm suspecting (misplaced) guilt!

[redskytonight]

I think DC's school got this right.
Every child in Y6 (123 of them) got an individual certificate for some personal quality (DS's for e.g. was for "always being cheerful and working hard").

Then there were 2 certificates for each subject (so about 16 in total) -given strictly for effort rather than achievement.

The only bit I think they got wrong was the "headteacher's award" and "deputy head's" award which went to the chair and vice chair of student council respectively. not saying that these children hadn't done a lot for the school during the year, but the school council is only open to 8 children per year and I know there were an awful lot of children that wanted to get involved but couldn't.

[Soakingupsomesunshine]

I see OP's point, the balance was possibly wrong, would have been better with awards for all or fewer awards.
I do remember my PE teacher once pointing out 'if you reward everyone you are rewarding no one' 20 years on I'm still making my mind up on that one!

[MammouthTask]

3 awards this year. One for a child that really struggled all along the primary (health wise), one for a high achiever/very nice mature pupil (by experience, it mostly goes to one of the girls ), one to someone else (not sure why TBH...)
Was similar last year and the year before even though the reason why each child has received the award can be much more obvious.

I think that's OK (even though I'm not really sure what it actually means, wThe for the child or for the other children as they are never told before hand what is thw criteri to get the 'award'...)

However, so many prizes that is leaving only a few children with no award at all seem .

[helenwilson]

Two years ago our school gave about sixteen trophies and 25 dictionaries to other children, therefore 41 children got something and 19 didn't. People felt that was quite unfair and wrongly balanced. Not they give a certificate to everybody, and still the 16 trophies, there are five academic ones and 11 for others (perseverance, all-round best effort, contribution to school, art, music, sport etc). I though it worked well but there were some high achievers who got nothing and were visibly upset. On balance though I thought it was more fair than the previous system. Ds got an academic award, dd next will most likely get nothing but she will cope (my heart will be sad for her though).

[helenwilson]

Excuse the typos !

[ohtobeanonymous]

Balance seems wrong at OP's DC's school, but I tend to think there should be fewer awards than one for everyone.

All Year 6 children know which are the 'real' awards and the 'ones you get when they can't think of anything else' awards. If it is an academic prizegiving, then it seems reasonable to award to academic high achievers. Hopefully, this is in the wider context of a school which gives positive feedback and reinforcement to ALL pupils throughout the entire year. As part of the academic awards, there is usually one for 'Most Improved' or 'Best Effort'.

If I was OP, I'd be about the balance - the proportion of children missing out entirely is too small.

[SouthWestmom]

Either no awards or a very few tangible ones - highest achiever in maths etc. Our school did several awards including 'most likely to be' and others and it has caused upset for the children. Obviously I only know my child and their friends and parents weren't there but it seems staff and governor children featured highly. On their last day, kids all feel emotional and its special for them - why pick a few out to be subjectively more special?

[sallyhasleftthebuilding]

On their last day, kids all feel emotional and its special for them - why pick a few out to be subjectively more special?

this is how I feel -

[Fresta]

I think there should be prizes, but I think they should be few and actually meaningful. At this age they are perfectly old enough to deal with the fact they are not the best at something and should be able to celebrate in the successes of their peers. Praise effort by all means, but achievement is important too!

I am teaching my dd that someone else's talent and success does in no way belittle her own! She is outstanding at art, however there is another girl in her class who is also brilliant and they chose to give the art prize at the end of Y6 to the other girl. With a different mix of children it might have gone to my DD. It is all relative and we have to remember that! She was happy for her friend.

Teach your children how to be the best they can be, teach them that there will always be winners and losers, teach them how to win with humility and lose with grace, but don't teach them that they they are all equal. They will only find out the hard way we are not.