Does your primary school give out pen licences?

[emkana]

dd is chuffed to bits that she's been given pen licence - she's in Year 3. So now she can use a ball point pen not just pencil. Does every school do this?

[EvilTwinsAteRudolph]

Not sure about DTD's school, but the primary school I went to did. Once you'd got your licence, you were allowed to use a fountain pen. Our parents had to buy then pen (a specific one) but school provided the ink. Cartridge pens were not allowed - proper fountain pens only. Bog standard (but v small) village primary in the early 80s. My writing is still neater by far if I use a proper pen. I'm allowed cartridges now though/

[BoysAreLikeDogs]

ours doesn't

how are you doin', emakana?

[AnnoyingOrange]

My ds2's primary does

[pooka]

OUr school does this - dd is in year 3 and she got her pen certificate in the last week of year 2.

I remember that when I was in 3rd yr Juniors (year 5 now) we were all given a plastic fountain pen.

DD was given a berol handwriting pen.

[theITgirl]

DS still hasn't been given his pen licence (year 5). But he is nearly there

[Smithagain]

Ours does. First pen licence for a Berol handwriting pen. Then another for a fountain pen later on.

[LauraNorder]

Ours does, DD thinks she is just days away, we have the beryl roller at the ready, any day now!

[emkana]

I'm very well, thank you for asking! Hope you are, too!

[BoysAreLikeDogs]

all fine here, thank you x

[BaroqinAroundTheChristmasTree]

I'm not sure if they have a "license" per se - but I know at the start of YR3 DS1 was the first child in his year group to be given a pen to use in lessons after they did some writing thing to see who was ready when they started juniors. The infant school don't do pens at all.

I was very especially as this was the child that couldn't even write his name when he started reception and then he was first to get to use the pen in Juniors.

[Himalaya]

Ours get given a Berol handwriting pen. No license though.

They do get a 'trading license' to be allowed to bring in Match Attax etc ...

[LIZS]

Ours does in Year4 , they are allowed to use an ink pen which we have to provide

[choccyp1g]

We don't have licences, but they do officially "move onto pen".
BTW we got cartridege pens from Tesco's for 67p and they are fine.

[choccyp1g]

hmmn can't type cartridge sorry

[missnevermind]

Ours have a Berol pen presented to them in assembly when they can write neatly enough.
No licence though - I like that idea.

[Acanthus]

We don't have licences, but they do officially "move onto pen".

[Poshpaws]

Yes. DS1 is in the same position as theITgirl's DS. Although he told me that everyone automatically goes onto pen in YR6

[KnowNothing]

I think the licence could be really disheartening to those who don't get it - its great to celebrate those who 'can' but it kind of seperates those who 'can't'.

My friends DS is struggling at school and it would be another sign of failure to him and knock his self esteem even further.

[Ineedtinsel]

Sadly our school also gives pen licences..

Dd3 has coordination difficulties and is a leftie, she is in a mixed year 3/4 class and the children are starting to get their pen licences.

She is unlikely to get one because the school have a very strict criteria.

Funnily enough when she was having an occupational therapy assessment one of the things they said was " Do the school still use pen licences"

At home she uses a left handed stabilio pen and can write really nicely with it.

[Nickiename]

Thank God no? Is it a way of punishing and singling out children who have untidy handwriting or something? If so, and I would be hugely upset if they did and would make a big fuss. It is discriminatory against children with coordination problems, who cannot help having difficulties with forming letters etc. Having neat handwriting is not a moral virtue - and nor, as someone else pointed out, is good health. I feel annoyed about 100per cent attendance certs, and my child, who has a pptentially horrible genetic condition, will never get one.

[Nickiename]

I think I might be having a word re disability discrimination actually re the attendance certs. I definitely would if I had a child struggling with problems who was denied a stupid bloody 'pen licence'. Sheesh. Way to boost their confidence, school.

[Niecie]

Nope, but you have to get a handwriting certificate when your writing is tidy enough. Not sure it is tied into using a pen though.

DS1 is dyspraxic, left handed and has awful handwriting and really messy work and he even got a certificate because he had made some improvement and so he didn't feel left out. Much better than a licence imo.

We were allowed to use a pen at primary if our writing was neat enough and I was one of the last in the class to be allowed.

However, I found my style when I was in secondary school and my writing became much better then - so sometimes it just takes a bit longer.

[c0rns1lk]

My ds's school don't allow them to use pen until they are neat enough in the lower juniors. He's dyspraxic so didn't ever make the grade. Now he's in year 5 they are all 'allowed' to use one. Ridiculous. There are plenty of pens which are suitable for children with handwriting difficulties which they could have given out.

[Nickiename]

agree cornsilk. It is discriminatory. And even worse, stupid!

[madsadlibrarian]

this is really interesting - a handwriting pen was on the list of stationery DS had to take to school at the beginning of the year, but there is no sign that he has been using one - this is obviously the reason (his writing is hideous).