Saturday detention and inflexible school.

[Rainbow]

My DS2 is in Y8 and the school policy is, if they get 5 detentions for not doing homework, they get a Saturday detention. I don't agree with it but it is school policy and I agreed to work with the school for the duration of my child's time with them. DS2 got his 5 detentions and was told on Wednesday(2/10), that he had detention on the Saturday (5/10). As a Cub Scout Leader, I had made arrangements to go to District camp with all the beavers, cubs and scouts from our district. DS1 is a beaver leader DS2 and DS3 are scouts, DS4 is too young but had not choice and my parents and my sis are also leaders with beavers and scouts and so they came too. There was not at home who could look after DS2. I explained to the school that this was the case and after numerous suggestions along the lines of put him on 3 trains and a bus (total journey time 2 hrs 40 mins) it was agreed to postpone the detention to the following week. I got on the coach with all the other leaders and children on the Friday and returned by coach on the Sunday. I then discovered, that DS2's detention had been extended by 1 hour because he could not make the previous Saturday. School seems to be steadfast in their decision and insist on punishing DS2 for my commitment. He did get a couple of Saturday detentions last ear and one was changed as my cousin was getting married but the other 2 we bend over backwards to get him there, even picking up my cubs and taking them to their event before collecting DS2 from camp only to find that the member of staff who was taking the detention had not turned up! Working together is a 2 way street or at least I thought it was!

[Sirzy]

Perhaps instead of getting angry with the school you need to get angry with your son for getting in that position in the first place?

You and him both know thats the schools policy. Perhaps he should start just doing his homework and then it could be avoided.

[IslaValargeone]

I'm inclined to agree that the issue is with your son, not the school.
Two Saturday detentions last year and one this year already after only a few weeks into term. He's really not getting it is he.
You need to be dishing out some sanctions at home so that he gets his act together. From what you have written, the only person being inconvenienced by his behaviour is you.

[Sparklingbrook]

The detentions don't seem to be working if he had some last year and is still getting them.

The thing is Saturday detentions must be huge PITA for the school, and they probably wish the children would do their homework, they don't need to be flexible do they?

[QuietNinjaTardis]

Get your son to do his homework so he doesn't get so many detentions. If this is his third Saturday detention then he hasn't done his homework at least 15 times, is that right?

[englishteacher78]

Do you encourage him at home to do his homework and check his homework diary? Why don't you agree with the policy? It's a 5th offence - that's quite unusual.

[flipchart]

I agree it is your son that is the problem.

DS1 got a couple of detentions when he was at high school and it made things really hard work to pick him up because our house was miles away and not on a public transport route. A taxi would have been £15.50.

He got in more trouble for getting the detention than actually being in detention.

[PersilOrAriel]

Are you checking he's doing his homework? If not, why not? If you are, then it can't be any surprise that he's going to get a detention. At our school the staff, parents and pupils all sign a homework charter agreeing to abide by the homework rules. Do you have something similar!

[AmberLeaf]

I think you should turn your attention to making sure he does his homework as required.

[PeterParkerSays]

Sorry but by my maths, your DS has had 3 Saturday detentions = 15 lots of missed homework.

Why are you complaining about him getting an extra hour - I know it seems petty because it wasn't his fault he couldn't attend this time, but it'll go some way towards him making up the backlog of missed work.

He's only in the 2nd year of Secondary school - he really needs to address this before his next academic year.

[SirChenjin]

I would absolutely fuming with my DS if he did that - 15 missed homeworks?? Bloody hell! What consequences have you put in place for that? I think some form of monitoring is required - do you have a diary, or homework record for him to complete? We have to sign a weekly diary showing that we've seen the homework that's been set for that week.

I would also have been furious that the member of staff didn't turn up to take the detention though.

[Rainbow]

I am angry at my son and I'm not saying that he shouldn't be punished but to expect me to drop everything and then add to his punishment because, because of my commitment, I can't is wrong. I have worked with the school and tried, in vain, to get DS2 to do his homework but he is expected to go to enrichment clubs after school an doesn't get in until 5.30. I then try to work with him on as much of the homework as I can but being a working single parent, time is limited and he does need to do it on his own. He is 12. I am more annoyed at the school's attitude of "you support us and we won't support you"

[soul2000]

Is this a selective school. The reason i ask because if it is a selective
school your DS should be capable of managing his time and be able to do his homework at home.

If it is not a selective school and your Ds is struggling there is maybe a reason regards to not understanding the work boredom not liking school and other issues.

If it is the second case, i cant see how putting your DS in a Saturday detention is going to sort the obvious problem out. The detention should be to help the pupil,not for the school to get some sort retribution and justice for the pupil is having a bad time for one reason or not at school.

No pupil would clock up 5 detentions on purpose, knowing the 5th detention was a Saturday one they would do their homework in 20 minutes to avoid that fate.

[nkf]

That's a lot of missed.homework.

[flipchart]

I ended up asking if DS1 could go on permament report at school because by year 9 he messed about so much.
The teachers had to sign how he behaved in class, what his work was like, what his attitude was like, how much effort he put in and his homework result.
We did this for best part of 3 years. Of course at times DS resented it but it was his own fault.
It ended well though.

[nkf]

He can get some if it done during the detention.

[TapTapBangBang]

Perhaps you need to make sure your DS does his homework instead of whinging at the schools clear punishment procedures for children who don't do their homework.

[Rainbow]

Detention isn't working. He doesn't do his homework, then he gets to sit doing nothing or an hour (an hour less for doing homework) and then he comes home. Homework avoided and an hour for him to relax! I had to explain 6 times that the early detentions for being late of going in and helping in the office were enjoyable for DS2 which is why he was deliberately being late!

[nkf]

Can't he do the homework? Or does he n8ot.do it?

[Sirzy]

you support us and we won't support you

But really if you are not helping ensure homework is done then your not fully supporting them.

Punishment isn't really supposed to be something convenient which you can pick and choose when it happens. The school have shown some flexibility but as a result added to the punishment which seems fair.

[LIZS]

I then try to work with him on as much of the homework as I can why ? You shouldn't need to . He knows he needs to do it and hand it in on time . Sorry but a 5.30 finish doesn't wash with me , mine are that time 2-3 evenings a week and still manage.

[IslaValargeone]

The thing is, they have supported you on two previous occasions when they have rescheduled to fit in with your other arrangements.

[englishteacher78]

Saturday detentions are a nightmare! Schools don't dish them out easily. I would have expected him to have to catch up with work in detentions though.

[Rainbow]

No he can't nfk, I would rather he did but they are not allowed to do anything in detention other than sit there. They get a second detention for talking or having anything in their hands. Doing the missed homework is what I have suggested but no, boredom is the best deterrent
apparently!

[Cynderella]

I wish our school would do Saturday detentions - I get fed up with managing them after school. We offer a staffed homework club for those children unable to do the work at home. If they attend every lunchtime and do their best to get work done, the staff sign their planners and teachers give them more time to complete tasks. Most schools open the library and/or other rooms for children who need to complete homework at school.

[LittleMissWise]

I think it is your DS who is the problem. I think you need to get onside with the school. He is 12, it will be a lot worse when he is 15!