To think this is discrimation against those with disabilties?

Yet another case of rewarding children for having the good fortune to not be ill. I understand the need to push for net attendance with some kids, but there’s a lot with very genuine reasons for having less than perfect attendance and they shouldn’t be penalised for it.

My kids primary used to do prizes for those who walked to school rather than travelled by car. So basically rewarding children who were lucky enough to live close enough to walk (many didn’t) and had at least one parent with a job that allowed them to do the school run on foot rather than needing to be in the car in order to dash off to work straight away.

I once rang one of mine in sick for flu. The family liaison called me at lunchtime and asked me if he was going to be coming in for the afternoon because "attendance is very important you know!"

Sure Janice, I'll send in my shivering, snotty child to infect everyone else with the flu to help your attendance figures.

School tried to mark DD1 being out of school for an autism assessment at the hospital as "unauthorised" recently so nothing surprises me (apparently we needed to reschedule the appointment we'd waited for 5 years for to outside school hours).

One of mine is off today - I'm expecting a call about how every school day counts - for a child with 1 half-day off for a medical review all this year... considering the school is currently rolling year groups being sent home due to building problems - they're treading on dangerous ground if they're arsey with me.

I really cannot wrap my little brain around the idea that you’d have to argue your case on this. To actively decide to exclude a child from having fun with her peers essentially for having cancer is mind bogglingly cruel. But surely to god after the first time they did it and you challenged them, they’d think “ok yep that was a terrible decision's, we’ll make sure not to do that again”?!

It's pathetic on the part of the schools. My son suffers EBSA, as part of his adhd/asd/anxiety, and a movie afternoon would be exactly the sort of thing that would get him to feel happy, included and settled with his peers and more likely to go in to school. What's the point in rewarding children simply for being lucky enough to be not ill or disabled?

This kind of bollocks is why so many families are getting forced into home education.

My Year 5 child's attendance is awful due to medical reasons (and was even more awful in Year 4, he didn't go at all until after Easter) and thankfully his school don't do anything like this and if they did, I think they would use their common sense and not discriminate against those with disabilities/medical reasons that means a lot of time off school.

I'd be very upset if they refused to make allowances and take my child out on the day to do something special.

Absolutely agree.

I hate these things because, ultimately, primary school children aren't even in control of their attendance.

As a 5-year-old child I was not taken to school regularly and was late when my parents took me - as a result I got marked down whenever I was in school, through no fault of my own.

Primary school children should not be rewarded or punished for their attendance any more than for anything else outside their control.

I'm curious whether it does any good at all.

The more anxious children with as good as possible attendance will be unnecessarily stressed about reaching the limit.

Anyone with strong school avoidance won't be close to the limit anyway, so no point in trying.

And children from chaotic homes won't magically fix their homes to see a movie.

I absolutely detest this type of incentive. So poorly thought out.

• children with a diagnosed disability - makes no difference to their attendance
• children with an undiagnosed disability or challenge who have higher than average time off (e.g. due to anxiety or burnout) - makes no difference or worry could make it worse
• children who are sick a lot - makes it more likely they will go when ill and infect the rest of the class and teachers, while getting very little educational benefit because they are not well
• children who’s parents take them out for hols - makes no difference as it’s the parents’ decision not the child
• children who have none of the above - makes no difference as they’ll be there anyway

We are lucky to be at a wonderful school that understands children need to be well and happy to learn and support that as needed. I know if my kids need a MH day or need a soft start they will support that - this morning my wobbly 8yo went in the office after the bell with one of the deputes to have a wee kick around before going to class. Because of this attitude he’s more likely to go tomorrow/next time he’s having a wobbly day. That’s inclusion.

I'm sure that certain individual circumstances will be noted .

I was a child with only 90% attendance due to fortnightly medical appointments. I very much ignored the drivel about attendance rates and focussed on catching up the work. It amazed me how a full school day could be caught up in 90 minutes at home from a kind friend's books. That fact alone taught me attendance is not the be all and end all. I'm trying to work out if my parents kicking up a fuss about it to make it fairer would have helped me, or if actually, them telling me to ignore it because it was bollocks was in fact the better option. I'm really not sure. Suspect the answer will depend on the child. But learning that not all rules and targets are good ones definitely had a value to it. This is not to say it shouldn't be fixed, but as folks with long term health conditions or disabilities, sometimes we end up having to pick our battles ( and fighting the NHS for the right treatment is hard enough)

Get in contact with the school and ask politely if it includes absences due to disability.

When my daughter, who has DS, was in junior school, we often received letters home due to her poor attendance. Her sister always had awards for hers. When I spoke to the school, I was told the letters are sent out automatically and to just ignore.

I'm sure any parent who has a kid with a clear reason will contact the school, which is what you should do. This will put them off doing this again.

No need for knickers in a twist.

Primary or secondary?

He should not have been marked down as having an unauthorised absence for that. It is madness! If schools want to give out rewards for attendance, they should only be penalising unauthorised absences and non-essential authorised absences (e.g. when the Head gives permission for a term time family holiday).

Absolutely awful schools are still doing this shit! There's children with disabilities, young carers, sickness, bereavement, neglect, so many reasons why a child might not have perfect attendance.

If 'every second counts' then why are they waiting that precious time on a movie afternoon. Make 👏 it👏 make 👏sense👏.

A family near us lost their mum and dad in the space of three months, who is going to tell those children they can't have movie afternoon.

A boy in ds class has a heart condition and is frequently off, another child has cystic fibrosis and in and out of hospital.

And those kids whose parents just don't bother their arse to get their kids dressed and out the house, it's not the child's fault!

Agree it is terrible. My child had a disability and could never meet the expectation for attendance. Those who battle on with medical issues are the most resilient kids I know. Mine got through uni with a first class science degree so it’s all a load of rubbish. Their sibling used to throw away any attendance certificates they got as they realised how unfair it was.

Are you suggesting that children with disabilities should be discriminated against?

That is what is happening if by dint of disability related absence you are unable to achieve the attendance required for the reward. That would be bonkers and inequitous.

Schools have lost the plot about attendance and love to blame Ofsted for it. A friend of mine’s 5 year old was admitted to hospital for several weeks and the school was calling her multiple times to explain that this absence would affect his education. What did they want her to do?? Get him out of the hospital bed, take him off the oxygen and IVs and wheel him into school?? Unless Ofsted was standing over them on the phone saying “tell this worried mother her child is missing his education” then Ofsted didn’t make them pull that crap.