Do schools take pen licences away?

[Tuesday588]

DD is in Year 3 and was awarded her pen licence a few weeks ago. She's one of the first in her class to get one so was extremely pleased about this and I feel it has been a good confidence boost for her as she sometimes struggles in other areas of learning.

She came home from school upset today saying that her teacher had pulled her to one side and said that her writing isnt as neat in pen and it was in pencil and if it's the same tomorrow that she will be taking her pen licence away and she will need to go back to writing in pencil.

Does anyone or any teachers know if that is a thing? Do teachers actually take pen licences away once they've been rewarded?

Obviously dd is very upset by this and has gone to bed upset. If the teacher has just said this to get dd to try harder with writing in pen then fine but surely as she's only just started writing in pen it will take her a while to get used to it.

I just wondered if anyone had experience with this ? Thanks!

Oh sure, I agree.

Do both parents get fined for unlicensed children writing in ink?

So glad this wasn’t a thing when I learnt to write as it would have taken me ages unless they did reasonable adjustment (with my school probably not). I had reasonable writing but was left handed and it was never that neat. I also have cerebral palsy and couldn’t keep the exercise book/paper still with my other hand.

This seems designed to upset children and for teasing or just feeling not as good as another child because you can’t write with a pen.

I really think pen licences must do so much damage to children who never get awarded them or get them last in a class. If teachers want to boost children, they can give out certificates for good handwriting, but the idea that some children aren’t allowed to write with pen because they aren’t good enough to get their licence is ridiculous and cruel.

I like the idea of the pen license as it lends a sense of occasion to moving from pencil to pen at school. I remember how grown up I felt when I was allowed to use the beryl handwriting pen. I imagine the teacher is trying to encourage her to keep working on her handwriting with a pen but appreciate that they probably didn't handle it well and upset your daughter. I would encourage your daughter not to worry about losing her license and that moving to pen is tricky. Just keep practicing, take her time, and her handwriting will improve.

I like the idea of the pen license as it lends a sense of occasion to moving from pencil to pen at school.
In my child's school they were allowed to switch to pen from the start of year 3 through year 4. Except for the children who struggled with handwriting like my DS, they were just told at the start of year 5 that they needed to write in pen now they were in year 5.

Bizarre concept.

I thought we were meant to be looking for ways to decrease the stresses faced by young children and promote wellbeing and learning through active play. 'Pen licences' seem directly contrary to this.

A… pen license?

Pen licenses are awful. Why should my dyspraxic dd be made to feel she’s not worthy of writing with a pen because she has a disability?

Thank you for all the replies.

For those of you who were unfamiliar with the pen licence concept at dd's school children are awarded their pen licence in a whole school assembly (pre Covid) and it is given when the class teacher and head or deputy head agree that the child can start writing in pen. They are awarded a certificate for this, usually in years 3 to 5. It seems to be common practice in other schools local to us.

I feel that the whole concept in theory is a nice idea but in reality does nothing but to knock the confidence of those who receive their licence later than their peers, as some PPs have also mentioned. My friend's dd is in year 5 and has not been awarded her pen licence and it has been nothing but upset and drama.

In the case of my DD, she was one of the first in her class to be awarded hers and so was extremely proud and in the mind of an 8 year old to have this taken away just a few weeks later feels somewhat humiliating and I feel like this will knock her confidence. She has come home Friday saying that her teacher hates her writing.

I'm thinking of speaking to the school as I feel it's unfair DD hasn't been given much time to get used to writing in pen, only a few weeks, but also a policy of making such a fuss when they award it seems ridiculous if they can undermine childrens' confidence by taking it away at a later date

An example of handwriting that is not yet "deserving" of a pen license. Perfect and beautiful? No. Neat enough and legible? Yes.

So you were happy with it when your child got it but now it’s been taken away and she is feeling like those made to feel crap for something they can’t help you feel it needs complaining about .

I've never had good handwriting. Even now, I can't always read it.

Why can't they just use Frictions? The ones you can rub out? Surely that hits all targets.

That looks fine to me, Accidentally. Odd. What year is your dc in?

@SageGr33n

Pen licenses are awful. Why should my dyspraxic dd be made to feel she’s not worthy of writing with a pen because she has a disability?

Exactly this. .My ds could read before he started school. Was first to get a reading book..He was happy with his book. Didnt need a certificate.

Same with writing. My ds was never proud of his pen license as he never achieved the standard of writing they want due to his dysgraphia.if anything he felt a sense of failure.

@SageGr33n no, I said when DD got her licence she was extremely proud, I didn't say how I felt about it. I also stated that I don't think they are a good idea for the reasons I outlined in my post.

I don't really feel comfortable complaining to the school as I feel they generally do a great job and I imagine they have lots of parents complaining about all sorts but If I do speak to them about DD being upset I will be mentioning my views on pen licences in general. Whether that's my place to say, I'm not sure.

That looks like great handwriting, it's better than my 15 year old's, that's what he said when I showed him.

@kowari

That looks like great handwriting, it's better than my 15 year old's, that's what he said when I showed him.

Sorry, that was to @AccidentallyOnPurpose

@GreyhoundG1rl

That looks fine to me, Accidentally. Odd. What year is your dc in?

Y4. If she doesn't get it by the summer holidays, it'll have to be y5.

DS is in year 5 and writes very badly. His spelling is great but his handwriting is not much better than his brother who is in reception. Luckily his school puts self esteem and building confidence first and they don't have these ridiculous things. The kids can only get a reward for something that they have a choice over and even that is individually assessed as children have different needs and abilities.