To be pleased DS said what he did.......

[mumbar]

even though I told him it wasn't his place.

Basically DS school do awards for 100% attendance. (I personally do not agree with these)

Been out at hospital appointment so late and when signing DS in he saw the list from last term (sept-Dec).

He asked where he name was and I said he'd had 1 1/2 days off so wouldn't be there.

DS reply (in front of HT )

' but Mummy, one for hospital appointment and 1 was when I had allergic reaction at night, its not my fault I have allergies'.

This is totally my opinion (well any child with chronic medical needs who can't help missing school).

I have never expressed this in front of him but abviously children do notice these things.

yes, that was it MrsDV - I couldn't remember the exact details when I posted about it earlier. I knew it was a family member who had died though. I thought that was utterly abysmal of the school involved.

Lumbar, I'm with you all the way about attendance awards, they're totally wrong. But you need to be careful about the "work hard and x, y or z award is achievable". There's more of an element of hard work in some of those, sure, but try telling some children that if they work hard they can get the school maths prize. We can't all get awards in things however hard we work and we need to get to a state where where you get to is rewarded far less frequently IMO.

Sorry Mumbar, didn't spot the auto correct til it was too late!

I agree little by little. I'm lucky that DS is still Infants so awards are given for trying hard to improve, making progress etc not just actually being the best. He'll learn at some point that awards become less - but they will for all pupils of the school so everyone is in the same boat iyswim.

where are all these primary schools that give out school maths prizes? I've never come across one.

Blatantly discriminatory against children with a disability.

DD only in reception but so far no sign of the certificates.

DD has a disability and of course I try to do apts outside school time but if the last apt NHS will give me is 3pm and the hospital is an hours drive away then obviously she misses some school.

Can't imagine how any school can continue the practice if challenged in writing.

Good on the DC's challeging it themselves - how I hope my DD will be when she is older.

Ladycornee, nor me. It's a wider point really about how actually things we credit as being available to all with hard work are often dependent on things beyond your control almost as much as attendance. I'm just very aware of crediting achievement above hard work-I was great academically but put in less effort than plenty of others with lower grades to show for it, actually until a levels. Doesn't seem fair that I was so congratulated for my fistful of high grades really any more than it seems fair that someone in rude good health is congratulated for attending school. Bit removed from op maybe but it all just made me think about just what we congratulate in our society and whether it's right.

DS school has 'smile awards'each class has 1 day each week, so for eg each class has an assembly each 1/2 term where all children from that class who have been awarded one get it presented. He has had 1 every year ( maybe fixed!) but each time for progress or effort. Not for being great at or the best at anything because he's not!.